Freelancing is not the 9-5 grind it’s made out to be. The idea of sitting in an office from 9 to 5 and then clocking off when you get home is a complete lie. There are no holidays, no weekends, and no sick days. Freelance work can be tiring, it can be hard work, but it can also be rewarding when tempered with the right amount of preparation and organization.
I have compiled a list of tips that will help you on your journey as a freelancer. If you implement just one of these things every time you go to work you’ll save yourself at least thirty minutes worth of heartache.
| Takeaways |
|---|
| 1. Learn from experienced freelancers to avoid common pitfalls. |
| 2. Track relevant metrics to measure and improve your freelancing success. |
| 3. Establish a strong online presence and optimize your Upwork profile. |
| 4. Write compelling proposals to win freelance projects. |
| 5. Consider the pros and cons of freelancing before making a career decision. |
| 6. Understand the importance of work-life balance and self-care. |
| 7. Network and build relationships with potential clients and fellow freelancers. |
| 8. Price your freelance services strategically and consider your market value. |
| 9. Be prepared for the challenges and uncertainties that come with freelancing. |
| 10. Continuously learn and adapt to stay relevant in the freelance industry. |
| 11. Develop strong communication skills to effectively interact with clients. |
| 12. Seek support and guidance from freelancing communities and resources. |
| 13. Manage your finances diligently and plan for taxes and savings. |
| 14. Consider diversifying your client base to mitigate risks. |
| 15. Embrace continuous self-improvement and skill development. |
| 16. Understand your rights and responsibilities as a freelancer. |
| 17. Evaluate the viability of freelancing for your desired lifestyle and goals. |
| 18. Prepare for the potential isolation and loneliness that can come with freelancing. |
| 19. Set clear expectations with clients and establish contracts or agreements. |
| 20. Stay motivated and disciplined to maintain productivity as a freelancer. |
| 21. Explore alternative freelancing platforms beyond Upwork. |
| 22. Embrace the freedom and flexibility that freelancing offers. |
| 23. Keep learning from your experiences and adapt to the evolving freelance landscape. |
My Freelacing Experience
Trying to figure out how to freelance; whether as a side hustle or as your primary business? Here are some tips and tricks I wish someone told me when I first began. I’ve been freelancing for over a year now, and have learned by trial and error (mostly error). There is a lot of information out on the internet that talks about the basics of freelancing, but here are some things you might not see floating around on the web.
This post will be talking about my personal experiences and techniques that I have implemented in my own freelancing career.
Building a successful freelancing career requires tracking the right metrics. Discover the 20 essential metrics you need to monitor as a freelancer in our guide on The Consistent Freelancer: 20 Metrics You Need to Track.
1. Taxes
Freelancers have to pay quarterly income taxes. They’re not withholding taxes for you as a regular employer would. You are responsible for paying it yourself and if you don’t, you will get penalized. If you don’t know how much you’ll owe in taxes, estimate it by looking at last year’s tax return, Hower this depends on country to country learn here to see if you are eligible for Tax.
2. Contracts
Be sure to have a contract with your client so there is no misunderstanding about what’s expected from both parties. It should include the scope of work, your rate, and any other agreements between the two of you. If needed, you can use a service like Upwork contract to help create a contract quickly and easily.
3. Don’t Be Afraid To Negotiate Prices
My first mistake was not charging enough. I was just so happy to have a client that I accepted whatever they offered me. You should never do this! Just because you’re starting out doesn’t mean you should sell yourself short.
I’ve also had clients take forever to pay me or try and pay me less than what we agreed upon. Most of the time, they’ll give you an excuse as to why they can’t pay you the full amount (i.e., “We had a bad month,” or “You did such a good job that we want to hire you for more work!”). If a client does this, don’t work with them anymore! They obviously don’t respect your time and will continue to nickel-and-dime you.
If a client asks you to do something outside of the scope of your contract, make sure you’re getting paid additionally for it. My first client asked me to write blog posts for their social channels, which wasn’t in the original scope of work. I didn’t ask for additional payment, so in essence, I was doing this work for free.
