How have things changed for you with all the new quarantine rules? Are you missing your coworkers or enjoying time at home? I bet you’re not missing your commute!
Imagine what it would be like if zero commute and a totally peaceful work environment were your daily routine. That’s the case for many freelancers.
You’ve heard about freelancing, maybe even have some friends who freelance. But do you know what all it entails?
Have you ever wondered if you have what it takes and if it would be a good idea for you?
Buckle your seatbelt because we’re about to delve deep into freelancing. We’ll define what it is, what’s great about it, what’s not so great about it, and how you can get started as a freelancer.
What is freelancing?
Freelancing means being self-employed and not working for an employer. Freelancers may be doing the same work as their employed counterparts, but they don’t have anyone dictating their hours or dress code.
Freelance work comes in many shapes. Some of the most frequently seen jobs are writer, editor, transcriptionist, virtual assistant, website or app developer, graphic designer, bookkeeper, photographer, SEO expert, or translator.
But it doesn’t stop there. If your skills are a match for somebody else’s need, you can be a freelancer. Next, let’s look at why you should consider it.
Benefits of being a freelancer
Working for yourself comes with a whole host of perks you wouldn’t get from working for someone else. So what are some of the most obvious ones?
You have zero commute
Seriously, this is gold. Instead of fighting traffic on a cold rainy morning, you walk the 15 feet from your bedroom to your office chair and you’re set. How nice is that?
You can also take your laptop and walk to the neighborhood coffee shop or to the beach, if that’s your preference. But the point is, you don’t have to.
You set your own hours
Not a morning person? No problem! Schedule the work for when you’re most productive. This is especially easy when the job doesn’t require interacting with others for an extended time.
You can work during your naturally productive periods and sleep when your body naturally wants to sleep. Working with, not against, your body’s own circadian rhythm is an important factor in living a long, healthy life.
You make your own schedule
No need to ask anyone to cover your shift when you go to the dentist. No need to ask permission to leave early to watch your daughter’s recital.
When you’re your own boss, you can schedule your work time around other important things in life.
You can wear what you want
Got a dress code at work that specifies closed toe shoes and you’re a sandals-lover? How does going to work in your favorite pair of sandals sound? Or in your favorite slippers, or even barefoot if that’s what floats your boat.
Even on days when you’re on a Zoom call with a client, no one sees what you’re wearing from the waist down. Feel free to show up in your comfy pajama bottoms, with a coordinating (or totally mismatched, no one will know) elegant blouse that makes you look like a million bucks.
When you call the shots, you can dress up as much or as little as you like.
You set your prices
Being a freelancer means you decide how much your time is worth and charge accordingly. Does this mean you can charge a million dollars for a logo? No. I mean, you can try, and good luck finding someone who will pay that.
You do need to be reasonable when you set your prices, but as you become more proficient and get more and more client referrals, you’ll be able to double or even triple your prices easily. When’s the last time your employer doubled your wages?
You can live wherever you like
As a freelancer, you need a computer, a phone, internet, a way to receive mail, and not much else. Your office can be in your home or in the neighborhood coffee shop.
Your home could be in a high-rise in the center of a large city, a 50-acre farm in the middle of nowhere, or a tiny tropical island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.
No need to feel stuck in any one place because of a job or family obligations. Feel free to travel. Just take your laptop and phone with you if you want to work on the move.
Granted, this one is somewhat harder to take advantage of these days with all the travel restrictions, but it will once again be applicable when things settle into a new groove.
If you’re thinking “sign me up!”, hold your horses just a minute because we need to talk about this next bit.
Potential drawbacks of working as a freelancer
There are many benefits to working from home but it’s not all sunshine and unicorns.
While some people are perfectly happy playing hermit in the home office (hello introverts!), others find it much more difficult. Let’s look at a few factors to consider.
Your existing career may be hard to transfer
Some administrative and creative jobs, like graphic design, transfer easily. But if you’re a nurse or a law enforcement officer, it may be much more difficult to become a freelancer.
That said, with a bit of ingenuity and research, you could become a consultant in your current field, or transition to a more freelance-friendly field using other skills you have.
Just don’t quit your day job without having a solid plan, okay?
And pay attention to the next two points, especially if you’re a mom.
You may run into hidden costs
You’ll need to pay taxes, usually quarterly. If your record-keeping is meticulous, it will make filing taxes each year easier. Consider hiring a bookkeeper and/or a CPA to get you started, and consult with them regularly.
Also, without an employer, you may need to pay the full cost of your own health insurance. If a large part of your decision to work at home is to save on childcare expenses, do the math and make sure you come out on top.
And while we’re on childcare…
Working at home with kids is not always easy
If you have young children not yet in school, you may be trying to work in between nap times and even pulling all-nighters to finish projects on time. The trick is to work out a balanced schedule and to be flexible when life happens.
And if you don’t have kids, you’ll need to seriously consider the next point.
You may start feeling isolated
Working at home can get lonely and at times frustrating. Perhaps less so for introverts who are naturally inclined to enjoy time alone, but even then, it’s something to watch for.
If a large benefit of being employed is the social interaction you get there, you’ll need to take that into account. Working from home comes with considerable social isolation, especially if you tend to work when others sleep.
Think about this ahead of time and make a plan for socializing regularly to keep you from feeling isolated and lonely.
This could be a weekly dinner with friends or Facetime calls with your freelance buddies. Whatever works best for you. But stay within the current guidelines for social gatherings, please.
