How To Start a Freelancing Business: A Guide

Freelancing businesses used to be mocked and discouraged for being “impractical” or “unstable.” Nowadays it is extremely popular and lucrative, with some people making $10,000 per month as freelancers.

Not everyone is meant for the traditional nine-to-five life. For many, such work is a waste of their talents, if not a hindrance. And while it may be scary, especially if you don’t know how to start freelancing, what’s life without a risk that just may pay off?

Are you wondering whether it’s time to leave your mundane life? Then here is your guide on how to get started in the freelancing world.

Select Your Freelancing Specialty

There are various types of freelancing business ideas for you to choose from. Among the most in-demand are tech work (i.e. programmers and coders), PR or branding specialists, and designers. More creative work such as writers and videographers are also highly sought out.

To sort out which profession you take in your freelancing career, truly explore your interests? Do you love to take things apart and see how they work? Or are you a person who loved words and putting thoughts into writing?

Your freelancing career will be so much better if you have a nice speciality that makes you happy.

Have A Freelancing Business Plan

This may not be the most glamorous part of your freelancing career, but it’s necessary nonetheless. You are starting a business, and no business ever succeeds without a plan.

Marketing plans, financial spreadsheets, and the like are going to be necessary for you. And let’s not even get into the whole matter of reporting all your income for tax purposes.

Not all of this has to be hard. Many services like excel have templates and guides to make things easy. You can also take advantage of a customized invoice template to help you drow out expenses and costs.

This isn’t the most fun part of freelancing, but it doesn’t have to be a complicated chore either.

Get Yourself Some Clients

Getting clients is rough when starting out. There are many steps you’ll have to take to get yourself out there for potential consumers.

Word of mouth is one of the most excellent ways to get clients. People trust personal recommendations more than resumes, LinkedIn profiles, or online portfolios. To make this happen, make sure you do excellent work and really treat your clients like you care.
You’ll also have to put yourself out there through a portfolio, a website, a blog, contact information, advertising, etc. EIG founder Hari Ravichandran says that he has spent $8K from his own savings just to get his first client.
You may have to seek clients and work through freelancing websites and want-ads. This will cost time and money, but if you do it right, you will make that investment back.

Kicking off a freelancing career is tough, but if you’re passionate about what you do, you’ll do it well.

More Career Counseling

Now you know some of the necessary steps to take in starting a freelancer business. It is scary to venture into these waters at first, but it could end up being the best risk you ever took. Stop settling for menial work and start doing what you are truly passionate about.

For more career advice, visit our Business Tips section.

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