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Hello friends! Are your fears bothering you? How many opportunities have you missed by letting uncertainty take over? Have you ever been hurt by watching others manage to embody what you lack the courage to do?

If you have never experienced such feelings, then you are a unique case, a rock man. If you constantly experience them, but this has become a habitual state and does not interfere with your life, I can hardly help you. Today my article is for those who are scared, but who are ready to take a risk and take a step towards their desires. I will tell you how to become a freelancer from scratch.

In the previous article, we analyzed . Now I want to tell you where to start and where to go to become a successful freelancer.

Hardware setup

I would not talk about obvious things if they did not help to tune in to the right wave. The most difficult thing is to make a decision and take the first step. Let these simple actions become a kind of initiation into freelancers:

1. Prepare a computer with internet access. This is the main tool of a freelancer, moreover, it is his office. Turn on the installation that from now on your laptop is your work, opened it - came to work, closed it - left work. In front of the monitor screen, you are a cool specialist, period. It should become a habit, or even better, become a reflex.
2. Get e-wallets. This method of payment for services is very common in the world. remote work. And how it motivates to further action!

Restoring the facade

To communicate with customers, you will use all possible methods: email, pages on social networks, Skype, phone, Viber, WhatsApp - whatever is more convenient for the client. The more contacts, the better!

All profiles and names should look formal and adequate. Would you agree to give an order to a performer with the nickname 4elovek muxa666 and the corresponding avatar? Creative, but a rich imagination is better to demonstrate in a different way.

Your profiles must have your name and your face. Well-groomed and combed. What would you look like if you were going to business meeting offline?

In remote work, the same laws apply - they are greeted by clothes. Take a high-quality photo where you look presentable, and let it become your calling card. Let the heroes know by sight.

The design of your pages on social networks is very important. When making this or that entry, posting this or that photo, remember that one day a person will come to your page who wants to give you a job. What will he see? What conclusions will he draw? It is in your hands to create any image that will work for you or against you.

Choosing a profession

If you already know exactly what you want to do as a freelancer, that's great. If you have no idea where to start, I recommend you read the book "7 professions for quick money on the Internet". After reading it, you will have no questions left about how to start working remotely. You can get the book absolutely free.

We grow and develop

You have taken the first step and decided on a profession - the hardest part is over! From now on, your habitual state should be constant development. Read, watch, listen - in a word, absorb everything that in one way or another can contribute to your professional growth and inspire new ideas.

From my own experience, I can say that an excellent start is online courses in the chosen direction. You find yourself in an environment of like-minded people and get a professional mentors. Such courses help to avoid a lot of bumps that self-taught beginners fill.

I foresee objections that such training, as a rule, is paid. Pay for your education or not, the choice is yours. But any business requires investment. If you decide to master new profession from scratch, then the business project is now you. And for your development, investments are needed: time, effort, intellectual resources.

Financial investments will help speed things up and in a short time you will receive information that you will collect on your own for much longer, and in the work of a freelancer, time is money. Learn to plan effectively.

We create a portfolio

We read movie reviews before we go to the cinema. My girlfriend will not go for a manicure without first getting acquainted with the work of the master. I won't order a bouquet for her without going through the catalog of my chosen florist. Reviews for everything and everything make life much easier, save time and money.

Needless to say, when choosing a contractor, any customer will want to get acquainted with his work in order to assess the level of professionalism. That is why the presence of a portfolio and reviews of satisfied employers will be a big trump card when looking for orders.

In order to do it, you need to work for free. Tell your friends and acquaintances what you are doing now, for sure there will be those among them who need your services right now. Especially for free. To reach a larger audience, you can place a similar ad on your pages on social networks. Believe me, the first orders will not be long in coming.

Having in your arsenal examples of work performed, it will be much easier for you to build relationships with the following customers.

With each new order, you will grow in your eyes and this is a very pleasant feeling. Fears will gradually recede, and they will be replaced by competence and self-confidence.

Where to find freelance work

All job search tips for aspiring freelancers come down to signing up. The cost of orders on exchanges is minimal and those who want to get big money from the first days will be disappointed there.

But if you look at the exchange as a platform for finding regular customers, then the possibilities are endless. Very often, employers place a test task for 100 - 200 rubles in order to find a responsible performer for a bulky job. This has happened to me many times.

