Data from Statista revealed that in 2019, there were 57 million freelancers in the U.S. The number has increased rapidly since then, especially since the Covid-19 pandemic has forced many people to freelance after losing their jobs. As a freelancer, I understand why anyone would make that decision.
Freelancing has enabled me to enjoy perks such as a reliable income, flexibility, and convenience. It took me some time and a lot of effort to become a top-rated freelancer. I’d like to help others like me to achieve their dream of being successful freelancers.
I believe the tips below can be incredibly useful today because they helped me in my journey.
Start!
I desired to be a freelancer but didn’t know when to quit my job. It was a bit challenging because I had no idea if I was even going to make it. So I kept postponing my decision to become a full-time freelancer. When I think about it now, I wish I had started sooner.
As starting a freelance business may not be difficult, all you will need is a laptop and an internet connection. In order to begin freelance work, a relatively small investment is required. As your earnings increase, you may want to consider investing in a high-end PC, converting your flex space into a home office (see similar flex space ideas here), or even hiring someone to assist with your work. In order to reach that stage, you’ll likely have to work a lot at the beginning of your freelance journey.
The best way to begin is to stop second-guessing oneself and come up with a plan. Aspiring freelancers need to save some cash so that if they don’t land gigs immediately after leaving their jobs, they’ll survive. Then, I recommend that they pitch to as many clients as possible. While they wait for their responses, honing one’s skills is convenient, depending on the services they offer.
That said, we don’t have to limit ourselves to the only conventional ways of making money. We are living in the age of the internet where you can make money doing anything. While you are waiting for the clients to respond, you can answer a few questions and make a few bucks. Many organizations use surveys to understand consumer demand and pay a sum of money to people for answering a few general questions. There are websites and apps like QuickThoughts you can sign in and answer a few surveys and polls. Since there are so many such platforms these days, it can be tough to pick the right one. Read about the benefits of each website or app like QuickThoughts review, for instance, since user reviews more details about what they offer.
Think About Rates
When I started out, I didn’t know how to set the best rates for my services. I ended up getting exploited a lot. When some of my clients realized that I wasn’t sure about the amount of money I wanted to be paid, they would suggest low rates. I was afraid of losing them, and so I played along even though I wanted more.
Later on, I discovered that many more clients were ready to pay me the high rates I wanted as long as I delivered quality work. As a freelancer, one ought to set a price for their services and stick to it. The right clients will have no problem paying. I would have made more money back then if I were decisive about my pay.
Create a Schedule
My first few months of freelancing were hard because I didn’t have a schedule to follow. Meeting deadlines was impossible, and I ended up disappointing some of my valuable clients. The thing about freelancing is that one has to manage their own time. It can be tricky, especially when working from home, where there are a plethora of distractions. One of them can be eye strain, as after a while your eyes get tired and you need to look away constantly, causing a distraction, it would then be best to look at blue light glasses, (go here for more information) to help reduce this interruption as well as promote eye health.
Creating a schedule allows a freelancer to plan ahead, depending on upcoming deadlines. It also helps an individual keep distractions at bay and balance work and personal life. Once I started creating daily schedules, I finish all my work on time, and my clients are always happy.
Network
Networking has allowed me to grow tremendously as a freelancer. Through it, I have learned many things happening in the freelancing industry. It has also helped me land some pretty rewarding gigs. It is why I recommend it to all freelancers who want to make it big.
There are many ways that one can network within the freelancing industry. One of them includes leveraging the power of social media platforms. People nowadays tend to be more active on Facebook, Instagram, and of course, TikTok. One can consider showcasing their work on these platforms in the form of short videos. This in turn can attract potential clients who can contact them for freelance projects. Freelancers can also increase their chances of visibility by increasing their follower base by buying them on sites like Tikdroid (Click here to know more) and the ones like them that sell social media likes, views, and followers to influencers and businesses. Some of the other ways of networking include building blogs, attending conferences, and mingling with the locals.
I can’t argue that there is one particular pathway that leads freelancers to prosper. Countless strategies exist. While one plan can work for a person, it might turn out to be terrible for another. Even so, the tips mentioned above can be useful no matter the industry one is in. With them, making it as a freelancer is easier.
