Secrets I've Learned From Being A Freelancer

I’ve been freelancing for more than a decade now. It’s not always easy, but it is rewarding and has taught me valuable lessons that I can now share with you…

Freelancing Secrets – 10 Things You Need To Know – YouTube

Takeaways
1. Embrace continuous learning to stay ahead in the freelance industry.
2. Building a strong network and nurturing client relationships are key to long-term success.
3. Time management skills are essential for maintaining productivity and meeting deadlines.
4. Developing a diverse skill set can open up new opportunities and increase earning potential.
5. Balancing work and personal life is crucial for avoiding burnout and maintaining well-being.

Table of Contents

“The Journey Of A Thousand Miles Begins With One Step.” – Lao Tzu

There are many lessons that I’ve learned in my journey as a freelancer, but one of the most important is that “the journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” If you’re working on something new or challenging, don’t be afraid to take risks.

Try something different and if it doesn’t work out, take another step forward. You never know where your next step will lead or what great things might happen along the way!

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Find Your Focus

I know this sounds obvious, but it’s a lesson I learned the hard way. When I first started freelancing, I would take on any job that came my way even if it didn’t interest me at all. One of my first gigs was writing a brochure for a local business association about their upcoming event.

I’d never written about marketing or business before and had no idea what to say in the copy! It took me forever to get around to finishing the project because every time I sat down in front of my computer screen, I felt like throwing up from boredom and dreading having to slog through another page of meaningless drivel.

After several months, when the deadline was almost upon us (and with everyone else who worked with me long gone), I finally finished and mailed off all the work but not before swearing up and down that this was going to be my last boring brochure ever!

Don’t Bite Off More Than You Can Chew

There are many reasons why freelancers find it hard to say no. We read about other people who are doing well and we feel like something is wrong with us for not having the same success.

We feel guilty about turning down work, even though we know that this can mean a longer-than-necessary gap between projects.

And when someone asks us if we’re available or interested in taking on a job, there’s often some question as to whether or not they’ll keep asking until we finally say yes.

But here’s another thing I’ve learned from being a freelancer: Don’t bite off more than you can chew! You don’t want to be stretched too thin working yourself into exhaustion because you’ve taken on more than reasonable expectations (it happens!).

Also, consider how much time it will take away from your other hobbies and interests; you don’t want to burn out before the year has even begun!

There’s Never An Ideal Time To Transition Into Freelancing Full Time

As a freelancer, I’ve learned that there’s never an ideal time to transition into freelancing full-time. If you’re waiting for the perfect scenario or opportunity to present itself before making the shift, you might be waiting forever.

If you want to become a freelancer but are afraid of jumping in at the deep end without knowing what exactly it entails and how it affects your finances and lifestyle (at least initially), then fear not! Here are some tips on how to make this transition as smooth as possible:

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Find Your Freelance Community

Finding a community of freelancers and/or clients is one of the best things you can do for yourself.

By joining a group, you’ll be able to connect with other people who are experiencing many of the same struggles as you are, which will help make your journey feel less lonely. They might even have some tips on how they dealt with those challenges!

And if one member has an idea that seems like it would work well for another member, that person will likely share their wisdom and knowledge openly.

This type of environment is also great for networking it gives you access to useful connections within your industry (which can lead directly to new gigs) as well as helps build up your professional reputation outside of these groups.

Don’t Be Afraid To Cold Email

When I was starting as a freelancer, I was terrified of cold emailing. When you asked me to write something for a website or magazine, I’d say yes, but it took me days (or even weeks) to send anything back.

And then when I did send it over…well…you know how that goes: “I’m sorry your piece wasn’t quite what we were looking for.”

But in time, I learned that if done right, cold emailing can lead to some big opportunities. It can also help you build relationships with people who are willing to give you work later on down the line–so don’t be afraid! Here’s how:

Learn When To Say No

Learning when to say no is one of the most important lessons I’ve learned from being a freelancer. People will ask you to do things that are not a good fit for you projects that are too small, projects that don’t pay well, or projects that might take too much time away from other work.

As a freelancer, it’s important to know what kinds of projects you want to work on, and which ones aren’t worth your time or money.

Here are some guidelines for saying no:

Don’t take on small jobs if they won’t pay well enough or if they’ll require more than a few hours of work.

