Not everyone has a lot of money to be able to start their own business. That doesn’t mean that there are not plenty of opportunities for an individual to become self-employed. One option that exists is becoming a freelancer. The internet is the ideal platform for this type of work. It is an option that I choose as it allowed me to use some of my skills for my own betterment rather than entering into the traditional workforce.
In fact, anyone who doesn’t want to enter the vicious cycle of working in a 9 to 5 can start freelancing. This is because the only tools you require to start are a Laptop and a fast internet connection (to check it, you can simply search online “whats my speed“). If you have these, the only thing necessary is your skill-set.
Getting Started
It wasn’t long before I decided to work for myself. Initially, it seemed difficult to establish myself in the industry as a relative newcomer. It may be necessary for me to have some mentorship or guidance on how to succeed in my freelancing career. Getting a relevant mentorship program seems relatively easy with platforms like Modern Millionaires (you can read a review at https://boxundefeated.com/review/modern-millionaires-chance-welton-abdul-samed/). Talking about my strengths, one of my strengths was being able to conduct intense research into any topic that appealed to me. I learned that I could use this strength to generate an income. I soon discovered that there were a lot of online businesses that were in dire need of well written and properly researched material. However, many of these business owners did not have the time or expertise to do this themselves. This is where I learned that I could offer my services as a researcher and writer that would benefit both the business entities and myself.
Just like me, you could have some skills that you have not recognized yet. If you do discover them and you think they are a bit rusty, you can consider signing up for courses on the web for a quick brush up. For example, you can find many educational websites offering Excel courses free online. It is possible to access these programs anywhere and anytime, according to your convenience, to enhance your skills.
Sourcing Out Clients
Although at first, I was somewhat naive in thinking that I had come up with a unique business idea I soon learned that I was facing a lot of competition. Although there were a lot of potential clients it was not all that easy achieving their business. This was the first clue that I had a lot to learn about the freelancing business online.
The Resources
With some more research, I soon discovered that there were different options for being able to market my services online. One of these was freelancing platforms. All I had to do was register with one of these and then my services would be marketed to the many business clients who were seeking out freelancing services. At the same time, I learned there was a lot more to it.
- Presentation: Being as I was not the only freelancer offering services I had to make myself stand out among the rest who were doing the same, and there were hundreds of them. The best resource on the platform for this was the profile section. Here I was given the opportunity to tout my skills.
- Examples: Another area that is highly important on these platforms is the example section. Here freelancers get to post examples of their writings if this is their particular freelancing niche. Keeping in mind that writing and research is not the only freelancing service that is being offered. There are many technical individuals that are also freelancing their services.
Learning How To Bid
Another task that I was faced with was learning how to bid on a job. Business people will post their job requirements on the platform. Then interested freelancers have the chance to bid on the job. Meaning they will inform the potential client of their skills and how much they will charge to complete the project. The business owner can then review these and make contact with the freelancer to ask further questions or negotiate the price. Finally making a decision as to who they wish to hire.
The Advantages
Freelancers do not have to use these job board platforms, but there are some distinct advantages to using them. They offer a quick resource for finding clients. They also protect the payments. These platforms hold the payment made by the client in escrow until the job is completed satisfactorily. Alternatively, freelancers can also check out merchant services that help business owners and self-employed professionals process electronic payment transactions. If interested, you can Learn about merchant services in this article.
Anyways, people who are using third-party websites to get freelancing projects may have to consider a lot of other payment conditions. For instance, in most cases, they will hold a portion back as their fee for their services. So, if you want to avoid such a payment process, you can try establishing yourself as a freelance by yourself by getting projects through connections.
