Parth: The Secret To Success – Explore more, Achieve more!

Freelancing since June 2020, Parth is a Personal Brand Builder, Google certified Digital Marketer, Harvard Delegate, Storyteller, and Podcaster. From planning to start a perfume business in the first year of college to exploring and now having his own providing all kinds of Digital Marketing services. 

The best three words to describe himself are LinkedIn organic lead generator, Personal Brand Builder, and Harvard Delegate. He describes his freelancing journey as ‘Explore more, Achieve more’. He says that rather than thinking much, start taking action. Definitely you’ll achieve more.

As a freelancer, he relies on personal brand building and networking mainly on LinkedIn to generate leads. He lays emphasis on communication, money management and sales as essential skills for freelancers to develop. He suggests making habits, consistency, and self discipline your friends and they will help you grow.

A hardworking and a determined person, he is a young entrepreneur who strives to help millions of people by developing and growing their businesses. We wish him success in the future.

Read his inspiring story here:

1. Introduce yourself to us?

Hi! I am a Google Certified Digital Marketer, Harvard Delegate, Personal Brand Builder, Host of The StartToday Podcast, storyteller and Speaker.

I am a 20 years old computer engineering student and also a core team member of Edtech Startup Trio Teachers.

The people in my college know me as an Entrepreneur. I help startups, businesses, and CEOs or founders to build their Brand and Business to achieve their growth.

My LinkedIn profile is in the Top 5% of all LinkedIn profiles. Connecting the world show & TechForce company have invited me as a guest speaker.

On my Podcast, I interviewed TEDx and Josh Talk speaker, millionaire, Successful Entrepreneurs who got funding and executives. It is listed in 33+ countries.

2. Why did you choose the field of Marketing? How did you get introduced to this field? What fascinates you the most about your career choice? 

Since my childhood, I have wanted to do business.

I saw lots of shows on Bill Gates and Steve Jobs on History TV18. That’s why I’ve been interested in Business since my childhood. However, I didn’t know in which field I wanted to Business.

When pursuing engineering, I got to know about the field of Digital Marketing. 

I explored it and found this is an industry where I can do business and help other businesses to grow.

Another reason for entering the marketing field is that I started hating coding because of college assignments and viva. 😂

Working on a laptop from home is a luxury and I am most fascinated by it.  

3. Why did you choose Freelance? When did you begin to Freelance? Were you planning it, or how did it happen?

I did network marketing and reselling Business in my first & second year of college. However, I didn’t make lots of money.

I explored the Digital Marketing field and found rather than selling products providing services has more potential. While providing services we need a laptop only and don’t have to go outside.

It’s how I came into freelancing. After exploring 3 to 4 Businesses, in June, 2020 I started Freelancing.

I thought I just needed to go Upwork or Fiver and I’ll make lakhs, but it’s not true.

I didn’t get a single client from Fiver or Upwork (maybe, I didn’t try with full potential). 

So, I got to know that people are finding clients from LinkedIn. Hence, I do the same now and I’m easily able to find leads from there.

4. How did you approach the first few clients? How do you find leads organically? What are your most effective lead generation methods?

Honesty I just did 50+ cold calls to local businesses by finding their contact details from Google Maps. However, the result was 0.

After that, I started building my Personal Brand on LinkedIn and did Networking.

I got my first client from LinkedIn. It was because the client found my profile impressive and therefore he directly contacted me.

Simple Organic lead generation technique I’m using on Linkedin:

1) Searching “looking for KEYWORD” (Ex: ‘looking for content writer’ )

Filter it by post & date posted.

You’ll find lots of people who are looking for your services. 

Go and pitch them.

2) Send an introduction message to every new connection.

Talk with them and build good relations.

With this simple technique, I was able to crack 2 deals in April 2020.

3) Search “Keyword” 

Filter it by company.

Go to the company profile and send a request to HR, CEO, founder and executive of that company.

Pitch them and maybe you’ll get opportunities or they’ll give freelancing work to you.

