While starting a freelancing career in a new industry isn’t rocket science, it’s not always a walk in the park either. You’ll need to consider many things such as how you’ll stand out from your competitors and market your skills and services to gain clients.
The good news is, there are tried and tested strategies to make your transition a lot easier (and seamless), allowing you to experience quicker breakthroughs in the new industry you’re pursuing. If you’re in the process of shifting from one industry to another, then consider using the tips throughout this guide.
Study Other freelancers
To start, make sure to check out the profiles of successful freelancers operating in the new field you’re pursuing.
You can emulate the way they present themselves and how they structure their pricing packages—among other clues or tips that you’ve garnered while studying their profiles. For example, pay attention to the services they offer so you know what skills to learn.
Here’s a good reference of a gig package that clearly labels what’s being offered with a purchase:
Additionally, check out how top-rated experts present their services to get ideas on the kind of services that are usually offered in your niche and what to include in your packages. Including a video introduction of yourself, for instance, allows you to showcase who you are and what you can bring to the table with your skillset.
To give you an idea of how a great video intro should look, this expert below created a video introduction of himself and gave a complete overview of his services:
It’s vital that your introduction video has the right elements to communicate the value you provide to your clients.
Consider these factors when creating your introduction video.
- Tell your audience what you do that sets you apart, your target client base, and how you can help them.
- Create your elevator pitch by summarizing the vital elements mentioned above. Use words that every average person can understand, especially if you work in a technical industry or a niche that most people aren’t familiar with.
- Practice your speech since there are words and phrases that might sound good when written down but weird when you say them out loud. Practicing also helps you sound more confident and learn where and when to pause for emphasis and clarity.
A well-shot video introduction will add that extra appeal to your profile. Plus, it also makes you look more professional and trustworthy, making it easier for your potential customers to choose you among your competitors.
If persona videos aren’t your thing, another option is to highlight your accomplishments by showing data that tracks the level of progress you can help build.
This seller below uses graphs to display his success for clients:
After obtaining several best practices from successful freelancers, be sure to apply what you learned to your own Fiverr gigs to help them stand out!
Don’t Be Afraid to Start Small
Even if you are a long-time freelancer, it’s completely fine to aim for junior or assistant roles when entering a new field. The goal is to start a new path and gain new experience. Additionally, starting again means you need to have a learner’s mentality. Find a mentor who can guide and prepare you as you enter the new field.
Remember those experts you added on Fiverr? Try getting in touch with them and see if they can offer you advice. There’s no shame in learning from people who have experience in the field. Feel free to use your LinkedIn connections, engage with other professionals, and learn tricks of the trade directly from them.
By learning the basics, you build a solid foundation to work your way up to your new industry. Plus, you’ll get to know insider know-hows and avoid common pitfalls every beginner freelancers make.
Check for Transferable Skills
You don’t always need to start from scratch when changing professions. When entering a new industry, see which of the technical abilities you possess can contribute to your new career path. These include skills such as coding, project management, social media, and digital marketing, among others.
Moreover, soft skills such as leadership, communication, creativity, work ethic, and more are vital qualities in any field or industry, making it vital to include them in your profile description. In fact, 92% of employers surveyed said that soft skills are more important than technical abilities. Also, 89% of bad hires commonly lack the necessary soft skills.
As long as your transferable skills align with your clients’ needs, you can target mid-level roles in your new career path.
Show That You Know and Understand the Role
Since you don’t have prior experience in the field, your prospective clients will look at your credentials instead. If you’ve taken online courses, show employers your certifications to display how much relevant knowledge you possess about the new job role. If you’re looking to develop more skills for your new career, Fiverr offers free courses and training materials so you can add more qualifications to your skill sets.
Take as many online courses as you need to expand your expertise. Having a unique blend of skills and certifications will make you a top-tier candidate. Additionally, it’s also important to show clients how your experience can contribute to your new role by sharing past sample projects (if possible) and some of your best work.
Don’t hesitate to show past results and achievements from your previous projects, even if it’s not directly related to the role you’re pursuing. It’s an excellent way to display your extensive skills and talents in other areas.
What’s next?
Achieving success in a new field without any experience can be difficult, but it’s not impossible! As with any new employee or freelancer, learn the basics, gain experience, and build connections.
With the right strategy, perseverance, and the right motive, you are bound to see meaningful growth in your new career. And who knows? Your freelancing career might be the start of building your own company.
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