Do you feel shackled to that 9-5 job you have? Love the idea of becoming your own boss? Want to make more money? Have the option to choose where you work? The ability to set your own schedule? Decide who you want to work with? Are you passionate about your profession? Have superb knowledge in any of the fields below?
- Writing
- Photography
- Marketing
- Human Resource
- Public Relations
- Advertising
- Graphic design
- Social media strategies
- Delivery
- Organization
With some time and patience, you could be a freelance consultant. Once you do become one, you’ll want tips on how to become successful at it.
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Start Off On The Right Foot
While this may apply to any job you have, once you become your own boss, you’ll want to set the right tone from the very beginning. You MUST look, act and think of yourself as a professional. After all, first impressions of a potential client matter. If you think of yourself as a professional, others will too. Professionalism matters wherever you are.
Looking professional is also key. Depending on which field you are consulting in, you’ll want to go out and get yourself a suit or skirt set. Sure, being your own boss can mean you get to sit around home in your pajamas all day, but you’ll have to go out sometime and it’s best to be prepared. Again, first impressions are everything.
Keep A Schedule
Just because you are your own boss doesn’t mean you’ll want to sleep in every morning or keep irregular hours. Most of your clients will want to contact you during normal business hours. Buy yourself a planner and get those time slots filled with names. The more clients you take on the busier you’ll be (and the more money you’ll make). To me, staying busy means staying on schedule. This also allows you to stay disciplined. When the work’s all done, you can play all you want.
Play Nice
It’s a dog eat dog world out there. Competition is everywhere. While you may be tempted to lash out at others if they end up getting a client you wanted, you should always be polite, pleasant, and in control of your emotions. You should also remain this way with your clients. Sure, they say “the customer is always right”. (Not always.) Don’t yell at them or become unpleasant. Just make them feel like they are and blow off steam later during your own time. Always remember: people like to work with people they like. Strive to always be one of them and you will find business often comes to you, rather than the other way around.
Get Your Name Out There
This is crucial for any freelancer when first starting out. Create yourself a beautiful website. Use free social media networks such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or LinkedIn. These can be a great way to share what your business is about, but also snippets of your personal life to help potential customers make a deeper connection with you as an individual. Getting started on these sites isn’t always the easiest, however, and you may wish to explore things like the best site to buy Instagram likes in order to give yourself a little help when it comes to establishing yourself on these platforms and getting yourself a more organic following. In addition to social media, most clients will Google you before hiring you, so you always want to make a good impression. Strive to do what is necessary to make sure all the clients you’ve worked with leave a positive review about your services. Should one leave a negative, reach out to them to see what it is you can possibly do to make it right. If push comes to shove, use an e-commerce marketing agency.
Start A Podcast
Podcasts are an in thing right now. It’s one way to not only get your name out there but to build up a fan base. If you want to be in the know when it comes to them, look into Dan Lok. He is is continually featured by thousands of media outlets and publications every year and is widely seen as one of the top business influencers by millions around the world.
Surround Yourself With Success
Whether it be friends, clients, other freelance consultants, etc, you always want to surround yourself with positive and successful people. Setting high standards for yourself, your business, your clients and your career goals will set you on the right path. As long as you never steer away from it, success will always be at your back.
At the end of the day, being a freelance consultant is a rewarding career that offers the freedom to pursue both monetary gain and personal enjoyment by doing what you love for a living. What more can you ask for? Thanks for reading!