Don't be afraid to take on assignments that seem too difficult. You won't know if you're into it or not until you try it. Challenge yourself. The Exchange is a survival school for recruits. Many give up, and those who overcome obstacles move on to the next level.

I have already considered the topic.

Where else to find a job

Do not limit yourself to exchanges, this is not the only opportunity to find a job. I want to convey to you the main idea: every site, every blog, every Internet project is a potential source of income for you. Realizing this, it will be much easier for you to get rid of fears and develop in the field of remote work and freelancing.

Here are a few more ways to find jobs online:

1. Follow projects that interest you. Very often, they place information about the search for employees directly on the main pages. For them, this is the most effective method Finding an interested specialist is the most effective way for you to find a job you like.

2. Direct Search- if you really want to join a project, you can contact its creators directly. Who will lose from the fact that you write a letter or message on a social network with a vivid story about yourself and your strong desire to work in this particular team?

Such an appeal will definitely not go unnoticed, because it:

• very personal;
• based on a sincere interest in a particular topic.

And even if right now this employer has nothing to offer you, he will definitely contact you when your services are needed. This happened to me too many times.

3. Job site ads. Although most companies require relevant experience, you can always impress with your cover letter, performance of a test task, proposals for optimizing the work of the company.

We keep the brand

Reputation is everything. She must be flawless. Many freelancers have a problem - optionality. As a customer, I had to deal with the fact that tasks were not completed on time or were not completed at all. And this is with my willingness to pay well for quality services.

It is clear that such performers are unlikely to have a freelance career, but my time was wasted forever. And my time is also money.

Your word is iron! Called the deadline - handed over the task on time. This should be the main rule.

Customers carefully transfer competent and responsible specialists to each other. In the presence of quality work and an impeccable reputation, over time, you will no longer need to look for orders, employers will come to you themselves.

As a parting word

If you dream of becoming a freelancer and working remotely, but it seems to you that this is not for dummies without special education, read on carefully:

I am convinced that desire and a determined attitude are not “from scratch” at all, this is more than half of the success.

You need to do very little - fill the theoretical gap, if there is one at all, and then use your discipline, diligence and dedication.

I wish you to turn your fears into a driving force, dear readers of my blog. They can be made to work for your success.

If you need support and step by step plan action, then come to our training.

Good day you, dear friends! Tell me a little secret and tell me your own fears get in the way? How many opportunities have you had to sacrifice because of an obsessive self-doubt? How often do you feel hurt and get mad at yourself for the fact that other people become successful and implement those ideas that you did not dare to implement? If you have never experienced such feelings, then I am amazed, because you are a real rock! If you are already accustomed to such sensations and resigned to their presence in your life, well, it's a pity, here I am powerless to change anything.

My article today is designed for those of you who, despite fear, are ready take risks and follow your dreams, desires and ideal life. In previous articles, I told you about the features of freelancing, showed you the strengths and weak sides the life of a free worker. Since you have a complete picture of the life of a remote worker, you have an idea of ​​\u200b\u200bwhat it consists of, it's time to figure out how to become a freelancer from scratch.

What is a freelancer?

I am sure that many of you would appreciate the opportunity to go in a dressing gown and slippers to your work office, located just a couple of meters from the bedroom and kitchen. To make this dream come true, it is enough just to change your stable job in the company to a remote one. Interested in such a prospect? Then let's figure out what is freelance work on the Internet, and who is a freelancer.

If we hit back a little in hoary antiquity and go back to the Middle Ages, it will become clear that in those days freelancers were called freelance knights. Today, this title is worn by people who work from home and work on individual projects for a fee. Freelancers can be involved simultaneously in several areas of activity and work with several customers at once.

By the way, work is far from always remote, free workers are also found among builders who make repairs in apartments and houses, and among plumbers who skillfully repair pipes. Nevertheless, in the vast majority of cases, employers and contractors find each other precisely in the Internet. They also carry their working relationships there. In general, it was the growth in the popularity of the Internet that provoked the freelance boom and made this type of employment in demand.

In some way, individual entrepreneurs can also be considered freelancers, however, in no case should these two concepts be equated. This is because a freelancer is usually one single person hired to do a specific amount of work. But an individual entrepreneur may well have a staff that he will manage.

Freelance work remotely is complete lack of leadership, weekdays Monday to Friday and strict scheduling regime labor day from 9 to 18.

Counting money: how much can you earn?