Learn from the experiences of a seasoned freelancer. Explore the valuable insights and secrets shared in our article, Secrets I’ve Learned from Being a Freelancer, to enhance your freelancing journey.
4. Freelancing Was Not The Same As Having A Job
I am a freelance content writer, and I wish I knew how hard it would be to find a steady stream of work. I had worked as a freelancer before, and it was difficult to find work then, but when I started freelancing again, I thought it would be easier now that there were more companies offering freelance opportunities.
However, what I quickly learned is that in order to get steady work as a freelancer, you must maintain relationships with your clients and continually look for new ones.
5. Don’t Take On Any Project Just Because It Pays Well
While money is important, you don’t want to go in blind and be unprepared. Freelancing is not just about accepting a job, it’s also about your reputation. You want people to trust you, so when you accept a job, do your research and make it your goal to give them what they want.
Also, my advice to those who are new would be, Don’t rush into a contract without thinking it through first. Think about what you are agreeing to do and make sure of how much time it will take. Make sure you understand everything that you are doing before signing away the rights to your work.
Your Upwork profile is crucial for attracting clients. Discover how to make a lasting impression and stand out among freelancers with our comprehensive guide on How to Make a Great First Impression with Your Upwork Profile.
6. Always Negotiate
Remember, even if you don’t think that negotiating will make a difference in the project, it could make an enormous difference to your bottom line. The only downside to negotiation is having to do it when you don’t want to because you decided that the project was too small to merit this approach. Treat every job opportunity the same, use these techniques and learn how much money you’re leaving on the table.
7. Don’t Rush Into a Contract Without Thinking It Through First
If you have a new client you’re working with, don’t jump into a contract without thinking it through first.
I’ve had a few contracts come across my desk that was not in my best interest. One was a flat rate for all the work, which meant I would be paid the same even if the client wanted to add something later.
Another wanted to pay me less because they claimed they didn’t have much money, but I found out later they were charging their clients double what they were paying me.
Most recently, a potential client wanted to pay me only 40% of my hourly rate and keep 60% for themselves. They also wanted all rights to the work, including copyright and ownership of the source files, even though this is not how things are usually done in design projects.
These are just some examples of bad contracts I have seen. The reason why these contracts are bad is that they do not benefit both parties, it only benefits one. And it’s usually not the freelancer.
8. Don’t Take it Personally if They reject You are proposal
If you start freelancing, you’ll likely get rejected a few times. Even the best writers get rejected by clients. I wish I knew that not getting a job had nothing to do with me when I was starting out.
The rejection is part of the process and you can’t take it personally. If they reject you, it means that they have their own expectations that you didn’t meet. You can’t please everyone, and it’s not your job to do that. You need to find the right fit for your skills and work style.
There are many reasons why you don’t get a project: maybe they already have enough writers or someone else has more experience in a certain area than you do. It doesn’t matter what the reason is; just keep pitching and applying for jobs because there will be more opportunities for you soon.
9. Don’t get too comfortable with just one client
It feels good to have a client, especially when you’re first starting out. But you need to realize that the honeymoon period will end eventually. Your clients will start taking you for granted, and you’ll lose your motivation to work hard.
Also, if you’re relying on just one client or two clients, what happens when they stop sending you to work? You’ll be in trouble.
This is why it’s important to keep marketing yourself even when you have loads of work in your hands.
So, don’t get too comfortable with just one client, and always be looking for new clients while doing your best for the ones that you already have.
10. Learn How To Identify The Right Clients
As a new freelancer, you might think it’s easy. All you have to do is find clients and do good work, right? But before you know it, your inbox is flooded with questionable offers and the clients who don’t seem to understand what they want (but still want you to figure it out) are piling up in your calendar.
The truth is, knowing how to find and actually attract the right clients isn’t something that comes naturally. It’s something that takes a TON of trial and error. You’ll have to learn how to identify the wrong clients and avoid them like the plague. The problem is: not all bad clients are created equal. So we’ve put together a list of lessons learned so that you can make sure not only don’t waste your time with the wrong kind of client, but you’ll also know when it’s time to walk away from a bad situation as soon as possible.
