At some point in their career, most people wish they could work for themselves. Those same people turn toward the idea of freelancing in the hope that they could figure out if they have anything to offer on their own. Budgets are tightening in big corporations, and more people than ever are finding themselves being out of work. On the flip side, those same companies need to be able to hire people who are cost-effective and complete tasks in the right time frame; AKA, freelancers!
Now is a good a time as ever to consider freelancing for your future. You’ll get to service more than one client at one time, giving you a chance to build yourself up as a business. You’ll also get an opportunity to be in charge and offer something that no one else is offering: you! Do you still need some convincing? Here are five reasons you should absolutely be considering freelancing as your next adventure:
- When you’re a freelancer, your schedule is flexible. You can work your own hours; as long as you meet your deadlines, you’re good! You get the chance to build your income around your family and other commitments, which is something everyone wants.
- If you love to write, build websites or give advice on a niche topic, freelancing gives you the chance to do that. Whatever you are interested in, freelancing allows you the opportunity to explore it.
- Total freedom comes with freelancing. If you want to work in the park, you can. Prefer the office? You can hire a desk and hotdesk wherever you want. You don’t have to commute hours away, either, as you can work in your own home if you want to!
- It’s up to you what you earn when you freelance. Rather than getting paid a small salary and benefits from an employer who can tell you yes or no to a day off work, you’re only answering to yourself. This allows you to control your earnings and bulk them up if you choose to do so. Other people no longer expect overtime, and you can do as you please to earn more cash if you have the space in your schedule.
- Lastly, freelancing gives you experience in running your own business. You may not have considered how it will benefit you, but this experience is going to help you with your future prospects. It’ll teach you how to manage your finances, find clients, build relationships and generally how to conduct yourself in a business-like manner.
You could jump straight into freelancing, or you can dip a toe slowly into it. Some people like to freelance alongside their current job so that they can slowly build something profitable before they make the leap over to the side of freedom. Those who are ready to dump their comfortable job and get ready to kill it in their first freelancing gig need to think twice. Yes, freelancing offers freedom to get you out of the office environment, but it isn’t about sitting around at home and letting the work flow your way. You have to fight for every single opportunity - and hard.
Freelance working isn’t easy in the slightest. Sure, the work may be right up your street, and you may be able to offer a perfect service, but that doesn't mean it’ll be relaxing - especially in the beginning. You have to strive, and there are no cushy moments at the coffee shop until later. You need to make it work for you, which means making a stable future happen out of thin air!
Don't panic, though. There are plenty of ways that you can become a success when you freelance. It will be a struggle at first as you build yourself up, but it doesn't have to stay that way. So, how can you get started? What do you need to do to become the freelancer you’ve imagined you would be? Let’s take a look!
Contact Everyone. No, Everyone
When you are getting started out as a freelancer, you need to network, and this requires you to get out of your comfort zone and get to know people. It would be best if you got in touch with everyone on your contacts lists to tell them you’re freelancing and what you’re doing. Why? Well, the people you already know could be an excellent place to start for gaining contracts and clients.
Start On Your Brand
You have a brand, even if it’s just you in the business. Your personal brand is going to put your name out there and get you seen. You are your brand as a freelancer, and you should ensure that you understand that when you sell what you can do, you’re selling YOU to your possible clients. Personality matters and if people don’t like you, they’re not going to invest in you. Building your personal brand takes time, and it means joining every social media site and group relevant to your field. Then, start hustling!
Make A Plan
You can’t just run out there and start finding clients. You need a plan of action! It would help if you took the time to do it; otherwise, you could find that you don’t get to hit your goals. If you have a plan, you have a route to success. Sometimes, your goals may surround building your content, or they could be in expanding your network by a certain number of people. Have goals and make a plan to reach them!
Watch The Competition
Pay close attention to your competition and scan social media to watch what they’re doing. Build your network and figure out what they’re doing to be so successful. When you’re watching them, you can learn how they’re doing so well and what makes people love them. Once you know that, you’re going to be able to bounce off them and see where you could be going wrong. From there, you can align yourself into what your customers want!
Find A Mentor
You may be working for yourself, but that doesn't always mean working BY yourself. Don't ever burn any bridges as you move up the ladder through your career to freelancing; some of those people that you knew before could be the best people in your life to guide you. Find someone in your industry who can mentor you and give you the guidance you need to get you to a stable and successful freelance career. It doesn't matter if they are a previous boss, a sibling, a parent or someone that led a team you once knew years ago. No matter who it is, you need someone to give you a pep talk every now and then! A mentor can do just that.
What’s Next?
So, you now know why you should freelance and what steps you should take to make it a reality. What now? Well, you need to get established as a freelancer and get educated with articles that detail how to move up to entrepreneur from freelancer, such as The Tech That Turns Freelancers Into Entrepreneurs. You might be starting out alone, but that doesn't mean you will always be that way. Take the time to learn how to step up to the next level, and you’ll have an even bigger goal in mind for your future beyond freelancing.
When you decide to grow beyond working for you, you need to consider why growth is a good idea. Why should you expand beyond freelancing? Well...
- It’s now or never when you are doing well; it’s time to grab that and run with it! It would help if you built something you can be proud of and it’s so much easier to do that when things are going well for you. Protect your future and build an empire; you can be proud of working.
- Right now, you worry about failing when you’ve built something amazing. You don't have to worry about failing - you’ve come this far on your own. If you come away from this opportunity without anything, you haven't lost anything!
- You are not the only freelancer who wishes they could do more for themselves. Two heads (or more) are always better than one, and you can make more significant decisions when you decide to expand!
- It would be best if you didn't avoid this. You have the chance to add more people to your business and grow it out beyond your handful of regular clients. This is a risk, sure, but it’s one that you should take!
- There are a ton of possibilities out there for you a small business like yours and taking your freelance business to the next level is a big step. Freelancing can only take you so far, but when you’re doing well, and you’re building something, this is where the explosion of possibility happens. Profit is ahead if you’re smart and you get the right advice, so talk to your mentor and make sure that you are challenging yourself in the right way.