Well, let's move on to the most interesting - counting money? I am sure that many of you are eager to find out how much freelancers earn, and what you can count on if you change jobs. I must say right away that earnings on freelance will largely depend on the amount of time you devote to work, the field of activity, your qualifications and experience. In addition, in many ways, your success will also depend on the ability present your services. Relying on own experience, I can safely say that an experienced freelancer can earn 2 or even 3 times more than his office colleagues in similar positions.

Well, if you translate experience, skill, qualifications and hard work into numbers, it turns out that the average freelancer earns about $ 500 a month. Moreover, this amount can be earned both by a person without education, and by a highly qualified specialist with higher education. In the case of freelancing, customers look directly at your skills and talents, and not at the color of the diploma. It is for this reason that such a profession ideal for students who are looking for work and are just gaining experience.

It is not at all rare that freelancers manage to get 2-3 thousand dollars per month. True, such amounts are most often earned professional designers, programmers and website optimizers. If you are not going to completely abandon your main job, continue your studies at the university or want to find a part-time job for the weekend, then freelancing profitability for you will be about $ 150-200 per month. In general, not such bad money, is it?

Registration on the freelance exchange FL.RU

Who is freelance for?

If you don’t know where to start building your own freelance career, I suggest you first figure out what How close is this lifestyle to you?. To do this, it is enough to get answers to a few simple questions.

What personal qualities and skills should a good freelancer have?

Successful a remote worker is, first of all, self-confident, inventive, enterprising, active, flexible and, of course, organized person. In addition, you will need to learn how to work in the " multitasking". This skill is simply necessary in order to manage to carry out several projects at the same time and meet the deadlines agreed with the customer.

How to determine the amount of payment for services?

For beginner freelancers, this question often becomes a real stumbling block. To determine the amount of remuneration for your own work, I advise you explore websites and forums, which reveal the topic of the value of the profession in which you plan to earn remotely. In addition, a win-win way to find out the cost of working from home for newbies is to find out how much an hour of labor of a similar full-time specialist costs, and increase it by 25-50%(This amount includes additional expenses such as taxes, insurance, pension contributions, equipment and office supplies). Don't forget that at least a quarter of your work will consist of activities that you won't be able to pay for (this includes analytics, marketing, accounting, and the like).

If you get a chance, try to find out how much experienced freelancers who specialize in the same industry as you charge for their services. In order not to face the problem of how to make money on freelancing for a beginner, I advise you during the first working year to work at a slightly reduced rate. This will simplify the search for clients, allow you to quickly gain experience and declare yourself as a specialist.

Do your research

If you really want to learn freelancing for beginners and become a successful professional, you will have to careful analysis.

Try the work-zilla exchange with simple tasks

Step-by-step guide "How to become a successful freelancer"

Well, now let's figure out how to start working as a freelancer on the Internet, and what you need to have in order to succeed in this business.

1. Get a computer and free access to the Internet. Now your way to the office and back will look something like this: turn on the laptop - you are at work, turn it off - the working day is over. Remember! When you sit in front of the monitor screen, you are a first-class specialist, no more, no less. Try to develop a habit and bring it to the level of a reflex.
2. Create wallets in electronic payment systems. About that, you can find out in my separate article. However, in addition to the electronic purse in this payment system, I advise you to also get wallets in Yandex Money, Qiwi. Despite the fact that this method of paying for freelance services is the most convenient and in demand on the network, I advise you not to neglect the opportunity to receive money also for bank cards . Keep your debit card handy at all times. Personally, I use tinkoff bank card . By the way, it will not be superfluous to have a bitcoin wallet in your arsenal.
   
3. Installing software for your work and the normal functioning of the PC. It’s not enough just to put a laptop on the desktop, you also need to take care of its “stuffing”. Install a good and reliable antivirus on your computer, office products like Word and Excel, download a handy screenshot and an Internet browser in which you can bookmark the most frequently used sites and web pages. A program for reading books and other text files in pdf format will also come in handy.
4. Creation of accounts in popular social networks and their design. Since you will transfer all communication with customers online, you also need to take care of communication programs. In addition to having Email and pages on social networks, it makes sense to install skype, viber and whatsapp. In general, the more options for communication you find, the better. As for the design of profiles in social networks, they should look like quite formal and appropriate. The account must contain several of your real photos, in which you look well-groomed and attractive. Whatever it was, but your profile is a kind of resume, your business card on which the employer will evaluate you.
   
