Should Freelancers Share Their Knowledge?

As you probably know freelance workers do much more tasks than just designing, writing or whatever it is you do to pay your bills.

So why spend time and energy sharing your knowledge?

These days altruism is not very common. We’re so stressed with our work that there’s little free time left, and we want to spend it on anything else.

But moreover, sharing what you know is risky. Someone could steal your ideas or your techniques. It’s even a little unfair! Why share what you learned by yourself, with so much effort and without help from anyone else? And what do you get in exchange? Isn’t it a risk for your business? Is it worth the effort?

Sharing your knowledge is good for everybody, you included… and I’m going to give you 9 reasons why.

1. Don’t overvalue your knowledge

You learn to draw, to code or to design by practicing, not by reading tutorials or articles. Tutorials can motivate you or give you some tricks but the real learning is based on practice.

2. Copy my work, please

Obviously those who really want to learn will find it easier. But if someone copies your work, he’s really doing you a favour because he will be recognising your mastery in the subject. Every time a person sees that copy, he will think of the original (you).

The more people copies from you, the more successful you’ll be, and vice versa.

3. You get connections in the business

Think newbies from today are masters of tomorrow. More people you deal with more connections you get for the future… who knows who is the next Steve Jobs, maybe is that guy who learn from your tutorials and loves your work.

Obviously the probability of teaching the next big guy is really low but did you get the point? (If you do, please keep my contact info )

4. You are not a non-profit

You are not a non-profit. I blog myself or guest post at other sites because it benefits me somehow. The benefits might not be direct income, but with prestige. Once you have reached the status of expert in any subject, your audience become bigger and your message is transmitted more effectively.

Thanks to my blog, I’ve been hired as a guest writer in such big blogs as Freelance Switch, Smashing Magazine or PSD Tuts. This regular collaboration provides me an audience I could never aspire other way.

More audience = more potential clients = more demand = more sales = increase in the price of my services = I work less hours to get the same = I HAVE MORE FREE TIME!!!

5. It’s a very big world

Don´t be afraid of your competitors, millions of potential clients in the world, there’s room enough for all of us.

6. You have more skills than designing

Drawing or designing or whatever you do is just a small part of your business. We newbies believe that things are sold because of its quality, and not because there’s someone who knows how to sell them.

The product quality is very important, of course, but unfortunately (or not) there is more art in the sale than in the product itself, specially if you’re freelance.

7. It’s a good way of learning

Yeah, you can learn a lot. Sometimes you do things unconsciously, and by explaining it, you raise conscience on the process and its errors. This will help you to optimize your work.

8. I fortify my self esteem

Let’s admit it, we all like being told how good we are. By fortifying our self esteem, the confidence in our work increase, which makes us better and happier.

9. It´s fun

The main reason I like sharing knowledge is because it’s fun. Sharing what I know and things I’ve learned has brought me a lot of satisfaction. Not to mention it’s given me exposure and opened up many doors of opportunity.

You can find Sergio Ordóñez on the Web at his portfolio at SOSFactory or his blog SOSNewbie.