Understand Your Niche
Although this freelancing tip may seem obvious, it isn’t. Before taking other steps, new freelancers must understand the space they’re about to enter. Therefore, they must conduct comprehensive research to understand their niche and how they fit into it.
Some freelancers might have knowledge about their niche from previous full-time jobs, but that isn’t enough when you’re handling all the work by yourself.
Since you’re going solo, you need to dig deep into your niche. Your research should help you identify:
- Potential clients
- Trending or evergreen content topics
- Your goals as a freelancer
- Work processes used by top creators in your niche
For example, if you want to be a freelance copywriter, your research can include reading freelancer tips and
guides by experts to identify how they made it big in copywriting. You don’t have to follow every step, but it should give you an idea of what a career in your industry entails.
Your research should involve extensive Google searches related to the role you would like to fulfill. Also, look at any significant platforms relevant to your industry to see how they work and what you need to succeed on them.
Become a Generalist or a Specialist
As a freelancer, you can be a generalist in your industry, or you can venture into specific topics and services.
A freelance writer, for example, can choose to write for any niche they find clients in, or they could build authority in one niche, let’s say health and wellness.
Generalists are qualified for more gigs. That increases their chances of being hired, but the level of competition is rising, according to
Upwork’s 2020 report.
High supply and limited demand lead to mediocre compensation. After all, there’s a reason why many companies look for the cheapest talent rather than the most effective.
Unless you’re extremely good at what you do or have years of experience, it’s hard to ask for higher rates as a generalist.
In contrast, a specialist freelancer needs to have the expertise to back their application.
For example, in the health and wellness freelance writing scenario, the writer must have medical knowledge and preferably formal certification to prove to prospective clients that they know what they’re talking about.
If you choose to be a specialist, you’ll have fewer clients to pitch to, but once you’re approved/hired, you can set higher pricing right from the start since you’re an expert source/contributor.
No matter which one you choose, this is a freelancing tip you should consider before starting your freelancing career. That way, you get to enjoy the perks they offer as soon as possible.
Create a Process
No matter how good a freelancer tip is, there is something you have to build on your own — discipline.
As a freelancer, you should have a
defined work process that dictates your everyday workflow, not just for your craft but also for back-end operations.
Decide on a process for the following:
- Pitching to potential clients
- Contract creation and signing
- Onboarding
- Any work items
- Invoicing and payments
If you’re a designer, you should have a clear design process that helps you get started with every project. The same goes for freelance writers or any other content providers.
Most clients will ask for a brief explanation of how you work to get an idea of how it is to work with you.
It also helps clear doubts with your clients and set realistic expectations. So, if you work five hours a day and need six days to submit a project, you can ask the client for that specific deadline.
Freelancers heavily rely on software to get work done, especially with remote working becoming the norm.
Upwork estimates that
22% of the American workforce will be working remotely by 2025.
As a freelancer, you’re paying for all your tools by yourself. That means you have to handpick your tools to match your budget.
If you’re starting and can’t afford to pay for all the best software, you need to make the most of what you have.
WordPress, for example, is a
great web host that’s inexpensive. You can use it for the first few months to a year before commissioning a custom website based on your freelance career.
It’s important to remember that there’s plenty of free, open-source software that can do what a paid app does. So, in the beginning, it might be better to use multiple free tools rather than shelling out for a whole platform.
Unless previously specified, your clients will not care if you use free or paid tools to get the job done. They just want high-quality work within the given deadlines.
Set Your Rate
This freelancer tip is crucial to you and your career long-term.
Your rate depends on your niche, but generally, you can charge by the hour or the project. You can also split up payments across project milestones or deliverables.
A freelance writer, for example, can do all of the above but can also charge per word.
There are many ways to decide how much to charge clients. Here is a
detailed guide that could help.
Generally, a flat rate is better than an hourly rate. That is because hourly rates give clients the opportunity to dispute the hours listed or question the amount of work needed. Micro-management is another big worry for hourly payments.
PRO FREELANCING TIP: If you decide to use a flat rate, always ask for a deposit upfront. You can choose how the client will make the payments.
For example, you can ask for half your fee before the project commences and the rest when you’ve submitted the assignment. Customize it for every project.
Clients will likely offer lower rates for beginners. The key is to build up your client base quickly, so you have proven work experience and testimonials that empower you to negotiate for higher prices.
Once you’ve got your bills covered, you can switch clients based on your desire to explore new topics or branch out into other forms of freelancing.
