The 7 Highly Effective Habits of Successful Freelancers

1. Write/design every day:

Many freelancers are drawn to their particular career because they love it. They love to write, design, draw – whatever it is, they would do it for free. Once they decide to freelance full time, most work at it every day. They write articles, design sites, doodle illustrations, etc. In other words, they don’t stop working on their craft just because there is no paying client. Benefit to their career: These professionals always have a body of work to sell, show, update their portfolio with, etc. Beyond that, it keeps their skills fresh and allows them to work that much faster once they are being paid for a project. As a personal example, when I first started to write articles to promote my business, it would take upwards of two hours to complete one. Now, I can knock one out in 30 minutes if I have to. Side Note: I have run across more than a few freelancers who don’t exactly love what they do. BUT, because they like the life of freelancing, they discipline themselves to do what it takes, eg, (work at it steadily) to make a living at it.

2. Don’t wait for markets to come to them:

Building on this first habit, when you are constantly churning out new material, you don’t have to wait for clients to come to you, you can pitch to them. If you’ve written a great article on the benefits of yoga, why wait for a national exercise magazine to take months to get back to you. Pitch your local newspaper journalist who covers health. You’ll usually know within a week or two if they can use your story. Your neighborhood paper can’t use it? Pitch the neighboring county’s newspaper, a popular e-zine dedicated to women’s health, a new health website that needs fresh content, etc. Successful freelancers are this proactive. When I was recruiting, I was constantly amazed at the type of assignments successful freelancers were able to ferret out for themselves. When I’d ask, “How did you get that assignment, come up with that idea?”, the comments ranged from, “I couldn’t sleep last night so I start doing some digging online because I just wrote this great article and wanted to get it published,” to “I was just doodling and came upon this great design; I knew it would make a great logo for this niche, so I put it on a t-shirt and pitched a few boutiques in my neighborhood …”. Successful freelancers are not only creative in their work, they’re creative in how they locate markets to sell their work.

3. Have more than one stream of income:

By this, I do not mean that they have second jobs. Most successful freelancers do more than one thing. For example, a writer may design a line of themed t-shirts with their witticisms on them. Illustrators, in addition to creating logos, may sell paintings or drawings. Web designers may also create online games. I don’t know how many more brain cells creative types use than the rest of the population, but editorial and creative professionals usually dibble and dabble in more than one sector – and quite successfully I might add.

4. Have a niche:

While this may seem to contradict the previous habit, it doesn’t. Most successful freelancers do one thing – and do it very well. Eg, they are a medical writer, a direct mail copywriter, a web designer. This is because successful freelancers usually have a professional background in the discipline in which they freelance. Usually, they have built up a reputation and client list based on their expertise/experience. Benefit to their career: This works well because once clients are comfortable with you on one level, you can approach them about doing other types of projects. In some cases, they will even approach you. For example, if you are a web designer, you can approach a client about doing some logo design work. Most web designers are familiar with other tools of the trade like logo design software, that makes it easy for them to offer peripheral services to clients. In the retail trade, this is known as upselling. BUT, you can only upsell if you have established a level of trust and professionalism in your base (niche) skill.

5. Have a website:

Without fail, all successful freelancers have at least a basic website. They realize the need to present a professional image to clients and have invested in an online presence. Every once in a while, I am still asked by those just starting out if they need a website. Invariably, I ask, “Would you do business without a telephone?” I think websites have progressed to this point. Benefit to their career: Websites save freelancers time – which is at a premium if you are a successful freelancer. You can direct potential clients there to see samples of your work, get pricing info, your professional credentials, your client list, etc. Many times, this is how clients will find you to begin with. So, is having a website a must to succeed as a freelancer? In my opinion, absolutely. And, it doesn’t have to be fancy and cost a fortune. Most web surfers are seeking information. A basic site will serve your purposes just fine. Just make sure it is professional looking, is easy to navigate, is free from grammatical errors and has your contact info on every page (or a “Contact Us” button on every page).

6. Are savvy & consistent marketers:

Revisiting habit three, successful freelancers are masters of marketing their services. They have to be. When you are a freelancer, you have to remain hungry – for the next assignment, the next gig. By being proactive and consistent marketers, successful freelancers don’t wait for one project to be done before looking for the next one. To this end, these professionals use many marketing tools (free and paid) to get the word out about their business, eg, search engine optimization, article marketing, press releases, e-book giveaways, speaking engagements, seminars, workshops, etc. In other words, successful freelancers treat their careers like a start-up business – which is what freelancing really is.

7. Put in much more than 40 hours/week:

Face it, you may be able to go to the grocery store at 2pm when everyone else is stuck in an office, but you probably didn’t log off until 2am, finishing up a project for a client who needed it at the last minute. Freelancing is not a static career. Sometimes you will have weeks with nothing to do and then you will get slammed with three or four projects at once. It’s some type of weird Murphy’s law at work. Projects never come when you want or need them too. They invariable come at the most inopportune time (eg, when your kid is sick, when YOU’RE sick, two days before vacation, on a Friday afternoon and needed by Monday). So, while you may be able to work in your jammies – you may also not be able to go to the beach, hang out with your friends as much, take the afternoon off. Like anything in life, it’s a trade-off (a worthwhile one in my opinion).

