Even though I’ve only been freelancing for a little over a year, I’ve been fortunate enough to work with a large number of high-growth startups and esteemed professionals. Moreover, I haven’t had to engage in any bargaining to earn the higher rates I charge for my content marketing services. That’s why I want to offer some guidance to newcomers on commencing freelance work and successfully generating income, regardless of their level of experience.
Due to my success in clearly defining my value propositions, establishing myself as an expert in my field, and effectively reaching out to fresh target audiences with my freelance writing content, I currently have a waiting list of 3–6 months for new freelance clients and jobs.
My rapid success in the world of freelancing did not occur quickly. It was achieved through strategic positioning, extensive hard work, and favorable timing.
If you are prepared to make freelancing a serious commitment and increasing your income as a self-employed individual, I have compiled my top tips for earning more within your initial year of freelancing.
Define and Declare Your Niche Expertise
Step by step, define your niche.
Have you heard that advice before? Just because everyone knows it doesn’t mean everyone follows it.
Only a small number of freelancers are able to excel in this aspect. If you possess the dedication to establish and adhere to your specific area of expertise, you will immediately have a significant advantage over your competitors.
There are significant advantages to niching down, primarily because your marketing efforts will be much more effective than your competitors’.
Consider the following situation: You manage a roofing company that requires a fresh website. To tackle this task, you turn to Upwork and start looking for a skilled professional who can construct the website for you. As a result, you receive a total of 40 proposals from various individuals.
- 10 of them are from “copy & paste” freelancers that clearly didn’t even read your project description.
- 29 of them are from legit freelancers who “build websites”.
- 1 is from a freelancer whose profile clearly states “I specialize in building premium websites for Roofing companies”, and their profile shows a bunch of roofing websites.
Which of the 40 freelancers will be selected for hire?
The one with the least experience is often not the one.
I am not the one who offers the lowest prices.
The one who does not have the biggest portfolio or most reviews.
The one who was directly speaking to the audience is the one who will stand out.
Choose a Niche
If your aim is to begin freelancing, you may initially be willing to accept any paid gigs available on platforms like Fiverr or Upwork. However, as you progress in your freelance journey, it becomes imperative to adopt a more strategic approach in selecting the nature of projects and clients you engage with.
You may be wondering how being selective about the freelance work I choose can actually improve my earnings.
By focusing on a particular skillset, one can attain expertise in a specific domain, which in turn allows experts to command higher prices for their specialized services (Upwork and Fiverr also have separate categories for experts and professionals).
In my opinion, there is no need to hesitate or ponder over the timeless argument of whether to pursue a specialized or generalized approach when beginning a freelance career.
When looking for assistance with email marketing to ensure that people actually sign up, creating convincing ads to encourage purchases, or updating an outdated website, as a prospective client, would you prefer hiring someone who is skilled in various areas or someone who excels in a specific area? Personally, I would always opt for the specialist.
In terms of my personal experience, I believe that specializing as a content marketing consultant, rather than being a general digital marketer available for hire, has been the most advantageous choice I have made for my freelance business.
Due to my proven skills in content marketing and active involvement in engaging with content on social media, I have gained a strong reputation and quickly become a prominent figure in my niche. In addition to attracting new clients through my blog and client referrals, I consistently receive inquiries from business owners who are actively searching for expert assistance on platforms like Google and social media.
Set your Pricing Packages
Before going into a sale, it is crucial for beginners in freelance work to have a clear understanding of their pricing.
The key to sales is truly confidence, and feeling unsure of your pricing beforehand results in a lack of confidence and portrays incompetence. This lack of a plan will be apparent to the client, which is detrimental for two reasons:
- They’ll negotiate you down much harder… because they can.
- It communicates that you’ll take work at whatever price you can get… which makes you look desperate.
Having standards doesn’t repel people but instead, it draws them towards you. This notion can be compared to dating as nobody desires to be involved with someone who will date just anyone.
It is important to have standards and not appear desperate. Additionally, it is crucial to be aware of your pricing.
When you set pricing “packages,” it indicates that you have more than one package available. If you offer a service in a standardized format, establishing pricing tiers can be an effective strategy. Even if your service is not in a standardized format, it is still essential to have a general idea of your various pricing tiers in order to negotiate with confidence.
Having a plan in place is critical when you are in the midst of a sales negotiation because it is difficult to think clearly and maintain composure while under stress.
Define What Your Ideal Client Looks Like
In order to begin searching for clients, it is necessary to first determine who you will work most effectively with. Would you prefer creating websites for small business owners, establishing yourself as a professional blogger through blogging, working as a copywriter, contributing to the development of new features for rapidly growing tech startups, or engaging in long-term contracts with large companies? Alternatively, perhaps you are interested in working exclusively with brands and clients who share similar values with you, and so on.
To effectively pitch your services, it will be crucial to make clear distinctions between the individuals and the specific type of business you are targeting.
To accurately identify your ideal freelance clients (and initiate the process of finding them), inquire yourself the following questions:
- What type of business has the problems I’m solving with my services?
- Can the business I want to work with afford to hire me?
- What demographic trends can I identify about the decision makers in the types of businesses I’m targeting? Think: age, gender, geographic location, websites they frequent, and their personal interests.
I have intentionally limited my scope of potential clients to smaller startup teams who are working on projects that I can personally relate to. This is because I know that I will be more engaged and work more effectively with these types of teams. By focusing on similar startup teams, I ensure that new potential clients within my niche can immediately connect with me and trust that I can achieve similar results for their business.
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