Writing a compelling proposal is essential for winning freelance projects. Check out our article, 13 Tips on How to Write a Great Proposal, to learn valuable techniques that can help you create winning proposals.
11. Don’t Work For Free
If you’re just starting out as a freelancer, don’t get suckered into writing for free. It might seem like you have no other options after all, if you’re going to set up a business as a freelance writer, you need clients. Unfortunately, there are plenty of people out there who will try to take advantage of your eagerness to succeed by asking you to work for free.
I’m not saying you should never work for free at all. If writing an article or creating some content helps you get your name out there and potentially leads to future paid opportunities, that’s fine. However, never agree to write anything without compensation if there is any chance of it resulting in actual income
12. The Most Important Thing Is Time
When I first started freelancing, I was only concerned with how much money I was making. I mistakenly believed that the more money I made, the better my business was doing.
I quickly found out that money is only part of the story. The real measure of success is how you spend your time, and whether it’s worth the amount of money you’re earning to do so.
When you’re starting out, it’s important to be flexible and willing to work on projects that don’t pay as well as you’d like in order to learn new skills and build your portfolio. But once you have a few years under your belt, it’s important to consider whether your time is being spent wisely or if there are other ways you could make better use of it.
13. Build Your Portfolio When Starting Out
When I started freelancing, I didn’t have much of a portfolio.
I wish I’d known that building a portfolio when you’re starting out is one of the most important things to do as a freelance writer.
I wish I’d known that there’s a lot more to freelancing than writing that you need administrative skills and patience, too. If you’re thinking about becoming a freelance writer, there’s no better time than now.
14. Never Stop Learning
When you work on your own, there’s nobody to teach you things or tell you what to do. You have to learn new skills all by yourself and figure out how to master your craft on your own. It’s not impossible, but it can be challenging so keep reading blogs, articles, and any other sources of information that will help you improve your skill set
As I continue to learn more about freelance writing, I realize how much I’ve been missing.
I thought that once you got to a certain point, you were set. You had the right skills and the right knowledge you just needed to make it work. But what I’m finding is that this isn’t true at all. Instead, it’s like you’re on a never ending quest for improvement.
And that’s not a bad thing! Everyone has room for improvement, and each day is an opportunity to learn something new.
15. Deadlines Are More Important Than The Product Itself
It’s not about the final product. It’s about the relationship you have with your client, and how well you do at meeting their expectations. I think a lot of freelancers are perfectionists, and so they’re always trying to make sure their work is immaculate, which can be great in most cases, but that kind of perfectionism can quickly become a hindrance when you’re freelancing.
If you take too long to deliver something, your client will lose faith in you and your ability to complete their project successfully. And it doesn’t matter if you’ve done the best work of your life, if you haven’t done it by the deadline, then it’s worthless.
So when I’m working on something for my clients these days, I try to keep them updated regularly and even send them things before they’re finished just so they know I’m making progress. It helps me ensure that my clients stay happy with my progress, and often I find that they’re open to giving me an extension if they know I’m working hard on something and it just won’t be done on time.
16. Learn To Market Yourself
If you’re anything like me, you probably decided to become a freelancer because you like being your own boss. You want to work whenever/wherever you want and call the shots for yourself.
And that’s awesome! But what if I told you that being your own boss also means being your own marketer? Because it does!
When I started freelancing, I didn’t know what I was getting myself into. Once I did get into it, I had no idea how to get myself out there and win clients. You can be the best (or at least most talented) writer in the world, but if nobody knows about you, then your skills won’t mean much for your business.
17. Learn How To Say No To Clients Without Losing Them
If you are a freelancer, there is a very good chance that you have heard or said the following phrase: “I would love to work with you on that but unfortunately my schedule just doesn’t allow it.”
It’s rough for both parties. You feel bad for having to say no and the person who was hoping to work with you feels rejected by your response. But it doesn’t have to be that way. There are a few ways you can actually turn down a job without hurting feelings or losing clients.
