In the current state of global affairs, we might all be asking ourselves a surprising question: Can you have a successful freelance career without meeting anyone in person?
In fact, with the COVID-19 pandemic putting a damper on traditional networking events, many freelancers are wondering just that: Will they be able to enjoy their chosen lifestyle without ever leaving their living rooms? And will they still be able to make money from clients around the world?
The short answer is yes. I can say from experience that it’s 100% possible to be an effective freelancer if you never so much as glance at another human in the eye. Of course, there is a catch: just like any other business owner, it requires hard work and dedication.
So if you’re considering taking your freelance career online-only or even if you’ve been working remotely for years, here are tips to make sure your business thrives:
| Takeaways |
|---|
| Embrace remote work and online collaboration tools. |
| Build strong online networking and communication skills. |
| Focus on delivering high-quality work and meeting deadlines. |
| Leverage freelance platforms to find clients and projects. |
| Prioritize self-discipline and time management as a freelancer. |
Prepare Yourself For A Freelance Life
In an ideal world, you would be able to make a living as a writer without ever having to leave your house. It’s possible: I did it for over five years while raising my daughter. But the fact is that most writing jobs require face-to-face contact at some point in the process (and even if they don’t, what kind of freelancer never meets anyone?). So if you do want to work remotely and meet people at events, here are some tips for preparing yourself for freelance life:
Building a successful freelance career takes time and effort. Learn valuable insights on how to build a six-figure freelance career from experienced freelancers who have achieved financial success.
Establish Routines
Establishing routines is a great way to stay on track, keep yourself motivated,, and avoid procrastination. When you have a routine in place, it’s easier to plan your work schedule and stick with it. You may want to start with something small like writing one blog post each week or creating a spreadsheet of the things you need for completing projects.
After that, try focusing on larger tasks like calling clients or writing an ebook. Once you get into the habit of doing these things regularly, they’ll become second nature!
Make Your Own New Normal
To be successful, freelancers have to know what their new normal is. Knowing this will help them feel more confident in their new freelance life because they know what’s coming next.
It also helps them set goals and establish discipline, both of which are crucial for success as a freelancer. Knowing your new normal will also help you establish routines, which can go a long way in helping maintain relationships with clients or friends you might have outside of work hours.
Set Goals And Establish Discipline
Achieving success as a freelancer requires you to set goals and establish discipline. You need a plan and a system, which will help you create structure in your business and provide accountability.
Without these things, freelancing can become overwhelming pretty quickly. When you’re working on your own, it’s easy to get distracted or lose focus if there aren’t any boundaries in place which is why it’s so important that you establish solid routines for yourself when starting as a freelance writer. This will allow your business to run smoothly even if you’re not around all day every day (or at all).
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Maintain Relationships
Always maintain relationships. Being a freelancer is hard and can make you feel very alone, but it’s important to remember that you are not alone. Many people will want to help you succeed if they know how to help! You don’t have to try this alone, so reach out.
Don’t be afraid of asking for help or advice from those around you: friends, family members,,, and colleagues are often the best resources when it comes to figuring out what’s next in your career or life as a freelancer. If someone offers an opinion on something related to your freelance business takes it seriously.
They might just be able to shed some light on something that has been perplexing you for months on end (or even years). Don’t be afraid of feedback: nobody likes hearing negative comments about themselves but we all need them sometimes if we’re going anywhere with our lives professionally speaking.
Especially when we’re starting at something new like becoming self-employed full time after quitting our day jobs which tend not only take up most hours during our weekdays but also require us to think about work 24/7 even when we’re sleeping because there’s always something else left undone…
Find Accountability Partners Or Coaches
Finding accountability partners can be invaluable. Having someone who knows more than you, is doing what you want to do, and wants to help you is a huge advantage. The best way to find an accountability partner is by asking people in your field for referrals or recommendations. Remember that there are lots of professionals out there who are willing to help freelancers like you make the leap from employee to the entrepreneur if only they knew about it!
Also, remember that finding the right coach isn’t always easy (or cheap). You should make sure that whoever helps you has experience working with freelancers and entrepreneurs like yourself before making any commitments. And don’t worry about having too much money; plenty of coaches out there will work with any budget!
Create Connections With Potential Clients And Collaborators Through Social Media
Social media is a great way to connect with clients, collaborators, and potential clients. Think of it as your online networking toolkit. Here are some ways you can make use of the various social platforms:
Use Twitter to find people who share your interests or experience in a certain field; this can help you find prospective clients or collaborators. If you’re working on a project that involves wordsmithing, for example, look for someone who uses language well maybe their tweets contain beautiful turns of phrase or they have an eye for finding just the right word in their writing.
