How To Earn Money Through Freelancing (Even If You Are New To It)

Welcome to another post in our Tips series.  I hope you enjoy it…

It’s not surprising that freelancing has become popular in the past few years. Several individuals have chosen to avoid the 9-to-5 work schedule and pursue a spot in the world of freelancing, whether as a full-time gig or a side hustle. Doing so provides the advantages of freedom, flexible hours and self-management. Compensation and earnings are under your control, and you can live anywhere you’d like if you go fully remote.

Freelancing gives you the opportunity to prioritize things such as spending time with your loved one, watching your favorite team in the football World Cup Qatar 2022, traveling to dream destinations or focusing on your health and well being.

Let’s discover how to earn money through freelancing…

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What is Freelancing?

Freelancing allows you to work as a self-employed individual who offers paid services to clients. You work for yourself and contract your services to as many clients as possible. Your client typically pays per hour, task or project with freelancing, depending on your agreement with them. These projects can involve short or long-term assignments.

Types of Freelancing

Several industries and roles are available if you choose to become a freelancer. Here is a list of popular ones you may want to investigate and pursue if you’re thinking about going this route:

1. Administrative – Many small businesses require assistance with administrative tasks. In this industry, opportunities exist for virtual assistants, bookkeepers and administrative assistants.
2. App Development – Technology is constantly changing in mobile devices. Getting into app development as a freelancer provides many opportunities to thrive. Whether you choose to become a mobile game developer, web developer or chat bot developer and designer, you should have more than enough projects to choose from, depending on your experience.
3. Consulting – Businesses have many elements that must be performed correctly to succeed. Instead of strategizing and planning independently, many business owners will hire a professional freelancer. This need for specialized information allows you to make money when you focus on a specific role. A few of the popular ones in this industry include becoming an HR consultant, operations consultant, pricing consultant or business strategy consultant.
4. E-Learning – Delivering online training and education has become widely popular. Many companies choose to hire freelancers to fill their needed roles rather than build a dedicated team. Becoming an instructional designer or e-learning consultant is possible in this niche.
5. Marketing – Freelancing as a marketing specialist is a role many individuals choose to pursue. In this industry, you can work as a publicist, email marketer, SEO specialist, content marketer or display ads specialist.
6. Photography – Using your skills can provide you with many jobs in this niche. Specializing in a specific role is usually done, which might include taking photos for a real estate firm, companies promoting their products or weddings. You should have several options available in this industry if you decide to become a freelancer specializing in photography.This choice worked out well for the famous freelance photographer Ron Galella. Dubbed the godfather of US paparazzi, he captured the images of several celebrities during his six-decade career. The documentary Smash His Camera on Prime Video depicts the physical confrontations he would often get into when trying to take a picture of a celebrity.
7. Videography – Similar to the photography industry, this niche has also become popular for freelancers to get work. You can make money as a production assistant, video editor, producer or director, depending on your skills.
8. Web Design – Designing websites and making them look appealing to visitors requires the skills of a user interface designer, user experience designer and information architecture designer. Getting involved in one of these roles should keep you busy as a freelancer.
9. Web Development – The code for a website provides the infrastructure needed to support web design. Freelancing as a full-stack, back-end or front-end developer can be highly rewarding if you’re a software engineer who wants to work independently.
10. Writing – The written content needed to make websites worth visiting and books worth reading can come from a freelancer. In this industry, you can work as a content writer, copywriter, proofreader, technical writer, or managing editor.
11. Miscellaneous – Other freelance opportunities that don’t fit a specific industry include becoming a career coach, life coach or interpreter.

How To Get Started

Being a jack of all trades doesn’t work well as a freelancer. If you want to start freelancing, the first step is to specialize in a specific role. This route allows you to focus on an area and increase your skills. Rising to the top of your niche can help you become sought after, allowing you to choose the jobs you want.

If you have years of skills under your belt in a specific position, choosing a niche is easy. However, you must assess your current situation when you’re just starting. Whether you have a passion for photography, have designed websites or understand how important marketing is, it’s essential to examine your current skills and passions before making a final choice.

Considering the market where you’ll become a freelancer can help during the decision-making process. If you want to make freelancing a full-time gig, choosing a skill several people will pay for is important.

Once you’ve decided on a specific niche, you need to gather the materials required to complete projects. Having a reliable computer and Internet connection is typically a must. You may also need specific software or equipment, such as a camera, depending on the role you’re pursuing.

Creating a plan is also essential when freelancing. By investigating competitors, you can get clear on the services you offer and how much to charge. Looking at your skills and what you can provide is also vital, especially at the beginning of this journey. Of course, once you’ve taken on a few projects, you’ll have more information to complete this decision.

Finding Projects and Clients

As a freelancer, it’s critical for you to sell yourself. Knowing what makes you different from competitors can be helpful in some niches. Developing a personal brand and online presence is an excellent way to get noticed. Doing so allows you to show who you are, showcase your expertise, highlight relevant past experiences and provide contact information to potential clients.

Creating a high-quality portfolio site can be instrumental in helping you if you lack experience or testimonials. Setting up the portfolio should help spark interest and educate potential clients about your skills and why it’s worth choosing you to handle their project. If you’re on social media, it’s helpful to link to your portfolio site within your email signature.

Defining what your ideal client looks like should also be completed. This action helps you clearly understand who you work with best. Making a clear distinction of the business type you want to target can help you create a more compelling pitch for your services.

Tips for a Successful Freelancing Career

Becoming a successful freelancer can take persistence and a positive attitude. Using these tips can help make your job more straightforward:

1. Use tools to make your work easier – When you work in the freelancing industry, you may have a lot of work land in your direction. Managing client relationships, building new relationships and following deadlines for projects can be cumbersome. Fortunately, you can utilize project management, bookkeeping and communication tools to stay organized.
2. Be your own boss – Being your own boss means getting projects done by the deadlines is up to you. Being the leader responsible for completing a project timely can also be demanding as there is no one to remind you about the work you need to finish.
3. Find a suitable freelance platform – Choosing a freelance platform matching your specific skill sets is usually the best option.
4. Create an attractive profile – The profile you create will likely be looked at many times. Its main goal is to help you stand out from the crowd. While adding references, basic vital information and social media links are required, you may also want to display some of your personality.
5. Level up your skills – Doing all you can to become the best mobile app developer or photographer can set you apart from the crowd and make it easier to complete projects and make clients happy. Being in this position will likely make it more efficient to receive repeat business.

Summary

While many steps are involved in becoming a freelancer, it’s pretty straightforward. Choosing your niche and leveling up your skills is a primary area where you should focus. Establishing your brand, knowing where to find jobs and staying connected with clients can also be essential. Discovering the right balance between working and downtime will also be required once you start taking on projects. Following these guidelines should help create a positive atmosphere for your freelancing career.

Take a little time to figure out what you want to do, what you bring to the table, your ideal client, how you’re going to market yourself, and what platform(s) are a good fit to get your name out there and make connections. Once you have an idea of the direction you want to go, it won’t take you long to figure out how to earn money through freelancing.