How to get started with freelance work?

Posted on 12 Aug 2016 09:09 in Small Business Hacks
by Snehasish Powali

More and more people are taking to working at their free time as a profession and are happily quitting their 9 to 5 jobs. The reasons for doing so are endless. Who to get started?

* Image Courtasy Flickr 

 

More and more people are taking to working at their free time as a profession and are happily quitting their 9 to 5 jobs. The reasons for doing so are endless. While some people like the freedom of working at their convenience, some like to be their boss.

 

But how does one get started with freelance work? Is it that easy to up and quit the full-time salaried job that one had and to live off the earning through freelancing? Will everything work out?

 

We answer all these questions (and more) in this blog. So, read on….

 

Let’s get started
First, you need to look at the things you are good at. Chances are extremely high that there are already tonnes of people out there using their creativity and talent in that field and selling their services. This is not to demotivate you.

 

If you plan to stick around and survive through this, then you need to find a way to be different from others and think out of the box. The more creatively that you use your talent, lesser the competition you will have, and hence, more chances of success.

 

Join a Freelance Website
For the beginners who are just venturing into this field, we would suggest that you give freelancing a try first before you make the final decision. This is so that you may know, at least, a little about what you are getting yourself into.

 

Few websites you may consider to register yourself
https://www.upwork.com
https://www.fiverr.com
http://www.proz.com 

 

The best way to do this would be to enrol yourself in freelance work as part time. If possible, work under someone for some time to understand the kind of work which is needed and the things that are required to be done.

 

This will give you enough exposure to work on your own, stick to deadlines and respect the quality of the work that you submit. Not only this, but this kind of a part-time job will let you in on the things that go into making a freelance business run successfully.

 

To become a full-time freelance, one needs to have the knowledge of even the basic things which need to be done. Although, you may not get paid as high as you expected to, this new experience will give you the knowledge you need. So, don’t think of this as a waste of time. We all grow by learning.

 

Create a brand
Branding is necessary to keep the steady flow of customers. With a brand name comes a sense of reliability from your clients. Get your business known by making a high impact on your customers. Create your website or mobile application.

 

To be a brand, be sure that you first choose a field of expertise, and work on that area. No one is telling you that you cannot write while you design logos, but specialisation will attract more customers looking for services in that particular sector. You can be an all-around business, but it will only increase your workload and pressure to take care of all the kind of services which you will be aiming at.

 

Specialisation in freelance work will make you only focus on one sector and hence will improve your knowledge and expertise in that industry.

 

Create Website
Once you have learnt what goes into making a business successful or have some idea about freelancing, you will realise that you now have a steady flow of work. With a steady flow of work, you have achieved the reliance of your customers; which is why you need to get a website, or a blog or make your presence in the social media. Your identity is necessary because people will want to know more about you and your company.

 

Making a website does not always mean you have to spend tonnes of money even before you have had the time to make money! You can create any simple website or blog using free website-building websites or software. For instance, Budo is a free website builder and lets you create your website in matters of minutes. Because everything is already set on this website including menus, news, heading, sitemap and more. People with little or no prior experience in website development can also get a hang of it and create their masterpiece.

 

Now that your customers have seen your website, it is time to make your presence felt in the social networking sites. Link your websites to social media or social networking sites. This is a way to reach personally out to your customers or clients.

 

You can post new offers and attract new clients within minutes of making your post go live. Post attractive offers, often, so that people follow you on these websites. This way they will know what you offer, and by getting their feedback and responses, you will get an idea of what your clients’ requirements are.

 

Make an application
Depending on the kind of freelance work you are willing to do, an application written for mobile phones and tablets will help you prosper in your field of freelance work. For example, if your job revolves around editing pictures, you may introduce an app which lets people enhance their photos themselves, but with a cost. Even if you don’t charge anything for this application, there are still many ways you can earn while your app is free for everyone to use.

 

More reading

Small Business & Freelancers Resources

Why Freelancers Should Use Online Invoicing Application

Top 10 Tax Deductions For The Freelancers And Self Employed

 

Every new step that you take will be risky and challenging, but the fun is in taking that risk. Taking the route to becoming a successful freelancing is more than just about working full-time or giving the best quality of work that you can. It is also about being a risk-taker. So, go ahead and be creative. You WILL find success at your doorstep

      



About the author

Snehasish Powali     
I see it as an opportunity to learn. This will be more like a challenge for me to test my limits. I am a self-motivated individual and I will do my best to submit work that is of the best quality. I take every problem as a challenge in order to imp



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