5. Choosing a profession, to which you have the makings and predisposition, in which you can develop as a professional. You can read about the most in-demand professions for a freelancer in 2017 in my separate article, but for now, let's take a quick look at the list of vacancies that can be found on sites for beginner remote workers.

Main list of professions and vacancies

So that you have an idea of ​​what a freelancer does and can find the most suitable type of activity for yourself, I decided to sketch out a short list of the most popular and in-demand specialties on the Internet services market. Here's what I got:

Completing tasks from 500 rubles on the Kwork exchange

Where to go in search of work?

It can be quite difficult for beginners at first - it is not clear where to look for customers, how to offer their services, which sites to monitor in order to find employment. To make this task a little easier, I will give you a few ideas, which will simplify the process of finding the first customers:

1. Register on specialized freelance exchanges. There are many sites on the network that bring together free performers and customers. I will present the best exchanges for remote workers to you a little further, but for now I advise you to think over the structure of your own portfolio and decide what you will write in your work account.
2. Browse vacancies on websites, portals and web projects that interest you. It is possible that your favorite online store is just looking for remote operator to process orders, and perhaps the VKontakte group needs a new moderator.
3. Submit job search ads on specialized sites, study the offers already available on them. For example on hh website
4. Use your social media page as a platform for self-promotion. I talked about that in a separate article. Now we are talking about how to present your service by writing an appropriate advertising post and fixing it on your wall.
5. Do separate group in social network, where you tell about your service, and promote it. Read about it in my article.
6. Become a regular visitor to thematic forums for finding remote work. Forums like searchengines.ru , seobuilding, lingvoda.ru , codeby.net And phpforum.su .

The main freelance exchanges

As for specialized exchanges, for employment, I recommend that you use the following services:

• fl.ru . An excellent platform for finding customers and contractors in the field of IT technologies. Remote advertisers, programmers, webmasters and designers - the best labor force and interesting projects can be found here. Here you can create your own directory, as well as explore the ranking of the best freelancers. By the way, the same service also has a store where you can put up for sale the fruits of your intellectual labor (articles, translations, site templates, and others).

Registering an account on the fl.ru exchange

• weblancer . In my opinion, the most successful exchange for beginners who are just starting to surf the endless expanses of freelance. In addition to the fact that many diverse projects have been collected here, the site administration is quite strict in ensuring that scammers and swindlers do not appear on the service.

Registering an account on the Weblancer exchange

• - the oldest and, perhaps, the best online freelance exchange in RuNet. Here you will have at your disposal a convenient mechanism for searching for projects of any level of complexity, and the opportunity to fully communicate with a potential customer. For a fee, you can raise your position in the freelancer rating.
• Kwork . Innovative freelance exchange, which is famous for its non-standard approach to organization labor relations between customers and providers. This site is more like a store where all services are sold at a single price - 500 rubles.
• Moguza.ru - online store of freelance services at a fixed price. Here you can sell your work for no less than 100 rubles. This approach to registration of labor relations solves the problem of large volumes of work and low wages.
• Text.ru . Specialized Exchange copyright, where you can find a job writing texts, sell ready-made articles or order content for your own sites or groups in social networks.

Use the copywriting exchange Text.ru

For a more detailed list of all the exchanges where you can find orders, I will present in the article "The best exchanges for remote workers." Here you will find sites with inexpensive, but at the same time quite simple projects, as well as with foreign, complex, interesting and quite generous orders in terms of payment.

First steps

Well, so that your job search is crowned with success in the shortest possible time, here's to you a little briefing how to act newbie on the exchange:

We do not make mistakes: what do novice freelancers “undermine” on?

To ensure your remote worker career doesn't go down the drain and end before it even starts, take a look at some of the most common mistakes almost all green freelancers make and try to avoid them.

Never take your workplace lightly.

Despite the fact that many remote workers start their careers at home, it makes sense to consider renting a separate office, workplace, or at least allocate a room in an apartment, equipping it as an office. Organization of the workspace is a must. Believe me, lying in bed with the TV on is extremely difficult to tune into a working mood.

Diversify your risks and never rely on a single customer

Even taking into account the fact that many companies treat freelancers with great respect, value their work and often pay more than their regular employees, you should not fall into complacency. No matter how valuable an employee you are, it is much easier to refuse your services than to fire an office employee.

