Madiha Yaqoob
As freelancing is growing and becoming popular all over the world amid a lack of job opportunities, people are beginning to voice their opinion about the pros and the cons of freelancing. In Pakistan, the buzzword has become a sensation too. A lot of Government and private programs are initiated to teach freelancing. Sadly. the majority still believes, Freelancing does not work. Let’s take a look at the reasons why freelancers fail.
There could be many reasons for this observation but I would like to take a minute and talk about advocating why everyone should try their hands at digital freelance work and offer their services on marketplaces and make money.
The growth perspective:
In the month of August 2021, according to MOIT (Ministry of IT and Telecom), Pakistan’s technology exports were recorded at $224 million. The export in the same month last year was $124. This is over 80% of the increase and the forecasting eyes a further increase in the number in the same month next year. In the current fiscal year, IT exports accumulate to over $2 billion whereas the same number was recorded at $1.44 billion last year (fiscal calendar 2019-20).
Freelancers have played a huge role in orchestrating these phenomenal numbers for IT exports. The freelancers from the Digiskills program alone have remitted over $200 million so far. This gives us a clear clue that Freelancing is good and viable for everybody.
It is financially viable for beginners (up to 2 to 5 years). You have to be proficient in communication skills and business development skills.
The reason why you are disjointed is that you may have excellent tech skills but you fail at communication and business development. The art of selling is, well – it is an ART!
The reason why people fail (majority) is also because of:
- Lack of time discipline (You have to allocate certain hours in a day on different marketplaces by bidding, and searching for clients).
- Lack of patience (You are competing with the best of the best so be patient. Now, if you have good communication skills, your task gets a lot easier).
But, wait a minute…
You think freelancing does not work because you are unable to find buyers who are looking to buy your services. The real pain is, how do you find those buyers who are looking for you?
The true reflection of freelancing sorrow is, when people fail in finding the clients who are looking to hire their services, they give up.
What is the solution?
The answer is simple. To make freelancing viable in a long run with the best return on investment (time and money), switch the mode of work.
How about making clients approach you directly instead of you searching for them?
My suggestion is, alongside freelancing Hustle, to do this…
- Create a website, and advertise on Google for your freelance-related keywords.
- Create a Facebook, Instagram, and Linkedin presence.
- Talk about your work constantly. Be consistent. This requires patience but once it kicks off, the sky is the limit.
- Explore multiple sources of income.
- Think affiliate in the same skill set you offer as a freelancer.
- Think blog + Youtube (both exhibit positive results adjacent to each other).
- Think product (expand avenues of services).
- Go for Startup, create jobs, and grow exponentially tall.
What they see is what you show them. Better make a good show!
In the process, do not ignore the importance of cementing a solid place on different social media platforms.
