Freelancing is a great way to make money and build a career, but it can also be daunting and confusing. If you’re considering the shift from employee to a freelancer or are just starting out as one, we have tips that will help you on your journey.
We polled 27 successful freelancers including designers, photographers, content marketers, and developers to get their thoughts on how they got started in the business of working for themselves. They shared what they wish they’d known when they were starting as well as valuable lessons learned along the way.
| Takeaways |
|---|
| 1. Freelancing can be a viable career path with the potential for long-term success and financial stability. |
| 2. Building a successful freelancing career requires dedication, self-motivation, and continuous learning. |
| 3. It is important to treat freelancing like a business and develop a professional approach to attract clients and achieve growth. |
| 4. Networking, building a strong online presence, and seeking feedback and mentorship can significantly enhance freelance career prospects. |
| 5. Freelancing offers flexibility, independence, and the opportunity to pursue your passion while enjoying a balanced work-life lifestyle. |
How To Decide If Freelancing Is Right For You
If you want to be your boss, set your schedule, and leverage your skills to make money, freelancing is a great option.
If you are looking for a career where you can learn new skills and explore different areas of expertise, freelancing can be a great way to do that. It is also an excellent way to have more freedom in the work environment.
You will not necessarily have formal business hours or dress codes; instead, you can work from home or anywhere else as long as there is reliable access to the Internet.
In addition to these benefits of being self-employed (and they are just some of them), it’s important not only that you enjoy what do but also to make sure that others like what they see when they look at what _________.
If you’re just starting your freelancing career, our guide on 12 Tips to Kick-Start Your Freelancing Career in Less Than a Month provides valuable insights and practical advice to help you get on the right track quickly.
Setting Up Your Business
Setting up your business is not a one-time thing. You will be doing this every year, and you’ll probably want to do it multiple times throughout the year. It’s important to keep in mind that even though we are talking about taxes, legal, and insurance issues here, these issues apply equally well to businesses that aren’t freelancing.
As with any type of business structure, there are tax implications (this means paying more) when you work as an independent contractor. The good news is that self-employment tax rates aren’t too high (15%).
But if your total income exceeds $400 annually from freelancing alone (or from multiple sources) then you may need to file quarterly estimated taxes from April 15th through June 15th each year. Keeping records of all your earnings and expenses will help you determine what’s owed at the end of each quarter.
Another important thing to consider is whether or not it makes sense for you personally and professionally if there needs to be someone else involved in running this new venture of yours – an accountant who specializes in small businesses or a lawyer who specializes in contracts might be worth having on hand before diving headfirst into this kind of situation!
And don’t forget about health insurance – while most freelancers are self-employed they still require coverage since they cannot receive benefits through their employer anymore!
Time Management And Workload
The most important thing you can do to make a career out of freelancing is to manage your time. You need to be able to say no when needed, and that includes saying no to clients, projects, tasks, and requests.
If you’re going to work for yourself, you have the freedom to choose what clients and projects you want – but that also means that sometimes it will be difficult or even impossible for someone who is less experienced with managing their workloads.
It’s hard enough finding the balance between choosing quality over quantity when it comes down to decisions about freelance work, but if we don’t take care of ourselves first then our mental health suffers too much stress from trying long hours without breaks or vacations!
Are you a freelancer who loves to travel? Learn how to effectively manage your freelance work while on the go by checking out How I Freelance on Phone While Traveling: The Story, where you’ll discover tips and tricks for staying productive and connected.
Communication
Communication is a crucial part of the job. You will have to communicate with your clients and other freelancers, so you want to make sure that you are communicating effectively.
Here are some tips for effective communication:
Email and other tools like Skype, Google Hangouts, or Slack can help you communicate with clients, but it’s also important to use a calendar or CRM (Customer Relationship Management) tool for scheduling time for client communication.