First, don’t be afraid to ask questions. I know as a freelancer you want all of the work you can get, but if you don’t ask questions about the scope of a project, you may end up taking on more than it is worth. If you feel like there may be too much work involved for the price being offered, don’t be afraid to ask what they are able to pay.
Next, let them know your availability and give them options. You can still work with people even if their ideal time frame is not possible. Be honest about what your schedule looks like and offer some other time frames that would work better for you. This will show that you are willing to put in the extra effort to make things work
18. Set Up A Proper Office Space
The number one thing I wish I knew before freelancing is that you need to set up a proper office space where you can focus on work and not get distracted by other tasks at home. Sure, I have a desk in my room where I do all my work, but it’s also where I store all my clothes, so every time I get dressed, I have to move all of my work off my desk so I have enough space to sit down. Not ideal!
I think a lot of people have the same problem when they start freelancing: they think working from home will be great but then realize it’s not as easy as it sounds. If you’re planning to start freelancing any time soon, make sure you set up a dedicated office space for yourself with everything you need ready and waiting so that when inspiration strikes, you’ll be ready and able to tackle any project that comes your way!
19. Don’t Be Afraid To Ask For Money Up Front
When I first started freelancing, I didn’t charge for my work. I was so excited to do anything and everything just to get a portfolio going. While freelancing can be a great way to build experience and relationships, it’s important not to get taken advantage of.
Now, I always ask for half the total upfront and half when the project is finished. When you’re starting out, it’s easy to feel like you can’t ask for money at all but it’s your work! You should be paid fairly for it. If a client keeps pushing back on paying you upfront, or if they’re asking you to do a lot of work with no payment at all, that should be a red flag that they’re not serious about valuing your time and talent.
20. Have Enough Money In The Bank To Cover Your Outgoings
The thing about freelancing is that it’s a feast or famine kind of career. Sometimes you’ll be drowning in work and sometimes you’ll be scratching your head trying to figure out how you’re going to pay the rent. In between those two extremes, there’s a lot of uncertainty. You might be able to predict how long it’ll take you to complete a project and when you can invoice for it, but that doesn’t mean that clients will pay on time or at all.
If I was doing it all over again, I’d make sure I had enough money saved up so that my financial situation wouldn’t suffer if no work came my way for a while. It takes time to build up a reputation as a freelancer and to get your name out there. If you don’t have enough savings, it could take even longer when you’ve got more pressing priorities like paying the rent to focus on your business.
Freelancing isn’t always the perfect fit for everyone. Discover the personal journey of a former freelancer who found happiness in a different career path in our article, Why I Stopped Freelancing and Started Liking My Job, and gain insights into making career choices that align with your passions.
21. I wish I knew that some clients are bad for business
When you start freelancing, it’s tempting to just take on any work you can get your hands on. After all, you’re trying to establish yourself and grow a client roster. But if you don’t do your due diligence and research each client before taking them on, you may find yourself taking on a lot of work that isn’t good for your business and has the potential to cause a lot of headaches.
Do a little digging before taking on a new client; look into their history with other freelancers or contractors (try websites like [website name] or [website name]) and see if they have any red flags surrounding them. Even if there’s nothing negative in particular about them, make sure you understand what exactly the job is before committing to it, and know what you’re getting into from the get-go.
22. You’re Not For Everyone
First and foremost, it’s okay to be selective about who you work with and what you choose to write about. Sure, you might need the money at first (and that’s okay!), but once you’re established, don’t be afraid to say no if you want. The world is full of people, and there will always be places for you to work and stories to be told. Don’t feel like you have to take on something just because it comes your way. There’s nothing wrong with being selective, it just means that the people who do hire you will value your work even more.
23. Don’t Hesitate To Ask A Client Questions
If I had known then what I know now, I would have been much more comfortable asking potential clients questions or requesting more information to make sure I had a thorough understanding of the task and its requirements.
As a new freelancer, it’s easy to feel intimidated by clients who have worked with content writers before and are aware of the types of questions they may need to answer in order to give you clear direction. However, don’t let that intimidate you! You should definitely ask for clarification if you need it.
