Here's how you can establish a robust client base and network as a freelancer in higher education.

1. Evalúa tus habilidades y experiencia: Haz una lista de tus habilidades, calificaciones y áreas de conocimiento. Considera tus antecedentes académicos, tus experiencias laborales previas y cualquier capacitación especializada que hayas recibido. 2. Examina tus intereses: Piensa en las áreas de la educación superior que te apasionan más. ¿Te entusiasman las innovaciones en tecnología educativa, la pedagogía, la gestión educativa o la investigación en un campo de estudio específico? 3. Investiga la demanda del mercado: Descubre qué servicios están en demanda en la educación superior. Puedes hacer esto revisando ofertas de trabajo, hablando con profesionales en el campo y leyendo publicaciones de la industria.

Just returned from curriculum consulting in a higher education institution in Africa. I've worked with more than 10 universities on the continent in the last 5 years. I realise how much time and resources are invested to improve the skills and behaviour of graduates on the continent. Although writing a good program cannot bring transformation, it's a great start. We need university management to invest more in re-tooling especially in mindset change of all staff about; the place of a learner, the place of content, learning dynamics and the value and nature of assessment. Mindset change because the type of graduate we desire to produce and the processes involved are to a great extent countercultural.

While academics often have experience marketing their research work, they don't have experience marketing themselves. As a freelancer, you have to do both. Your personal brand will be a combination of your expertise and your personal approach as a function of your personality. How do you stand out from your colleagues with the same expertise? That's your personal brand.

Networking is often a very crucial aspect in research or in freelancing. Networking helps you to grow as an individual and at the same time as a team. Therefore building a strong network is very important. One can do so by engaging in several workshops, conferences, seminars and also connect with like minded people over the globe via platforms like LinkedIn. You should discuss different ideas, your research perspectives and how steps can be taken to improve the same. Additionally networking often helps to build strong collaboration which can help to solve a bigger challenge which otherwise would not have been possible as an individual effort.

Today in the modern day scenario, online presence matters a lot. In order to build a strong collaboration, discuss ideas with people across the globe, online presence plays a crucial role. Platform like LinkedIn has made it possible for us to connect with people from parts of the world, discuss about ideas and research. LinkedIn has transformed the lives of several researchers. It not only has helped to discuss about research so that it can be helpful for the common people but also to build strong collaborations with various scientists for a better research and a better tomorrow.

This is the most important thing - being a trusted voice by decision makers. The days of cold calling are long gone in this profession. Sales needs to be inbound and based on your trusted relationships and visible authority. The way you do this is by adding value to your clients’ (or future clients’) activities at every touch point. This can be as simple as forwarding them an article you saw that they might be interested in. It doesn’t have to be complex, but you do have to demonstrate that you understand their business and care.

Além de se manter atualizado com as últimas tendências e tecnologias, é essencial cultivar relacionamentos profissionais sólidos e colaborar com outros freelancers e especialistas do seu campo. Ao se envolver ativamente na comunidade profissional, você expande sua rede de contatos, compartilha conhecimentos e se mantém inspirado pela diversidade de perspectivas. Essa colaboração não apenas enriquece sua prática profissional, mas também fortalece sua posição como um freelancer engajado e conectado.

Identifique seu nicho e expertise: Defina claramente sua área de especialização dentro do ensino superior. Crie uma presença online profissional: Invista na criação de um website profissional e atualizado que destaque seus serviços, experiência e credenciais. Demonstre sua expertise através de conteúdo: Compartilhe seu conhecimento e insights sobre temas relacionados ao ensino superior por meio de blogs, artigos ou posts nas redes sociais. Construa relacionamentos com colegas e clientes: Participe de eventos, conferências e workshops relacionados ao ensino superior para expandir sua rede de contatos. Ofereça um excelente serviço e peça recomendações: A satisfação do cliente é fundamental para construir uma base sólida como freelancer.