Laiba Shahzad
Effective freelancing
In 1820, the first document of the term freelancing appeared in the historical novel “Ivanhoe” by Sir Walter Scott. This term also refers to the soldiers who used to offer their skills for monetary purposes to the highest bidders. But the true originator of the freelance industry was Rod Serling who broke the boundaries of traditional employment. He provided many of his writings to various works but never became a dependent employee.
Today with the internet bang, freelancers are being hired by all sorts of businesses in various parts of the world. Information technology has promoted the creative talent of freelancers and has improved the freelancing space.
Freelancing is the kind of profession that offers unique opportunities to skilled individuals but for newbie freelancers, it isn’t necessary to just start out without knowing the layout of the land. Freelancing is neither cushy nor stable and you need to fight hard to become a successful freelancer. It is always better to do freelancing in an effective manner, it’s a process that teaches you along the way.
It is very truly said by Leif Kendall.
“First: you must strive. Nothing good is ever easy”
These are some secrets for becoming a successful freelancer, these are as follows
1. Never Miss a Deadline:
It is not easy for a newbie freelancer to know how much time a job would take to compete. Losing the deadline means losing the client eventually therefore it’s better if you focus on meeting the deadlines and being realistic about the time that is required to complete the project. And it is even better to schedule your time on the calendar for your freelance routine.
2. Communicate:
The very common mistake most freelancers make is that they give little importance to communication. Communicating with clients is necessary as it clarifies the confusion about things that are not understood by you. It is kind of a secret key for your online relationship with the business world. It is better to fully understand what the client is looking for before starting on a project instead of delivering something that is not at all required.
3. Follow up with clients:
It might seem difficult but it is crucial for a newbie freelancer to build a strong client base on an outsourcing website. It is always good to keep your clients updated through emails about the services you offer. In this way, they will know that you are around if they want some work or they can even suggest you further to other clients. You can increase your client base by up to 80% just by following this little technique.
4. Diversify Your Skill base:
Starting out with one or two skills is fine but you need not sit and rely on what you know. It is better if you diversify your skill set and learn the techniques that are in most demand. By diversifying your abilities, you will help yourself with more than one revenue generator.
5. Do not say “Yes” to everything:
Don’t do the work you don’t like.
Freelancing is the kind of ship that sails on motor fuel, if you are not motivated you can go no further. Saying “yes” to everything you can do can make you lose motivation which will result in a damaging rating and poor client feedback. So always do what you like so you stay motivated for your work.
It’s better to walk into the freelancing world with your eyes wide open and avoid mistakes so that you can hit the ground at full speed!
