Virily Editor
Numerous people have turned to freelancing during the COVID-19 pandemic, which has created opportunities for those looking to make extra money. Companies are forced to lay off employees and downsize their operations. Freelancers are in the best position to pick up the work. The best part is that you can find freelancing work at any age. Right now, there’s an opportunity to land a career and build a portfolio of projects. Make sure that you’re prepared for the good and bad times. To be more exact, your passion needs to be backed by solid preparation. Please continue reading to find out what things every freelancer needs in 2020.
An idea for your freelancing career
If you’d like to become a freelancer, your first task is to determine what you want and can do. You surely have some skills or things you’re good at. Freelancing is a career path that allows you to pursue your passion. Take a moment to think about the skills that have helped you in your education, work, or volunteering experiences. What tasks did you do well? If you’re a good writer, you can do content marketing. Organizations are actively looking for people who know how to write articles and blog posts. Anyway, it’s an idea.
Don’t devote hours and hours to something you don’t enjoy. For example, if you dislike using social media, it doesn’t make sense to do social media marketing. When it comes to choosing a freelancing career, you have to think with your heart and not necessarily with your head. You might think that it’s a good idea to get into e-commerce development because it’s in high demand during the COVID-19 pandemic, but you’ll be stuck doing something you don’t like and the results won’t be what you hoped for. If you’re in it for the money, don’t expect personal satisfaction.
A laptop so that you can do your job
The computer is no longer the most innovative creation in the world, but it’s no less indispensable. We depend on technology for everything from keeping in touch with important people in our lives to finding work. A laptop is better than a desktop computer because it ensures extra convenience. You can take your work anywhere with you, so you’re not chained to the desk. If you have to do transcription work, all you have to do is find a quitter nook in the home and work from there. As opposed to desktop computers, laptops keep on advancing technologically, which is why they have a higher price tag.
If you can’t afford to buy a laptop right now, don’t fret because there’s something you can do. Have you ever heard about lease to own electronics? You can avoid making huge upfront payments by adopting this solution. All you have to do to get in possession of a new laptop is to go to a lease to own electronics store, fill out an application, and make your first payment. When you make the final payment, the thingamajig will be yours. Advantages include no high-interest rates, no debt accrued on your balances, and no effects on your credit score. So, it’s worth thinking about it.
A website – your online business card
So, you don’t have a website. Don’t waste any more time and build one. WordPress is free to get started and it doesn’t require downloading or installing. Even if you have a strong social media presence on LinkedIn, you still need a business website. It’s the place where you can present your skills and references. You must compete against other freelancers for attention and, if you don’t have your own online platform, that can be tough. A website allows you to build a client base without much difficulty and form long-lasting relationships.
When you start out, you’ll have a small hourly rate and work countless hours a week to make ends meet. No matter how much time you spend on bidding on jobs, you won’t succeed in winning too many contracts. If you have a website, inquiries for your work will immediately come. People will go to your site and become familiar with the services you offer. Needless to say, they will reach out when they need professional services. You’ll be able to start charging higher prices and earn a big amount of money by working with fewer clients. What do you have to say about that?
A good pricing strategy
Freelancer rates vary according to industry, skillset, and, most importantly, experience. This translates into the fact that there’s no standard formula for determining yours. There are some things worth keeping in mind. you must cover your living costs while putting away some savings. Figure out the exact number. Don’t ignore the fact that you’re subject to additional costs on top of your income tax. As mentioned earlier, you can’t charge too much in the beginning because you’ll scare away clients. As you become more experienced, you can charge more if you feel that the gigs don’t pay enough.
Determine your available hours. Do you want to work full-time or are you interested in starting something on the side? You’ll get paid for the hours that you’re on duty. A significant portion of your time will ultimately go into promoting yourself, so don’t take on more projects than you can handle. Devote only 75 percent of your time to work. Keep in mind that you can price by the project and not the hour. Doing so makes sense when you’re not doing long-term work. Actually, many agree that charging by the project helps grow your business.
A loyal client base
If you go out on your own, you need a loyal customer base. Showing passion and commitment isn’t always enough to keep people coming back. You must generate added value. If you go the extra mile, the customer will surely appreciate your effort and recommend you to friends and family. The idea is that you need to do more than you were initially asked to do. Let the person/company know that you’re fully involved in the project and you want to ensure success on both sides.
Equally important is to follow up. More exactly, reach out to clients and see if they’re happy with your services. It’s up to you to make sure the initial excitement doesn’t disappear. Perhaps you think this is being pushy. Don’t worry because you’re not bothering anyone. If you send an email, the person will read it or not. Anyway, there’s no harm done. Needless to say, you shouldn’t spam customers. Send a reminder every now and then.
