You’ve decided that the time is right to embark on a career as a freelancer. This is a significant change that needs serious consideration and should not be taken lightly. You should begin by determining how much money you need to make each month in order to be able to support a comfortable lifestyle. Because of this, you won’t have to worry about straying off track on the pricing curve.
Determine Your Skills
Many people start freelance careers because they realize that their traditional jobs aren’t aligned with their true purpose. This often leads to a lack of fulfilment and can even lead to depression. Freelancing, on the other hand, provides a sense of meaning and purpose that can give you the drive to wake up each morning.
To do that, you need to determine your skills and understand what type of services you can offer. While you may need to wear a lot of hats when you first get started, it’s important that you focus on your strengths and build a niche for yourself.
You should also work on developing your business acumen and gaining proof of concept. Finally, save up a cushion so that you can be prepared for any unforeseen circumstances that might occur. Once you have all of these components in place, you’re ready to go!
Set Up Your Business
The first step in building a profitable freelance business is to set your income goals. You need to know how much you want to make, based on your living expenses and risk tolerance.
Next, consider how you want to deliver value to your clients. This will help guide your search for clients and the type of work you seek out.
It’s also a good idea to get feedback from friends and family who are freelancers. Talking to them will give you a feel for the ins and outs of freelancing, as well as how to market yourself and find clients.
In the beginning, you will likely have to do a lot of cold outreach. Send emails to businesses in your network that you think may benefit from your services. This will take time, but it’s one of the best ways to start building up your business. And the more clients you have, the more steady your income will become.
Get Hands-On
Getting hands-on with freelance work is one of the best ways to learn and prepare yourself for what you’ll encounter once you go independent. It’s a chance to experience the realities of working for yourself—whether that means prioritizing tasks over procrastination or tackling a new project every day (even when there are unforeseen circumstances).
Depending on your niche, you may want to consider joining an online platform for freelancers. These are often exclusive and can connect you with serious clients. However, they do come with a fee, so it’s important to research the best options for you.
You can also start by cold-contacting businesses in your network to see if they’re interested in your services. This can be a time-consuming process, but it’s also one of the most effective ways to find work quickly. Once you’ve established a client base, it will be easier to grow your business. Eventually, you can even turn your side hustle into a full-time career.
Get Clients
You’ll need to find your first clients and build a portfolio of quality work before you can quit your day job. This step may take some time, so don’t be discouraged if you’re not seeing results right away.
Chances are, you already have a pool of potential clients – family, friends, former coworkers and business acquaintances who might need your freelance services or know people that do. Let them know you are available for projects and ask them to spread the word.
Another good way to get freelance work is to contact established freelancers in your niche and see if they have any overflow that they would be willing to turn over to you. This is also a great opportunity to build your reputation, learn from the best and establish yourself as an expert in your field. If you do this right, it should only be a matter of time before you have more clients coming to you rather than the other way around.
“5 Best YouTube SMM panels in 2023 (YouTube views, subscribers, watch time)” links to “How to Start Freelancing and Leave the 9-to-5 Behind”. The former covers top YouTube SMM panels and offers tips on how to improve views, subscribers, and platform watch time. The later piece discusses freelancing and how to transition from traditional employment to a fulfilling independent career. readers can learn how to boost their YouTube profile and consider freelancing as a rewarding job.