Important Update
People often look for part-time earning options in order to maintain a better life standard. There are people who want to work but work according to their own schedule and there are also those people who want to earn while sitting at home. The answer to the questions of all the people mentioned above is freelancing. Now the problem is how to start? Many don’t know how to start as a freelancer on freelance websites. In this article, we have mentioned the steps required to start your freelancing career in the best freelance marketplace.
The first step is to join some good freelance websites. Some of the good freelance websites with secure payment and large of the number of projects are www.upwork.com, www.freelancer.com, and www.guru.com . Every new freelancer should have an account on all of these websites.
Try to complete your profile in every respect. A complete profile means you have what it takes to become a good freelancer and it also shows that you’re serious about working as a freelancer. You can track the completeness percentage of your profile on almost all the big freelance websites. Build a strong portfolio, because only this is what you have initially to show your client.
At the beginning of your freelance career, your primary focus should be to build a good reputation rather than earning huge sums of money. You should become confident in setting up as a freelancer. Therefore, at the start, bid on small projects and bid low as compared to your competitor.
At the start, you can beat experienced freelancers only in terms of price you charge for the project to use this strength intelligently and bid low. Also, try to bid on small budget projects as you have more chance of getting those projects at the start.
DO NOT bid on each and every project. Bid only on projects which you really think you will be able to complete. You have got a limited number of bids so use them sensibly and don’t waste them on projects that are too big or you think you will not be able to handle.
The quality of your bid is very important and plays an effective role in landing you a job. Don’t bid randomly, bid according to the requirements of the project and try to answer each and every question asked by the client in the job proposal. Show in your bid that why the client should select you among all the freelancers who applied for the job. Demonstrate your knowledge about the domain of the project.
As a new freelancer, you don’t have any feedback therefore after completing the first job ask your client to leave feedback for you. Even if you have one good feedback, it will become a lot easier for you to land future jobs because that way you will have at least something to show to your future clients. Therefore you must ask for positive feedback and rating.
These are some of the steps which are required to start as a freelancer.
As you are going to find out, being a freelancer can offer great financial rewards. You are also likely to find it flexible and fulfilling as you do what you know best without the constraints of a 9-5 job. You might enjoy the opportunity to work as your own boss; the money you earn a direct result of your passion and hard work.
However, for a successful freelancing experience and on top of the above tips, you need to observe certain dos and don’ts. I’m not trying to alarm you, but from the outset let you know that it’s very easy to end up unfulfilled. That could be both financially and health-wise. Here are some of the dos and don’ts that can help you become a successful freelancer.
Have a look at these tips for successful freelancing.
If you have any ideas and suggestions that can improve your client’s work, offer that. If you believe you can do more to benefit the client, go ahead and suggest just that. Make it clear you are doing it at a fee and let that be reflected in the pay rate.
Do all you can to improve on your work, but don’t accept additional work that ends up unpaid. Remember that’s time and resources put into it- so impress but don’t indulge in free work.
Ensure you have all the instructions and scope, with any deadlines and such other things agreed upon. Ask for an extension if the client requests for more work. Ensure you do request for extra pay for any additional work. If you spend on the project, ask that it be reflected in the pay rate.
You are a freelancer and your ability to retain clients could see you excel. As such, don’t say no if a client asks for changes or expands the scope of what you had started on. If you can handle it, go ahead but ensure you agree on bonus pay to cover for that.
Freelancing needs focus and discipline. Do your work when you need to do it. You cannot excel with procrastination and remember “if you don’t work, you get no pay.”
You are a freelancer and you might get fully immersed in your work. However, you need time to refresh your mind and body. Take breaks, exercise, and join up with family and friends or attend social events. Also, use your time online and offline to make fruitful connections within your field.
As you start off freelancing, it would be more appropriate to ask clients to fund projects (escrow the money) before you begin. You could also ask for upfront pay if there is no escrow feature.
If you land a client on a given platform, don’t agree to have payment made through other platforms. That could be risky, especially if you are dealing with new or unverified clients.
As well as taking steps to grow your freelancing business, it is good to keep improving yourself. Acquire more skills and learn new things, a sure way of ensuring you give the best.
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