From Freelancing to Entrepreneurship
The evolution of your freelance job may have been that you began doing it as a hobby, maybe writing a blog or building websites. But then you noticed people were interested in spending money for what you were creating, and you soon had a side gig. The next evolution of that may be that your freelancing side gig is showing the potential to become a full-time business for you. Congratulations!
Freelancer Inn is a great place to check into for finding and exploring relevant information geared to today’s freelance workers. Here are ideas on how to turn your freelancing into a full-time business.
Start With a Plan
Just like any successful business start-up, you need to have a business plan in place. Starting off as a freelancer means you’re not going clueless, but you still need to follow the steps that any start-up would like in choosing the right structure, i.e., LLC, sole proprietor, etc. Then obtain any necessary licenses and permits, come up with a marketing strategy, and look for sources of funding. Your business plan is your roadmap or blueprint that will take you from step A to step B and so on. Using an online business plan template will ensure you don’t miss any important steps while also giving you some freedom to customize it with your own special design and flair. This will come in handy if and when you present it to possible lenders.
It’s also important you have an updated resume that looks both professional and reflective of your style and skill sets. Use a free online resume maker that has a large library of templates to choose from, and that will allow you to customize it with images, illustrations, colors, fonts, and layouts. There are a lot of freelancers a company may choose from, so it’s important your resume be eye-catching to stand out from the rest.
Marketing
If you don’t already have a professional social media presence, you should create one now. Take advantage of all sites, not just LinkedIn, although that’s an important place to start. If you’re a graphic designer, then Instagram is the perfect place to showcase your work. And if you build websites, you may have a lot of followers on Facebook that are looking for help with theirs. Just be sure you keep your professional and personal presence separate. Though you can always use your personal pages to direct followers to your professional site.
Next is good old-fashioned networking. Networking is not just about talking – it’s about building relationships. The more relationships you build, the more opportunities will come your way, as well as referrals for future work. Attend as many professional and community events as possible and be sure and carry enough business cards with you when you go. You can create your own business cards online with customizable templates. Then print from home, and you’re ready to go at a moment’s notice.
Be Ready to Work From Anywhere
Working from home doesn’t have to be lonely or solitary if you can take your business with you wherever you go. There are an estimated 35 million digital nomads in the world, working from wherever there’s Wi-Fi. Most of the time, you need only your laptop, mobile phone, and access to an office if you need to print or send hard copies of materials to your clients.
Just be sure you’re always available since clients definitely don’t want to be kept waiting for projects or return calls and emails.
Hiring Your Own Freelancers
Now that you’re in a position to have your own business, you may find it valuable and good use of your time to hire freelancers of your own, turning your business into a multi-worker operation. By hiring outside talent to work on some of your client jobs, you allow for more growth and expansion of your business. Although you’ll want to keep a close eye on everything that goes out with your name on it.
Now that your freelance business has evolved into your own full-time business, you’ll be able to grow in ways you never could have by just taking in jobs from gig-work sites. You’ll have seen what started as something you did for fun become fun again as it grows into a lasting and successful business.