6 Steps to Become a Freelancer

Is freelancing the right career path for you?

 

If your answer is yes, what are the rights steps to start a career as a freelancer?

 

Read on.

 

#1- The Benefits

 

Freelancing can be an ideal working situation for many people. Here’s why:

 

• Schedule: Freelancing allows you to control when you work, and offers flexibility in your work day.

 

• Specialization: A freelancer can choose the type of work they prefer, which allows you to build a specialty. Perhaps more important, you have the option of turning down work that doesn’t appeal to you, or isn’t a fit with your skill set.

 

• Collaboration: You can decide the companies that you prefer to work for, and the people you collaborate with.

 

But when the majority of us enter the working world and spend most of our working lives in employed positions, making the jump to freelancing can see us land in pretty unfamiliar territories.

 

Not to worry! No matter how new you might be to freelancing, there are a few basics that you can familiarise yourself with that will make your life a whole lot easier. Here are a few to bear in mind!

 

#2- Contracts

 

Most freelancers work with clients using contracts, and you need to be comfortable with this process.

 

When you are employed, you sign a contract at the beginning of your employment and don’t really have to consider work related contracts again. This one document ensures that you will receive pay at an agreed rate for whatever work you carry out for the company.

 

Freelancers, however, are typically engaged with multiple clients over shorter periods of time. Contracts are just as important in this environment, and you must get clients to sign contracts to ensure that you are paid for the work you complete.

 

Information within the contract should include the client’s expectations, your working hours, the rate of pay, and an estimated date for finishing the work. Using contracts clearly states the expectations and responsibilities for both you and your clients.

 

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#3- Invoicing

 

You must invoice clients as soon as you finish work, or quickly after the invoicing dates stated in a contract.

 

When you work on a freelance basis, you’re also going to have to submit invoices to clients once the work is complete. This is essentially a document outlining the costs of your work, with a final sum that is due to you.

 

To make billing as simple as possible, use automation to generate and send invoices. Bill Forward is a billing platform that simplifies that process of collecting payments. The software can generate any type of invoice, and the system works with all payment gateways.

 

#4- Maintaining Communication

 

It may be tempting to consult clients once, then head off and complete the job in full. But maintaining communication with clients throughout a project is extremely important. It ensures that you get the work done based on the customer’s preferences and timeline, rather than coming back with a completed project and having to revise work repeatedly later down the line.

 

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#5- Build and Market Your Brand

 

Use a website and social media to promote what you do, and consistently market your skill set to find new clients.

 

This step can be challenging, because you must find time to market yourself after working on billable projects for clients. It’s tough, but successful freelancers continually market themselves through blogging, podcasts, speaking, and other marketing approaches.

 

#6- The Payoff

 

Freelancing allows you to have more control over your schedule, and to spend more time doing work that you enjoy. You may work more hours than you previously spent as an employee, but many freelancers feel that the pros and outweigh the cons, and are happier in the long run.

 

Ken Boyd

Author: Cost Accounting for Dummies, Accounting All-In-One for Dummies, The CPA Exam for Dummies and 1,001 Accounting Questions for Dummies

Co-Founder: accountinged.com

(email) ken@stltest.net

(website and blog) https://www.accountingaccidentally.com/

(you tube channel) kenboydstl