I was reading this article at Freelance Switch that discussed the three things every freelancer should do.  Point Number One is something I think every freelancer needs to really concentrate on.

1. Solve customer problems. What might this three-word sentence mean to a freelancer? If you’re a copywriter, you might be replacing a client’s ineffective website copy with words that sell. Or maybe you’re a logo designer. You target startup companies, many of which have amateurish-looking logos. And you’re able to convince these companies of the worth of a polished, professional look that will serve them well as they seek customers and investors.

For a freelancer, I believe that your entire job is about solving problems. As a freelancer writer my job is to make the editor’s life easier.
I do this by

• Delivering good, clean copy
• Doing the stories that either the editor or an in-house person can’t do (that may mean taking jobs at short notice)
• Delivering everything the editor asks for on time (or even a day or two early if you can).
• Finding someone else to do work that’s offered to me if I can’t do it. In other words, if I can’t solve the problem, find someone else that can.

Now, of course, the challenge is to work to develop your skills in order to be able to solve your client’s problems.