In the past, we mentioned the difference between freelancers and entrepreneurs and explained that they have similarities and differences that sometimes make us mistakenly assume freelancing and entrepreneurship as one, which will lead to unpleasant consequences.

Now, in this article, we want to explain the difference between a freelancer and a consultant.In this article, we want to compare freelancing and consulting.

Many people forget the difference between a freelancer and a consultant and confuse the two so that the incorrect use of the words consulting and freelancing is no longer a strange issue and has become a normal and common occurrence. Although each of these words has its meaning and uses, we still repeat this common mistake when we are describing the services provided by a contractor. Understanding these differences will play a very important role in the positioning and success of your business.

Who is the consultant?

A consultant is a person who earns money by providing professional advice or suggestions in a specific field. For example, a consultant advises a company in the field of using social networks or increasing productivity, and in this way, he will earn an income. Companies can use these consultations to choose the best way and take a step forward on the road to success.

If the consultant uses the tools and facilities of the client and also does other work for the client in addition to his main task, in such cases, that consultant can be considered a kind of employee (or maybe he will be hired as an employee in the future).

Who is a freelancer?

A freelancer is someone who works independently on a project or daily basis and has no intention or desire to have a long-term commitment like an employee. The freelancer must get the necessary information and items to start his work from the client and try his best to complete the order in the best possible way before the project delivery date. Also, before starting the work, he can agree with the customer about the order delivery time. As soon as the order is completed and the project is finished, the relationship between the freelancer and the client is terminated until the next order.

Pay attention to the key and golden point of freelancing, freelancers earn money for their working time or project. The start and end time of the project is determined between the freelancer and the client before starting the work. In a way, it can be said that this is the most important difference between a freelancer and a consultant.

It’s easy to confuse freelancing and consulting! Both provide services to individuals or other companies. An interesting way to better understand the difference between freelancer and consultant is to refer to the synonyms of these two words. The words with the same meaning as the consultant include guide and specialized teacher or descriptor, while the words with the same meaning as freelancing refer to a specific profession, for example, logo designer, text editor, book cover designer, and other professions.

Also, the difference between a freelancer and a consultant can be seen in the choice of workplace, so most freelancers do their work at home or in a coffee shop, while most consultants do their work outside the home or sometimes in the relevant company.

Why should you pay attention to the difference between a freelancer and a consultant?

When someone uses a freelancer to do a project, they intend to use the skills and services of the freelancer in the short term and with a specific budget.

For example, in the field of catalog design, as a freelancer, you must receive the necessary items from the client to start working and then start designing. Normally, the project is completed using the tools and resources of the freelancer, and he has controlled almost all aspects of the work, including the best method of starting and completing the project, as well as announcing the project delivery date.

After the completion and delivery of the project, the freelancer will be disconnected from the client until the next project and order.

As a consultant, the client asks you for guidance and a detailed plan regarding a particular career. For example, you may provide advice to your client as a marketing strategy consultant. In many cases, the scope of the project becomes larger and larger and may include several other projects within the same general agreement. For example, a marketing consultant should research competitors, organize key groups, oversee advertising campaigns, and write marketing plans in addition to their regular activities. For this reason, the consultant may be hired by the relevant company on a long-term basis and with a time commitment. This point is exactly the opposite of having a specific delivery date in freelancing.

Perhaps the difference between a freelancer and a consultant can be expressed more simply and concisely. In freelancing, the basis of your work will be a project, while in consulting you may have a long-term commitment that may even lead to your permanent employment.

Be sure that a consultant has no superiority over a freelancer and vice versa!

Always keep in mind that the value of your work lies in the quality of your final performance and the achievement of the project goal. Also, work order and work classification will have an important effect on your professional appearance, which will make the customer have a positive opinion of you. Never forget that the positive comments of previous customers will have a direct impact on attracting future customers