Are you fed up with the 9-to-5 grind? Are you looking for a side hustle or a means to supplement your income? If that’s the case, freelancing might be the best option for you. Freelancing is a terrific method to get your own business off the ground and may be a lucrative endeavor.
We’ll go through how to make money freelancing and some of the best strategies to get started in this article. Read on for advice on how to generate money with freelancing, whether you’re just getting started or seeking for new methods to supplement your income.
There are several options for getting started with freelancing. One option is to start your own company. Setting up a website or blog and providing your services to businesses and individuals is one way to do this.
How to Earn More Money Freelancing (Even if You’re a Total Beginner)
I’ve worked with roughly a dozen high-growth firms and world-class specialists since I started freelancing little over a year ago.
And I’ve never had to bargain for the high fees I ask for my content marketing services, which is why I’d want to offer some advice with you on how to get started freelancing and make money doing it, even if you’re a complete novice.
I currently have a 3–6 month waiting list for new freelance customers and freelance gigs, thanks to my success in identifying my value propositions, branding myself as an authority in my sector, and getting my freelance writing content in front of new target audiences.
That, however, did not happen over night. My rapid success as a freelancer is the product of a great deal of strategic placement, long hours of hard effort, and fortunate timing.
If you’re ready to get serious about freelancing and expanding your self-employed income, here are my top twelve ideas for making more money in your first year of freelance work.
1. Choose a Niche
If you want to start freelancing, you might be willing to take whatever paid work you can find on Fiverr or Upwork. However, as your freelancing business progresses, you’ll need to become more deliberate about the types of work you do and the clients you accept.
You may be wondering how being selective about the freelance work you perform might help you earn more money.
You become an expert in a given field when you specialize in a skill set, and experts can charge more for their specialized services (there are expert and pro categories on Upwork and Fiverr too).
When it comes to launching a freelancing job, the age-old question of whether you should be a specialist or a generalist(opens in a new tab) isn’t even worth considering.
Would you rather hire a jack of all crafts or a pro at doing one thing and doing it effectively if you were a prospective client who wanted someone to repair your email marketing so people actually sign up, develop ads that compel people to buy, or just update your outdated website?
Every time, I’ll go with the expert.
Choosing to specialize as a content marketing consultant rather than a generic digital marketer for hire has been the single finest decision I’ve made with my freelance firm, in my opinion.
I’ve been able to get to the top of my niche in a reasonably short period of time because I’ve created a reputation with customers as a good content marketer over the last several years and routinely participate with content marketing content on various social media sites.
Apart from my blog and existing client recommendations, the second most reliable source of new clients has been business owners searching for specific expert advice on Google and social media.
To apply this example to other fields, say you’re a web developer who wants to specialize in something like moving blogs to WordPress. That means you’ll be seen if someone searches for “help moving a blog to WordPress.”
This also applies to graphic designers: you may do WordPress-specific graphic design.
If you pick the correct topic, selecting to specialize and putting in the work to establish yourself as an expert in that subject can pay off for years.
2. Get Clear on Your Service Offerings
What you do and don’t do is a crucial decision you’ll have to make early on in your independent job.
It’s best if you can be as clear as possible about the services you provide. It will not only assist you in branding yourself, but it will also allow you to influence how prospective clients view you and allow you to continue expanding your portfolio in the manner you desire.
You shouldn’t even accept contract offers for customizing WordPress themes or developing the user experience for a future app if you want to focus on becoming a sought-after, well-paid Ruby on Rails developer.
While the short-term rewards of consistent labor are appealing (and often necessary), taking on initiatives that don’t help you move closer to your ultimate goal of becoming the best in your industry will just serve to divert your attention and hinder your development.
3. Define What Your Ideal Client Looks Like
You’ll need to build a clear idea of who you’ll work best with before you go out and start seeking for clients. Do you wish to construct websites for small company owners, become a professional blogger, work as a copywriter, contribute to the creation of new features for high-growth technology startups, or work on longer-term contracts with enterprise-sized companies?
Or perhaps you want to work for brands and clients who share your beliefs, for example. Making these distinctions between who you’re pitching to and what type of company you’re pitching to will be critical to properly pitching your services.
Ask yourself the following questions to figure out who your ideal freelance clients are (and how to go about getting them):
- What kind of company has the issues I’m trying to solve with my services?
- Is the company I’d like to work for able to afford to recruit me?
- What demographic patterns can I find among the decision-makers in the industries I’m interested in? Consider their age, gender, location, websites they visit, and personal interests.
Because I know I’ll be more engaged and productive working with smaller startup teams on topics that I can directly relate to, I’ve intentionally limited my pool of potential clients.
