So, to clarify, freelancing is a form of self-employment. The major difference between freelancing and operating a single firm is that a freelancer works with several clients at the same time.
Freelancers generally provide services, products, and information that help their clients in a specialized area of their companies or lives.
While freelancers select what they will give, their work is typically influenced by the demands and wants of their clients.
Here's what you should know before starting a freelancing career:
1. Your Workflow Will Change
One of the most appealing aspects of working as a freelancer is the flexibility. There will be no more 9-5 workdays or clocking in and out. However, with flexibility comes some ebbs and flows.
Depending on the services you provide, you will need to obtain clients on a regular basis, which will naturally cause some variance in your workflow. You may have a busy schedule some weeks, but then you may finish up with a few clients and have a lower burden for a time. As a result, while freelancing allows you to choose your own working hours, you must account for financial and time fluctuations.
2. You Must Establish Structure
It's difficult to be a successful freelancer without some structure. Even though a flexible schedule is most likely one of the reasons you choose a freelance profession, having a plan can help you be more productive every day, week, and month.
And, as a freelancer, you have complete control over the structure, which you may modify whenever you want!
So, while developing a work schedule for yourself, begin by establishing annual, quarterly, monthly, and weekly goals. Then, using a digital or paper calendar, set out time to focus on the many projects that must be completed in order to achieve those goals.
As a freelancer, having time set off and actual (but flexible) deadlines can help you make regular progress. Remember to include time in your calendar for performing business-related activities (such as money management), planning, professional growth, stress management, breaks, meals, and personal time.
3. You Must Sell Yourself
Even if you only conduct freelance scientific writing or quantitative analysis, you must be able to pitch your talents and services to potential clients. Consider how you can show them what sets you apart and how you can help them solve their difficulties.
To do this, invest some time developing a professional profile to use when promoting your services, creating a portfolio of your previous work for clients to see, and producing a sales presentation that speaks directly to your clients' problem areas.
4. Your actions will not be understood by everyone.
Even while freelance work is growing increasingly common, it is still a relatively new phenomenon. Prepare to explain what it means to be a freelancer to coworkers, family members, possible employers, and even prospective clients who are unfamiliar with your profession.
5. Rejection Will Occur
Not everyone will say yes to what you're providing if you're continually putting yourself out there as a freelancer. And that's OK! Take use of this chance to strengthen your resiliency, recover, and go on to the next customer.
Your services won't be a good fit for everyone, but it doesn't make what you're giving any less important. The appropriate clients will find you!
6. Create your pipelines and processes as soon as possible.
Before you begin offering freelancing services, you should establish all of your pipelines and procedures. Perhaps you'll need to draft a contract for your clients to sign, or you'll need to develop an intake form to capture their information.
Whatever stages your process entails, plan ahead of time to prevent stumbling blocks and to provide your consumers with a pleasant experience.
7. Constantly Gather Feedback
Another thing you should plan ahead of time is a way for your clients to provide feedback. Obtaining comments and testimonials from current and previous clients can be critical to a freelancer's long-term success. Future clients like hearing what others have to say before making a decision!
8. Record EVERYTHING.
Even though freelancers do not work for a corporation or organization, it is critical to maintain track of costs, revenue, invoices, client information, contracts, and any other information and data that you may have.
You'll need to pay taxes, prove and report income, and access historical data on a regular basis, so developing an orderly documentation system is essential.
9. You Are Your Own Company
Whether you're promoting your services, engaging with clients via email or Instagram DMs, or holding a client call, you're representing your company because YOU are the company.
As a freelancer, you'll need to communicate with everyone you meet in a positive, professional, timely, and consistent manner. Even something as basic as a spelling mistake in a brief communication may cast a poor picture on clients.
10. It takes time.
It is uncommon to become a "overnight success" in a short period of time. It necessitates significant planning, construction, and adaptation. It will take time as a freelancer to build a large, consistent customer base, but every step you take is a step in the right direction. Allow yourself some leeway as you get started; clients will come.
So, if the flexible, self-paced, and boss-free lifestyle that a freelance job path provides appeals to you, take it slowly at first. You'll be reaching out to clients, creating a timetable for yourself, establishing processes and pipelines, and expanding your services, personal talents, and profit before you know it!
11. Don't quit your day job at first.
Try to mix your regular work and freelancing if at all feasible. Your findings will be plainly biased, but you'll get a taste of what it's like to be self-employed. Work on weekends or in your spare time to see whether you can make it full-time.
Once you have a better understanding of what freelancing entails and feel certain that you are up to the task, take the next step. But don't cross any bridges since the unexpected is just around the corner.
That is my list of eleven things everyone should be aware of before embarking on a freelance career. Although it may not appear to be a dream job, it is. Once you've covered these topics, you'll notice that your life has been a lot easier.