How to start a promising freelance career (Part 2)

Freelance business is becoming a popular and attractive way of working. Of course, people are intrigued with the idea of deciding their work schedule, choosing which tasks to engage in, and ultimately determining their work hours- all of which are perks of freelancing. However, running a successful freelance business certainly goes beyond the idea of freedom.

The freelance business has become very competitive. The United States has a record of over 58 million freelance workers jostling for limited jobs. This means you must have a strategic action plan, requisite knowledge, and good planning to succeed as a freelancer in 2022.

Many people are willing to become freelancers after learning about its numerous perks but do not know how to become a freelancer. Do you want to start your own successful freelance business? This 3 part series will walk you through everything needed to start freelancing and earn a solid living.

Who is a freelancer?

A freelancer provides services to a company or individual on a per-contract or per-job basis. They typically provide these services remotely via an online platform that allows them to meet and communicate with their clients. A freelancer can work for multiple companies simultaneously and has no long-term commitment to any company. However, they may have an ongoing work relationship with clients.

Freelancers differ from permanent workers in numerous ways, including service delivery style and duration of the employment relationship. Setting work hours, fulfilling deadlines, and billing clients after delivering the essential services are all part of freelancing.

Perks of freelancing

Apart from the fact that you can earn more if you know how to start a freelancing business, the job offers many other benefits. Some of the merits of becoming a freelancer include:

• High independence: Freelancing gives you a lot of freedom. You are the primary decision maker, deciding what type of work you will undertake and when and how you will do it. 

• Easy entry: Many people who don't know how to start a freelance business believe it takes huge capital, time, and effort. However, freelancing is a business you can do with little or no capital. You can earn money with your expertise if you have the essential tools and skills.

• Flexible Plan: You have complete control over your work schedule as a freelancer. You are the one to decide the time and where you do your task as long as the deadline is fulfilled. According to Statista, 77% of respondents in the United States said they became freelancers because they wanted more flexibility.

• Income-increase probability: Getting an increased payment is easier and faster for freelancers. This is because freelancers are paid on a per-contract or per-job basis and can renegotiate their salary before beginning a new project or task. 

How to become a freelancer

Here are easy steps that will help you become a freelancer:

Determine your long and short-term goals

Before starting a freelance business, understanding the main motive for your decision to venture into freelancing is essential. The purpose could be to obtain a better lifestyle or another source of money. Knowing the intent behind starting the business will help decide the next step.

Find a lucrative niche

To start a freelance business, you must first research to identify a niche with great demand and good compensation. According to data, the top freelancing niches are marketing, information technology, programming, and business consulting. You can consider offering services in any of the three industries to boost your earnings and chances of finding work.

Learn a marketable skill

After researching a specific sector and determining which industry you would prefer to freelance in, the next stage will be learning the required skills to enable you to offer efficient services. But If you already have a skill, you might choose to sell it online and earn money as a freelancer. According to statistics, 77% of Art and Design employees are working as freelancers, with Marketing coming in second. This means that having a talent relevant to these industries will increase your chances of finding jobs.

Equip yourself with the best tools and resources

After gaining the requisite skill to sell in your chosen niche, it is critical to gather all of the necessary items to sell your skill. This covers all of the materials you will utilize to provide your services. You will also require resources like your CV, a website, a portfolio, etc.

A personal webpage is always a good idea. A website allows you to brand and market your freelance business any way you like, and if done properly, it will draw clients.

As a new freelancer, you can leverage efficient solutions like Workee that allow you to have a personal website in five minutes without needing to code or contract a web developer.

Search for freelance jobs

You can post your services on several freelance sites and market them to potential clients. These platforms help you connect with new clients and sell your services. Fiverr, Indeed, and Upwork are among these platforms. With the right skills, you will be able to get clients on these sites and begin providing your services.

Grow your network

Following the launch of your freelance brand, the next step is to inform everyone you know about it. It is also important to encourage them to refer your brand to those who may require your services. This is one of the best ways to get more people to patronize you and promote your brand. Some of your networks may include your past clients or some people working in the same niche as you.

Promote your brand

The next step is to promote your brand and demonstrate your knowledge on platforms or places where your prospective client may notice it. This entails developing professional social media accounts, responding to inquiries on forums and online platforms related to your niche, and advertising your brand. This can help you position yourself as a professional or expert in your sector, which will help you increase your client base.

Invest in client management software

If you're contemplating how to become a successful freelancer without a client management solution or software, you're doing it wrong. A client management software that allows you to handle interactions with various clients without stress is essential. 

Workee is one such example of a solution. Workee enables you to send invoices to customers, plan meetings, communicate with clients, and process payments. With a solution like this, you can access everything you need to interact with your client and manage your freelance business in one place.

Workee makes it easy to launch a freelance career because it provides automated solutions that enable you to manage your business while focusing on delivering value. Some of the solutions Workee offers include;

• Booking and scheduling: Clients can book you through your workee website. The software also sends automated reminders to enable your clients.

• Communication tools: You can communicate with your clients through Workee video calls or integrate your video call provider.

• Finance management: With Workee, you can track all your financial inflow and outflow in one place. You also can track your taxes and pay them seamlessly.

• Website: Create a personal website on workee.

Conclusion

Freelancing is a lucrative business that is simple to establish. With the steps outlined in this article, you can be confident that you understand how to become a successful freelancer. You can also earn money as a freelancer while providing exceptional service to your clients.