How to effectively launch a career as a freelancer

Freelancing has become one of the prime entrepreneurship skills in the 21st-century market. This form of business is lucrative, tasking and self-employable, offering freelancers the opportunity to sell their ideas, products and services in any area of choice.

Also, as a result of its unconventionality, there is a free space for a sense of creativity and innovation as against the sometimes-tightened working environment – meaning that, it offers freelancers the opportunity to work remotely and have flexible control over their working hours.

Globally, the freelance economy is expanding. The US has the highest of all economies, owing to 78% of its year-on-year revenue growth. These statistics reveal that with 58 million freelancers and counting, by 2027, freelancing is poised to become the US majority workforce.

In Africa, freelancing rose significantly after the pandemic hit in 2020, as platforms like Fiverr, Upwork, and Jooble provided the opportunity for freelancers to sell their skills and have the equal opportunity to earn in dollars like fellow freelancers, enabling them to counter the currency devaluation and rising inflation rates in the region.

As freelancing expands, many are unaware of the ways to become one. This means that freelancers with the credibility to work do not own the primal jobs to their beats and are usually sublated to these jobs which they are meant to be key owners of.

This article will share easy steps to launching your career as a freelancer and earning comfortably while working remotely.

Define the service and product you are offering

The first step to becoming a freelancer is to properly define the service and product that you’d be offering to the general public. By definition, it gives clarity and less ambiguity about your product and service. Take for instance, as a photographer, it is key to note the type of photography skill you are offering to the general public.

This principle applies to all forms of freelancing; it makes it easier to note if the freelancer is a generalist or specialist. A proper definition distinguishes you from the rest of the products offered by fellow freelancers in your category especially when you are signed up to platforms such as Fiverr.

Know your target audience

Knowing that everybody isn’t your audience is important as a freelancer. This way, the right sense and amount of energy would be deposited towards getting the right audience that'd translate to high chances and possibilities of conversion by producing qualitative value. Having your target audience makes the workaround of freelancing seamless and easy.

Own a rate card

A rate card is important as a freelancer. It is a pricing list that offers different valuations for various services. With a rare card, it is effective to split up deliverables across projects. Also, a rate card helps freelancers avoid the issues around micromanagement and payment strategies. Rate cards are synonymous with proposals and they are very important to the growth and development of freelancers.

Use social media platforms

Social media is an effective tool towards freelancing. It is very important as there are various communities to leverage as a freelancer. Social media exposes freelancers to potential clients in need of their services.

Social media networks like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and WhatsApp are effective tools for self-promotion. Also, hashtags on social media networks are important and useful for expanding the reach and scope of freelancers.

Build a professional relationship with your client

Successful freelancing stems from good and healthy relationships with past and present clients. These clients provide referrals and a continuous working process for freelancers.

It is important to build a healthy and professional working relationship with your client when due. Leveraging the benefits around relationships enables effective communication between freelancers and their clients.

Final thoughts

At first, freelancing seems like a hard sport, but in understanding these steps, the guide gives you as an intending freelancer to create a more sustainable means of income and interactivity around your skill set.