Know how to start Freelancing with no Experience
With
freelance work being such an enticing prospect, no one would blame you for
giving it some serious thought. However, a common issue does simply not know
how to start. Fortunately, building a successful freelancing career is easier
than it seems — just follows the steps below.
1. Choose Your Craft
Just
about everything can be outsourced these days. That's why there's a strong
likelihood that the skills on your resume contain one or more freelancing
opportunities.
You
may be required to think outside of the box — we're not all graphic designers
or programmers. However, you may find that your "secondary" skills
can offer up freelancing opportunities. For instance, if you are a strong
writer, then you have the potential to develop a freelance writing business.
Don't
be paralyzed by a preconception that you do not have the necessary skills or
experience — you would be surprised how little experience you need in order to
get started. A little faith in your abilities will take you a long way.
2. Create a Brand
If
you plan to succeed in the world of freelancing, you will need to create a
strong brand that sets you apart from the competition. Your brand is your
identity (i.e. your website, blog and social media accounts) and it should
clearly communicate your unique selling proposition — what you do that makes
you special.
With
that in mind, you should narrow down your focus to a specific industry. For
instance, as a graphic designer you might choose to do branding work for
digital start up businesses only. This form of specialization will make you far
more attractive to a specific set of prospective clients and give you a greater
chance of success. You can try to cater to all and sundry, but you will
probably only provoke indifference.
3. Build a Portfolio and Source Testimonials
The
world of freelancing lacks the red tape of the corporate world. Many
prospective clients are not concerned with qualifications; they simply want to
see what you have done in the past and judge whether it is the right fit for
them.
Therefore,
if you are good at what you do and can demonstrate your skill through a quality
portfolio and positive client testimonials; you have every chance of success.
The conundrum, however, is in building a portfolio without experience.
Many
freelancers will react to this by picking up the smallest and least lucrative
jobs around, but that puts them into a vicious cycle of bargain-basement work.
To work for high-paying clients, you need to demonstrate that you are worth
big money by doing good work.
So
don't be afraid to do pro bono work for the right clients when you are
first starting out. The free work you do at this stage can ultimately be
priceless when it clearly communicates your worth to future potential clients
via an extensive portfolio and glowing testimonials. Also, offering your
services at no cost is a gentle introduction into the world of freelancing
where you do not feel the pressure of having to deliver a service of requisite
value.
4. Start Pitching
You
should only seek paying clients when you are able to demonstrate your abilities
(and your reputation) with a quality portfolio and testimonials. Once you have
done so by working on pro bono jobs, it's time to start pitching.
But
whom should you pitch? Well, if you branded yourself correctly then you should
know exactly whom to pitch. By having such a narrow focus, potential
clients are far more likely to take you seriously than if you offered a generic
service. Businesses want to work with freelancers who seemingly came into
existence to serve them specifically — you can create this illusion through
specialization.
Potential
clients can be found everywhere: from Google to social media to your
doorstep. The possibilities are endless.
The
two keys to successful pitching are relevance and volume. Only pitch those
clients who fit the mold of your brand and pitch a lot of them. Ruth
Zive of Marketing Wise, a
content marketing firm based in Canada, had a "ten before ten" rule
when she first started out as a freelance writer — she would make sure to pitch
ten prospective clients before 10 a.m. every working day. Those numbers add up
quickly.
5. Play the Odds
Ultimately,
securing freelance work is a numbers game — the more prospective clients you
contact, the more likely you are to find work. That is the equation you should
keep in mind. If you have a reasonable skill set and create a quality brand,
there is no reason why you cannot succeed in the world of freelancing like so
many others have before you.
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