There are people who have had the opportunity to work for various high-growth companies and world-class experts. What’s more, it is possible to live comfortably in this way, however, this does not happen overnight. The success that freelance work brings is the result of a great deal of strategic positioning during hours and hours of hard work and good timing.
If you want to work this way seriously and multiply your income, follow these tips and work every day to achieve it.
Top tips for freelancers
1. Choose a market niche
If you’re new to freelancing, you may feel ready to take any paid job. However, as you go deeper into your career, the more you need to start being more strategic about the types of jobs you do and the clients you will have.
You might be thinking, How can I get a good job that makes me earn money? The key is to become an expert in a specific field. In this way, people can charge more for their specialized services and thus you will build your reputation with clients little by little.
2. Be clear about your service offerings
An important decision to make at the beginning of an independent career is what you do and what you don’t do. The more specific you are about the services you offer, the better. It will allow you to control the way you perceive potential clients and you will take control over the construction of your career.
3. Define who your ideal client will be
Before you go out and start looking for clients, you need to develop a clear image of who you are offering your services to. For example, if you are going to design websites for small business owners or if you are going to offer your services to high-tech companies.
Making clear distinctions between who and what type of business you are focused on is essential to effectively project your services.
To define exactly who your ideal customers are and how to start their search, ask yourself the following:
- What type of business have the problems that you can solve with your services?
- Can the client to whom you want to offer your services be allowed to hire you?
- What are the demographic trends you can identify? Think about age, gender, geographic location, the websites they frequent, and their personal interests.
4. Create a high-quality resume
It goes without saying that one of the best ways to demonstrate your technical skills is to have a website where all of your previous work is located. If you want to be taken seriously as a new freelancer, you need a website that:
- Mention your experience.
- Highlight your experience.
- Include contact information so potential customers can easily find you.
- Be clear about who you are and what you offer.
In addition, a portfolio will help you demonstrate your experience in the job that you specialize in. The purpose of this is to arouse interest and convince potential customers that they will choose you for their needs. That is why it is worth investing time in deciding what information to include in your portfolio and how it will be displayed.
5. Start working independently before leaving your day job
There are people who are strong advocates of starting a career independently as a side business, rather than leaving work immediately with nothing stable yet.
Building a website, having a high-quality portfolio, and having a personal brand takes a long time. It’s a good idea to have a few clients on your list before you leave your full-time job.
In this sense, we recommend that you have an income of at least 50% or 75% before leaving your job full time. Being responsible for delivering your work to your clients with limited time resources will quickly teach you what it feels like to have your own business.
The other advantage of having freelance clients, while still in a full-time job, is that you can be selective. You probably don’t absolutely need the money, which puts you in the position of turning down a job that doesn’t pay you enough to justify your investment of time.
6. Make sure you permanently improve your skills
The best way to justify higher payouts is to make sure you have impressive skills. Practice using these by building projects. For example, WordPress blogs or mobile applications.
7. Build your personal brand with credibility
There are several ways to build credibility within the freelance industry. Apart from creating high-quality blog content, you can collaborate with notable influencers in the industry, write an e-book. create an online course or start giving professional talks to increase your visibility within your niche.
8. Determine your price
Deciding how much to charge for your services is an important step toward determining your perceived value . Most clients will not hesitate to pay higher fees for a freelance professional who makes an incredible first impression.
Before adjusting prices, consider the real value you would be creating for your potential customers and make sure of your financial needs.
9. Take advantage of social networks
One of the most recommended options that you can make use of at all times is social networks. You can do a little research to see if you have any mutual connection, be it on LinkedIn, Twitter or Facebook.
10. Create a blog
The goal of having a website that shows off your skills is to attract new customers . At first, the goal will be to create one or two blog posts per month, aimed at providing really useful solutions that your potential customers may be looking for. Once they discover your content and get the value of your services, be assured that you will be able to have a job
Reference
- Ryan Robinson, How to become a highly paid freelancer while keeping your day job. For Businessinsider [Revised April 2016]
