5 Tips on Becoming a Freelancer

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Are you ready to take your business idea to the next level but don’t know the first step to becoming your own boss? If the answer is yes, then freelancing may be the best route to start your hustle. Working as a freelance worker gives you the opportunity to build your business as an independent worker while still maintaining your 9-5 job. When you start your journey as a freelancer you give yourself the hands- on knowledge of how to run your business in a way that works for you. Here are 5 tips on becoming a freelance worker and taking one step closer to working for yourself.

 

Tip #1: Research your Prices, then add tax

Before you start advertising your services or taking on new clients, it is very important to know the rates of your service in your area. While you may feel tempted to automatically charge lower than your competitors in order to stand out, you don’t want to end up undercharging and making it even harder to make a profit. It is important to know the cost of your products, supplies and overhead to get a better of what your cost should be. 

 

Tip #2: Network! Network! Network!

The saying “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know” is very true when you are starting your entrepreneurial journey. The more people and other business owners that you can market yourself to and build a working relationship with, the better. It is still factual that word of mouth is the best free advertising you can have going for your brand. The more people that know that you deliver an excellent product, the more your name will come up. Most people may not believe how powerful word of mouth is but think about this, In the last year how many times has someone asked you if they knew of a good hairdresser, a mechanic or even a nice restaurant? People trust the opinions of people they know very much and having several people who are willing to refer you can mean the difference in making hundreds or thousands of dollars in your profits.

 

Tip #3: Maintain a schedule and stick it

It’s only fair that when you start your freelance journey you may be tempted to take on every potential client that comes your way. After all, you didn’t become a boss to turn down money. But beware of putting more on your plate than you can handle, especially if you have another major responsibility like a full- time job, student or parent. Make a schedule that allows you to expand your brand but also have time to maintain other aspects of your life. For example, set aside how many hours you can dedicate to your business a week and stick to it. For example, if you’re a hairstylist but also work full time, you may find that its necessary to only work once or twice during the week when you are working or are dedicated to having one day a week to yourself. You don’t want to burn yourself out within the first year of business, so balance is key. 

 

Tip #4: Organization is key

Very similar to tip number 3, organization is key for your success. Time management and proper bookkeeping is going to help you in many ways. You often find that small businesses that lack a lot of organization is likely to have a hard time with acquiring, or even worse, keeping consistent business. Let’s use the hairstylist example again. If a hairstylist has a habit of forgetting when they have appointments and constantly show up late or double -booking customers at the same appointment and keeping clients waiting an extra two hours for services, then their reputation as an unprofessional stylist will soon affect their business. When building your brand being professional is the most important aspect of your business. Make sure to diligently keep track of appointments and deadlines, have a reliable payment system set up and make organization your top priority.

 

Tip #5: Don’t be shy, advertise those services

Let the world know you are in business of yourself. Now is not the time to hold back in talking about your business. Advertise your services on social media. Don’t have social media??It’s time to get some for your business. Social media is the biggest form of free marketing you can offer your business. You have the ability to market your services to people all over the world and not just your community. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram and even Tik Tok offer business tools to maximize your business page to attract new clients. Another way to market your services is advertising your services on job search sites. Sites like Afrofreelancer.com gives freelance workers the edge on gaining new clientele and selling themselves as a top tier candidate for jobs in your industry.