Use LinkedIn if you think any of your former coworkers might be interested in what you’re doing now (and vice versa). You can also connect with other freelancers on LinkedIn if they’re part of professional groups that interest you there are groups for just about every industry imaginable!
Your Upwork portfolio is your gateway to attracting potential clients. Follow our comprehensive guide on crafting an Upwork portfolio that gets you the job you want and increase your chances of landing your dream freelance projects.
Join Online Communities Of Freelancers
Meet up with other freelancers to discuss challenges and learn from each other. It’s also a great way to connect with people who have similar interests, which can help you build relationships that might lead to business opportunities down the road.
There are many online communities out there for freelancers, including one called Freelance Switch (https://www.freelanceswitch.com/) that I joined when I was starting as a web developer back in 2011. The community is full of helpful tips and advice, but it also has an active forum where you can communicate directly with other members about your experiences.
Use Collaboration Tools To Work Remotely With Others On Projects
Collaboration tools are a great way to collaborate and communicate with coworkers, clients, or even friends and family. Some examples include Skype for video calls and Google Hangouts for group video conferences (like the sort you’d have in an office). For example, let’s say you’re working on a business plan with your team: You could all hop into a Hangout and discuss ideas for how to grow your company more effectively.
Or if you have an important meeting coming up with clients or investors, consider using FaceTime instead of traditional phone calls or video calls (because it’s often easier to focus when you’re not distracted by background noise).
Collaboration tools are also great if someone is giving feedback on something that they want everyone else’s input on they can share their notes in real-time so everyone has access at once without having any bottlenecks or downtime associated with traditional communication methods.
Like emailing back-and-forth messages between different parties involved in making decisions about what needs to be changed before proceeding further down the line (which could take days!).
Join Online Groups Related To Your Work Or Interests
You can find online communities that support freelancers in many different ways. For example, if you are a writer and want to write for publications, there are several websites where you can join an online community of writers who share tips on how to get published.
If your work involves web design or technology, there are many online communities where people discuss their experiences with the latest technology trends and products.
There are also various social networking sites where freelancers can meet other professionals who share their interests and goals. You may be able to find some useful information on these sites as well as make new friends!
Keep Up With People You Already Know, Such As Former Colleagues Or Friends From School Or Hobbies
Casual but regular check-ins via email, text message, phone call, and so on will help you feel like you’re still part of a community even if you haven’t seen each other in person in a while.
Keep up with people you already know, such as former colleagues or friends from school or hobbies. Casual but regular check-ins via email, text message, phone call, and so on will help you feel like you’re still part of a community even if you haven’t seen each other in person in a while.
Additionally, it can also be helpful to make new connections as well people who may not have anything in common with your current circle of friends but who share at least one interest that can serve as the foundation for mutual collaboration (e.g., “Hey there! My name is Steve and I’m an engineer by trade; I’ve been looking for ways to expand my horizons lately”).
Even if these relationships end up going nowhere beyond the initial connection (i.e., you never work together again), this type of outreach can still be valuable on its own merits: after all, networking is networking!
Upwork is a popular platform for freelancers, and understanding its benefits is essential. Explore our article on why you should be using Upwork for your freelancing business to make informed decisions on where to find freelance opportunities.
Don’t Shy Away From Video Calls Because You Think They Might Feel Impersonal
They can be more effective than audio-only calls because of body language and visual cues! Some people prefer texting conversations over the phone too, so letting people know this could help create more meaningful connections without having meetings face-to-face.
You might be surprised to learn that video calls can be more effective than audio-only calls. People often don’t think of video calls as a way to connect, but they’re worth it.
Video calling shows your clients what you look like and gives them the chance to see your facial expressions, which can help them understand how you feel about things. It also lets clients get a sense of who you are as an individual you know, beyond just the work you do.
Texting is another great alternative if other people don’t want or aren’t able to use video calls (though we recommend using both). If you prefer texting or want to let others know about it: Letting people know what mediums are most comfortable for you can help create more meaningful connections without having meetings face-to-face.”
Freelancing can be financially rewarding, but it comes with risks. Learn how health insurance can save you from going broke when freelancing and ensure you have the necessary coverage to protect your finances and well-being.
Final Thoughts
The key takeaway, in my opinion, is that freelancing can be just as rewarding and challenging as working for a company if not more so. It’s all about having the right mindset and taking advantage of the resources available to you.
Maybe now would be an appropriate time to mention our e-book on how freelancers can find success without ever meeting anyone? At the very least, hopefully,, this article has convinced you that it’s possible.”
Further Reading
Landing Your First Client as a Freelancer with No Experience: Discover valuable tips and strategies for landing your first freelance client, even if you have no prior experience in the freelancing industry.
