Become a super freelancer with these 5 tips (part 3)
If you've been following our three-part freelancing series, you know that freelancing is the buzz now. For professionals, the freedom to set their own hours and location has made freelancing an increasingly popular career choice, with many people choosing to leave their regular jobs in favor of it.
Over 40% of freelancers have chosen their profession because of its benefits in terms of time, mobility, and professional development.
Post-pandemic, the number of freelancers continues to increase tremendously. The World Bank estimates that nearly 47% of all workers are independent contractors. According to the data, freelancers are expected to make up 50.9% of the US workforce by 2027.
Workee experts have provided a wealth of information to assist you in entering this field without going in blindly. The final part of this three-part series will summarize all the fundamentals required to launch a successful career. Keep reading
Surefire tips to help you stand out as a freelancer
For fledglings, it's quite challenging to shoot their way into success in freelancing. However, observing some freelance tips is usually of immense help. We have put up the tips below to help put you through.
Define your expertise and what you want to offer
Clients looking for experts to hire usually prefer experienced freelancers who have accomplished tasks in their niches. Any professional may be capable of carrying out duties in their industry, but it takes an experienced professional to produce top-notch results in their jobs. Consequently, businesses prefer to hire professionals with experience in their chosen fields.
So, you have to demonstrate your expertise. Check the freelance niche you wish to venture into. Consider your experience and expertise and see how this can help you launch a freelance career. Your knowledge in your chosen profession or working experience in your niche may help. Also, certifications can be alluring to clients.
It might also be helpful to look for certifications or learning opportunities to include on your resume if there are particular fields in which you'd like to work but lack formal training or expertise.
Set reasonable prices and make any necessary adjustments
As a professional who's coming into freelancing as a fledgling, the temptation to set low prices on your services to attract clients is usually overwhelming. But that strategy is counter-productive. Many clients need experts who can handle their jobs. Setting your prices too low makes them skeptical about your competence and capacity to deliver.
This is what to do: focus on your professional background and knowledge. Take into account the kinds of comparable work you've accomplished, the outcomes you've achieved, and the going rates in your niche. When you submit bids for jobs or approach clients for work, be truthful about your price. Examine what others in your niche are paid when deciding on an hourly rate. The average hourly pay for a freelancer in the United States is $33.03 an hour. So, do not deliberately lower your price rates. Calculate the estimated number of hours it will take you to complete the project, taking into account any time needed for revisions or client communication.
Keep in mind that as your freelance career progresses, your experience will get better. Consequently, you should modify your pricing as necessary. Use the self-assurance in your abilities to alter your rates and ensure that you're getting paid properly for your job as you develop your repertoire and continue to impress clients.
Create an online presence
The world has gone digital. Most business transactions are being carried out on the internet. Companies look for independent professionals who would complete tasks for them online. As a freelancer, this makes it imperative for you to establish an internet presence.
Many digital platforms also make it simple to create a profile that highlights your abilities and experience for companies looking to hire professionals in your industry. For instance, on Upwork, experts can set up personal profiles to showcase their previous works to enable clients to identify those with the required skills and experience.
On numerous platforms, you can establish a powerful online presence. You may promote your freelance business through social media in addition to developing a portfolio on Upwork. Create a profile on LinkedIn and take advantage of the possibility to reach different categories of people: friends, acquaintances, and former colleagues.
Maintaining a solid network can give you access to leads for potential clients and chances to showcase your professional expertise. Data reveals that 71% of freelancers report an increase in the amount of work they get online.
Use online platforms to help you find clients
Web-based platforms make it easier for freelancers and clients to interact as freelancing spreads across all sectors. Upwork, which provides a job marketplace for many independent professionals to display their skills, is at the vanguard of this industry.
Clients looking for independent professionals also know they can register on these platforms to find them. This enables clients to conveniently gather applications from as many experts as possible in the relevant field and evaluate their profiles and samples of previous work.
However, for independent contractors, quickly bidding on numerous jobs from a single website and reaching diverse clients looking for experts in their preferred areas is priceless. Professionals can increase their clientele and start to reap the rewards of the freelance lifestyle.
Update your clients regularly
As soon as you commence any project, inform your clients frequently of your progress. Pay close attention to the requirements in your contract so you can determine whether and when they anticipate important updates. You might have stipulated, for instance, that you would let them know when you reached certain milestones.
Inform your client immediately of new changes in the project. Keep the lines of communication open if you need to modify the deadline or reconsider what you had previously agreed to due to unforeseen circumstances. Inform them of the imperativeness of any modification and the ways you may manage it for them.
Maintain open communication about their pleasure once you turn in the project. You should take advantage of every chance you get as a freelancer to expand your network and clientele. You can show that you care about the customer's experience by being aware of how effectively you met their expectations. Your reputation and brand are enhanced as a result.
Build your freelance career with Workee
While concentrating on other important activities, you require a platform to manage your operations as a freelance professional. Workee is a business management software that integrates various tools you’ll need to effectively manage your business and client.
Here's how Workee can effectively manage your services as a freelancer
Workee offers a no-code professional website that is easy to start and navigate. It takes roughly five minutes to set up. You do not need to worry about complexity, as the platform has a simple yet beautiful interface with user experience as a priority.
It has an intelligent booking system that allows your clients to book your services and schedule meetings. It also has an auto-detect time zone that sets meetings based on your client's time zone.
Workee helps manage your clients. It syncs your contacts and has a filtering aspect based on different categories. You do not have to waste time searching through many contact information.
Workee helps you manage your finances, such as tax, invoice, and accounting. It comes with customized invoice templates for your services and appointments. You can also issue automated invoices and track your payments.
Here are some additional details regarding the platform that you should be aware of, along with testimonials from freelancers who have used our services.
Wrap up
Freelancing offers you a wide range of opportunities and possibilities - from increasing your earning capacity to allowing you to work at your schedule, i.e., when and where. But it's usually challenging for those who are fledglings. Adhering to the tips, we have highlighted would go a long way in solving the difficulties you might encounter and put you on the path to success.
Plus, It gets much better with Workee. Our platform enables smooth client interactions and transactions, allowing you more time to organize, manage, and expand your business. And the best part is that you can access Workee without making any payments. Check it out here
Follow up on the parts 1 and 2 of this series
How to start a promising freelance career (Part 1)
How to start a freelance business: A detailed guide (Part 2)