12 Tips on How to Successfully Make Freelance Work Your Full-Time Job
Are you feeling burned out from your nine-to-five work? Do you want to pursue your passion? Have you ever considered freelance jobs? Are you wondering how to work freelance from home? If your answer to all of these questions is yes, then you definitely need to read these tips and tricks that will help you learn how to start freelance work.
Set timeline and goals
First of all, you need to know when you’re going to give time for your freelance work. Not everyday job will let you work on your freelance stuff during work hours. Moreover, setting up a timeline will help organize your daily routine until you’re independent of your nine-to-five job. Meanwhile, having goals will also help you track your milestones as you work your way to becoming a real freelancer.
Learn your craft
Photo courtesy of Startup Stock Photo via Pexels.com
It goes without saying that there are many ways to do things. The same thing can be applied to your passion/freelance business ideas. If you want to learn how to make money by freelancing online, enroll in classes to deepen your knowledge about your craft. In addition, the certificates you get from completing and passing each seminar/class will help make your resume more attractive to your potential clients.
Invest in the tools of the trade
You won’t be able to do the job well if you don’t have the right tools. Invest in high-speed Internet, a good laptop, or maybe a good kitchen set, whichever it is that will help you do the job at the best of your capabilities. This will help you produce the best results as fast as you can. After all, quality and speed are crucial when you become a professional freelancer.
Learn how to make a contract
Photo courtesy of Rawpixel via Pexels.com
One of the pitfalls of making a career as a freelancer is clients that don’t hold their end of the bargain. Some suddenly disappear once you give the final product, while others demand more than what they are paying for at your expense.
If you don’t want this to happen to you, learn how to make a contract and have it legally notarized and signed by both parties. This will make the scope of the job clear to both client and freelancer, as well as make it easier to file a claim in case one breaks the contract. Moreover, don’t forget to include the Republic Act No. 8293 or the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines that can protect you from the misuse of your product or service.
A down payment is a must
When you get a job, aside from using a contract, make sure that you get a down payment from the client. It can be anywhere from 10 percent up to 50 percent. It’s up to you how well you can negotiate the terms and how big the job is. This is an important aspect of freelancing as this protects you and the client in case one of you doesn’t deliver on the contract.
Build your portfolio
If you want to learn how to find work as a freelancer, you need to build your portfolio first. This will help clients decide if you’re the right one for the job based on your previous works. Depending on your line of work, you can create a website or use social media platforms to showcase your products, service, or creations. Make sure to update your portfolio yearly or on a project basis.
Search for clients
Photo courtesy of Rawpixel via Pexels.com
Getting a job is as simple as being referred to by a friend or someone who has done business with you. But that’s not the case every time. You’ll need to learn how to search for freelancing jobs. Luckily, there are plenty of legitimate websites such as Freelancer and UpWork for you to search for your next job. Check out your potential client’s ratings and how well they respond as you negotiate the job. These are tell-tail signs that you should look out for to see if they are good or bad clients.
Study social media marketing
Another way to get clients and showcase your work is through social media marketing because that’s where most people are nowadays. In fact, Oberlo says that there are 3.2 billion social media users active daily. These people tend to spend an average of two hours and 22 minutes every day on social media networks and online messaging. In addition, 73 percent of marketers believe that it has made a huge impact on their businesses.
You can join Facebook and make a business page or join groups searching for freelancers. LinkedIn is also a good channel to get work since most of its users are there to promote their business.
Expand your network
Aside from online channels, you can also consider meetups to expand your network and meet new clients. It’s a great way to not only meet clients but to talk to them personally and establish rapport. This could help you seal the deal faster compared to online transactions.
Be the industry leader
With your client database and the following growing, it’s time you became the industry leader. According to the IPO Group, being the top dog in the industry has plenty of benefits such as premium rates, more publicity, shorter sales cycle due to market awareness, and being included in the customer’s future plans.
You can do this by setting up a blog wherein you can share industry or personal insights, informative articles, and even showcase your portfolio. Hosting a workshop or seminar are surefire ways to build a following and boost your status as an industry leader. Of course, this will lead to more clients, sales, and profit.
Get a reliable payment gateway
Photo courtesy of Rawpixel via Pexels.com
Speaking of profit, part of becoming a full-time freelancer is having a reliable payment gateway. After all, not all your clients are willing to meet you personally to pay or have access to your bank— especially if they are located overseas.
Luckily, money transfer in the Philippines is affordable for everybody. This will make it easier for your clients to pay you on time securely. Just make sure that before you take on jobs, you’re registered at the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and once you receive the payment, you know how to pay your taxes as a freelancer on time.
Learn to manage your earnings
Lastly, as a freelancer, you need to learn to manage your earnings. Put some away for savings, taxes, emergency funds, and profit. This will help you stay afloat in a very competitive environment and fast-paced world.
Taking the leap of faith to become a full-time freelancer requires a lot of courage and trust in your abilities. That’s why these tips are very important if you want to make it as a successful freelancer in the future.
About Author
