Freelancing can be very demanding, guys. Spending numerous hours looking for work on Fiverr and UpWork only to compete for a position against someone ready to do it for a fraction of your price.
It’s awful! And you look at other successful freelancers and wonder to yourself: “how the heck do they do it?!”
We’ve all been in that situation. Folks, everyone has to start somewhere. But the difference between successful freelancers and those who are just starting out is fairly simple – mostly it’s in your head.
Successful freelancers consider themselves a business.
This one tiny mental shift makes all the difference. Those that handle their freelancing business as a business do a few things differently.
They define their niche
Successful freelancers know that trying to please everyone will result in attracting no one. You’ve got to choose a target audience and market yourself accordingly. If you can target a certain group of people, your product, brand, messaging, and marketing will all be stronger.
They focus on bringing value to their ideal clients
Successful freelancers know how to talk to their target audience and promote their services in a way that gets more clients. A strong freelance website will captivate and engage your target audience, and they’ll be coming back for more. Most companies can clearly state what they do for a client and WHY they should do business with them. You’ll get more clients at greater rates if you learn to communicate your value.
They create systems and processes
The terms “systems” and “processes” are unattractive. That’s correct. Is it, however, boring to make more money? Or having extra time on your hands? Businesses create processes to automate simple, repetitive procedures, saving time and money. Freelancers can use processes for billing, onboarding, social networking, and more. Consider what you could accomplish if you had an extra 5 hours every week.
Final Thoughts
It may seem a little strange to think of yourself as a business when all you have is your laptop. But you have to make the switch if you want to get out of the Fiverr/low-paying gig grind. You’ll be able to charge what you’re worth, focus on tasks you enjoy, and truly build your business.
