Starting out as a freelancer can be both exciting and overwhelming. Unlike the approach that I used of hoping from one online business idea to another until I stumbled upon one freelancing platform that worked, today an approach that would help a starter get started sooner should take the following steps into account. I also recommend that the order be maintained to make a gradual progression towards and help develop on what you may have already covered in your journey.
- Choose your niche: Decide what type of work you want to do and what skills you have to offer may not be an easy and obvious step. You have to consider a number of factors that will make it possible to offer the service the way that will match your resources. I also believe that offering a highly specialised service, as opposed to general ones like writing and translation services, will increase your chances of success. However, this is not to dismiss the fact that general services can be good for you but rather they are more saturated and have fierce competition.
- Build a portfolio: Create a portfolio of your work to showcase your skills and experience. This can include samples of your work if you already have some, testimonials from previous clients, and case studies of successful projects. If you don’t have samples of your work to show, be honest with that and tell it as it is. Displaying your skills is still good enough to attract clients. You may want to offer a free service to one or two clients that will then give you a review and a testimonial to share as your sample.
- Set your rates: Determine how much you want to charge for your services. Consider your experience, skill level, and the market rates for your industry. This is a tricky part because if you over price you may hardly get clients and if you price too low you may not be motivated to keep doing the work.
- Create a website: Build a website to promote your services and showcase your portfolio. You can use platforms like WordPress or Squarespace to create a professional-looking website without any coding experience. This may not be easy to accomplish when you start out but it does not stop you from creating profiles with freelancing platforms like fiverr, upwork and freelancer. You also can promote your services for free on social media such as TikTok, YouTube, Facebook and Instagram.
- Network: Start networking with other freelancers and potential clients in your industry. Attend networking events, join online communities, and reach out to potential clients directly. If you have registered with freelancing platforms, you may not need to worry much about this because they do a lot of marketing for their clients as they also are in competition with each other. It is recommended for you to create a marketing plan to promote your services and attract new clients. As already mentioned in point 4 above, this could include social media marketing, email campaigns, and advertising on freelance job sites.
- Establish your business: Register your business, obtain any necessary licenses or permits, and set up a system for managing your finances and taxes. Set up your cash withdrawal account with international paying companies such as Payoneer and PayPal, particularly when you work with freelancing platforms.
Remember, starting out as a freelancer takes time and effort. Be patient, persistent, and always strive to improve your skills and services. In this blog you will find the ‘Resources’ and ‘Trial Updates’ pages useful to give you good advise on getting started on this journey.