Who knows…?

BTW, I am going to publish a book on Linkedin organic growth soon.

5. How do you price your services as a freelancer? Any essential points that a new Freelance should know of?

Before offering a quote to a client, I follow this process:

1) Research about client work

2) Estimate total hours of work

3) Total efforts

4) Determine the tools I’ll use

5) Mention what benefits client will get 

I see many newbie freelancers work for very little money (200/300 for one article only). 

They need to ask themselves the question I mentioned above.

‘Never Discount yourself, you’re precious my friend.’

6. Talk about the importance of maintaining long-term relationships with your clients? What are its benefits?

Let me explain this with an example.

You get a client and quote them Rs. 13,000/ month, and they start to negotiate with you.

However, you can tell them that you’re ready to decrease Rs. 2/3k because you’re very special and you want to help them.

Suppose you work for 3 months then you’ll make Rs. 30,000 total not only Rs. 13,000 for one time only.

If you find clients who want your services for the long term, you must be ready to give them few discounts.

Personally, I don’t crack lots of deals but a deal which I cracked 4 to 5 months ago, till now those clients are working with me.

This is because I’m providing rich experience and quality work to them. At times, they’re paying more for parties too.

For a good relationship with clients:

1) Make them feel special and provide a rich experience

2) Give them advice in their other work too, which you didn’t pay for building trust

3) Always give 5% to 7% more work than you quote. If you just started then your client will love this attitude to do work more.

7. Throw some light on the importance of choosing niches and working on personal branding for freelancers.

1) Optimize your all Social Media handles (insta, FB, linkedin etc),

2) Share real life experiences in the form of stories.

3) Find your USP (your own touch).

Ask these questions to yourself:

1) Who are you 

2) Who could benefit from you

3) Tagline for yourself

4) Specific target audience 

5) How are you different than other teammates

6) What’s your USP

7) How many workshops or speeches do you do?

This will definitely get you enough information to build your Personal Brand. 

8. What according to you are the most essential skills that anyone interested in this area of work should develop?

According to me, communication, money management and sales are the must needed skills for all Freelancers.

You’re very good in your niche but what if you aren’t able to communicate well with your client? 

You’re earning very well from your services but what if you don’t know how to manage and invest your money?

Your results are awesome but what if you aren’t able to crack new clients?

That’s why Communication, Sales and Money Management are the needed skills for all the Freelancers. 

9. As a freelancer, what were the biggest obstacles you overcame? What were your worst mistakes?

Full-time Freelancing is for self-discipline people only.

People who know how to improve themselves regularly and be consistent. 

When you start to Freelance, you can’t sustain money every month.

It’s happened with me a few times where I’m making X amount one month and second month only X/3 amount.

At the initial level, building trust is also very important for long-term work opportunities and relationships with clients.

My worst mistake I believe is not exploring LinkedIn in my first year of college.

10. What is the one major pro and/or con of freelancing, according to you?

Best thing about Freelancing is you work with global clients, at any time and while traveling too.

I’ve clients from the USA, UK and UAE, but never meet them. I have been working with them for more than 4 months. It’s amazing right?

This is the power of Freelancing.

Major con of Freelancing is uncertainty. You don’t know which month you’ll not make enough money.

However, according to my experience, 100% it’ll be eliminated over the period of time.

11. What mission and vision do you have? How do you want history to look at you?

I want to help millions of people by developing and growing their businesses.

I believe that when we do jobs, we’re taking care of our family. However, when we’re developing jobs we are responsible for lots of people and are helping them.

12. What would do you differently if you had to begin your career again? What would you focus on once you restart?

If I’m going to restart my career, I will read business books daily without fail and start exploring LinkedIn and other online stuff as early as possible.

Parth can be reached out on Refrens, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter.

Looking for a freelancer for your next project but are confused? Check out our article on “How to select an ideal freelancer” for a seamless process of hiring a perfect candidate.