Freelancing is a great way to make money, give yourself the freedom to choose your own projects and work hours, build a portfolio of work to showcase your talents, and even potentially turn your freelancing into a successful business.
But it takes hard work and dedication to make it as a freelancer, and there is a lot to learn before you get started.
In this guide, I look at the 10 most important things to know before you start freelancing.
1. Freelancing Is Not A Get-Rich-Quick Scheme
Freelancing requires A LOT of hard work and dedication. And it’s certainly not a way to make a quick buck. Many people mistakenly believe that freelancing is an easy or simple way to make money. But the reality is that it’s actually quite challenging.
Freelancers need to constantly hustle for work, market themselves, and manage clients and projects all on their own. There’s no guarantee of stable income, and you need to be prepared to deal with fluctuations in demand.
Freelancing also requires a significant amount of time and effort to build up a solid client base and establish your reputation in the industry. It can take months or even years to establish yourself as a successful freelancer, and during this time you may need to supplement your income with other side jobs or part-time work.
Note: I started freelancing while still at university. And I had two other sources of income at the time (a student loan and a part-time job), which meant I wasn’t fully reliant on my freelancing income. It took many months before I could get by with just the freelancing income.
2. You Must Have The Right Skillset
You need to have specific skills related to the type of work you want to do if you want to make it as a freelancer. If you’re interested in freelance writing, for example, you’ll need to have strong writing and editing skills. As well as the ability to perform research on a diverse range of topics.
Similarly, if you’re interested in freelance graphic design, you’ll need to have expertise with design software and the ability to create visually stunning logos, website designs, or other graphics to meet clients’ needs.
It’s important that you have a deep understanding of the industry you want to work in. Your skills must be relevant to the type of freelance jobs you want to land. You’ll also need lots of general skills, like good communication, organizational skills, and the ability to market yourself well.
Further reading: Skills You Need For Freelance Writing
3. You Need To Stay On Top Of Industry Trends
New technologies, tools, and techniques are emerging all the time, and if you fail to keep up with these changes, you risk falling behind your competition.
As a freelancer, it is your responsibility to stay up to date with the latest trends and advances in the industry you work in. You can do this by immersing yourself in online courses, attending conferences or meetups, and networking with other freelancers in your field.
To keep up with trends, you can read industry publications, follow experts in your field on social media, and attend conferences and other industry events.
4. Self-Discipline Is Key In Freelancing
Self-discipline is crucial for anyone who wants to succeed as a freelancer. When you work for yourself, you need to be your own motivator and manager, keeping yourself on track and focused on your goals. Without self-discipline, it’s easy to become distracted and let your work slip. Procrastination, distractions, and lack of motivation can all be major roadblocks to success as a freelancer.
To be truly self-disciplined, you need to set clear goals and priorities for yourself. This may involve creating a daily or weekly schedule, setting strict deadlines for projects, and breaking down work into manageable chunks.
It’s important to set realistic goals and then hold yourself accountable for meeting them. This can be challenging, as there are often no external forces driving us to stay on track—no boss, no coworkers, no set work hours.
When you work from home or on your own schedule, it’s easy to let work bleed into your personal time. Or to let personal distractions interfere with your work. This is where self-discipline becomes especially important.
You need to be able to set boundaries and stick to them. Carving out designated work hours and learning how to say no to personal distractions during those times.
5. You Need A Solid Project Management System
As a freelancer, you will be juggling multiple projects and clients at once. Which can quickly become overwhelming if you don’t have a solid project management system in place. Without a system to keep you organized, it’s easy to lose track of deadlines and deliverables. Which can damage your reputation and cost you future business.
A good project management system should allow you to track all of your projects and tasks in one place, with clear deadlines and priorities for each. This could involve using a project management tool like Notion, Trello or Asana, creating a spreadsheet or planner, or using a combination of different tools to suit your needs.
Whichever approach you choose, it’s important to find a system that works for you and stick to it. This means setting aside time each week to review your projects and update your system, adding new tasks and deadlines as needed and checking off completed items.
In addition to tracking your projects and tasks, a good project management system should also help you stay on top of your administrative tasks, such as invoicing, taxes, and other financial matters. This could involve using accounting software like QuickBooks or Freshbooks, or simply keeping detailed records of all of your income and expenses.
6. It’s Important To Have A Clear Pricing Structure
Having a clear and transparent pricing structure is crucial for freelancers to maintain healthy and long-lasting client relationships. Clients want to know exactly what they’re paying for and what to expect from the services provided. As a freelancer, it’s essential to establish a pricing strategy that is competitive, sustainable, and fair for both parties.
