Automating work and increasing productivity. A guide to AI for freelancers | AI in business #96

Specializing in AI

Fiverr has reported a 1400% increase in demand for AI skills over the past six months. That’s probably reason enough to add proficient use of AI tools to your portfolio. If you’re just getting started with AI, pick one area or tool and gradually make changes. You’ll get the best results by looking at undemanding but time-consuming tasks you do every day.

Automating work in repetitive tasks – saving time and focusing on priorities

According to a survey by Freelancer.com, as early as July 2023, 75% of freelancers in the USA were already using AI tools to boost productivity. Automating work with AI can significantly improve freelancers’ daily tasks, such as:

• responding to e-mails,
• managing your calendar, or
• searching for new assignments.

Automating work with AI will allow freelancers to significantly reduce their daily routine and save precious time, which is, after all, a key resource for any freelancer. On top of that, it will enable them to maintain control over the development of their business. In terms of increasing productivity through automation without programming skills, it’s worth looking into:

• Zapier – allows you to integrate with more than 3,000 applications and automate the workflow between them. For example, you can set up automatic addition of new tasks from email directly to the to-do list.
• Make (formerly Integromat) – allows you to create complex scenarios involving multiple applications and services. What can a freelancer do with it? For example, they can use AI to automate the process of sending invoices to clients after a project is completed.

Source: Upwork (https://www.upwork.com/research/freelance-forward-2023-research-report)

Generating content – creating text, graphics, and videos

To be successful, freelancers must not only provide content for their clients but also market themselves. By leveraging AI, freelancers can do both at the same time by automating the work of creating content and materials quickly and effectively.

AI can help with this, offering tools to generate drafts and even advanced versions of:

• text – using the latest Gemini from Google, trusted ChatGPT Plus, or specialized tools like CopyAI or Jasper,
• graphics – from the intuitive DALL-E 3 available through ChatGPT to Midjourney on Discord, to Stable Diffusion for the most advanced users,
• videos – or presentations with avatars, as in Synthesia, or experimental videos with Runway, or – coming soon – with OpenAI’s Sora (https://openai.com/sora).

Content generation tools allow freelancers to quickly create and adapt materials to meet their clients’ requirements.

Process optimization – increasing efficiency

Process optimization is especially important for freelancers who are looking for ways to save time and increase efficiency. AI provides powerful tools for analyzing data, identifying trends, and optimizing workflows.

However, in a freelancer’s work, the best way to optimize and increase productivity may turn out to be… a conversation with ChatGPT about better ways to perform tasks, rather than automating work. All you need to do is to tell it in detail what tasks you do, then ask how AI can help speed up and improve results, leading to greater job satisfaction. The phrase “process optimization” with the help of AI becomes a promise of better use of resources and getting maximum results from them. It is also a chance for more satisfied customers.

Source: DALL·E 3, prompt: Marta M. Kania (https://www.linkedin.com/in/martamatyldakania/)

Collaborating with the customer – better communication and relationship-building

In the field of freelancing, building strong and lasting relationships with clients is crucial. Utilizing AI in this process presents a significant opportunity to create valuable and long-lasting business connections. AI can support freelancers in maintaining high-quality communication, helping analyze client needs, and tailoring messages to their communication style and expectations.

Using AI for sentiment analysis may sound like a task reserved for large companies. However, before sending a difficult email to a client, it’s worth pasting it into ChatGPT or Gemini and asking, ‘What emotional tone does this message convey?’ This simple sentiment analysis can help avoid issues in project execution. It can also be a recipe for receiving feedback on our communication style. In the longer term, it enables a better understanding of emotions in written communication and client needs.

Acquiring new customers – reaching a wider audience

For many solopreneurs, one of the biggest challenges is not delivering projects but finding new customers. AI can play a key role in this process by providing tools that allow us to create applications that are perfectly tailored to customer needs. They also help us know that our offer contains all the necessary elements and is free from errors. For example, Upwork uses AI to help create better project applications, which increases freelancers’ chances of success.

Shaping a business strategy – making the right decisions

A freelancer’s business strategy primarily involves making accurate decisions regarding career development. With the current pace of development of AI-based tools, this is not an easy task. Therefore, freelancers should focus on leveraging artificial intelligence to enhance their skills in what they do best.

AI provides freelancers with tools to analyze the market, competition, and trends. However, if you’ve already found your niche, ask yourself how you can become an even better specialist. In this way, with the use of AI tools, your freelance career can thrive. Continuous learning is key for making the most of AI, allowing freelancers to offer better services.

The future of AI freelancers – automating work and increasing productivity

The evolution of AI is creating new opportunities for freelancers, as well as challenges in adapting to a rapidly changing environment. Those who can harness the potential of AI will gain a competitive advantage by offering services at a higher level and a faster pace. In the future, the ability to effectively leverage the potential of AI will determine the position and growth opportunities of every freelancer.

The development of AI is creating new professions, niches, and business models, offering freelancers a chance to grow and explore new career paths. On the other hand, flexibility and adaptability are key to the future of work in the AI era, helping to make effective use of new technologies.

Automating work with AI offers freelancers a range of benefits, from time savings to access to new clients. However, the key to success lies not only in knowing the tools but in the ability to use them practically. Freelancers who can adapt to the new realities and harness the potential of AI will have an advantage in the marketplace, offering services at a level that previously only larger companies could provide. Investing in developing AI skills and knowledge is, therefore, essential for anyone who wants to maximize their potential. Freelancers must learn to think outside the box and use AI in creative ways to succeed in a world that is constantly evolving due to technology.

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