Plan for periods of downtime and unemployment in your budget

Without a temporary absence of orders in freelancing, unfortunately, there is nowhere to go. That is why I advise you save a small amount every month as an emergency reserve in case one project is completed and another has not yet been found. Such financial protection your home front will allow you to accept downtime as something integral and mundane. Oh yes, do not forget that you will need money for the holidays. Because the vacation pay in freelance is not expected, you will need to take care of the financial component yourself.

Don't let things go by themselves

Your professionalism in what you charge the customer for should be on par with your professionalism in the matter of doing business. try about a quarter of the working day to devote to administrative and marketing matters. In moments of blockage, when a lot of work accumulates, it is easy to lose vigilance, stop looking for new customers and decide that workload is a constant phenomenon. Without control own business success is not possible. Difficult times and serious difficulties will arise literally out of nowhere if you do not learn business management, you cannot reduce debit to credit.

And finally, a few useful tips, which will help you at the start of your career as a remote worker:

Do not be afraid of difficulties at the beginning of the journey

The ability to go through thorns to the stars will be very useful to you in free swimming. The skills of self-motivation to work, planning working hours, the ability to find clients and arranging the workplace - all this will be simply necessary at first to lay a solid foundation for a freelance career.

Be careful and don't trust anyone

Make it your rule work only on prepaid. You don't have to be too gullible towards strangers if you don't want to be left with nothing. After the project is completed in full, do not rush to immediately transfer it to the customer. Submit a small portion for review, let the employer make sure the work is done and pay for it. Only after that you can safely send him work. If the person refuses to pay, say goodbye. You leave the advance payment to yourself in order to recoup the time and effort spent on the project.

Prepare terms of reference in advance and discuss the scope of upcoming work

Detailed TOR and specified scope of work is an integral part of your interaction with the customer. This will allow you to avoid misunderstandings with the employer about what you are taking money for and what you are obligated to do, it will insure you if you are required to implement more work than was agreed at the beginning.

Learn to say "No!"

Understand that You can't earn all the money in the world, and therefore it is necessary to learn to refuse people. Calculate your time so that it is enough to complete all orders within a predetermined time frame. Do not spray, because the quality of your work and, as a result, your reputation will suffer from this. Do not rush to load all your time with orders, because no one has canceled going to the movies, relaxing, implementing your own projects and just lying on the couch.

Open IP

The issue of paying taxes is a serious and, as a rule, unresolved problem by many freelancers. Register as an individual entrepreneur, regularly replenish the state treasury with taxes and sleep peacefully. The tax authorities will not break through your doors, and pension contributions will accumulate and work for the benefit of your old age.

Connect with like-minded people

It's not uncommon for freelancers to come together and work as a team to complete complex projects. You can find a vacancy for working in a group on one of the thematic forums. It is quite possible that such cooperation will develop into the opening of your own company, and you will be able to forget about work forever. In this case, you can search for customers through the same freelance exchanges.

Summary

In general, I can safely sum up and say that freelance is a great start for your own promotion, self-realization and earning really worthy money. In addition to the fact that you will have decent income, you will gain valuable experience, find new clients and be able to create an amazing portfolio, which, I want to say, will never be superfluous. The most important - never stop and never stop evolving. If you feel like it's time to grow up as a professional and go free-swimming - go for it! You will always have time to return to your old office life, so do not be afraid of change.

That's all for me, dear friends. I sincerely wish you success in such serious undertakings. See you soon!

If you find a mistake in the text, please highlight a piece of text and click Ctrl+Enter. Thanks for helping my blog get better!

How to become a freelancer from scratch without education and experience? To answer this question, we must first understand the terms. ?

A freelancer is usually called a person who works remotely (via the Internet) and is hired to fulfill the orders of the employer, while not being on the staff of the company.

Modern technologies allow a person to work not in the office, but in a cozy and warm apartment or cafe, while drinking hot tea. In world wide web There are many different sites where you can find work for freelancers.

Freelancing is now available in many professions, such as copywriting, website development, programming, design, etc.

The most popular profession that modern freelancers do on the Internet is copywriting. After all, unique, high-quality texts are needed almost everywhere now. Especially those who earn money with the help of information sites need them.

Now in popular search engines the following request is very common: “I want to become a freelancer. What do we have to do?". You will find the answer to this in this article.

