Are you just starting your freelancing journey? Get in here! These ten tips are sure to help you start strong.

1. Choose the Right Niche
In addition to working from the comfort of your home, freelancing offers you the opportunity to select which projects you would like to work on, and how to go about them. While there are several niches available to choose from - writing, designing, programming, IT consult, content management, SEO expertise, and others - it is important that you go for one that you are experienced and well-versed in.

2. An Impressive Portfolio Is Key
Having selected your area of expertise, the next is creating your portfolio, if you have none. Irrespective of whether you are into freelancing for self-employment or as a career opportunity, you can only win big jobs by convincing your potential clients of your abilities. You can begin by asking a friendly client you have once worked for to allow you to showcase their projects as a sample, so as to show other clients your professional abilities and expertise. In cases of sensitive projects, you can create a sample project that projects your skills as much as possible.

3. Don't Despair Humble Beginnings
You are just coming into the game, thus, you need to prove yourself time and again. You should be ready to take up every opportunity, and convert it into a successful outing. As you progress in your freelancing journey, you will also understand the simple details of the job, particularly now that you are working without supervision. See every project as a launch pad to more profitable projects, and create lasting relationships with clients, while showing how dedicated and passionate you are to your job.

4. Networking is key
No one will generate your work leads for you; being on your own requires you to do that. The best means of generating leads is effective networking, especially on the social media. Inform your colleagues, associates, friends and acquaintances of your availability to take up related projects, and your willingness to leverage your skills and expertise. Captivating profiles on networking sites is an additional bonus, as it improves your visibility.

5. Create a Blog
Blogs are very common these days due to its several benefits. With a blog, you have somewhere to refer your clients to for your previous works. You also get to update your projects, snippets of your work, alongside your professional skills. In addition to creating more opportunities and exposure for you, there are several other future benefits that comes with investing your time into blogging.

6. Always Do Your Research
Freelancing entails more than just posing for projects from clients. You need to be conversant with other things like billing, after all, freelancing involves getting the right fee for a particular project. As a newbie, you probably have a different work profile, thus there is the need for you to know what obtains in your industry or niche before bidding for a job, or taking up a project. A little inquiry on what your colleagues in the niche charges for projects will put you in a strong position to negotiate accordingly, while considering your work experience, level of expertise, and educational background.

7. Deliver As Promised
To thrive as a freelancer, you must ensure you build and maintain a good reputation. Hence, you must handle every work commitment seriously. Do not be desperate to get a job; do not underbid and later quit halfway through because you discover that you might not be making a profit from such project. Promise only realistic deadlines, and do not take up jobs outside your competency and expertise. Doing any of these will kill your reputation, thus, reducing your chances of getting consistent work and great clients.

8. Try Regular Working Hours
You may be tempted to just sit and while away the time, after all, at the end of the day you are home, or spent too much time without getting a satisfactory pay. To succeed as a freelancer, you must be able to balance your personal time and working hours. Practice regular working hours, just like in a regular job. This helps you to plan better for any project, determining the time required and hence the right fee to quote. You will find hourly paid jobs the better option, as a newbie, because it offers a clearer understanding of resource allocations and planning.

9. Ask Clients For Recommendations
As a starter, you are definitely interested in having more and more jobs. To achieve this, you must build positive relationships with all your clients, such that you can ask them for recommendations that will increase your chances of landing more work opportunities, as well as referrals.

10. Work With Dependable Freelancing Portals
For some level of "job security," it is highly recommended that you stick to reputable freelancing portals like Taskleads. Such platforms offer you the chance to meet with clients, debate and agree on contract terms, and take up any project you find suitable. In the absence of freelancing platforms, freelancers had to wait for the clients' approach, and as such, they may wait for a long time without any job. In freelancing portals available today, you can meet several clients, and you have several nice projects to choose from and build your portfolio.

By keeping these simple tips in mind, you will find your journey to becoming a successful freelancer quite easier. Just see it as starting a business from scratch; it requires proper planning and nurturing.
Good luck!

By: Taskleads