Ready to Work from Home:

If you're anything like I was you need to get out of the rat race for one reason or another.

• It might be because your paychecks just aren't measuring up to your bills.
• Or, you want to spend more time with your children, before they're grown up and don't need you anymore.
• Or perhaps your boss is real tough to get along with...

It actually doesn't matter why - you might have a long list of 'whys' - what matters here is 'how'. How to put an end to the madness of commutes, never enough time and never enough money!

The book I'm about to introduce you to is one that I once considered writing myself, but every time I thought to get to it I was either already on another project or vacationing with my family. That's why I was thrilled to find this book, already written and full of great information. (I've reviewed it closely, personally, to be sure you're getting the assistance and knowledge you need to succeed with freelancing...)

I'm not going to waste your time with a long story about how this is theinformation you need to get started right away in freelance opportunities, or fill your head with some notions that you'll be making more than you're making now in your 9 to 5 overnight - but you can get started right away, and you should be able to leave that crappy job behind within a few weeks. I will also tell you that countless opportunities exist for people who want to work from home and how it can work for your benefit. (And no, this isn't about signing up for surveys or paying to stuff envelopes - if you've fallen for those scams before I apologize, but those are not real work at home opportunities for real people!)

You see, there are hundreds, no thousands, of businesses online (and offline) that need people to do the tasks their staff is to busy to do, and they outsource hundreds and thousands of dollars worth of work everyday to people just like you and I.

This can be anything from typing documents, transcribing text from audio files, creating voice-overs, data entry, accounting, managing web design tasks, computer programming, script installations, and any other task you can think of that go with running a business online or off). Plus, many of these tasks - even if you don't know how to do them - can be learned very quickly and put into profit just as fast!

Whatever skill you may have to offer, there are likely many businesses right now looking for someone just like you. But you're not available, are you? You're too busy slugging it out for some 9-5, can't-pay-the-bills, J-O-B. And, the companies that need you, don't even know you exist...

Freelancing isn't all about the money though. One of the greatest aspects to freelancing is that you gain so much in freedom. You get to set your own hours, work at your own pace and set your own rates. If the pay isn't what you want - don't take the job. If the deadline is too tight - pass on the project.

You have complete freedom to decide what you do and don't do and for how much.

This isn't a dream - but the lifestyle and the freedom is!

In the book you'll learn how to utilize your skills typing, designing websites, working on the Internet, and more, via some pretty cool strategies.

And no, you don't need a large amount of money to start this. In fact, it costs nothing to get started in some instances. Plus you don't have to worry about this being some fluff-filled promise that is never going to materialize.

Freelance career options: how you can make money by freelancing!

Does the idea of spending the day with your pesky colleagues in the suffocating environment of your office put you off? Do you drag yourself to office everyday? Well then chuck your mundane 9 to 5 job and take up freelancing – pick assignments of your choice and earn a decent income, too! Even NRIs can become freelancers.   Teaching   One of the most respected professions of all time is teaching! Fortunately teaching isn’t limited to academics nowadays. You can conduct regular workshops on any topic you specialize in – personality development, arts and craft, flower arrangement, cookery, environment awareness and social issues, Vedic mathematics and even storytelling for kids!   Multimedia   Experienced professionals in the field of multimedia, animation and commercial art are in great demand. They’re sought after by media houses, software companies, advertising agencies and companies specializing in editing, animation and web designing to work on assignment basis. Though the projects demand creativity, originality and have strict deadlines, you can expect handsome earnings.   Translators   Globalization has melted boundaries, making travel and trade between countries a daily affair. Multinational companies (MNC) that have foreign delegates visiting them regularly but for short intervals are always on the look out for multi-lingual freelancers. For those of you who have a degree or a certificate in a foreign language under your belt, translation assignments are exciting and well-paying options.   Online careers   The internet is a treasure trove of opportunities for those who want to work as freelancers without having to leave the comforts of their homes. Business Process Outsourcing (BPOs) companies mushrooming everywhere are constantly on the lookout for medical, legal and business transcriptionists. The best part is that you don’t need a medical or legal background for these projects. Those who have a flair for writing can register on websites that offer creative writing and editing assignments. Coaching students across the globe online for a few hours daily is a good option for the academically inclined. Data-processing assignments like data entry and scanning, data capture and abstraction, are also good options for those willing to devote a fixed number of hours everyday.   Consultancy If you’ve got expertise and experience in a particular area, then you can become a freelance consultant. For example, business consultants can help startups establish and grow their businesses.  The idiom ‘Jack of all trades’ is passé. If you specialize in more than one field, you can juggle different assignments as a freelancer and earn envious incomes!  Do you know other lucrative freelancing options? Do you have any tips to offer someone who is starting out as a freelancer? Do you think freelancing is a great option fir experienced individuals but not for freshers?

