The 6 Traits of a Successful Freelancer

 

Photo by Daniel Thomas on Unsplash

Anyone who’s freelanced for more than a few months has probably experienced the discouraging feeling of hitting an invisible wall, and wondering how to break through it. Freelancing can be grueling and isolating at times, and it’s not uncommon for newbies to feel discouraged by their lack of success. But if you stick with it, eventually you’ll start seeing results. As freelancing becomes more common as a career choice, we’re seeing more established professionals jump on the freelance bandwagon too. After all, why do something only when you need to? If you have a niche interest or are good at something that others might pay you for, why not make that your full-time vocation? With so many benefits and opportunities that come with freelancing (such as flexible hours and the ability to work remotely), there’s no reason why anyone should give up on their dream of becoming self-employed anytime soon.

There’s more to being a successful freelance than just having a good portfolio

When you’re just starting out, it all comes down to getting your portfolio pieces noticed by potential clients. That being said, there are a lot of other factors to consider when trying to become a successful freelancer. First of all, you should be prepared to hustle like crazy. No matter how many clients you have, you’ll never have time for everything. Make sure to focus on the most important things first, and before you know it, you’ll be seeing steady growth.

Be selective about your clients and your writing samples

If you want to make a living as a freelance writer, then you must place a high value on your work. Be selective about which clients you work with and which writing samples you submit. It’s not uncommon to get a handful of low-quality jobs before you land a big project. Don’t fret, though. It happens to every freelancer.

Next, don’t submit your best work. If you do, then you risk wasting a lot of time polishing a project that will end up not being accepted anyway. Instead, put your best foot forward, but don’t submit a finished product. Instead, submit an outline with a few samples to show your potential clients’ interest and professionalism.

Be willing to constantly learn and grow as an freelancer

Freelancing is a dynamic career path. It’s often said that one should never stop learning and growing as a freelance writer. If you want to become a successful freelancer, then you must be willing to constantly learn new skills, and expand your skill set. No matter how many freelancing gigs you’re getting, you’ll never be satisfied with your knowledge and skill set. Be willing to constantly learn new things, and keep an open mind when it comes to expanding your skills.

Don’t be afraid to ask for feedback and pay for it if necessary

Asking clients for feedback is a great way to improve your freelancing skills. Ask them questions about their project, and see if you can help them out with any of their concerns. You can also offer to write a second draft or help with other aspects of their project, which will make you seem more helpful and competent.

Asking for feedback doesn’t have to be done by only offering to help the client with something if they have a problem with something you’ve written for them. It can be done by offering to make any edits that are needed, or rewriting the entire project if required, so that you can show that you’re willing to help the client as much as possible.

Freelancers are most successful when they collaborate with other professionals

Freelancing is a great career path if you have the brains, patience, and time to do it on your own. However, the more successful you become as a freelancer, the more likely it is that you’ll want to branch out and collaborate with other professionals. Once you’ve built your client base and have a good reputation, working with other freelancers is the only way to keep growing your income.

Freelancing with other freelancers can be done in many ways. You can partner with other freelancers to complete larger projects, hire other freelancers to write blog posts, or hire other professionals to help you with daily tasks. By collaborating with other professionals, you can expand your network, and possibly find other freelancers who are looking to branch out on their own.

Networking is one of the best ways to build a network of professionals you can collaborate with as a freelancer

Freelancing is an excellent way for professionals to make some extra money, but it’s also a great way to meet other professionals and build a network of people who can help you out if you ever decide to quit your day job. Networks are powerful, and there are a number of ways that you can build a professional network as a freelancer.

Freelancing with other freelancers can be done in many ways. You can partner with other freelancers to complete larger projects, hire other freelancers to write blog posts, or hire other professionals to help with daily tasks. By collaborating with other freelancers, you can expand your network, and possibly find other freelancers who are looking to branch out on their own.