There is no mandatory market entry. You can choose to dive right in by writing guest posts on blogs or working on an advertising campaign.
Essentially, you don't need to invest much time before you can get started. Most newbie freelancers fall into the advertising model. They manage to accumulate clients by working on ads for other businesses. That is essentially advertising on another entity's blog or website.
If you wish to work on bigger projects or jobs that require you to do more research and effort, you may need to start as a contract worker first.
However, the sooner you join the field as a freelancer, the better.
According to George W. Pefs, Jr., founder of PefsSpan, a Westchester, New York-based digital marketing agency:
"Success as a freelancer starts as soon as you get on the path. There is no better way to acquire skills than to do it yourself, to have the ability to self-starter is as important as a full-time job."
What kind of jobs can You get as a freelancer?
You can create a portfolio and list your services on some of the major platforms. Among these are freelancer platforms such as Freelancer.com, Elance, Guru, and Upwork.
You can work on a variety of job categories:
Vendor services: anything related to the field of your expertise. For example, you can be an account manager of a financial firm. You can also work as a graphic designer for a marketing agency.
Conversion optimization: work on improving sales for your business. For example, you may be in the process of improving your store's website's conversion rate.
Customer support: helping your customers find the information they need. You can also work as a freelancer for helpdesk agents.
Marketing: helping other businesses with their marketing campaigns. For example, you may write content for a digital marketing agency.
Social media: improving your company's presence on social media by curating the content on your personal social media accounts.
When you have enough experience and training, you can get into higher-paying job categories.
What kind of investments are required to start a freelancing career?
Start with a portfolio, a list of online-based companies, and a portfolio of sample work. You will require capital in the form of funds to fund your freelancing career.
Freelancers must always be ready to pay upfront to get paid. However, the choice of investments also depends on your financial goals.
Weighing these factors, you should choose the best funds for your portfolio:
The best investments for a freelancer's portfolio include working capital funds and long-term investments such as a peer-to-peer lending platform.
Long-term investments can help a freelancer gain exposure to his/her services, building a strong portfolio. However, investing in a peer-to-peer lending platform also has its disadvantages.
How much money do you need to invest for a freelancing career?
As stated earlier, starting as a freelancer will require you to invest upfront. The initial investments depend on your income and market.
But as you gain more experience and learn to manage your personal finances, you can make necessary changes to meet your financial goals.
It is good to know your basic financial goals, such as starting a home or car loan, saving up for emergencies, and creating a retirement plan for yourself.
For example, if you wish to retire at 50 years old, you should have a target amount that you need to put aside every month. You may choose to reduce your expenses to achieve this.
Once you have a clear idea about your financial goals, you can prioritize investments to achieve them.
Make sure to also check out our portfolio management services so you can determine your portfolio strategy.
Do you have to spend a lot to get started as a freelancer?
As a freelancer, your business won't be expanding overnight. You need time to build your skills, build a brand, and create a system to stay on top of clients.
Even then, you can begin earning revenue in the first month. In addition to capital, it's important to invest in online marketing activities such as creating a website, updating your social media profile, and blogging to attract clients.
You can also work on getting your name out there, establishing a name for yourself, building trust, and building your network.
How should you choose a good freelancing site?
You need a freelancing website to generate leads and engage potential clients. You can easily pick a good freelancing website by looking at their listing of paid services, testimonials from past clients, and a rating system.
It's also important to search the website for the service that best suits your freelancing needs. An online publication, like Freelance Writing and Writing Services, can be a good freelancing site to build your portfolio.
Conclusion
Starting a freelance career is a significant life decision. It will require a lot of effort to start. However, freelancing can be very rewarding, especially if you can grow your business.
So, take it from a pro and start building your freelancing career today.
Fear is The Path to Dark Side.