How To Be A BOSS Freelancer
I always wanted to be a freelancer. I’d be surprised if anyone in the creative industry didn’t aspire to work to their schedule and have their financial freedom at some point in their career.
Looking back on my career path, I don’t think I could ever quite decide where I wanted to take myself. I’ve always been a creative soul, but I could never decide if I wanted to be an artist, journalist, or writer. After I committed to getting my journalism, I just decided to go with the flow and see where my skillset took me. For the most part, this technique has worked in my favour. I’ve gone from working at a charity that I deplored, to working as a social media manager in an agency with some challenging work dynamics, to a fantastic role in digital marketing in London. I’d say each of these three roles taught me a little more about myself than the last, but the dreams of continuing my self-growth have never been quelled.
In the creative industry, having “extra-curricular” activities is synonymous with building extra income. You can do what you love a make a little extra coin from it on the side, which still bewilders me at the age of 22. In an ideal world, I would love to have the seven streams of income which constitute success. I’d love my marketing agency, and my side hustles later down the line. But I’m very aware of the fact I’m not fully ready to commit.
I have the absolute pleasure of knowing people who have already managed to make this possible for themselves. I listen to their knowledge, and I make a note for the future. I’ve even started joining various networking groups (both in-person and online), so I could ask questions and make connections which might be valuable in the future.
This is how the “How to boss” series made its return.
Over lockdown, my main focus was growing these blogs following; even though I did social media full-time, there is always something to be learnt from influencers who have succeeded on the fly. Many micro-influencers have been able to grow a following without the certifications, and online courses that marketers like me thrive off and I wanted to know how they’d managed to accomplish this. So I started to interview influencers that I’d followed and supported for a while. I was pretty lucky that they were all keen to contribute and share their “words of wisdom”. If I’m honest, I think It’s one of the main reasons that this blog has been so successful in its short time on the internet.
The “How to boss” series has become a fantastic way for likeminded folk to network and create something unique, but It’s also been a way I can document my interests and growth since deciding to commit to a blog again.
This time I wanted to focus on the freelancers and the strong female entrepreneurs. I reached out to some amazing women online and asked them to write a few words of wisdom that could help people work towards their first freelance client.
As always, I’ll be linking these lovely ladies social media handles (and websites) throughout their entry. So give them a follow if you like what you see!
How to be a BOSS freelancer
Jyssica Schwartz
When it comes to building a profitable freelance business, clients are your first, main, and only priority. Everything else comes later. You don’t need a fancy portfolio or business cards or an expensive website or paid ads to get started. All you need is a couple of short (500-700 words) writing samples you can attach to an email to show prospective clients. Spend your time and energy marketing yourself. Message people on LinkedIn, Instagram, through their websites, reply to freelance job ads. Anything and everything to get your name in front of prospects. No one knows who you are yet - you have to go out and introduce yourself. Tailor the messages to the specific business and always remember to tell them how you would benefit them and bring them value. You’re not just showing off your writing skills, you’re giving prospects concrete reasons why working with you would save them time, money, or hassle. Getting clients is the top priority of starting freelancing and remains a priority throughout the life of your business.
The second priority is determining your rates and making sure you aren’t giving away your skills for free! Value your time and your skills. If you are too cheap, you’ll end up with bad clients and not getting paid what you deserve. Be your own advocate! Ask for what you deserve. Instead of accepting super low rates like 2 cents per word, use the time you would have wasted with that project to market yourself to other clients for a better rate.
Further links:
Writer, Editor, Book Coach: https://jyssicaschwartz.com/
Best-selling author of Write. Get Paid. Repeat., You Are Not Alone, & Concept to Conclusion: How to Write a Book.
Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Medium.
Check out my fledgling YouTube channel!
Alene Laney
I’d say the best thing a new freelancer can do is master your craft. Start writing in the niche you want, even if it means for free. Build up your portfolio quickly and start following others in your community. And second, don’t wait for the jobs to come to you. Get hustling and you WILL find clients.