Working with similar startup teams allows new potential clients in my niche to easily connect with me and trust that I’ll be able to reproduce my results for their company as well.
4. Create a High Quality Portfolio Site
It goes without saying that having your own great portfolio site(opens in a new tab) is one of the best methods to demonstrate your technological skills. If you want to be considered seriously as a new freelancer, you’ll need a website that meets the following criteria:
- It demonstrates your knowledge.
- Past experiences that are relevant are highlighted.
- It reveals who you are.
- Include your contact details so potential clients can find you easily.
If you don’t have a lot of work experience or testimonials to show that you know your stuff, a strong portfolio can definitely assist you out.
(Read more about it here: 11 High-Paying Jobs in Tech That Don’t Require Any Experience.)
The goal of your portfolio is to educate, pique potential clients’ attention, and persuade them to hire you for their technical needs. That’s why, before you start looking for new tasks, you should spend some time selecting what to include in your portfolio and how to present it.
Start providing a link to your portfolio site in your email signature and on your social profiles once it’s up and running.
5. Start Freelancing Before Your Quit Your Day Job
Rather than jumping into self-employment right once, I recommend launching a freelance business while keeping your day job (or working part-time).
Aside from the fact that designing a high-quality portfolio website, developing your personal brand, and adding to your portfolio takes time, it’s a good idea to have a few stable freelancing clients on your roster before eliminating your primary source of income.
Depending on your risk tolerance, I recommend increasing your side income to at least 50–75 percent of your total current income before leaving your full-time employment.
Managing a tight schedule, a heavy workload (including difficult freelancing tasks), and being accountable for customer deliverables while working with limited time resources can quickly educate you how to run your own firm.
Another great advantage of picking up freelancing customers while still working full-time is the ability to be picky. You probably don’t require the funds. This allows you to decline job that either doesn’t pay enough to warrant your time investment or isn’t something you’re actually interested in.
If you want to be happy after you’re freelancing full-time, you’ll need to stick to these two guidelines.
6. Level Up Your Skills
What is the most effective strategy to justify increasing hourly rates? Make certain you possess remarkable, in-demand expertise.
Build the types of projects that you want to eventually get paid to work on to practice applying your new talents. Whether it’s WordPress websites, mobile apps, or something completely different like graphic design, copywriting, or something else totally, the more you can stand out from the crowd with creative side projects and samples that will attract potential customers, the better.
Remember that, while highly trained freelancers can earn far more for their services, you don’t need a BS in computer science to get on the train. Taking online programs like a Skillcrush Front End Development course will help you get started and take control of your education.
7. Build Your Credibility
There are numerous approaches to increase your industry’s repute.
You may start expanding your exposure inside your specialty by writing an ebook, producing an online course, and scheduling speaking engagements in addition to creating high-quality blog content and cooperating with significant industry influencers.
You may also create a portfolio on freelance platforms and freelance gig websites by starting with a lower hourly rate and gradually increasing it as your experience grows.
These credibility-boosters can help you add to your list of achievements, which you can mention in your portfolio, while also demonstrating your expertise to additional potential clients. The more people you can reach with your message, the more power you’ll have in your niche.
8. Determine Your Pricing
While selecting how much to charge for your freelance services is an important step in evaluating your perceived value, you also need to be sure you’re charging enough to make a living.
Most clients will gladly pay a higher charge for a freelancer who makes a great first impression and convinces them that they can provide high-quality solutions.
I have no issue setting and maintaining high fees for the services I provide as long as I continue to provide constant value to my clients (above their expectations).
Consider the actual value you’d be providing for your potential clients and make sure you’re not leaving money on the table before placing your prices at the very minimum you need to charge to meet your financial demands.
You can always raise your charges in the future and hope your customer stays on board, but if you start with a price point you’re already pleased about, you’ll be much more likely to over-deliver and continue to provide value in the future.
9. Leverage Your Network for Introductions
Leveraging your existing networks is one of the most successful strategies to get higher-quality, higher-paying freelance work.
This is an excellent alternative to cold contacting potential clients, whether it’s pitching your genuine friends and former coworkers on freelancing work or using their contacts to make warm introductions to organizations you do want to work with.
Before reaching out with a cold email to a freelance opportunity I find on Angel.co(opens in a new tab), CloudPeeps(opens in a new tab), or elsewhere, I take 10–15 minutes to research the company, find my ideal point of contact, and do some homework to see if we have a mutual connection on LinkedIn, Twitter, or Facebook.
If we have a mutual contact, I’ll contact my friend (but only whether we’re friends) and ask if they’d mind sending an email introduction on my behalf.
This strategy, in which my first impression is backed up by a referral from someone who knows my target client, has regularly resulted in greater response and closure rates.
