The freelance career is taking off becoming a popular alternative for those wanting to work by themselves, while working from home. But, before you get to the exciting part, there are a few things that you should know before you get started. You need to be aware of some of the risks and challenges that come with freelancing, so you will have an idea of how to prepare for these kinds of challenges.
A lot of people daydream about quitting their day jobs to become their own boss. However, quitting your job and jumping head first into freelancing is a big step and a decision that should not be taken lightly. In this blog post, we’ll explore some things to know before you start freelancing, so you can decide if it’s the right move for you.
1. Think Beyond Local
As a freelancer, you can work from anywhere in the world. So, if you are wondering how to start freelancing, then think beyond local. Yes, local clients should be your priority but in order to grow and scale, you need to think beyond local. There are many remote jobs including niche jobs, so make sure you are ready to work remotely.
2. Rejection is a Part of The Job
Freelancing means running your own business, and while there are many perks to working for yourself, there are also some major downfalls. One of the major downfalls is that not every client will like your freelancer skills.
Sometimes clients will reject your work, sometimes not. The only way to not get rejected is to not take on any clients at all.
One of the first steps to getting your first clients is to get your profile on freelancing sites like Upwork and Peopleperhour. You can post your portfolio on there, but that takes time.
Another way to start getting clients is to write guest posts for other blogs. Guest posts are great because they allow you to show off your writing ability, and you also get exposure to new people.
3. Successful freelancing takes time
Start small. Don’t dive right in. It’s best to start out small. Write a few hundred words for a blog or website. Offer a few services on Fiverr for $5. These are small things that will lead to bigger things.
Network, network, network. Networking is a huge part of freelance success. Go to meet-ups, networking events, and industry conferences. Meet other freelancers. Offer to help. Get to know them. They’ll likely help you out, too.
4. Highlight your skills
Make your skills visible. One thing you can do to show potential clients that you’re an asset isn’t even related to business at all. It’s simply setting yourself up as a freelance writer, making your skills visible. Sites like ProBlogger.com and Matter of Fact Blog are great places to start.
5. Build a portfolio
One of the perks of freelancing online is that you can do it from almost anywhere, as long as you have a laptop and an internet connection.
When you’re freelancing, the goal is to build your portfolio so that companies will be interested in hiring you. The better your portfolio, the better your chances of landing clients.
For example, you can pick a specific industry, such as social media, digital marketing, or graphic design. Then, you can narrow your focus even further by specializing in a specific aspect of that industry (i.e., social media management, content creation, or website management). This is one of the important things to know before start freelancing.
6. Charge depending on your work volume
There are many freelance websites where you can sell your services. These websites do not charge any fees to you. They only charge you for the services you sell.
You need to decide how much you will charge your clients. Usually, freelancing websites do not give you the opportunity to charge by hour. They give you the opportunity to charge by word or by page.
If you are a beginner, then charging by the word or page will be the best option. If you work quickly, then you can charge more per page. If you work more slowly, then you can charge less per page. Learn here how to make money fast online.
7. Don’t quit your day job
There are many reasons why people decide to do freelancing online. Maybe the person wants to earn extra cash on the side or maybe the person wants to become a full-time freelancer. However, by deciding to do freelancing online, the person will have to make some sacrifices in their life.
One of the first sacrifices that the person will have to make is quitting their day job. Some people try to do freelancing online while still having a day job. However, this is not a good idea. By doing freelancing online, the person will have to dedicate a lot of time to their business, since they will either have to work at night or on the weekends. This only makes it harder for the person to balance doing freelancing online and having a normal life.
There are all about things to know before you start freelancing.
At Nutshell
When deciding if freelancing is right for you, it’s important to consider a number of factors. You’ll have more control over when, where, and how work gets done. However, you should be prepared to set aside a significant amount of time to work on your business. A freelance career can be extremely rewarding, but it’s important to know what you are getting yourself into before you take the plunge. I hope you found this article helpful. Let me know if you have any questions! I’d love to hear from you in the comments.
