5 Things You Should Know Before You Start Freelancing
I started freelancing in 2017 after I finished my Master’s degree, and I wanted a change of pace. I love being able to grow my freelance brand and share the advice I’ve learned along the way with you. Today, I am sharing five things you should know before you start freelancing. These are all things I wish I knew. Learn from me, and let’s all create successful freelance businesses together.
1) You Can’t Afford To Compete With The Bottom
If you have ever been on Upwork or a job board, you’ve probably seen graphic design jobs for $5 or writing jobs starting at a penny per word. That might work for some people, but chances are, you can’t afford to create for that low.
Freelancing isn’t free, y’all. I am so tired of companies and people walking over freelancers and offering low wages that no one can afford to live off of. You have bills to pay, you’ve got expensive taxes, you don’t need those less than satisfactory wages.
What’s worse than companies offering low wages? Freelancers who actively drive down the price of work even when they shouldn’t. You are worth more than you know. Start claiming your worth and pitching a livable wage at least.
I don’t know about you, but I didn’t start freelancing to make less than minimum wage. There are no real protections in the freelance world, unfortunately, so you don’t have to be paid the minimum. You can go after clients who will pay you that and more. Let’s start demanding more of ourselves and our clients.
2) Freelancing Can Feel Lonely AF
If you are freelancing and working from home, chances are you are a bit lonely. Not just in terms of the number of people around you, but also in who relates to you. Freelancing is so different from having a regular 9-5 job. The things that stress you out won’t make much sense to your family and friends.
There are ways to curb this loneliness. You can:
Get out of the house and working from coffee shops or restaurants.
Rent office space at a coworking space if your city is big enough.
Join Twitter chats for freelancers.
One of my favorites is #FreelanceChat that is hosted by @PRIsUs. This chat takes place every Thursday.
Shameless plug, but if you are feeling lonely, join The Ambitious Freelancers Group on Facebook. We are a small but mighty group of freelancers coming together to learn and grow. I can’t wait to see you in the group!
3) Get A Niche, Even If You Don’t Stay In It
I always knew the importance of niching down, but I was a bit hesitant at first. I thought surely I’d make less money if I only worked within a specific niche. It turns out this isn’t true at all. Having a niche allows you to become masterful, which enables you to raise your rates. If you pick the right niche, there will always be fun clients to pitch.
Niches aren’t forever. You can pivot and change your niche at any time. Having a niche doesn’t stop you from pitching other projects either (especially if they pay well and are within another one of your interest.) I would tailor your freelance website specifically to the niche you are going after though. Check out my freelance website for inspiration.
Listen to episode 8 of The Ambitious Freelancer for some tips on niching down:
4) You Should Create A Contract, Even If It’s Challenging To Enforce
Let’s face it. Contracts are pretty challenging to enforce. You likely don’t have an attorney or the ability to go to small claims court. By the time you get it all together and go, you may end up spending more than the contract was worth.
Here’s the thing, though, contracts are about more than that. Here are some reasons to still use contracts. Contracts help you:
Outline deliverables: Contracts need iron-clad deliverables. This helps you avoid scope creep and understand exactly what a client needs from you.
Look professional: Who wouldn’t want to work with a freelancer who looks like they have their stuff together?
Create boundaries: Again, this ties back to outlining deliverables, but when clients know what your role is, you can be sure that they stick to that.
If the word contract makes you or your clients shudder, consider calling it a “statement of work,” instead. It’s all semantics.
If you are looking for a contract, I love this freelancing contract template from Samanthability. It’s simple and easy to fill out for your business.
Even if you can’t enforce contracts that efficiently legally, enforce them socially. Follow the agreement. If your clients want work that is outside the scope of the contract, ask for more compensation.
5) If You Have A Job, You Don’t Need To Quit Immediately
I don’t know when the hating on 9-5 started, but so many people spend their life shoving entrepreneur life down everyone’s throats. Instead of being sad that you aren’t working from home in your pajamas, think about the fantastic gift you have to be able to have a stable, steady income.
You will know when it’s time to quit if it ever is. You may decide to stay at your job and get some double income. You do you, we all have bills to pay here. I honestly would work a 9-5 if the opportunity came a-knocking. If you find a job you love, why quit it for the uncertainty that is freelance life? Unless you want to do so, of course.
If you are struggling to juggle it all, check out my article all about using automation to juggle your freelance side hustle. I think you’ll find the tips in that post super helpful.
Conclusion
Freelancing can be an exciting career choice, but it should never be entered into lightly. I hope today’s article gave you some food for thought as you consider starting your freelance career.