To determine your rates, you need to consider several factors, including:
- Your skills
- Your experience level
- Industry standards
- Scope and complexity of the project
- The client’s expectations
You should also take into account the time and effort required to complete each task and offer different pricing options, such as hourly rates or project-based quotes. You’ll need to adapt your rates as you gain new skills and build your reputation. You can find out what you should charge clients with our freelance rate calculator.
It’s also crucial to establish clear payment terms upfront to avoid any confusion or disputes with clients (I’ve run into issues with this myself in the past). You can set deadlines for payments and determine the payment method that works best for you and your clients. Consider setting up a payment system via PayPal, Wise, or a bank transfer to make the process convenient and secure for all parties.
Further reading: Setting Rates As A Freelancer
7. You Need Strong Communication Skills
As a freelancer, it is crucial to have exceptional communication skills to maintain healthy relationships with clients—and to find new ones. This involves being able to articulate your ideas clearly and concisely. And also actively listening to your clients’ needs and concerns.
Fostering open and transparent communication with your clients is key to building trust and maintaining ongoing partnerships.
Written communication skills are also essential. This includes being able to write professional emails, proposals, and contracts that clearly outline project details, timelines, and pricing. A well-written freelance proposal can help you stand out from the competition and showcase your expertise and attention to detail.
Freelancers must also possess strong negotiation skills. Negotiation is an inevitable part of freelancing and involves finding a win-win scenario for both parties. You must be able to find the middle ground between what your client wants to achieve and what is realistic within your abilities and resources.
This involves being able to present your case persuasively while also listening to and addressing your clients’ concerns. It can be scary at first, but it can bring big, long-term rewards.
Further reading: Negotiating Freelance Rates
8. You Must Have High Quality Standards
As a freelancer, you are essentially your own brand. And your work is a reflection of your expertise and professionalism. It’s therefore crucial that you always ensure that the work you deliver meets the quality standards set by your clients. As well as industry standards.
Failing to maintain consistent quality control can lead to unhappy clients, negative reviews, and ultimately a damaged reputation. On the other hand, delivering high-quality work can result in repeat business, word-of-mouth referrals, and a positive reputation within your industry.
To maintain quality control, it’s important to establish clear expectations, goals, and deadlines with your clients before beginning work. By doing so, you can ensure that you are on the same page with your clients and that your work aligns with their expectations.
You should also have a strong attention to detail and be diligent in reviewing and editing your work before submitting it to clients. This includes proofreading for grammar and spelling errors, ensuring that you have included all the relevant information, and double-checking any data or statistics.
9. Networking Is Key
Networking is essential for any freelancer looking to build a successful career. You are essentially your own business, and building a network of contacts can help you grow your client base and learn about new opportunities.
Networking can take many forms, from attending industry events and conferences (like I discussed earlier) to participating in online forums and communities. Like subreddits for specific freelancing niches:
Networking can also help you build your reputation as an expert in your field. By attending events, you can showcase your expertise and knowledge while meeting new people. Which can lead to new clients and opportunities. This is typically only accessible for more experienced freelancers, but it’s something to bear in mind as you progress in your career.
10. You Need A Strong Portfolio
Finally, building a strong portfolio of work is crucial for any freelancer looking to stand out and succeed in their field. Your portfolio serves as a visual representation of your skills and capabilities, showcasing your best work and demonstrating your expertise. It can also provide potential clients with an idea of what they can expect from your services.
To create a strong portfolio, it’s important to be intentional about the work you choose to include. Your portfolio should showcase a range of your abilities and accomplishments, as well as highlight your specific niche or area of expertise. It’s also essential to include your most recent and relevant work, as this will give potential clients an idea of what you’re currently capable of.
It’s important to keep your portfolio up to date and relevant. As you complete new projects (especially ones that show off new skills), be sure to add them to your portfolio and replace older or less relevant work. This will ensure that your portfolio remains fresh and showcases your most recent and compelling work.
You can create a website to act as your portfolio, like Muriel Vega has:
Or use a portfolio maker, like Contently:
There’s A Lot To Know Before You Go Freelance
There is a lot to learn before you start freelancing (including some hidden downsides). But the journey of gaining new skills and knowledge is never ending. As you progress, you’ll pick up new expertise, find new clients, and be able to make more money.
Chris is the creator of Freelance Ready. He originally started freelancing (on Fiverr) while at university, writing and editing website content. He created this website to share his freelancing experience and help others on their own self-employed journeys. He is now a freelance SEO consultant and content editor. You can learn more about Chris here.
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