CAREER IN THE FREELANCE WORLD

Goalsetting

Just as building a house requires a blueprint, building a career in the freelance world must be carefully crafted and mastered. First, and one of the most vital steps, is setting your goals. You should set specific, realistic and time-bound goals before making any further steps. 

For instance, you may set the number of projects you wish to handle in a month or the amount of money you wish to earn in six months. Goal setting disciplines you to have a direction so that you don't seem to be shooting in the dark when working.

Research

Think of freelancing as your days in school. Assignments are first given by teachers before giving you time-consuming projects. As a freelancer, you must do your assignment and research in the market about the field you wish to jump in. You may turn to newspapers, websites and even to other freelancers for tips and ideas. This is also a good way to know how much other freelancers are charging their clients. 

Part of researching in the market is joining both local and online organizations. This helps you build your network and meet new people who may be of help to you in your freelance career. Also, you never know how many clients you can seal deals with just by spreading the word that you perform the kind of job you love doing.

Execute

This is then the perfect time for you to set your plans to work. Make sure to read your goals each and every day to serve as your motivation to persevere in performing your tasks. 

Portfolio preparation. One of the most important steps in the execution part is creating your portfolio. A sample of your works becomes the best gauge for clients to be sure that you do have the talent and skills to accomplish projects. First, you may go as far as making projects for free or for low payments just to earn that much coveted portfolio. 

Then again, you can create your own portfolio without accepting projects from other people. This is your chance to turn your creative juices to work by using your talent on the specific type of work in your field which you love doing. This means that if you are a writer, you can simply get an article of your choice and rewrite it in your way. The same can be done if you plan to become a freelance graphic designer. You can get some designs online and create your own after using them as inspiration. 

A website also serves as a good venue for clients to view your portfolio. This is especially true if you are a freelance writer or a photographer. In the case of other freelancers like accountants or home inspectors, the next guideline should help you fish those great projects you wish to work on. 

Freelancer as a salesperson. You may be as talented as Leonardo Da Vinci, but nobody would care enough to hire you unless you catch their attention in the first place. This simply means that more often than not, before having the chance to show prospective clients your portfolio, your first audition to land a good project is through a cover letter. Your cover letter would require you to express in words what you are capable of doing. In a nutshell, it is a venue to sell yourself so that clients would consider viewing what you can show them. Some of the freelancing sites where you can sell your services to a very large base of clients are rentacoder, scriptlance, and getafreelancer.

Evaluate

After executing the steps above, it is now time to evaluate your work. You should be able to determine whether the steps you've been making for your freelance career are working. In case they aren't, needless to say you have to modify some steps and experiment some more. You should be able to create the style which works best for you in the freelance world.

Other points to remember

To quit or not to quit. You don't want to be like most freelancers who plunged into the freelancing pool thinking that they can earn money right after jumping in. Like swimming in a pool, you have to test the waters first before diving and leaving land. In freelance writing, it is best to live in this world part-time first and decide later if you think it is best to leave the world of employment.

Feeding piggy. It is a common knowledge in the freelancers' world that some clients give late payments. Thus, it is always best to have some extra money in your bank account.

ONLINE WORK HERE:

1. www.getafreelancer.com
2. www.eufreelancer.com
3. www.odesk.com 
4. www.elance.com
5. www.serebraconnect.com

IMPACT OF THE INTERNET

The Internet has opened up many freelance opportunities, expanded available markets, and has contributed to service sector growth in many economies. Offshore outsourcing and crowdsourcing are heavily reliant on the Internet to provide economical access to remote workers, and frequently leverage technology to manage workflow to and from the employer. Much of the computer freelance work is being outsourced to poorer countries outside the United States and Europe. This has spurred conflict because American and European workers are not receiving the benefits. The compromise has led to student freelancers that now provide a steady source of cheap labor while keeping jobs American and European.

As a result, freelance employment has been especially common in the areas of software development, website design, advertising, open innovations, information technology, and business process outsourcing.

Also, changes to the publishing industry since the 1980s have resulted in nearly all copy editing of book and journal manuscripts and proofreading of typeset manuscripts being outsourced to freelance copy editors and proofreaders.

BENEFITS

Freelancers generally enjoy a greater variety of assignments than in regular employment, and—subject to the need to earn a regular income—usually have more freedom to choose their work schedule. The experience can also lead to a broad portfolio of work and the establishment of a network of clients.

Sometimes a freelancer will work with one or more other freelancers and/or vendors to form a "virtual agency" to serve a particular client's needs for short-term and permanent project work. This versatile agency model can help a freelancer land jobs which require targeted, specific experience and skills outside the scope of one individual. As the clients change, so too may the players chosen for a virtual agency's talent base.

This can have a positive effect also. On occasion, freelancers and clients can form a relationship based on mutual needs and the professionalism, and competence of both parties.