Imagine this. You get to work from home or anywhere in the world for that matter, be your own boss, make your own schedule, work with new clients and pick your clients! Best of all, you are making a good income from the comfort of your own home. That is the dream and for many has become a reality.
Take Alex Fasulo for example. In a Forbes interview, she talked about becoming a freelancer and her success. Consistently making six figures and for the past three years has ranked in the highest-earning freelancers on the platform Fiverr (a freelancing website). Fasulo easily brings in over $350,000, annually. Currently, she is teaching others how to become a writer and the in’s and out’s of freelance writing jobs, and how to choose a freelance writing niche. Get this, she was only 22 when she started! This experience highlights the fact that anyone can do this and if you are motivated and committed to making it work then you can definitely see great success.
If you aren’t already familiar with what freelancing is or if you simply have never heard of freelancing before, let me break it down for you. Freelancing is a form of entrepreneurship, however, instead of selling products, you are selling your services online. Say you have a passion for social media, or you love writing, then why not become a freelancer? The hardest part is always starting.
Fasulo highlights her experience as a freelancer and shares some of her top tips for anyone who wants to learn how to become a writer. Also, added are some extra, helpful tips to take your content writing from beginner to entrepreneur and help you land countless freelancing writing jobs.
Let people know who you are
While sometimes it’s convenient and easy to hide behind your laptop, letting people know who you are and giving them a more personal look into who you are can really help land clients. Fasulo states “I was always transparent with my appearance on Fiverr and used a photo to show that I am a real person! This helped me stand out amongst the spam.” Fasulo is certain this was how she was able to attract her clients and gain traction on Fiverr.
Now, you may be asking yourself. How do I show up on Fiverr and online in a way that makes clients feel like they know me personally and are willing to trust me and ultimately, hire me? First of all, you have to understand how many people are competing for the job. Those who post job requests on Fiverr or any legit freelancing platform for that matter (Upwork is also a great one) will get anywhere from 10 – 30, sometimes even more, applications for the job. So, the need to stand out is crucial! Share who you are on your profile, pictures of your dog or your cat, a little background about who you are and what you do, why you are a freelancer and why you care about the work you do. Creating and maintaining this social presence helps show potential clients that you are a legitimate person who has freelancing skills plus is a nice person to work with. The ultimate combo.
Go above and beyond right from the start
This should be a given, especially for those who are really motivated to make this career path stick. Go above and beyond right from the very beginning. You always need to be thinking long-term. Think to yourself “this client could potentially turn into a long-term, paying client of mine” that mindset will help you land clients and gain traction.
When Fasulo first began on Fiverr, she claims her first year was far from easy. She states “I learned very quickly to go above and beyond for every client, and to ascribe to the ‘customer is always right’ policy,” she reflected. “What mattered most was making sure the customer was happy, so that they’d leave a five-star review.” Because Fiverr recognised the number of 5-star reviews she was receiving, she was able to go from charging $15 per press release to $100. Huge difference.
Whether you are starting from day 1 or you have become an established freelancer, the rule stays the same, you need to treat your clients and potential clients with respect and kindness. All of your customers deserve the 5-star experience and never forget that these clients are trusting you and paying you to help them out. If you are treating every client at a 5-star level, you will soon see those great reviews roll in (that is, if you do the job well too) meaning you can earn more in the future. Creating this friendly, long-term relationship with your clients also means they are more likely to refer you to their friends or business networks.
Make writing a habit
Unlike other jobs, writing doesn’t always just come to you. You may be lying in bed at 2 am and suddenly think of the best opening paragraph for your next article, yet be sitting at your desk, 3 pm on a Tuesday, struggling to even make a plan. Sadly, creativity doesn’t work like your typical 9-5 job. You may go days without feeling inspired or stuck with writer’s block then boom, the next day your hands can’t stay away from the keyboard.
But when this becomes your job and primary income then writer’s block and lack of creativity aren’t viable excuses. To combat these periods of writer’s block, set aside time every day for writing. It doesn’t matter how long you do this for, the point is to do it consistently to make it a habit. Once writing becomes a habit then you will have no issues trying to finish your client’s work on time.
Make a plan!
Planning is hands down, the most important part of writing any piece of content. Have you ever experienced sitting down, opening your computer and having no idea how to start? Me too!
Planning looks different for everybody and everyone has a method that works best for them. I like to make a brainstorm with some pen and paper and really just spew all my thoughts out. If you are working for a client, you most likely already have a set topic you will write about. This is where researching becomes your best friend, especially, if you aren’t familiar with the topic. Researching includes reading different articles about the topic and taking important notes. Reading these articles also helps me plan my headings for my work.
Once you have completed your research and created the main headings for your article then you are ready to begin writing your draft. You don’t need an incredibly detailed plan, just something simple that will keep you on track and writing with a good flow.
Making the decision to start is the hardest part. If you have a passion for writing and you want to work for yourself then freelancing is definitely for you. Fasulo says in the Forbes interview, “I never expected that I could make this much money doing what I love while being so young,” This just proves anyone can do it and become wildly successful.