Don’t take on projects that other people could do just as easily (or better). If there’s someone else who can write content as well as you can and doesn’t cost as much either, don’t waste your time creating it yourself unless there’s something special about working with them (e.g., they’re also a writer).

Don’t accept any job under $10 an hour; even though this may seem low-paying compared with traditional full-time jobs in some industries (for example) when we look at the average hourly wage for all workers in America ($28/hour), it feels like more money than many people earn doing similar tasks elsewhere!

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Take Care Of Yourself

While it may seem like you’re in the driver’s seat, freelancers are often tightly bound to their clients. So, make sure that you have good communication with them and that they know when they need to take a break from working with you.

Take breaks! Get outside (it’s good for your soul). Take care of yourself by eating well, exercising, and getting enough sleep. Don’t forget about regular doctor visits and staying on top of important health issues such as cholesterol levels, stress management, and more.

If possible, try not to work from home all the time and get out into the world!

Also remember that even though we are independent contractors who can work wherever we want (and whenever), some things just don’t translate well from a coffee shop environment like getting those sick days taken care of or having an impromptu meeting with your boss/client.

Master The Art Of Negotiation

When you’re negotiating with a client, it helps to be able to understand what they want and how they see the project. Ask questions like “What are your goals for this project?” or “How do you see this working?” In turn, make sure that any expectations that you have are clear. If your client is suggesting something outside of their scope of work, don’t hesitate to say so.

You must know how much clients can afford when it comes time for negotiations and then stick by those numbers! You can always negotiate higher later on if everything goes well at first; however, once someone agrees with your initial price point, there’s no going back without potentially losing everything else about the deal (like branding rights).

When talking over the phone or in-person, maintaining eye contact with whoever is across from you can help keep them engaged in what’s being discussed at hand as well as show them respect for who they are as an individual.

And don’t forget about body language! Even though it might seem intimidating initially because conversations aren’t face-to-face anymore after making calls/arranging times when both parties will be available simultaneously due to date constraints etcetera…

Master The Art Of Effective Communication

Effective communication is one of the most important skills you can have as a freelancer. It’s not just about sending clear, concise emails; it’s also about how you handle yourself when talking to clients over the phone or in person. Here are some tips for mastering this art:

Be polite and patient. Clients will usually be stressed out by their deadlines and tasks, so they’ll often take out their frustration on you if something goes wrong or doesn’t go as planned during your project together.

You must remain calm and sympathetic toward them during this time and it helps to remember that nobody likes receiving bad news from someone who has an attitude!

Use proper grammar and spelling in all correspondence with clients (e-mails sent via email address should be written without any errors). This demonstrates professionalism on your part, which is crucial for establishing trust between both parties involved in any business transaction.

In addition to using good grammar, make sure that everything else about what comes across as professional when communicating with others (including tone).

Set expectations appropriately when planning projects together with clients (for example: “On Monday morning there will be five hours available before we need access again”).

Doing this ensures that there won’t be any misunderstandings down the road regarding how much time each party needs until another meeting occurs (“We were expecting more work done than what was completed!”). In addition, having realistic expectations prevents stressors such as anxiety because everyone knows exactly where they stand at all times which means less stress overall while working together!

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You Need To Take Risks To Make It Happen For Yourself

If you are going to succeed as a freelancer, you have to be willing to take risks. You need to be willing to fail.

You have to understand that failing is part of the process of growing and learning. If you don’t fail, how will you learn? And if you don’t learn, how will your business get better?

It’s not always easy for me either. Sometimes I’ve had clients who didn’t pull through with their payments or I’ve worked on some projects that just haven’t been fruitful for me (neither financially nor personally).

But then there are other times when things go smoothly: I land new clients who pay well and work with me again on future projects; I create content that resonates with my audience; my blog posts gain traction quickly on social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook; etcetera etcetera etcetera…

Be Confident In Your Skills And Talents, And Always Be Open To Learning New Things

Everyone is good at something. You just have to find out what it is! Don’t be afraid to ask for more money or a promotion because of this confidence if you’re doing well at your job, the company will want to keep you around.

This means they’ll reward you with raises and promotions as long as they feel like they can trust that whatever extra money or title comes with those things won’t go straight into your retirement fund (and then never leave).

Ask questions if there’s anything that confuses or worries you about a project or client request. The worst thing someone can do is ignore an email question because they think it might be too dumb – but oftentimes those questions are legitimate ones that get asked all the time!

