12 top tips for successful freelancers

by Admin

 

There is a famous quote that says:

‘If you do what you love you’ll never work a day in your life’.

The definition of work is ‘activity involving mental or physical effort done in order to achieve a result’. So, let’s be honest, starting your own business as a freelancer is all about work. But it isn’t as tangible as going to a premises and being paid for a specific set of tasks. The achievement is in the realisation of an idea or concept that exists entirely in your own head. You know what kind of service you want to offer, you know who you’d like to work for, you know what kind of industry you’d like to become a part of. You just don’t know how to get there because, in the beginning, you are the only person that can see this vision. So, your goal is to relay your concepts and your unique brand to the waiting world. And remember, it’s not really about you, it’s about what you can do for them (and how quickly, and for how much…).

I have been freelancing as a proofreader for five years. Here in the UK we are increasingly becoming a gig society, but it isn’t for everyone. There are those that strike out on their own and due to financial pressures or the need to have a regular routine, go back to full-time employment. I vowed I would never do that but there have been times when the phone hasn’t rung, the bills have mounted up and I have thought maybe I won’t get any more work! But I am still here, as keen as ever, and grateful for every client and project that has come my way.

Here are my top tips for what to expect and how to get through:

  1. If you are going to be self-employed you need to have some understanding of basic accounting. HMRC offers a range of free webinars, videos and email alerts for the self-employed about tax returns, allowable expenses, record keeping and many other things. I found this really helpful, the webinars are great and easy to join. You can find details of these here:  https://www.gov.uk/guidance/help-and-support-if-youre-self-employed   
  2. If you are a sole trader you don’t need to run separate bank accounts but if you prefer to, I recommend KashFlow. They offer cloud-based software that is easy to use and inexpensive. https://www.kashflow.com/
  3. If you have the time and inclination, build your own website. There are great platforms such as WordPress.org or Blogger that provide free themes (that’s the appearance of your site) which can give your business a professional credibility at virtually no cost, other than a web host. Also, become a Google webmaster – it’s important to get your pages indexed properly.
  4. Marketing yourself is much more difficult than marketing someone else. Try to work out exactly what your skills are and who you will be targeting. It is important to have a clear and confident sense of identity.
  5. If you are new to your chosen field, work for free to get experience. By which I mean offer your services to friends and family, treat them as you would a client and track how long everything takes – not only the work itself but the preamble, the communications and so on. This will help you to ensure that your hourly rate is viable whilst honing your craft at the same time.
  6. Be ready to jump into action at the drop of a hat. In my experience, most companies are looking for something to be done urgently and even waiting an hour could lose you the work.
  7. Get a smartphone if you don’t have one – see number 6!
  8. Expect things to change – one of the hardest things is planning because jobs can get pushed back or pulled completely at the last minute. Be flexible, be flexible and be flexible.
  9.  Say ‘yes’ to potential contracts unless your arms and/or head have fallen off and floated down the river. Be the one they come to rely upon at least until you have enough clients to pick and choose.
  10. Put some money aside for tax and national insurance, which is due at the end of January in the UK.
  11. Expect to have cash flow problems sometimes. Regardless of your terms of payment it will nearly always be later than you want or need. You may be poor as a church mouse for several years.
  12. Enjoy your down time – go for a walk, learn a new skill, read a book. Count your blessings – you are your own boss!

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