Websites 4 Small Business Newsletter
1 August 2005

SO YOU WANT TO BE A FREELANCER? HERE'S HOW.
By Vishal P. Rao

Not that long ago, freelancing was something people did mainly in 
larger metropolitan areas where work for writers, artists, and 
other creative types was plentiful and easily accessible. Today, 
however, the freelance landscape has dramatically changed.

For one, you can live practically anywhere in the world and still 
be able to maintain a successful freelance career. Not to mention 
that the creative fields aren't the only areas where freelancing 
is popular any more.

Today, accountants, trainers, computer technicians, etc. are all 
able to earn a living as freelancers. Regardless of the freelancing 
field you are interested in, there are some important things you 
should know that will help you get started and get successful.

Before we discuss those, however, we need to talk briefly about 
the pros and the cons of being a freelancer. You need to know 
both sides before you make your decision so you truly understand 
what you're getting into.

Freelancer Pros

1. You set your own schedule
As a freelancer, you get to determine what time you get out of 
bed and what time you turn in at night. You get to decide how 
much vacation time you can afford to take this year and you 
can elect to skip work one afternoon to spend time with your 
children.

2. You don't work for a boss
Even though you are answerable to your clients, they don't 
wield the same power over your life that a boss does. Yes, they
can fire you, but you can also quit working for them if things 
get too difficult.

3. You determine how much you earn
While a conventional job pays a set amount of money regardless of 
how hard you work (and in some cases how long you work), 
freelancing allows you to make practically any amount of money 
that you wish because you determine how much your services cost 
and how many jobs you take on at one time.

4. You are able to work from your own office
Whether you prefer working in a home office or renting space 
somewhere to do your business, you are in charge of designing and 
maintaining your own comfortable office. You get to pick the 
people you work with. You get to pick the type of computer, 
post-it notes, and bottled water that you use on a daily basis 
also.

Freelancers Cons

1. You can become overworked quickly
When you start working steadily as a freelancer, it becomes 
nearly impossible for you to truly take a vacation. You have 
projects and clients that need your constant attention, so being 
gone or getting sick even for a day can put you behind schedule.

2. You have to deal with clients who can be more difficult than 
bosses.  Most of the clients freelancers work with are genuinely 
good people, but there are others out there that are not. Every 
freelancer has probably been ripped off by a client at one time 
or another, even if they take steps to protect themselves.

3. You don't have a steady income
Unless you have one or two truly constant streams of work, you 
can expect your income to fluctuate dramatically. Some months you 
may feel like you struck the lottery while others may make you 
think you're heading for the food stamp line, especially when you 
are starting out.

4. You don't have a way to separate work from home life
If you have a home office, you may find it difficult to recognize 
the difference between being at home and being at work which 
means that while your watching television or eating dinner you 
may begin to feel like you're actually still on the job.

As you can see, each positive has a negative aspect as well. 
However, many of these negatives can be easily handled once you 
have experience as a freelancer, but to get to that point, you 
need to know how to get started.

Find Something You Enjoy Doing

This is critical to your success. If you don't already have 
something in mind to do as a freelancer, you need to be sure that 
you pick an activity that you truly love. Remember, you will be 
doing this type of work every day. Also, the more you enjoy your 
work, the more passionate you are about it. Potential clients 
will spot that passion and will be more inclined to work with you.

Save Some Money

Most freelancers actually start out as conventional 9-5 workers. 
In fact, many of them maintain their full-time jobs in addition 
to their freelance work for the sake of a stable income, health 
insurance, or other benefits. If you choose to go freelance 
full-time, however, you need to be sure to have a comfortable 
nest egg in the bank. Most experts agree that you should have 
enough money in your savings to cover six months worth of your 
basic necessities. If that sounds impossible, then try juggling 
some freelance work with your regular job for awhile. Save up all 
of the money you earn from your freelance work and use that as 
your nest egg.

Start Finding Clients Today

One mistake that freelancers often make is that think they can 
only start networking and marketing their services after they've 
gotten started. The truth is that if you're considering becoming 
a freelancer, now is the time to start networking and marketing. 
Let people know that you are thinking about going solo and get 
their reactions. Start building a database of possible job leads. 
In fact, you may want to line up some work beforehand so you can 
be sure of having an income initially.

Be Prepared

Most potential clients will want to see references and/or samples 
of your work before they give you a project. You need to have 
these prepared in advance. Don't wait until someone calls to 
possibly offer you a project to get your portfolio in order or to 
line up some qualified references. Have those ready to dispatch 
as soon as you get off the phone or finish the email.

Find an Accountant

The most difficult part of freelancing can be the handling the 
financial aspects: tracking invoices, staying on top of bills, 
figuring your yearly taxes, etc. Unless you are already skilled 
in accounting, you need to find someone to help you out with this 
from the beginning. It makes it much simpler for you and for the 
accountant.

Start a Web Site

Use the Internet to your advantage. Create a professional-looking 
but simple web site advertising your experience and your 
services, then place it on the Internet. It's one of the best 
ways of attracting new clients.

These suggestions will help you start your freelancing career on 
the right foot, but the most important key to your success will 
be your perseverance. If you give up easily or don't follow 
through with things, you may never truly make it as a freelancer. 
You must be able to take rejection. You must be self-motivated, 
and you must be persistent. Only then will you be able to 
experience firsthand all of the benefits of being a modern 
freelancer.

Useful sites:

http://www.elance.com
http://www.guru.com
http://www.allfreelance.com

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Vishal P. Rao is the editor of Home Based Business Opportunities 
- A website dedicated to opportunities, ideas and resources for 
starting a home based business. He also runs the Work at Home 
Forum - an online community of folks who work at home.

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