10. Perfect Your Pitching
Pitching your freelance services to potential clients is both an art and a science.
It’s not just an issue of writing a killer freelance proposal to get new clients. How you choose new employment, how you frame your value propositions, and how much research you do ahead of time all factor towards your performance.
I’ve gotten new jobs simply because I spent more time and effort researching the organization, discovering their needs, and offering enormous upfront value in the form of intelligent advice before ever discussing payment.
In the realm of freelancing, the quality of your client relationships and your ability to form meaningful collaborations will determine a large portion of your success (and capacity to generate money online).
11. Blog Frequently
The purpose of establishing a website that showcases your abilities is to attract and convert new customers. What better approach to increase the amount of prospective new clients who visit your website than by providing high-quality blog content that establishes you as an industry leader?
Aim for one or two in-depth blog entries every month at first, with the goal of delivering truly helpful solutions that your future clients may be looking for. Note that you’ll be writing for your clients, not for other professionals in your sector.
Once they’ve discovered your content and received some free value from you, you’ll be at the front of their thoughts when they’re ready to employ someone for more in-depth assistance.
Over the previous year, I’ve gotten the majority of my freelancing gigs by referencing a company in a popular blog post on my website. I spent a lot of time after releasing my in-depth post chronicling all of the top side business ideas(opens in a new tab) contacting a carefully picked individual at each company or online tool I mentioned, asking if I correctly acknowledged them within the piece.
The majority of them responded either affirmatively or with a suggestion, which allowed me the opportunity to pitch a guest post, ask them to share my material with their social media followers, or open the door to a prospective marketing deal.
12. Guest Post on Relevant Industry Blogs & Publications
One of the most effective ways to increase your online visibility is to get content published on the blogs and publications where your potential customers spend the most time. Once you have a website that highlights your abilities and clearly communicates that you offer freelance services, one of the most effective ways to increase your online visibility is to get content published on the blogs and publications where your potential customers spend the most time.
By writing over 100 guest blogs per year, marketing guru and consultant Neil Patel frequently writes about the large contracts he gets for his company (opens in a new tab).
While you’ll be starting small, don’t overlook the immediate benefits of having your work included on blogs and newspapers, which can bring hundreds or even thousands of new visitors to your site.
By writing incredibly high-quality content and leveraging my pitching abilities, I was able to get my posts published on Entrepreneur, Inc, Business Insider, HubSpot, and dozens of other publications in less than a year. My business has benefited directly from the increased visibility.
Top 2 websites to make money online as a freelancer
Do you want to be able to work from the comfort of your own home without having to worry about being supervised? Do you want to work at your own pace?
Do you want to save time and money by not having to drive to work?
If you answered yes to these questions, then freelancing is right for you. You must first determine your field of competence, after which you must create an account on a freelancer website.
Here are two top websites that can assist you in earning money as a freelancer online.
Upwork:
At the moment, there are twelve million freelancers registered on Upwork. This platform allows you to sell any professional expertise. A total of five million clients have signed up.
On its own platform, Upwork allows clients to interview, hire, and collaborate with freelancers. A timesheet tool is available for tracking time by taking screenshots of freelancers while they work.
It has a real-time chat platform to help speed up the process of locating freelancers. On this platform, three million jobs are advertised each year. To get started, establish a profile and then look for a job that interests you. Send your proposal in.
Check our complete Upwork Review and Guide here.
Fiverr:
I have yet to meet a freelancer who hasn’t heard about Fiverr. Fiverr is the world’s most popular network for connecting freelancers with businesses.
It costs $5 per job to get started. Fiverr is one of the most popular websites in the United States, ranking among the top 100. This website allows you to sell any service.
You could, for example, provide social media services or generate drawings.
We have complete guide on how to kick start on fiverr as freelancer.
Some Nifty Tips About Freelancing:
Here are a few suggestions if you’re seeking for more methods to generate money through freelancing:
1. Provide good value for money – clients are constantly seeking for good work at a good price.You will be in high demand if you can provide this.
2. Be punctual and dependable — in the world of freelancing, fulfilling deadlines is critical. If you consistently deliver high-quality work on time, you’ll soon establish a positive reputation.
3. Keep your clients informed about the status of their projects by communicating effectively. If there are any issues, you must inform them so that alternative arrangements can be made.
4. Offer a money-back guarantee; this demonstrates that you believe in your work and are willing to stand by it. This might provide potential clients with the assurance they require to choose you.
5. Participate in social media – it’s a terrific method to market your business and attract new customers. Make sure you’re active on all of the big social media networks, such as Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
You may start earning a nice living from freelancing if you follow these guidelines.So, if you’re looking for a way to supplement your income, think about freelancing. It’s a terrific method to get your own business off the ground and may be quite profitable.