And last but not least…
Your motivation may ebb and flow
How is your self-discipline lately? If you’re motivated largely by outside factors (think your boss), then working from home may not be your best bet.
In your freelance business, you’re the boss. And the worker bee. And the marketing department. All in one.
And there’s no one looking over your shoulder making sure you’re getting work done. No one there to stop you from scrolling through Pinterest or to confiscate your ever-distracting phone.
So think about whether this could become a problem and if so, nip it in the bud – find an accountability buddy or group and consider hiring a coach to keep you moving in the right direction.
And now that you’re excited about the perks of freelancing and have an idea how you might deal with any potential issues, you’re probably wondering how you can get this going when you’re starting from scratch. So let’s talk about that next.
How to start freelancing
You’ve looked at the pros and cons of freelancing and decided to give it a try. Now what?
Time to answer the following questions and make a plan.
Step 1: define your goal
What are you trying to achieve? Are you looking to make a bit of income on the side or is this meant to replace your full-time job? Knowing your destination will help you figure out how to get there.
Step 2: choose your niche
Evaluate your skills and decide what type of work you want to do. What services can you provide?
Are you going to stick with your skill set and become a consultant in your current field or will you pick up new skills and diversify in a whole new direction?
Step 3: define your ideal client
Who do you want to work with? Are you going to help individuals or businesses? What kind of help are they looking for? Ideally, you want to sell a service that people with money are looking to pay for.
Step 4: figure out your pricing
Will you be charging by the hour or work on retainer? Will you offer any packages? What will you deliver and what will be the timeframe? Check out what’s already available in your niche and use that as guidance.
Step 5: create your portfolio
Do you have examples of your work to show potential clients? If not, can you create mock-ups to show off your skills? You want your work to speak for you so that the only question people are asking is “how do I pay you?”
Step 6: market your services
Do you have a brochure? Yes, I said brochure but we’re not talking the old-fashioned paper kind. Instead, we’re talking about your website. It can be simple, but you want it to show off your skills, present your services, and have a way for people to pay you or at least contact you.
Is your social media presence helping you or turning off potential clients? Got political rants on your profile? Are you hiding the fact that you’re offering services? Can potential clients find you easily?
Where do your ideal clients hang out? You need to be there, engaging with them, answering questions so they can see you know what you’re talking about.
Step 7: land your first client and deliver service
Once you’ve connected with people and someone hires you, it’s time to do the work. How will you do it? What is your process for getting it done?
What will you need from the client? How will you communicate? What do you need to have in place to avoid unnecessary delays?
Also, make sure to include getting testimonials and referrals as part of your process. It’s much easier to land new clients when you have some social proof.
Congratulations! You now have a plan for getting started as a freelancer.
Want more help? Get the Freelancer’s Guide to Growing Your Business in 2020.
Frequently asked questions
So you’ve learned what freelancing is, considered the benefits and drawbacks, and made a plan at least in your head for how you’ll get started. But you still have some lingering questions…
It’s all good. I got you covered. Read on.
How can I find freelance jobs?
Let your friends and family know what services you offer because they might already know someone who needs exactly what you do.
Also, keep your eyes and ears open. When you hear someone talking about how frustrated she is with something that comes super easy to you, you might have an idea for a service to offer.
In social media groups, people are often looking for someone to hire for this task or that, or they’re asking for referrals. Let them know how you can help.
Is freelancing a good idea?
It may be if you have skills that are in demand and enjoy being your own boss. It may not be if you need the security of employer-based health insurance or a regular paycheck.
Read again through the pros and cons of freelancing and really think through what is important to you.
What is the easiest freelance job?
The easiest freelance job is one you can already do. It’s something that is natural to you or that you’ve been doing for years. You don’t have to think twice about it or research it before starting.
How can I become a freelancer with no experience?
We all have to start somewhere. If you have no experience in your chosen niche, try doing mock-ups for your portfolio.
Or offer your services to a few people in exchange for testimonials. If you do a good job, chances are these first few people will turn into long-term clients and even send you referrals.
Once you have the first few jobs under your belt, you have experience and can price your services accordingly.
Can I work freelance while employed?
Generally, yes. Many people do. In fact, many full-time freelancers started out by earning a little on the side and only parted with their employers when it became clear the side gig could replace that income.
One caveat: check your contract for a non-compete clause. The vast majority of employees don’t have such clauses in their contracts, if they have a contract at all, but it’s not worth the headache down the road so check now.
How much does a freelancer earn? How do you get paid?
Remember the part about setting your own prices and work schedule? That means you control how much you earn. You can earn anywhere from a little to a lot (like, six figures lot) depending on how much you charge and how much you work.
How you get paid depends on what you set out in your client contract. You can get paid upfront (often seen with retainer work) or 50% upfront and 50% on delivery (often seen with larger projects). And you may even want to vary this client to client, depending on your relationship with them.
Final thoughts
Freelancing is an excellent way to get paid for your work without dealing with an employer or a long commute. Other benefits include being location independent and the ability to set your own hours, prices, and dress code.
There are drawbacks to consider, too, like the possibility that you’ll feel socially isolated or unable to keep up your motivation.
If you decide that freelancing is for you, follow the steps above to create a plan. Decide on your goal, niche, and ideal client, and then figure out your pricing, create a portfolio, and start marketing your services. Get your first client, deliver your service, rinse, and repeat.
For more help, get the Freelancer’s Guide to Growing Your Business in 2020 and watch the videos there.