Trying to fly blind will only result in disappointing work and a frustrated client. Better to get the information you need upfront so that your work is as solid as possible!
Takeaway
My hope is that it will help new freelancers avoid simple mistakes and get the most out of their first experiences freelancing. It would have been nice to have someone to tell me some of these things when I started my career, so I’ve tried to make up for my own lack of guidance by sharing what I wish I had known. So whether you’re a senior freelancer or just starting out, perhaps something here will help you to tackle the day-to-day challenges facing a freelancer.
Further Reading
Here are some additional resources that you may find helpful:
10 Things I Wish I Had Learned When I Began Freelancing: Explore this SlideShare presentation to gain insights into valuable lessons learned by experienced freelancers.
What I Wish Someone Told Me About Freelancing: Read this article on Smashing Magazine to discover firsthand advice and tips from freelancers who have been through the journey.
Things I Wish I Knew Before I Started Freelancing: This book on Amazon provides comprehensive insights and guidance for individuals considering or starting their freelance careers.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the best way to start freelancing?
Start! Seriously, just get going. You’ll learn so much by taking on clients and putting your skills to work, and you’ll figure out which direction you want to go in based on what feels good for you as you gain experience. It’s all about learning on the job!
And don’t worry too much about making a mistake or getting something wrong just learn from it and keep moving forward.
How do I find clients?
Get on the Internet! There are tons of sites that connect freelancers with clients online. Just make sure you get each client with your own research before accepting a project, and always ask for a contract before beginning work. Never agree to work without a contract. You want everything in writing so that there are no misunderstandings or problems down the road!
What if I can’t get enough clients?
If you’re having trouble finding clients, it might be time to start thinking about what kind of client you want to work for. Take a look at your portfolio and see who you don’t want to work for, then go from there.
For example, if you’ve never worked for a restaurant and the idea makes you feel queasy, you might want to avoid that type of business.
Then do some research: where would those types of businesses advertise? What would their ideal candidate look like? Do some self-reflection on this, and try to find five companies that fit that description. After that, target them and send them your cover letter.
What is the biggest mistake you’ve made as a freelancer?
I think the biggest mistake I made was saying yes to everyone and everything. Early on, I said yes to writing for any and all companies that came my way. The result was an endless string of terrible gigs, low pay, and less-than-satisfied clients.
Can I become a freelancer if I’m not an expert?
You sure can! You don’t have to be an expert to start freelancing as long as you’re willing to learn and put in the work.
What should I do?
If you want to freelance, find an area of expertise (like writing, editing, graphic design, etc.) and build a portfolio in that area. Then start looking for clients! You can use job boards like Upwork or Flexjobs to find new jobs or look on LinkedIn for companies that might need your services. You can also just Google things like “marketing agencies” and see what comes up.
How much money do I need to invest?
As much or as little as you want! You can spend zero dollars and still have a good shot at getting work, though you won’t have access to the same resources that spending more will give you (like a professional portfolio website). I would suggest starting with $500-$1000 for tools and services like:
A good laptop (MacBook Pro) Freelance marketplace subscription (Upwork) A professional email address ([email protected]) A strong internet connection (200mbps+) A fast computer with lots of rams (16GB+)
How can I get more writing samples for my portfolio?
The first thing to do is to start writing. If you don’t have your own blog, start one. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy, there are plenty of free blogging platforms out there. Then just start writing! Don’t worry about perfection, or if anyone’s going to read it. Just write. You can also seek out opportunities to volunteer your services as a writer. There are plenty of non-profit organizations that would love some help getting their message across.
If you’re looking for something a little more formal, consider applying for an internship or other entry-level position with a business that needs writers or editors on staff. Most internships aren’t paid positions, but they’re a great way to get into the industry and start building your skills and portfolio while you’re still in school.
I am a content writer, and I love what I do! Writing makes me feel like the words are flowing through my fingers, and then onto the keyboard, like magic. My experience as a writer has taught me that writing makes me feel good, as well as helps others to feel better too!
