How To Become A Freelancer — Escape the 9-to-5 Work Job

Whether you want to make money in your free time by starting a side hustle or breaking free from the confines of a 9-to-5 job, this free guide on how to become a freelancer is going to be easy to understand and highly informative.

If you’re only here for fun and are not taking this seriously, I suggest finding something else to read. Pay close attention until the end, and don’t skip anything.

Believe me, as a freelance writer, developer, and digital marketing expert for the past five+ years, I am well-equipped to help you make money as a freelancer.

I’ve come across several online posts written by authors who have never made a single dollar from freelancing or working online, yet they try to teach you.

Here is my Freelancer profile. If you want to look for it, that’s just one way to make money as a freelancer.

Let’s delve into ‘how to become a freelancer’ in detail in this 5-step beginner’s guide.

Why Freelancing?

Before delving into ‘how to become a freelancer with your heart and soul,’ it’s necessary to understand how lucrative freelancing can be for you.

Yes, I don’t want you to give up so soon.

5 Best Reasons to Start Freelancing:

1. Flexibility of time and job — work for desired clients on your own terms.
2. Higher Pay ($10 to $800/hr) — set your own project fee or hourly rate, often higher than office jobs.
3. Faster growth — exponentially increase earnings as your reputation grows, unlike traditional jobs.
4. Referral income — satisfied clients offer new jobs and refer you to others.
5. Be your own boss, set your own rules.

How To Become A Freelancer?

Freelancing isn’t as hard as believed. My first client was a Filipino book writer in 2017 who needed a website before her book launch. You don’t have to be a web developer to become a freelancer.

We will discuss all of the above 7 steps to become a freelancer in detail. Don’t miss any part of this post.

Are you ready? Here we go !!

1. Learn an In-Demand Skill for Freelancing

Whether you want to sell online or offline, you will need products.

Similarly, for a freelancer, their different skills based services they offer, are the products that help them make money.

Any beginner with basic computer skills can be a virtual assistant, data entry expert, or freelance customer support executive.

However, to excel and make up to $1000 per hour, you need high-demand and high-paying skills.

Freelancing sites like Fiverr, Upwork, and others can help you find the right skills you may need.

Here are a few high-paying skills you can learn in the next 30 days and bring in good money (No coding skills required):

1. WordPress web designing
2. Content writing
3. Video editing
4. Facebook And Google Ads
5. Graphics designing

Though it will take some time to master, with the supervision of an expert like (choose someone you prefer), you will never have a problem learning and making money.

Great! I will save this post for future reference and subscribe to never miss an update about tips and tricks on freelancing.

If you want to learn any skills of your choice or if you already have certain skills that are in demand or want to sell, let’s jump to the next step.

2. List Your Services on Freelancing Websites

Now, you know what kind of freelancing services you wish to sell to potential employers who are happy to pay for them.

Freelancing sites are the quickest ways to build a portfolio and acquire clients if you don’t want to spend money on PPC search ads.

But what if you don’t know how much to charge?

Honestly, I would suggest that as a beginner, you should charge 40 to 50% of what your peers charge for the same kind of services on any freelancing platform.

So basically, I would suggest registering on freelancing websites like Upwork, Fiverr, PeoplePerHour, and several others that I have shared in my list of 21 secret websites.

The process tends to be quite easy and almost free on every platform.

1. Register on any Freelancing platform.
2. Complete your profile details and skills as requested.
3. List your services.
4. Start bidding on projects or promote yourself outside the platform.
5. Get hired.

Here is a complete guide on how to create a freelancing profile on a top-rated freelancing network called Upwork.

In a similar way, I would suggest creating a profile and listing your freelancing services on a few very popular freelancing sites like Fiverr.

3. Promote Your Freelancing Services in Different Ways

Unlike 9 to 5 jobs, it’s easy to make big unlimited money as a freelancer. However, it can be hard to find your first client and consistently make money to run a profitable side hustle.

Yes, freelancing can be your side hustle, but creating a profile on a freelancing site and listing services alone won’t guarantee good money.

You need to have a better marketing plan. The more people (businesses) you reach out to and the more bids employers read, the higher your chances of consistently getting projects.

But the hard and fast reality is that you need better marketing for this.