Becoming a Successful Freelancer: A Guide to Thriving in the Freelance World: Learn the essential skills and mindset needed to become a successful freelancer and thrive in the competitive freelance marketplace.
How to Start Freelancing with No Experience: A Step-by-Step Guide: Get a comprehensive step-by-step guide on how to start your freelancing career from scratch, even if you don’t have any prior experience in freelancing.
People Also Ask
What Is The Best Way To Become A Successful Freelancer?
The best way to become a successful freelancer is by making sure that you have the right mindset. This means that you should be willing to work hard and not give up, even when things get tough. If you are not willing to put in the effort, then it will be impossible for you to succeed as a freelancer.
What Is The Best Way To Get Clients?
There are many different ways to get clients, but the most reliable and passive way is through freelancer websites. Many websites post jobs, and you can apply for them. The easiest one is Upwork, but there are others as well. You can also try Craigslist, Twitter, Facebook groups, Reddit, and more.
Why Is It Hard For Me To Get Clients?
It’s hard because many people think that freelancing is free money and don’t value their time or skills enough to pay for them. If you’re struggling with finding clients, it’s probably because you aren’t charging enough money for your services or because you don’t understand how much work goes into a project before someone can use it.
How Do I Know What Price To Charge?
The best way is by researching other similar businesses in your industry and seeing what they charge for similar projects/services. You can also ask friends in the same field what they charge for similar projects/services.
This will give you an idea of what prices are considered reasonable within your industry/field of expertise so that when someone asks how much something costs, they won’t immediately dismiss it as too expensive without considering all
How Do I Get Clients?
There are many ways that you can find clients as a freelancer. One of the best ways is through your website or blog, where people can find out more about what services you offer and how much they cost.
Another option is to use platforms like Upwork or Fiverr, which allow you to offer your services at a fixed price (e.g., $5 per hour). If you have experience with using these types of platforms before then this might be an easy way for you to get started as well!
What Kind Of Experience Do I Need?
Not all freelance jobs require the same amount of experience for someone else’s business needs to be met successfully by someone else’s expertise on any given topic or subject matter related thereto; however, there are certain skillsets or resources required by most companies for their products/services remain competitively priced
How Do You Make Friends As A Freelancer?
I’ve never had trouble making friends, but I’m always looking for new people to talk to. A lot of my friends are other freelancers, so we have a lot in common. But sometimes I need to branch out.
What Are Some Ways To Meet New People?
I’ve found that volunteering is a great way to meet new people! You can do it through your local community center or church, or even on your own by volunteering at animal shelters or food banks. If you like animals and don’t mind getting dirty (or if you’re just really good at pretending), it’s fun and rewarding too!
What Should I Do If I Don’t Have Any Idea What Kind Of Work I Want To Do?
You should start by taking an inventory of all the things that interest you: hobbies, sports, music, etc. Then try doing something related to those things even if it doesn’t seem like it will lead anywhere financially (for example: if you love football but don’t know how much money there is in coaching high school football teams). You never know when something might lead somewhere else!
How Do I Know If I’m Successful?
You’re a successful freelancer when you can pay your bills and don’t feel like you’re constantly struggling to get ahead. You’re a successful freelancer when you can afford to take time off when you need to, and when you have enough in savings to cover any unexpected expenses that come up.
How Do You Make Money As A Freelancer?
You can make money as a freelancer by doing any number of things. You can write articles for websites, create graphics for people’s businesses, or even design an entire website from scratch. If you have a skill that people want to pay for, there will be someone who wants it! And if you’re looking for work, there are always new projects you can take on.
How Do I Get Started?
The best way to get started is to start small. Find something easy to complete and charge very little for it you’ll get practice and experience at the same time! When you’ve got some confidence under your belt and know what you’re doing, then try moving up in terms of difficulty and price.
Do I Need Office Space?
No! You can work from home, at coffee shops (if they don’t mind), or even just in front of your computer at home as long as it’s quiet enough so that other people aren’t distracted by whatever noise might be coming from your headphones while they’re trying to concentrate on their work!
How Can I Make Sure That People Will Buy My Products?
It’s all about providing value! If you’re offering a service like designing logos, you should make sure that you offer a free consultation before they buy that way they’ll know what they’re getting into.
If you’re selling a product such as an ebook, then provide some sample chapters so that potential buyers can see what they’re getting before they commit. For physical goods like t-shirts or mugs, include a few with each order so that customers have something to hold their hands on before reaching for their wallets!
Costantine Edward is a digital marketing expert, freelance writer, and entrepreneur who helps people attain financial freedom. I’ve been working in marketing since I was 18 years old and have managed to build a successful career doing what I love.