Freelancing tips for beginners

Here are 5 simple but effective freelancing tips for beginners:

1. Set up a professional website

There are so many affordable yet professional web builders around. Whether you opt for Squarespace, WordPress or Wix, the key is to have a website that looks good and conveys the right brand image for you. With the sea of information available on how to create a professional website, there’s really no excuse for not having one. The first thing most of us do when considering a new service or brand is to look it up on Google. The same way you look up reviews or stocks online before you buy anything, freelancers’ employers also do the same thing. As you’re about to embark on a freelancing career, think of yourself as a product and have a website to promote yourself with. Not having one suggests that you’re behind times or just not bothered. It doesn’t have to be fancy. It just needs to make you look good.

2. Focus on building a portfolio

As a new freelancer, you might not have many examples of work you’ve done, but a portfolio can take many forms. It can be as basic as a blog to showcase your writing style, or short case studies in the form of YouTube videos, Instagram posts, and pictorial content to showcase projects you’ve done in school, as an intern, or in volunteer work. The point is to have a record of what you’ve done and to present it in a compelling way to illustrate your skills and expertise.

3. Get written testimonials

Testimonials by customers, peers or previous superiors are how you inspire confidence and build up your credibility. They don’t have to be long paragraphs or essays. The best testimonials are simple one-liners or reviews that are thoughtfully written with a genuine account of your abilities and professional conduct. Testimonials and reviews are organic advertising, which is the most trusted form of endorsement in our current age.

4. Be shameless about name dropping

If you’ve worked with global brands or well-established institutions either as an employed individual, intern, volunteer or freelancer, by all means, highlight these names on your website. The fact that you have experience working with reputable organizations says a lot about your integrity and professionalism. It’s proof that you are a trusted professional.

5. Get referrals from your personal network

One of the best ways to establish your professional credibility is via word-of-mouth marketing. People only recommend individuals or businesses they trust in and like, and recommendations by friends and family are always valued much higher than a stranger’s opinion. So don’t be shy. Get your personal network to spread the word about your freelance services and to share their personal recommendation. You never know what opportunities you’ll come across that way.