11 really useful tips for freelancers

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

The importance of budget planning, the benefits of networking and the intricacies of working with a portfolio.

People tend to romanticize the image of a freelancer, imagining complete freedom from corporate conventions, constant travel and self-realization. Indeed, such employment has many advantages, but there are also disadvantages and difficulties.

Becoming a freelancer with a stable income is not as easy as it seems at first glance. There is no one-size-fits-all approach, there are a lot of pitfalls and subtle problems.

In three years of working for myself, I made some important conclusions that had a direct impact on my income and client search. I want to share them in this article. I hope they will help you get used to it faster, get a steady income and develop steadily. It doesn't matter what exactly you do, these guidelines are universal and independent of specialization.

1. Learn English

First and foremost, learn English. All relevant articles and materials appear in English, and they are not always translated. The most interesting global projects are created in the English-speaking sphere. Most likely, your idols also speak exactly English. To become a full-fledged participant in this environment, knowledge of English is a must.

In addition, fluency in English will allow you to collaborate with foreign clients, publish articles in international magazines, and develop on specialized freelance platforms and niche resources.

2. Identify your niche

Any specialist will be much more in demand if he focuses on specific areas, instead of trying to do everything. If you are looking for an online store, you are more likely to turn to a developer who specializes in e-commerce, rather than one who makes "any sites". No one can be an expert in everything at the same time. To create something outstanding, you need a narrow specialization and deep expertise.

Defining your niche will also help you understand what to focus on in the presentation of your services and what the portrait of your client is.

Focus on what you are good at and what you really want to do. Nothing else matters.

At a certain point, I realized that the most interesting thing for me is to work either with products or with complex applications. Promo and "festival" sites are not mine. Despite the fact that at first it was a pity to refuse and actually lose money, in the long term it was this specialization that allowed me to attract the attention of companies such as Adobe and InVision.

By accepting all incoming projects, we risk missing the most important ones, which are really capable of raising our level of expertise and income.

3. Organize your workplace

A well-organized workspace is essential. At home, it can be difficult to switch from rest mode to work mode, and vice versa, this boundary begins to blur. Yes, sometimes it’s great not to travel and work in a comfortable home environment (I’m just writing this article at home), but it will be almost impossible to maintain stable performance for months or years.

Consider renting an office or coworking space. Yes, these are unnecessary expenses, but if you are serious, they will definitely pay off. You can also meet other professionals in a coworking space, which will help you avoid the feelings of isolation and loneliness that come with long-term work at home.

4. Work on your reputation

More and more specialists are becoming part of the market, starting to compete for projects and jobs. According to the Nielsen Norman Group, the number of UX designers on the market is growing by more than a million each year. By working on the Internet, you are competing with all these people. Your reputation will help you stand out and shape your competitive edge.

A personal brand is something to really look out for. There are a huge number of articles and books on this topic. For example, an excellent checklist that will help you work with your own brand can be found in Igor Mann's book "Number 1. How to Become the Best at What You Do".

5. Put your finances in order

Freelance income is unstable: it happens that everything goes great, but there is also a lull. If you manage your money and budget correctly, you won't have to worry about a potential low season.

Many freelancers do not save money or invest, relying solely on future profits. This is a huge mistake. Regardless of the amount of income, you need to count money and plan your budget. Take a basic online personal finance course to get you a basic understanding of how to manage your money properly.

6. Build a network of contacts

Yes, meeting new people can be difficult, but it is critical to your career and business. A wide network of contacts is the key to a steady flow of customers. We all tend to buy from someone we trust.

Besides:

• Networking is a way to strengthen your reputation in the professional community, not only by specialization, but also in the industry you are interested in.
• Thanks to personal connections, you can learn about projects and new solutions before they become known to the general public.
• You can share your experience and knowledge with other people.

There is an excellent book by Keith Ferrazzi on this topic, Never Eat Alone. In addition, I advise you to participate in professional meetings and conferences in your city. Are they not being held? Try to arrange the meetings yourself. There are a large number of active online communities where you can find like-minded people: Nomad List, Meetup, Indie Hackers.

7. Do not overexert yourself

If a client contacted you with a potential order, this does not mean at all that you are obliged to take on its implementation. Choose those projects in which you are really interested, and do not overwhelm yourself with work. If you work on multiple projects at the same time, there is a high risk of not getting the job done as well as you could. This can be a major obstacle to your growth and build a strong portfolio.

Projects often take longer than planned, so always reserve time for urgent edits, additional work, and portfolio case preparation. Consider this as part of the project and incorporate this time into your work plan. You have it, don't you?

Don't forget to rest. Freelancers especially need a quality vacation. The main thing is to warn clients in advance.

There is a very fine line between diligence and wear and tear. Be attentive to yourself.

8. Find partners

Freelancing doesn't mean you have to do everything alone. Delegate and outsource non-core tasks: email newsletters, article translations, or personal website development.

Consider mutually beneficial partnerships with professionals from other industries. You can do what you do best by outsourcing the rest. For example, if you are a designer and work with interfaces, it is a good idea to transfer illustrations or branding to others. Such cooperation will certainly not be smooth, but it will prove beneficial in the long run.

9. Keep your portfolio up to date

Everyone knows how difficult it is to force yourself to update your portfolio, especially when there are a lot of client tasks at work. But you can't ignore how important this is for your brand and business. Your ideal clients may not write to you just because they haven't had a chance to see your best recent work! After each project, set aside time to prepare your presentation and promo.

Another very important tip: remove from your portfolio all projects that are not similar to what you want to do and do not reflect your strengths. For example, let's say you position yourself as a product designer, but you have average quality posters in your portfolio. This may confuse your client or, conversely, they will order you to design the same posters.

You never know how many offers you missed out on because of your outdated or sloppy portfolio.

10. Work smarter

Few designers find it important to structure their workflow. We're creatives, aren't we? But building a successful freelance business without paying attention to your own work processes and documents is almost impossible.

Your ability to complete tasks quickly and efficiently is directly related to income.

If the client is not satisfied with the end result, he doesn't care how long you worked on the design or how many options you threw in the cart. And if you solve his problem quickly and efficiently, he will definitely appreciate it.

In the work of a designer, there are a large number of operations that can be automated or performed according to a template. Take the job of a user interface designer, for example: you can use UI kits, rapid prototyping tools, and custom components. There is no need to create blank art boards every time, wasting your time and client's money.

By optimizing your work, you can complete more tasks at the same time. This will lead to an increase in income even without changing the hourly rate. Or you can finally devote more time to yourself and your portfolio.

11. Develop soft skills

Last but not least, the best thing you can do for yourself and your business is to be a pleasant person. Many good specialists turn out to be arrogant snobs with whom it is difficult to deal. Often it is your personal qualities that play a decisive role in the choice.

I hope this little guide was helpful to you and you found the actual tips in it. Many of them are pretty obvious, but there is hardly any secret to success other than working hard.