Tips for a Successful Freelancing Career

by the Professional Business Systems Department at Laurus College

If you’ve ever dreamed of working from home, then you might be interested in working as a freelancer.

While it’s true that you’ll avoid the morning commute and even have the option of working in your pajamas, a successful freelancing career requires more than just hard skills—you’ll need dogged determination and the ability to keep yourself motivated. Here are a few tips that will help you launch your freelancing career:

Find a place to work: Initially, you might be tempted to set up shop on your kitchen table, but unless you live alone, working in a central place in your house will create far too many disruptions for you to work effectively. Ideally, you need a quiet, less traveled area to set up. Your office space should include a comfortable desk and chair, good lighting and minimal distractions.

Perfect your portfolio: As a freelancer, there’s a good possibility you’ll never meet the majority of your clients face-to-face. Since there’s little chance to develop casual relationships with your clients through light conversation and personal interaction, you’ll be hired on the quality of your work. Having an updated portfolio that showcases your best work is imperative—and so is having it available online.

Know what you’re worth: As a freelancer you’ll need to have a “fee sheet” ready to send out to potential clients. Aside from conducting a little internet research, the best way to create a fee sheet is to contact other freelancers in your industry and see what they charge. Keep in mind, if you’re just starting out, you’ll need to price your services accordingly. Once you develop a client base and get positive feedback, you can increase your fees.

Get the word out: To succeed as a freelancer, you need to find clients. The best way to market yourself for the least amount of money is through social media. Let your contacts know what you’re doing by regularly promoting yourself and your work.

A successful freelancing career takes time to build and its foundation is based on the principles of hard work and self-motivation. While it’s not the right choice for everyone, if you have the right hard skills, are self-motivated and want to work for yourself, it could be the right move for you.

Melanie Bryant is a Professional Business Systems instructor at Laurus College. You can reach her through email: melanie.bryant@tinab22.sg-host.com or call [phone-link location=””].

I want to learn more about the Professional Business Systems program at Laurus College