You can follow the following quick guide to get your first freelancing client, or you can avail my paid consulting services here:

1. Bid on more and more projects (send proposals) on freelancing sites.
2. Find businesses with needs and send them an email offering your help.
3. Run ads on Facebook and Google to generate leads.
4. Try influencer marketing.
5. Send cold direct messages on different social media accounts to individuals or businesses that may need your services.

Remember, not everyone will have the same needs. If someone has a business, they may need a website or a professional email address.

On freelancing platforms, it’s easy to find projects that you can deliver, but on Google or social media, you need to find the right prospects for yourself.

4. Get Hired and Build Your Portfolio of Work

Earlier, I have shared several secret tips and powerful ways to start and get your first freelancing project.

But for anyone who wants to learn “how to become a freelancer,” it’s important to focus on building a portfolio (online reputation) that tells potential employers how good you are in your skills and assures them that they will get satisfactory work.

Trust is really important in the freelancing business, and the more 5-star ratings you collect on your freelancing profile on any platform, the better you can grow and make money.

It’s like having a certificate that proves you are qualified and have good grades.

To build a good reputation, simply follow this process:

• Get hired and deliver the work as expected.
• Never over-charge or ask for extra money.
• After completing the work, encourage the employer to leave a good review.
• If they forget to do so, you can politely ask them to leave a review on the project.
• Complete more and more projects and aim to maintain a rating of 4 and above out of 5 on your freelancer profile.

If you have not been hired through any freelancing platform, make sure to ask for a video review (testimonial), and you can showcase the project on your own website (if you don’t have one, you should create one).

5. Engage, Build a Community, and Make Money

Remember, there are many posts on the internet filled with generic advice about how to become a freelancer that don’t work, but I have years of experience as a freelancer and don’t want you to fail.

I can be your personal coach to help you earn $2000 to $10000 a month. You can contact me here, but as long as you are reading this article, you should already have the clarity.

More than getting hired and making money, it’s important to make your clients feel extremely delighted and honoured to work with you.

The more professionally you address and reply to the project requests, and the more you reach out to your clients with different offers and best wishes, the stronger bond you will be able to build.

Clients will love to pay you higher and hire you again and again instead of looking for other freelancers.

Keep in mind that if you want to become a successful freelancer, focus on a few related niches and build a community that loves you, believes in you, and works with you.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

It’s time to answer a few commonly asked questions, which will make it a lot easier for you to decide whether you should become a freelancer, earn online, or remain happy in your 9 to 5 job.

👉 What is freelancing and how does it work?

Freelancing is the newest and most popular way to make money from the comfort of your home or anywhere you like, with an internet connection and a PC to work on different projects on your terms for clients across the globe.

In this exclusive guide “How to Become a Freelancer,” we have already covered in detail how freelancing works and how you can make good money as a freelancer.

Just read the entire free guide (Above)!

👉 How to start freelancing with no skills?

Anyone can become a freelancer with basic computer skills and the right coach to guide you. There are different kinds of work that you can do as a beginner with any kind of specialized skills, such as data entry, link building, social media management, virtual assistant, and similar small tasks that take less than a week to master.

👉 Types of freelancing jobs?

By 2023, the global freelance market economy is likely to reach $455 billion USD, and that’s why there are endless opportunities for you.

As a freelancer, you can provide a wide range of services such as:

1. Web designing
2. Digital marketing
3. Content writing
4. Virtual assistant
5. Data entry
6. CAD/CAM designing
7. UI/UX programming

There are over 200 types of jobs that you can find on various freelancing platforms or work on as a freelancer.

👉 Best freelancing websites?

Some of the best freelancing websites are:

1. Upwork (www.upwork.com)
2. Freelancer (www.freelancer.com)
3. Fiverr (www.fiverr.com)
4. Guru (www.guru.com)
5. Toptal (www.toptal.com)
6. PeoplePerHour (www.peopleperhour.com)
7. 99designs (www.99designs.com)
8. Remote.co (www.remote.co)
9. Simply Hired (www.simplyhired.com)
10. FlexJobs (www.flexjobs.com)

Please note that the popularity and quality of freelancing platforms can change over time, so I recommend checking recent reviews and rankings to find the best platforms currently available.

The Bottom Line

Freelancing offers immense opportunities to work on diverse projects, earn money on your terms, and build a rewarding career.

With dedication, the right skills, and a strong work ethic, you can thrive as a freelancer and enjoy the freedom to work on your own schedule.

If you want to learn more or stay updated with the latest trends, subscribe to my mailing list.

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