Being a freelancer can be very rewarding work with a lot of benefits. You can sleep in, you can pick your clients and you’re your own boss. However, it can also be hard work and it takes a special level of dedication and commitment. Here are some ways you can maximise your chances of success as a freelancer, no matter the industry.

Create A Routine And Stick To It

Working as a freelancer means that you have the freedom to make the rules. You decide when you wake up, how long you work for and where you work. And while this can be a positive thing for a lot of people, it can also lead to procrastination. Having a routine gives your day structure and will allow you to be as productive as possible, something that is highly important for a freelancer.

 If you work from home, make an effort to wake up, shower and get dressed for the work the same way you would for an office job. This helps to get you into the right mindset for working. Take a lunch break and get away from your desk the same way you would any other job and finish up working for the day at a reasonable hour if you can. Structuring your time helps you focus on the task at hand and make the most of your spare time.

Find A Good Workspace

In order to work efficiently, you don’t just need a routine, you also need a work area that allows you to focus. Whether it’s a home office, a co-working space or a cafe you need to determine what type of working environment is best for you and where you are most productive. If you’re very social, being around other people might help your productivity or if a degree of focus is essential than a quiet workplace might be better.

This may be a process of trial and error but to up your game as a freelancer, a good workspace is essential. You should consider your comfort as well. Make sure you have a chair and desk where you are comfortable sitting for longer periods of time.

Build Your Personal Brand

Part of being a successful freelancer is marketing yourself and in order to market yourself, you need to create a personal brand. Personal branding is a powerful tool when you’re self-employed and is one of the keys to promoting your work and generating business.

Your personal brand can be defined as how you are perceived and what people think of when they hear your name but that doesn’t necessarily mean that your personal brand is all about you. It’s about marketing how you will bring value to a client and establishing how you will solve whatever problem they might have.

Branding is about storytelling and creating a  narrative and this narrative should inform your personal vision or statement. From a practical point of view, to build your personal brand it can be effective to create a brand identity through a graphic logo with a personal statement that you can use on your website and social media accounts.

Remember, that when you’re online your behaviour should reflect and be in line with your personal brand. Think before you post – does this add to my brand?

Educate Yourself About Invoicing And Taxes

As a freelancer, everybody wants work and everybody wants to get paid. However, one of the less exciting parts of being a successful freelancer is also one of the most important parts and this is understanding money.

It doesn’t mean that you need to be an accounting whiz – but to boost your success as a freelancer, it is important that you know some of the basics of invoicing and taxes. This is so you know how much to charge, what taxes you need to pay, how you invoice clients and when to follow up on payments.

When you’re self-employed, your tax-reporting is important since you’re the only person who is responsible for making sure that all your tax information is right.

Have An Online Presence

Living in the digital age means that it is essential as a freelancer to have an online presence as many clients hire freelancers online. You should aim to make yourself as searchable as possible to maximise your opportunities.

To up your game as a freelancer, sign up for every job search engine that is available, ensure that your website is up-to-date and share your work on your social media platforms.

A website is essential as it acts as your portfolio and gives you a chance to show testimonials from previous clients as well. Make sure website looks legitimate and easy to navigate. Be concise and provide links to social media accounts as well as contact details.

Another way to have an online presence is to engage with online communities of fellow freelancers in your industry. This not only gives you a sense of community in an what can be a lonely job, but it gives you a chance to share ideas with and learn from other people doing the same thing as you. In these spaces, people will often post about jobs they’ve heard about or potential clients people can work for. The online world can present great opportunities for networking especially for freelancers who don’t necessarily interact with other people when working from home.

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Jade Anderson is an experienced In-house Editor at Upskilled. With a background in online marketing, Jade has always had a love for the written word. She enjoys being able to combine these skills with her passion for the education industry.