Even though most freelancers enjoy what they do, work less than when they did in full-time positions, earn more per hour, and prefer being freelancers over full-time employment, being a freelancer is a risk one must heavily consider before taking the plunge.
If you’re thinking about becoming a freelancer, consider these 20 tips first.
1. Don’t quit your day job just yet.
It’s better to start a side business while you’re employed and see how it goes.
2. Is there a market for what you do?
Seriously, if you can’t answer this question, don’t go into freelancing.
3. Ask yourself whether you want to give up your benefits, paid vacations, etc.
If giving up these niceties bothers you more than the freedom you’ll gain through freelancing, don’t become a freelancer.
4. Be ready for your passion also to become “work.”
Some days, you’ll not want to work and feel under the grind, even though you’re pursuing your passion. That’s okay.
5. Be proactive about seeing people and networking.
It’ll not only boost your business, it’ll also boost your mood.
6. Join a trade association.
Not only will it help you network, it will also give you access to benefits and discounts on all sorts of business related expenses, including insurance packages.
7. Be ready for boundaries to get blurred and your personal life to become messier.
The 9-5 concept becomes harder (and perhaps not necessary) to maintain when you start freelancing.
8. Make your schedule family-friendly.
This is one of the best upsides to working from home: take advantage of this.
9. Start branding yourself.
Create a website, social media profile, and logo to build your online presence.
10. Ask for testimonials.
Have clients, colleagues, friends, or family write about your products or services. Video testimonials are even better, keeping readers on your page much longer than text-only content.
11. Update your online portfolio frequently.
This will be one of the key ways to bring in new clients.
12. Charge what you’re worth.
Do market research and talk to professional peers to get an accurate sense of what you should be charging. Don’t undersell yourself, because then you’ll have to work that much harder.
13. Reputation is key.
Be on time and deliver great service. Only through high quality work will your business expand.
14. Don’t expect jobs to come you in the beginning, and not for a while.
That’s okay: it takes time to build up your freelancing client portfolio.
15. Keep learning about emerging technologies in your field.
This will give you a key competitive edge over other freelancers.
16. Get organized.
You’re your own accountant and boss now. Be prepared to track every little detail of your freelance business.
17. Track your work and generate invoices simultaneously.
Here you can find a list of helpful software programs and applications, such as MakeSomeTime, CurdBee, FreshBooks, Toggl, and BlinkSale.
18. Know what you can write off.
Hiring an accountant is a very wise move to understand and monitor all the possible expenses you can write off, such as home costs, coffee with colleagues, etc.
19. Get into an estimated tax groove.
If you’re not deducting income for taxes on a monthly basis, many freelancers suggest doing it every quarter. This way, you won’t have a huge loss of income come tax time.
20. Track your pitches with a spreadsheet.
This way, you can ensure you’re following up on every possible lead.
What tips would you give someone considering the freelance lifestyle? Share your advice with us in the comments below.
The post 20 Ways To Prepare Yourself For Freelancing appeared first on Official Fiverr Blog.