What it takes to have a successful freelance career
Working for yourself can be a very rewarding career path. You’ll have greater flexibility in your schedule and unlimited earning potential.
However, being an entrepreneur and freelancer can be tough and there will be a lot of hard work ahead of you if you’re going to thrive. You can’t just launch a business and expect everything to go smoothly. Instead, you need a plan in place for how you will outshine your competitors and maintain a loyal book of clients. Here you can learn more about what it takes to have a successful freelance career.
Expertise and talent
It’s a good idea to define what your niche will be instead of trying to do it all. Pick the services you will offer based on your expertise and skill set. When you are doing what you love and are good at what you do it won’t feel like work at all. Think about what you are most passionate about and how you can offer the most value.
It’s important to take a step back and identify your skills and interests and what you believe will allow you to stand out from the crowd. Keep in mind that you can always expand your services and take on more in the future when you are in a better position to grow your business.
Professionalism and a strong brand
You want to ensure that you and your company have a positive reputation. This will require that you are professional in all interactions. Work on building a strong brand that people come to know and recognise. Now is a good time to get your portfolio in order and update your social media profiles.
Invest in getting professional headshot portraits that you can post and share. You want to make sure that it’s an attractive photo that communicates your personality and makes you look like a trustworthy business owner. You want your portfolio and social media sites to do the talking for you and showcase your skills and best work.
Strong online presence
As a freelancer, it’s more important than ever that you have a strong online presence. More and more people are going online to research companies and services before spending any money. You want to make sure that your business shows up in search results and that you can gain a large following on social media.
Engage with your followers on these platforms and use social media as a way to provide an additional outlet for customer service. Be sure to launch a user-friendly and aesthetically pleasing website that highlights your services and all the reasons why someone should hire you. Include high-quality images, contact information, and any sales or promotions that you are running.
You might also want to start a blog where you share valuable information and insights with your readers.
Excellent customer service and effective communication
If you want to have a successful freelance career then it will take providing excellent customer service and having effective communication with clients. The pressure is on you to deliver outputs on time and budget. If there are any delays with your work or projects then you should notify your clients right away.
Keep the lines of communication open and your clients updated on your progress along the way. When you avoid confusion and misunderstandings you can build more trust with your customers. It will help if you are upfront and realistic about deadlines and timelines and do not try to take on too much at once. Establish clear terms of service and cancellation policies and set fair rates.
Networking and marketing yourself
It’s also still important that you put yourself out there and meet new people in your freelance career. You should make time for in-person networking where you give out business cards and communicate your elevator speech about what you’re selling. It is a good idea to attend local events and conferences and join some different online communities as well.
There are also professional organisations in your industry that you may want to get involved in. Word-of-mouth and networking to advertise your services are great ways to spread the word about your freelance business. As you network, you may also want to identify a mentor who you can bounce ideas off of and get guidance from throughout your career.
Good financial and time management skills
If you want to have a successful freelance career then you must have good financial and time management skills. You’re only one person with so much time and energy to give. If you try to take on too much then you risk missing deadlines and not delivering on your promise. Be sure to keep organised and make a list of to-dos that you can then put in priority order. Manage expectations with clients so they know what you’re thinking and what you can deliver.
Another essential task that will be on your plate is managing your finances. You should establish a process and system for tracking your expenses and income. Also, you’ll want to keep your personal and business finances separate to avoid confusion, and you’ll want to have a smooth and effortless way to send and collect invoices so you get paid on time.
Continuous learning and improvement
You will also want to make sure that you’re committed to continuous learning and improving your skills as a freelancer. You should work to stay on top of trends and be informed of the latest advancements in technology. Always be open to new opportunities and willing to challenge yourself so that you can achieve more.
It may help to gather feedback from clients so you know what you’re doing well and can identify areas for improvement. There are plenty of online and offline courses and conferences you can take and attend to help you boost your skill set and knowledge.
Ready to have a successful freelance career?
You now know what it will take to have a successful freelance career. There’s no telling what you can accomplish when you stay focused and execute in the right areas. Keep working hard, be willing to take calculated risks, and step outside your comfort zone every so often.
