Should you go into freelancing?
When deciding to go into the field of freelancing, there are many things you should consider. Different people do it for different reasons and it is important that you know why you're doing it.
First you need to determine why you want to do freelancing. Is it because you want to make more money? Do you want to work for yourself? Are you doing just to earn extra cash while still maintaining a fulltime job? Whatever the reason, it will help now and in the future to be clear on your ambition, even if it’s only so you can check back occasionally.
It is crucial to figure out how much money you require in order to maintain a lifestyle that suites you. It is useful to know what your break even point is, that way to can better estimate the amount of projects you will need to take on.
Now what? Getting work.
So you’ve decided to go solo. Great! Now you have to actually go out and find work. Not everyone has gone to your portfolio site or reads your blog, so you have to be your own marketing department and get your name out there.
The first and easiest way to do this is just to tell your friends, family, or anyone else that might be connected to potential clients. Let them know you are available for work and what kinds of things you do such as web design, Flash, or graphic design. If they are someone more technically savvy or are in the industry, go into more detail i.e. Actionscript 3.0 programming, PHP, or ASP.net experience.
This is the time to mention a personal portfolio site. It should go without saying that an online portfolio is crucial to you getting work. Think of yourself as a company, you need an online presence just the way Nike does. What you put on your site is a matter of preference, and should be determined based on the types of work you do and clients you want to attract. As a general rule you should at least include examples of your best work, the talents and skills you posses, as well as contact information. It is also critical that you keep your site updated in one form of another. Never let your content become static by constantly adding portfolio pieces or by creating a blog about your industry interests. This way you clients will know that your still open for work as well as where your interests are.
Last is actually getting your name out there. This is an area that has evolved tremendously in recent years. There are a variety of websites that you can turn to now to post your skill set and also to search for work. Craigslist.com has become a huge proponent of this recently and it’s a great place to start. Your personal sites such as Facebook, MySpace, or a personal blog are also great places to begin advertising yourself. Consider these medias like free marketing for yourself and treat them like you would an online ad for yourself.
There are also sites out there and marketing methods available that you can choose to pay for. Google AdWords is a great example of this. You can also go the other way and learn Search Engine Optimization as a way to organically improve your online presence.