Do you want to start a freelance career? Freelancing has been increasing in recent years, and it won’t stop growing in frequency.
However, with the rapid rise in competition, it could be difficult for you to bag your first clients, especially if you have little or no experience. If you have always dreamed of working from home and running your own business, you can make a breakthrough and stand out from the rest – check out these simple ways to jumpstart your freelancing career.
Build a Professional Website
Looking for freelancing contracts and applying for jobs requires you to dress for success and the best way to achieve a professional presence in business is by building your own website. You can do this fairly quickly with WordPress, Wix, SquareSpace, Weebly or one of the other cheap or free website building platforms.
You don’t have to include your resume on your website but you can provide samples of the work you have done as well as a few words about yourself. You always need to make sure it reflects who you are because freelancing is about leaving a unique impression on any visitors to your site.
Start a Blog
Launching a blog on your website will be the next thing on your to-do list. A portfolio will let your potential clients see your past work, and a blog will be how you populate your website with relevant and fresh content that speaks to your target market’s needs. It is vital to aim to write between three and four blog posts a week.
You can publish more if you have the capacity, of course.
Build a LinkedIn Profile
If you do not have a LinkedIn account or profile, you are missing out on different leads and opportunities. Some businesses won’t even contact you if you don’t have a profile with a professional photo and an articulate description of your expertise, qualifications and experience.
Thanks to LinkedIn, building a profile is an easy task. LinkedIn will provide you with directions for completing your profile. Try not to skip anything because every detail counts. The more information you provide, the more attractive your profile will look to potential clients.
Make a Promise to Yourself not to Accept Free Work
The basic difference between a professional and a hobbyist is the transaction of money and behind that money is the guarantee of quality. If you were working for a company, you would never think of taking on a job from your employer without the agreement of being paid.
However, there are many upcoming freelancers or recently graduated folks out there who are being exploited because they think if they work for free there is the hope of gaining exposure and experience. You shouldn’t work for free because it could affect your business in the long run.
The Bottom Line
As a freelancer, you have a huge opportunity today, something which has not been possible to this extent before. Now you can make a living by doing something you are passionate about, work from home and build a career working for great companies remotely all around the world.
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