Negosentro.com | Going Freelance – Tips For Working Well | The growth of the freelance market is undeniable, and incredibly quick too. So it makes sense that more people are exploring their options when it comes to freelancing.
While in general, growth means more competition, there is typically more than enough work to go around. Not only that, but there is an increase in larger companies outsourcing to freelancers and small businesses.
And while you cannot ensure success, you can work well. By well we mean efficiently, productively, and with the right tools and support to help you do your job.
Goals
Every project that you accept should be in order to meet a larger overall goal. Many of the goals will touch upon the vision for your business, your version of success, companies that you want to work with, and perhaps moving from a home office to a building of your own.
Make sure that your goals are well defined. The more detail they have, the more likely it is that you will meet them.
Balance
Many freelancers go through too much or too little work cycle (feast or famine). Depending on the industry that you work in, it might be that the budgets are released quarterly, meaning that four times a year, work is plentiful and other times not so much. This is often a case of accepting too many jobs that are within the same deadline.
Once you are over the peak of the workload, it will feel like you have nothing. So try to organize your work in a different way. Advertise your available dates, try not to accept too much work at once – and if you do, have other freelancers on hand to help you clear the projects.
And when it comes to famine here are some suggestions to help you deal with it. During light work periods, you can spend the time updating your portfolios, working on behind the scene projects of your own, learning extra skills, and being creative with your marketing (which should be a constant thing) is essential.
Tools
At a minimum, you are going to need a device that you can work on. Most people choose a laptop – as they are convenient for travel. A mobile phone, or something that people can call you on – Skype, Zoom and Slack are popular options if you want to keep everything online. And the key to keeping your engine running is choosing the fastest fibre-optic broadband that you can have in your area.
Automation is going to help you keep your business ticking over when you have clocked out, or working on other things.
- Buffer – free and paid options to automate your social media marketing campaigns
- Canva – to help you create quick social media content, eBooks, flyers and more, the free option is pretty extensive
- Hotjar – So that you can optimize your own website to be better for your visitors, it delivers the stats that you need
- Hubspot Marketing Free – Free email marketing tools, live chat and more, super robust, great for lead generation
- Caato Time Tracker – Even if you are on a per-project not per hour basis, it pays to know how many hours you are actually working.
- Focus Booster – Timed slots to increase your productivity
When
Going freelance shouldn’t be a knee jerk reaction to something that happens in work. It should ideally be a carefully planned exit. Why? Well, this will give you the chance to improve your freelance portfolio and build your client base up too.
Take a look at the minimum amount that you need to earn a month, and get your freelance earnings to that point for 6 months minimum before leaving your current job role.
For many, freelancing can give them the freedom to choose clients, decide on their working hours, and really let their creativity free – but planning and dedication are vital.