Rachael Davies
No matter how inexperienced you might feel, trust your instincts. Time and again, I've ignored my gut feelings and pushed ahead, often when it comes to taking on a new client that I'm seeing some red flags with. Every single time, my initial instincts have been correct. I could have saved myself a lot of time and energy by just listening to my gut earlier, even in my first few months of starting out. We all have a nose for what's good for us and what's not: learn to listen to that instinct and you'll be able to avoid the clients who will only hinder your business.
You certainly don't have to take every client that comes your way, even if it might feel like you're saying goodbye to some extra income. The right clients will come your way, the ones that match your values and mission, the ones that are willing to pay your rates, and the ones that will bring joy to what you do. Those dream clients are out there - but you'll only have the space to find and take them on if you're free from red-flag clients that might otherwise drag you down.
Please check me out on Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website
Sarah Mckenzie
No matter what type of freelancer you are, there’s one thing in common: the need to hustle. As a full-time freelance copywriter, I have never worked harder in my life. The onus is on me to find the work, do the work, and do the work well so that I get more work. At the same time, I’m also responsible for my company’s accounting, marketing, and administration – anything and everything that’s required of any other business that typically has plenty of staff.
And then there’s the copywriting knowledge itself. I want to be an expert in my industry, so continuously need to keep up-to-date on best practices – things like editing, SEO, and CTA and headline creation. Knowing how to avoid copywriting challenges, work efficiently, and avoid burnout is also key. In a nutshell, the success or failure of my company is all on me. Sure, it’s a lot of pressure, but talk about motivation, too! Compared to when I worked a regular 9-5, I have never worked harder in my life. But succeeding as a freelancer isn’t the right path for everyone. As an extremely organized, proactive professional who hates being micro-managed (one of the reasons why I left the traditional workplace), it works well for me. Every morning (okay, most mornings!), I wake up excited to see what work has landed in my inbox. I continually set new goals to work towards. And when I achieve them, the best part is knowing that they were accomplished because of me – and only me!
Visit Sarah’s website by clicking her name above, or the link here.
Tamsyn Cornelius
As a fulltime mom, wife, and writer, I have had to learn to master the art of juggling both a family
and a business. Each day is not perfect. Mistakes are made, and lessons learned. However, through the journey of freelancing fullme over the past eight years from my home in Cape Town, South Africa, I have picked up some vital ps that have helped me thrive in business and life. These include:
Do not accept every job that comes your way. When you’re the first-starting out, you may be tempted to get every single freelance job, even though it doesn’t quite fit in with the direction of your business. Move on from those to better opportunities. Establish a niche. If you have a speciality area in which to work, build on that. Having a place will establish you as an expert in a particular field. Instead of elding random inquiries from clients, you would rather not work with; you can then begin to grow a portfolio of work in an area that you’re passionate about.
Know your worth. Remember, clients need the services you offer. You’ve spent my training in a specific area, and you need to realize the value of your service offering. As such, never undercut yourself with low rates. Set your prices and stick to it. Soon enough, you’ll find the right clients who are willing to pay for the quality of your work. Learn to sell yourself. This may sound like a cliché, but as a freelancer, you are automatically the CEO of your brand. You’re also the HR director, the head of marketing, communications, so much more! Spend time perfecting your business pitch and work on your marketing collateral so that you and those ideal clients. Lastly, don’t give up. Freelancing can be a lonely road. There may be days that you feel like throwing in the towel. Remember why you started in the first place. Pursue the clients you would love to work with and don’t quit at your first “no thank you”.
Personal Bio: Tamsyn Cornelius is a full-time freelance writer and editor based in Cape Town, South Africa.
Links:
Website: www.tceditorialservices.co.za
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tceditorial
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tceditorial/
Kesar Rana
If you are pretty new to freelancing then, create 3-4 samples that are suitable to your job or niche. Choose a niche that interests you and trust your instincts. Never work for free. If you want to free work, make sure that's very focused and for a short time. In my opinion, free work doesn't lead anywhere. And always remember to Market and Network regularly.