Top 8 Tips to be successful as a freelancer

Whether you are just starting your career or already have some experience working in the publishing industry, beginning your career as a freelancer can be quite a daunting task. It is okay to be scared. So, regardless of whether you are a ghostwriter, an editor, or a designer, we have got you covered. Here, we have come up with some tips that can help you grow as a freelancer. 

Always remember, the most challenging part is taking the first step. If you take the first step right, it won”t be difficult for you to progress further in life. So, let us get started and look at some tips to grow as a freelancer.

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Have a contract for every project

Regardless of how big or small it is, it is essential to have with yourself a signed contract before you take up any work, comments Brian, a freelancer who offers online civil engineering assignment help for students. Why? A signed contract is vital to shield you and provide you with the proper guidelines to do the job. So, how can you draft a contract? See, there is no need to make it very elaborate and complicated. You can include a basic general agreement, which covers every vital detail of the job that you are taking up. Further, go ahead and include the terms that you and your client have agreed upon. 

Here is a quick rundown of some fundamentals that are mandatory in every contract. 

1. An assurance from your end that the work so completed will be 100% original, and you will not plagiarise anyone else”s work.
2. A guarantee that everything exchanged between you and the client will stay between you and your client only.
3. Your payment details.
4. A pre-condition that after the project is completed and approved, they take full accountability for how the project is used.

These are only a few of the many things that you must include in your contract. Of course, if there is anything extra that you believe should be there in agreement, you can certainly add it. If you are a freelancer or want to be a freelancer, having a laptop is a must. Here is a list of the best budget laptops from which you can make your choice: Best Laptops Under Rs. 35000 In India

Try to diversify your portfolio.

You might have heard different financial advisors tell you about the importance of diversification in the investment portfolio. A portfolio, which includes multiple investments, has high performers, low performers, and performers who are somewhere in the middle. 

As a freelancer, if you have an active folio of contracts or different works, you will have adequate stability even on days when one or more sources of your income dry us. At all times, a freelancer should be prepared for all sorts of ups and downs of this part-time work by buffering against the poorly performing or the lost gigs with a diverse stream of income. 

For instance, if you work as a freelance writer, you need to build for yourself a diverse folio of schools, websites, or companies, which you work for instead of putting your complete financial security in just one contract. Further, it will also help if you diverse the folio across different industries too.

Build a network

For you, freelancing is your business. However, since you are working for yourself, and no-one is working for you, it may get lonely at times. This may have a direct impact on your mental health too. So, to overcome this feeling, you need to find small businesses or freelancers who offer complementary or similar services or products like the ones provided by you. 

This will provide you colleagues who you can sit and chat with. Further, you can discuss the market trends, clients, and the prevailing rates with them. At times, freelancers do not realize how isolating solopreneur life ends up until they find themselves alone in the whole process. However, with the co-working spaces” advent and popularity, freelancers can now work in a co-working space for at least two to three days a week. This can help them overcome the solitude of the freelancer life and meet new people. 

Be transparent with your clients

As a freelancer, it may not be easy for you to acquire and attain new clients. If you have fixed clients, you should be thankful to God. To build long-term clients, you need to have a good relationship with your clients. It depends on the kind of transparency you give them. Whether you plagiarize the content and send it across or put in the hard work and research and produce some genuine work, it all depends on you. 

Professionally and ethically, it is your responsibility to be 100% honest with your clients, comments Rosy, an online educator who offers the best online excel courses. You need to disclose to them everything that they should know. In this manner, it gets easier for them to trust you. It will get you referrals in the long run, and with this word-of-mouth publicity, you can grow and advance your career further. 

Even if you are off-site, be present.

A good freelancer is someone who is present during business hours, even when they are off-site. You may not be part of the core team, but if a business gets its tasks outsourced from you, you cannot delay its emails simply because you are a freelancer. 

“In the world of freelancing, you work remotely, so timely communication is imperative,” advises Hannah, an educator who offers online statistics assignment help to university students.

Stipulate your work hours

Of course, working from home has umpteen benefits. You can have a coffee when you like, stretch, dance, or eat during the work hour, or not work at all when you do not feel like it. But you know what? This is exactly what you should not be doing. You may have taken up this job because you do not like routine, but to grow your business as a freelancer, you need to set a plan. It is good to have a fixed time for work, coffee-break, lunch, and finally logging out. To achieve success and make a career out of it, you need to get over this mindset that you are at home, and you can do whatever you please. Always care for your deadlines, and make sure you simultaneously look for new projects. It will lower your chances of having unnecessary blank days.

Frequent freelance websites and job boards

Getting clients on board may not be easy, especially when you are starting. So, regularly check online freelancing platforms, such as Freelancer.com, Upwork, etc. These platforms have a listing of the different projects, which may require your services. So, you can apply for the projects of your interest and build your portfolio gradually. It is indeed a phenomenal way to start building your portfolio and having a fixed clientele for yourself. Further, if you are a fresher with no past experience, these platforms can give you the necessary expertise, which can later help you grow. 

Be proactive

Lastly, after you have received the lead, do not wait for people to contact you. You need to try and follow up consistently. This will better your chances of getting hired. 

These are some vital tips that can help you make freelancing a successful career prospect for yourself. 

Working as a freelancer? Do share your experiences with us in the comment box below.