Tips on how to start your freelancing career

How do I get started in freelancing? How do I turn this into a full-time career? Where do I find my first clients?

These are the questions I started asking myself the minute I decided to quit my job. I know it's a rash decision, but I believe I made the right choice because going to the office will never be an option for me in this time of pandemic.

I have been browsing all over the web trying to find the right answers for me. People have different reasons why they want to start a freelancing career. Some want freedom from the traditional 8am-5pm office shifts. Some want to travel and continue earning. Others just want to be their own boss. I came across this blogger Benek Lisefski and he wrote an article about The Right Way to Start Freelancing. He started asking these questions and I felt like he was talking to me.

Why are you freelancing in the first place?

freelancer

Freelancing is like any other job. You don't want to jump in blindly and just hope everything will go well. You need to have a sustainable plan. You need to understand the main reason why you will enter the freelancing business. Don't focus on how much you can earn or how because a lot of people do it. Focus on how it can change your life. How much time you can save on commutes and spend time with your family which are the most important things. Freelancing is a difficult feat and you have to have the right motive so that you can succeed.

Where to find your first clients?

As a newbie freelancer, this is your very first question. You want to get in that pool right away! You immediately sign up on Upwork, OnlineJobsPh, Fiverr, etc. The author immediately dismissed this question. We are just starting to build a business. We should be going after experiences. Instead of competing in international businesses, why not start locally? The earning is not that good but the learning is the gold here. This is the start of every business. Start locally, earn their trust, and build a relationship with them.

Build relationships and reputation in freelancing

This is your lifetime career goal. This goal will never change in freelancing. This is the only way to build a sustainable, full-time career in freelancing. Build a relationships with your clients and let them fall in love with your service. In a few years time, your clients will speak for you and refer you to their friends and colleagues. Word of mouth is the best marketing strategy.

Building relationships and reputation is my long game.