In addition to using email and other communication tools like Skype, Google Hangouts, and Slack as part of your communication strategy, it’s also helpful to use project management tools such as Basecamp (Basecamp) Trello (Trello), Asana (Asana), Jira (Atlassian) or Dropbox Paper
Marketing And Outreach
As a freelancer, you’re going to need to know how to market yourself and your business. You should be using social media, email, content marketing, and paid advertising as part of your strategy. You should also be using referrals, content curation (also known as repurposing), content syndication, and sharing or creating new content.
This is important because without marketing and outreach activities you won’t get clients or revenue. And with that in mind we’ll start with the basics:
Getting Clients
You may find that your network is the best place to start. This can include personal contacts, relatives, and friends. It may also mean reaching out to people who you have worked with in the past, or people who might be interested in what you do (e.g., coworkers, long-lost classmates).
You can also use your website as a platform for marketing yourself as a freelancer. Make sure that it clearly outlines what it is that you do, what clients like about working with you, and why they should choose your services over someone else’s.
Social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter are great tools for promoting yourself as a freelancer because they allow potential clients to see how professional you are through posts about current projects or published articles from previous work experiences but make sure that any posts are related to those topics are relevant!
Avoid common pitfalls and maximize your freelance success by learning from the mistakes of others. Explore 10 Mistakes I Made Freelancing as a Designer and How You Can Avoid Them to gain valuable insights and guidance on building a thriving freelance career.
Managing Clients
When you’re dealing with clients, remember that communication is key. Communication is how you will make sure your client has what they want and how you will get paid.
When communicating with other freelancers:
Don’t ask them to do work for free. Even though it seems like everyone else is doing it, they aren’t getting paid either. They’re just working for exposure (and if they’re doing that, your project is probably not worth the time).
Be open about your availability if someone asks if you have time to take on a new project, and be honest about whether or not you can fit it in this week or next month.
Keep track of all the work orders so no one gets upset about who said what when things go wrong later down the line (like we did).
Handling Conflict, Contract Termination, And Nasty Clients
You have a few options when it comes to handling difficult clients. If a client is being unreasonable or unprofessional in their communication with you, it’s best to simply disengage from the conversation. You can also choose not to bid on future projects with them altogether.
If your contract has been terminated for any reason and you find yourself in need of payment, be sure to contact your client immediately. Try explaining the situation (for example: “This project was canceled due to unforeseen circumstances.”), but if no response is received after two weeks then consider legal action by contacting an attorney or filing a claim through Upwork Escrow (which may result in additional fees).
If your client refuses payment after completion of work and delivery of product/service(s) due over time (“not happy”).
We suggest contacting an attorney specializing in small business law they will be able to provide advice regarding potential options surrounding this issue such as going through arbitration or mediation processes available within their jurisdiction which could help resolve any disputes between parties involved without having legal proceedings begin which could end up costing much more money than what was originally owed back at hand if anything at all!
Setting Rates And Getting Paid
When you’re starting, it’s important to set your rates as high as possible to avoid lowball offers that may take time away from more lucrative opportunities.
If you find yourself wondering if a potential client is serious about hiring you, ask them for an advance payment to work on their project.
Make sure to read your contracts carefully so that no one has any surprises down the road. This includes making sure they are aware of any deadlines they have agreed upon, whether or not they can cancel the contract at any point during its lifespan and what happens if a dispute arises between two parties (such as when one party fails to fulfill their end of an agreement).
The last thing anyone wants is for a conflict over money or contractual obligations to result in a legal action once the project is completed!
Curious about why someone would leave their job to become a freelancer? Discover the surprising reasons and personal journey behind this decision by reading The Surprising Reason I Quit My Job to Become a Freelancer, and gain inspiration for pursuing your own freelancing aspirations
Conclusion
Finally, let me leave you with one last thought: the best way to make your career as a freelancer is to keep track of your time. If you can do this one simple thing, it will save you so much stress and hassle in the future. Remember that if you want to make money as a freelancer, then tracking your hours is essential.
That’s why I recommend using an app like Harvest for this purpose–it’s incredibly easy! You’ll be able to see how many hours per week (on average) each client subtracts from your day-to-day work life and what their hourly rate is too! This information will help you negotiate more effectively in future negotiations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Make A Career Out Of This?
