6 Tips for New Freelancers
If you’re interested in freelancing, props to you. There’s a lot of misunderstanding about freelancing, which can make it hard to start. People assume freelancers don’t work as hard as other people or that freelancers only took a more entrepreneurial route out of desperation.
What people don’t realize about freelancing is that it can be a great avenue to increase exposure, build your portfolio, bring in extra money, and build relationships with other people in your field and potential clients. I chose this route after the inability to continue a position in a ‘traditional’ role due to COVID and it has been a true test of the skills I already had.
Don’t get me wrong; freelancing is hard work. You may be working on your own schedule, but that often means working on weekends, working beyond 9-5, and a lot of background work that you may not get paid for. But I wouldn’t trade it for the world. Freelancing opened my doors and allowed me to intertwine my passions and professional interests and pushed me to find new ways to use both skills to succeed.
If you’re looking to pursue freelancing, here are some tips to get you started:
1. Know your price
Know your worth! Especially as women of color, I think we hesitate to ask for more or recognize the worth of our work and selves. Nip that in the bud right now. Talk to others in your field, research how much full-time positions in your field are paid, and go from there. Also consider your previous professional experiences, their pay, and how payment was decided.
Celarity has a quick, easy method to calculate your price “Your basic hourly rate = (annual salary + annual expenses + annual profit) / annual billable work hours.’
Don’t ever go into an initial consultation without an hourly rate in mind. Negotiations will happen, and knowing your rate helps you determine a price that you are happy with. This will help you determine whether or not the project will benefit you monetarily.
Once you calculate your rate, be confident about it and negotiate when you feel it’s appropriate.
2. Build a Brand
Build. Your. Brand. As a creative or a freelancer, you are essentially nothing without your personal brand. Your website, social media platforms and your work are all part of your personal brand.
Use social media to your advantage and showcase your expertise in whatever field you are offering services in. Share your process of various projects, your finished product, and client testimonials. Your Instagram page can serve as a visual portfolio to your work to build your credibility while attracting potential clients.
Create a website that encompasses you and your skills in a fresh way. Squarespace and Wix are very easy website creators to start off with. Your website should speak to who you are as not only a professional, but an individual too.
Your website and social media should answer these questions:
What field are you in?
What excites you?What is your mission? Your values? Your story?
Who do you want to work with?
What values and skills will you bring to your customer?
How are you different from other freelancers out there?
When potential clients look at your website and social media, know what you offer, what you stand for, and how you’re different from potential competitors.
3. Network, network, network.
I know this word may bring a shiver down your spine, but networking brings opportunities, making it an essential component of freelancing. By putting yourself out there as an expert in your field, you become top of mind for individuals and groups you build a connection with.
Because networking may feel intimidating at first, I recommend reaching out to friends, friends of family members, even your friends’ parents, to start. You’ll become more comfortable with practice. Get the word out that you are freelancing, and chances are someone in your circle knows of a potential client.
Talk to people in and around your field. Get to know them and build real relationships. As a freelancer, you have to get used to seeking out your work. Clients don’t magically appear early on in your career.
Reach out to people even in times when you don’t need clients. If there are inspirational individuals you follow on IG, send them a direct message and ask if they’d be open to chatting / answering a few questions. You’d be surprised how many people are open and willing to help.
4. Understand contracts.
Learning about and understanding contracts will protect you and your business from any harm, slander, defamation, and any other legal troubles. Contracts also protect you from losing money.
Don’t do ANY client work until your contract is set in place, agreed upon, and signed by both parties. Contracts are essential for maintaining a professional relationship. If you begin work before your client has signed a contract, there is no legal obligation for your client to pay you, regardless of the work you’ve done. Contracts ensure that payment is completed on a set date, while entailing details about contract renewal, evaluation, and the work you and your client have agreed upon.
You don’t need to be a lawyer to understand how to use contracts. There are plenty of resources out there to help you understand contracts. I suggest taking a look at Flex Job’s Article on the importance of contracts for freelancers.
5. Take on projects that benefit both parties
Remember that you don’t have to accept every project that comes your way, although it may be your instinct when you first start out. It’s important that a project adds value to your portfolio and that the end result will be something that you’re proud of. Does the project align with your professional and business goals? Take on projects that you believe will fine-tune your expertise while also pushing you to grow.
When you do complete a project, ask clients for testimonials of any kind. Testimonials are a wonderful way to build your brand and legitimize yourself as a freelancer while showcasing your expertise and quality of work.
6. Build a routine that works for you
While going down the freelancing path, I’ve realized that the lines between work and life tend to get blurred. It’s easy to fall behind or lose motivation when you don’t create a routine for yourself.
The best thing any freelancer can do for themselves is set time blocks for emails, client deliverables, personal branding, passion projects, and relaxing. I like to use the timer app on my phone to set 45 minute blocks to crank work out. I’ve also found that having a dedicated work space (that isn’t my bed) has helped me mentally get in the zone, and minimize distraction. I’m way more productive this way and it feels so rewarding at the end of the 45 minutes when I’ve finished the task I’ve been meaning to do. At the end of the 45 minutes, I usually get up and stretch, walk around, or grab a snack and tea.
Scheduling break times are just as important as scheduling time to work. Don’t neglect yourself! Whether it be cooking, exercising, meditating, reading or journaling, doing any relaxing activities give you a chance to refresh your mind, which helps us execute our best work for our clients. Especially during this pandemic, I think it’s essential to take scheduled breaks to keep our bodies moving and have little things to look forward to throughout the day.
Conclusion
Freelancing is hard work. It’s often frowned upon (especially in some South Asian households) as it’s perceived as less stable than a traditional corporate job. I will admit sometimes I wonder if I should’ve searched harder for traditional roles. But for me, taking this route has helped me grow while allowing me to actually work on things I’m passionate about - including building a writing portfolio and meeting inspiring individuals like the Parachute Media team.
It has also greatly decreased my ‘imposter syndrome.’ Now that there’s no ‘middle man’ between me and my clients, I feel more confident than ever in my marketing and client relationship-building skills.
As a freelancer, there’s always work to be done, so be prepared. If you aren’t working on client deliverables, you should be thinking about how to build your portfolio, build your brand, and acquire new clients.
Be confident and bold in your work. Mistakes will happen, but that’s okay. Learn from them and keep it moving.
