The hardest part about becoming a freelancer is the transition from the day job to being a full time freelancer, because this process requires a lot of important decision making and sacrifice.
However, some people have pushed through this transitioning phase and have also made it big. When asked what helped them through this part of their life, they've been generous enough to share some secrets that we might have missed along the way.
Specialization
This is no secret as we all know that focusing on one point is more efficient rather than focusing on many. Similarly, if you have a certain niche that you're good at, it is best to focus on that one specific niche. Focusing on one single niche allows you to be more findable to the clients that are looking for the exact service that you provide.
Sell Yourself
This is the independence a freelance career can offer that a day job cannot. When you are in the freelance business, you become what you produce and when you sell yourself, you in turn sell your work. Creating a PDF or a single page website that tells everything about your experience in your niche can help your potential clients decide easily.
Answers to the common queries you often get can also be added to this single page portfolio. Many creative platforms have emerged to help freelancers market themselves digitally.
Finding work
Many freelancers feel that finding work is harder than doing the work itself. Unlike 9-5 jobs freelancing requires one person to control every aspect of the company since you are the only employee of the company. Working on the given projects and marketing simultaneously can be hectic.
Although it might not solve the problem completely, there's still hope. There are online communities where you can market your area of expertise and also your previous work. These websites act as middlemen between you and your potential clients. You can also build your own community where you offer and help and also ask for it. Some of the websites are as such:
Reviews and Referrals
Publishing client reviews on your portfolio can go a long way in building trust for the people who are looking for your service. Refreshing to new reviews every time and adding new reviews can add up value to your portfolio since older reviews can become irrelevant as time goes.
Your clients could be your best referrals, considering they have been offered good service. If yes then asking for your clients to refer your service to those who are in need of your service could be a very effective way of attracting potential clients.
Know your process
Since you are the only person working on every aspect of the service you are providing, it is essential for you to understand your service from every angle. This way you can understand every single requirement of your clients and organize your work accordingly.
Working so can help meet customer satisfaction before the given deadline. For example: if you're a freelance writer, to know every method of writing is essential, so that you can produce whatever type of content your client requires.
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