How to Freelance

Are you tired of being an employee experiencing the daily grind? If your answer is yes, now would be the time to consider freelancing your experience and skills. Freelancing is quickly becoming the profession which is bringing artists into the future. These artists include:
• Accountants/Bookkeepers
• Appraisers
• Chefs
• Writers
• Film Animators
• Financial Planners
• Cartographers
• Photographers
• Computer Programmers
• Corporate Event Planners
• Furniture Restorers/Repairers
• Web Designers
• Private Investigators
• Professional Organizers
• Set Designers
• Seamstresses
• Data Entry/Processors
• Fundraisers
• Interpreters/Translators
• Interior Designers
• Upholsterers
• Tutors
• Editors/Copy Editors
• Floral Arrangers
• Graphic Designers
• Home Inspectors
• Landscapers
• Telemarketers
• Package Designers
• Crafters
• Medical Billers
• Party Planners
• Political Consultants
• Engineers
• Estheticians
• Massage Therapists
• Sales and Marketing Consultants
• Seamstresses
This is just to name some of the talented artists who are freelancing nowadays. This list goes on!
Businesses are beginning to scale back on expenses, including their workforce, and they are turning to the freelancing market for help. If you’ve got experience in any of the above areas, or something different, there is a great chance that you can insert your expertise into the freelancing business quite easily. There are an amazing amount of clients out there looking for your skills and willing to pay good money to utilize them.
Freedom
As far as most are concerned, “freedom” would be the biggest perk of freelancing. You can work when you want, and take the jobs that you want. You can take vacations when you want, with no one to answer to, for as long as you want.
However, in exchange for this newfound freedom also comes risk. In freelancing your talents, your next paycheck is never guaranteed. But don’t fret, because over time, given good work, old clients will return and new clients will want your services. Do what you love and do it well. Be vigilant in your search for jobs daily and before you know it, they will be coming to you, and at some point you will have to actually turn work down.
Research
Be sure to research others who are offering the same service as you and note what they are getting paid. Search your local paper and the internet freelancing sites to get a taste for the market you are interested in. Learn how to bid on jobs and be sure to write your bids in a correct, grammatically precise manner. Spelling and punctuation are important. If you don’t follow this step, clients may pass you by.
Locate other freelancers who do what you are looking to do. Talk to them about their business and where most of their work comes from. This will be extremely helpful in helping you to carve out a niche and fill a current opening in the market.
If there is a large market of freelancers doing what you do, try researching “teaching” what you love instead of doing the actual job. Teaching is a huge up-and-coming market in the freelancing profession.
Don’t Quit Your Day Job Immediately
Take time to establish yourself in your field. It takes time to build a clientele and get good reviews and return customers. Any good business takes work to build to its full potential. However, given a little hard work and determination, freelancing can be more lucrative then your 9-5 job.
It would be in your best interest to begin your freelancing business during your free time and work it for a good six months to a year, while putting your $$ away for unpredictable down time.
Generating Business
Finding clients is the number-one challenge for any freelancer who is just starting out. How do you attract clients if you’ve never had any? Below are some tips to help you with same.

1. Develop your profile/portfolio to establish the scope of your skills. Initially, if that requires doing some work for low pay, that’s fine. This will help you to build a return clientele and also provide you with some samples to display.
2. Referrals make up a huge portion of your business. Tell everyone you know about your new freelancing career and be sure to announce it on social media sites. Word-of-mouth can go a long way.
3. Be sure to list any degrees or certifications you possess and get new ones if need be. Join professional organizations which are related to your field. This is a great way to get referrals.
4. Volunteer in your community. This is a perfect way to broaden your network and gain potential clients.
   Accept rejection. It comes with the territory. Learn what you can from it and move on. But never stop trying.