Don’t let anyone make fun of how simple something might sound while asking them either: remember that everyone started somewhere too!

Use Tools And Apps That Will Help With Everything From Tax

No matter what you do for a living, it’s important to keep track of your finances. You don’t want to be scrambling at the end of each month to figure out how much money you have leftover and where it went. There are plenty of apps that will help with this type of task.

QuickBooks is one I use frequently because it doesn’t require me to manually enter receipts or invoices; instead, I can take pictures with my phone and upload them directly into the app.

Another great tool I use is Skype, Zoom, or Google Hangouts they’re all great options for collaborating with clients if they need to see something on your computer screen during a presentation.

Diversify Your Portfolio And Income Streams

If you’re just starting as a freelancer, having multiple income streams is important. One major source of worry for me was not knowing how much work I would get at any given point in time, so it was helpful to have other sources of income for my full-time job and freelance projects that weren’t directly related to it.

This also made me feel less stressed about losing one particular project or client because I had other clients who were consistent over time.

Another reason why diversifying your portfolio is good for your mental health is because it makes you less susceptible to emotional stress when something goes wrong with one part of your business (you get sick, or lose a client).

If this happens and all your eggs are in this particular basket then it will be harder for you to recover from the loss than if there were other sources of income coming in regularly that could help cover things while waiting out the storm

You Can Be Successful As A Freelancer!

I want to let you know that it is possible to be successful as a freelancer.

I know it can be hard to believe, especially if you’re just starting and have only been working on the side. But it is true! You can build a profitable business as a freelancer and make money from your passion (or even your day job).

It was also true for me when I started, which is why I want to share some of the things I’ve learned over the years so other people like me can find success too.

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Conclusion

Being a freelancer has been an incredible experience for me, and I can’t imagine going back to the traditional 9-to-5. I’m not sure if I would even be able to do it! Nowadays when people ask me what I do, they often assume that means work full time.

Because I don’t have office hours or commute home at night as others might, they assume that this means my job takes up all of my life. But the reality is that being a freelancer gives you so much freedom and flexibility in your schedule.

It allows me to take care of personal tasks during business hours as well as spend more time playing with my children after school – something other parents aren’t able to do!

Frequently Asked Questions

How Do You Get Clients?

If you’re looking for clients, there are a lot of different ways to go about it. I’ve had the most success with referrals and cold emails. If you don’t have any connections in your industry, I would recommend reaching out to potential clients through LinkedIn or email.

If they’re someone who’s hiring in your field, they should be able to point you toward some other people who might need your services.

What Should I Charge?

I think the best way to figure out what you should charge is by talking with other freelancers who work in the same industry as you and finding out what they charge per hour or project. You can also look at websites, which lets you search rates by industry and location.

You can then apply those numbers to what you know about yourself your skillset and your experience level to give yourself a starting point for pricing your services appropriately.

Is It Hard?

It can be! But it’s also really rewarding when things go well, so if nothing else, try it out for a few months until you feel like it’s not working anymore.

What are some key tips for managing finances as a freelancer?

Managing finances as a freelancer involves setting up a system for invoicing and tracking income and expenses. It’s important to establish a budget, set aside funds for taxes and savings, and consider tools or software that can streamline financial management. Working with an accountant or financial advisor can also provide guidance on managing taxes and planning for the future.

How can I maintain a work-life balance as a freelancer?

Maintaining work-life balance as a freelancer requires setting boundaries and establishing a routine. Creating a dedicated workspace, setting clear work hours, and prioritizing self-care are important steps. Learning to say no to excessive workloads and implementing time management strategies can also help achieve a healthy work-life balance.

How do I handle client relationships and communication effectively?

Building strong client relationships involves clear and consistent communication. Establishing expectations, actively listening to clients’ needs, and providing regular updates on project progress are crucial. Promptly addressing any concerns or issues and maintaining professionalism and transparency can foster positive client relationships.

What are some strategies for staying motivated as a freelancer?

Staying motivated as a freelancer can be challenging, but there are strategies that can help. Setting achievable goals, breaking down larger projects into manageable tasks, and rewarding yourself for milestones achieved can boost motivation. Additionally, finding a supportive community or accountability partner, seeking inspiration from other freelancers, and engaging in activities that recharge your creativity can help maintain motivation throughout your freelance journey.

Herman Edward

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!

Secrets I’ve Learned From Being A Freelancer