If you want to start your own freelance business, you’ve come to the right place. It’s a fact that when COVID-19 invaded our nests, the majority of in-office workers suffered from some kind of job trauma. Many even lost their jobs and their sources of bread and butter were completely blocked. At that time, many wished to have their own online business that could run things in times like these.
Well, it’s never late to start a new business, especially an online freelance business that doesn’t require a lot of investing to get started. However, due to the versatility of online freelance businesses, they are hard to get right, especially by people who don’t have prior experience in the area. However, with proper guidelines, you can make sure you’re on the right track.
Here are 5 Tips to Launch Your Freelance Business Online
1. Don’t be held back by your computer
To start a freelance business, the first thing you need is a computer. While a desktop computer may also work, I recommend a laptop due to its portability. You may have an old laptop sitting around, but don’t rely on it, especially if it’s 5+ years old.
If your business is going to provide hardware-intensive services like video editing and processing, you’d need a laptop that’s powerful enough. For services like writing and graphic designing, you won’t need a laptop that powerful. Figure out your needs and research which specifications would be the best for you. Then, find a laptop that fits your budget and needs. The last thing you need is to be held back by the performance of your machine.
2. Don’t rush to take every project
Some fresh freelancers often make the mistake of taking on every project they can get their hands on, even if it’s extremely underpaid. Don’t do that, especially if you have prior experience in the service you’re going to provide.
If you have absolutely no experience in the service, then it might be a viable option to take on cheap projects, but they still don’t have to be underpaid. Research market prices, know the worth of your work, then price yourself accordingly.
3. Don’t quit your day job
No, I’m not saying you should never quit your day job — I say don’t quit it until you have several permanent clients you can rely on. You see, many freelancers make the mistake of quitting their day job as soon as they land their first batch of freelance clients. Then, they suffer from a series of financial inconsistencies when one or more of their clients leave.
Remember, clients are unpredictable; they may leave at any time — unless you have a long-term contract signed with them. Before leaving your day job, find and get hired by several long-term clients. That way, even if a few of those clients leave, you won’t suffer from a personal financial crisis. Check personal finance statistics in 2021 if you need more information about this.
4. Expand your business to multiple platforms
Here’s another mistake that many freelance business owners make: they rely only on a single platform, i.e., Fiverr, Upwork, Guru, or others. However, that’s not the ideal way to run a freelance business as if your account gets blocked for any unexpected reason, you suddenly lose access to all your income.
To avoid this crisis, expand your business to multiple platforms. Moreover, learn how to work outside of a platform by building your business website and getting clients directly on it.
5. Register your company
If you’re willing to launch your freelance business in the name of a company, you’d need to register it in your respective chamber of commerce. However, there are platforms available today that let you do company registration online. For example, if you want to register your company in China, seek China company register services to help you establish your brand and meet all the requirements!
As the pandemic taught us we can never be sure about what’s coming next in our professional lives, having an online freelance business is a perfect side project to take on challenging times like these.
However, freelance businesses could be tricky to launch due to various inconsistencies and unpredictability involved. This article provides a basic insight into what you should or shouldn’t do to get it right.
Watch this space for updates in the Hacks category on Running Wolf’s Rant.
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