The short answer is: yes!
But it’s not always easy. Some people make a career out of freelancing, but many more don’t. Here are some tips to help you get your foot in the door:
- Start building your portfolio now. This way, when you’re ready to start searching for clients, you’ll have some work to show them.
- Set up a website that showcases your best work this is especially important if you’re looking for clients who don’t know you yet!
- Make sure you’re familiar with the social media platforms where your target demographic hangs out and try to make sure that these platforms are used by some of the people who might hire you!
- Network with other freelancers in your industry this can be an invaluable resource when it comes time to find new clients or collaborators!
How Can I Make A Career Out Of This?
There are a lot of ways to make money as a freelancer, and the best way is to find what works for you.
Some people like to start small and build their skills over time, while others prefer to take on more clients right away. There’s no right or wrong way the key is finding out what works best for you.
If you’re just starting, it’s important to understand how much work it takes to make a living as a freelancer. You need to be able to handle the workload and manage your time well if you want to succeed in this field.
It’s also important that you set realistic goals for yourself when starting so that you know what kind of income is realistic for your skill level and experience level.
Wondering if it’s possible to sustain a living solely through freelance income? Our article on You Can Live Off Your Freelance Income Forever explores the potential for long-term financial stability as a freelancer, providing valuable insights and strategies for achieving financial independence.
What Is The Best Way To Get A Job As A Freelancer?
First of all, congratulations! You’ve decided to pursue your passion and start a freelance career, and that’s an awesome step toward doing what you love. If you’re looking for further guidance on how to make this transition, we have some great advice for you.
Start small. Don’t try to take on too much at once start by doing one thing, and then add more work slowly over time. This will help ensure that you don’t get overwhelmed by the amount of work you have!
And remember: it also helps build trust with clients. They’ll trust that they can rely on you if they know that there are no hidden costs or surprises coming down the line.
Network with others in your field. The best way to find out about potential jobs is through word-of-mouth referrals, so make sure to talk about your skills with other people who might be able to help you! You never know who might be able to connect you with someone who needs some help in their office or business space!
Further Reading
Here are some additional resources to further explore the topic of freelancing:
Benefits of Freelancing: Discover the advantages and perks of a freelancing career, including flexibility, independence, and the potential for higher earnings.
Career in Freelancing: Learn about the various aspects of building a successful career as a freelancer, including finding clients, managing finances, and maintaining work-life balance.
Transition from 9-5 to Freelancer: Find guidance on how to smoothly transition from a traditional 9-5 job to freelancing, including tips on building a client base, setting rates, and managing the change in work structure.
FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions about freelancing:
How do I find clients as a freelancer?
Finding clients as a freelancer can be achieved through various methods. Some effective approaches include building an online presence, leveraging social media platforms, joining freelancer marketplaces, networking with industry professionals, and seeking referrals from existing clients.
How do I determine my freelance rates?
Determining freelance rates depends on various factors, such as your experience, expertise, industry standards, and the value you provide to clients. It’s essential to consider your skills, the market demand, and the desired income level when setting your rates. Researching industry benchmarks and conducting market analysis can help you establish competitive pricing.
How can I manage my finances as a freelancer?
Managing finances as a freelancer involves maintaining a budget, tracking income and expenses, setting aside funds for taxes and savings, invoicing clients promptly, and maintaining organized financial records. Using accounting software or hiring an accountant can streamline the financial management process and ensure compliance with tax obligations.
How do I handle freelance project deadlines?
Managing project deadlines as a freelancer requires effective time management skills and prioritization. Break down large projects into smaller tasks, create a schedule, set realistic deadlines, and communicate with clients about project timelines. Regularly reviewing and adjusting your schedule can help you stay on track and deliver projects on time.
How can I maintain work-life balance as a freelancer?
Maintaining work-life balance as a freelancer involves setting boundaries, establishing a dedicated workspace, creating a schedule, and separating work time from personal time. Prioritizing self-care, taking breaks, and setting realistic expectations with clients can contribute to a healthier work-life balance in a freelance career.
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!