Of the many advantages of freelancing, I would like to highlight the following:

• The freelancer chooses his own work (orders) and evaluates his own work.
• Work from home that will help you focus better and get the job done better.
• There is an opportunity to make the most of your time and make your own work schedule.
• A significant amount of money is saved, which employees of firms and enterprises spend on travel to the place of work.

How to become a freelancer on the Internet, who would be successful among customers and be in demand? The answer to this question lies on the surface. In this article, we'll take a look at 12 essential steps that will help you become a successful internet worker and succeed in whatever profession you choose.

When you carefully study these steps and follow them, we are sure that questions like “How to become a successful freelancer?” you will drop by themselves.

12 Steps to Start Freelancing and Get to the Top of Your Career

• • Step 1. We get constant high-speed access to the Internet. It is clear that to work on the Internet requires uninterrupted access to the World Wide Web. It is best that such an Internet be high-speed, because it will be more comfortable and pleasant to work with it (everyone knows how annoying situations are when the Internet hangs, pages of sites load slowly or the connection is completely disconnected).

• Step 2. We determine what we can do, we can, and what services we will provide. Before choosing a direction of activity, a freelancer should independently understand what he can do and what services he will provide to customers on the Internet. There is no need to choose an occupation according to the principle “which profession is more in demand”, because without understanding the “more demanded” occupation, you will not achieve success and will not be able to earn a lot.

• Step 3. We determine and find out the prices for the services that we will provide. A successful freelancer must always know his own worth, regardless of whether the clients like these prices. The main thing is not to work for a penny, but also not to go too far. It is best to find out in advance the prices for the services you are going to provide to people. If they suit you, feel free to get to work.

• Step 4. Start a working Mailbox. For comfortable work, it is best to have your own mailbox. This way you can communicate with customers. In addition, the mailbox can be used to register on sites that you will use as job sites.

• Step 5. We start ICQ, Skype for communication with employers and customers. As mentioned above, for convenient communication with customers, you can use the mailbox, but the presence of Skype and ICQ also does not hurt.

• Step 6. We register on freelance exchanges and correctly, in detail fill out our questionnaire. To find your first customers, you need to register on freelance exchanges that offer all kinds of work for performers. For your own safety, it is better to work through such exchanges, since working directly with clients can be unsafe. When registering, it is important to fill out your questionnaire in detail and without errors, since on the Internet it is your “face”.

• Step 7. We make a portfolio of our work and post it on the stock exchanges. In order for your future customers to be able to see the quality of your work, it is important to make several works and fill your portfolio with them. This will inspire more confidence in you as a performer.

• Step 8. We are looking for the first orders and customers. Now that everything preparatory work completed - you can start searching for orders. Take an interest in the exchange you have chosen, what orders customers have placed on it and get to work. If there are no orders available for you, it may be worth visiting other freelance exchanges.

• Step 10. If things are going well, when large volume orders and work recruit your team of freelancers to complete large projects. If you are serious about working on the Internet and want to earn a lot of money, over time, you will be able to assemble your team of professional freelancers and take on large projects and orders, thus earning even more.

• Step 11. Open your company and work both online and offline. When you see that your business is going well and the implementation of large projects is on stream, after a while you can even open your own company. Such a company can work both online and offline.

• Step 12. Register IP. And now, you have already reached the top of your freelance career and outgrown it, becoming the owner of your own company. Now other freelancers are working for you. It remains only to register as individual entrepreneur and run your business legally.

As you can see, by starting small, you can reach heights that you most likely never dreamed of. The main thing is to constantly act and take the necessary steps that will bring you closer to achieving your goals. Also, in the process of work, you must constantly learn and acquire the necessary knowledge. After all, this is the only way to succeed.

It should be remembered that everything does not happen at once. Success must be achieved gradually. Free cheese is only in a mousetrap - this saying should also be remembered when working as a freelancer. We hope that your question “How to become a freelancer from scratch?” we answered. Now it remains only to take the will into a fist and gradually move towards the intended goal ...

If you don't have your successful business, this does not mean at all that you cannot create it. It won't be easy, but nothing is impossible. The path to success will be difficult, even incredibly difficult, but then you will become a freelancer and be able to earn good money from the comfort of your home! Where to start? The first step is to choose a field of activity. You should not think about a narrow niche, it is better to think in broader categories. But at the same time, it must be remembered that freelancing is primarily a service, and here you need to carefully analyze your skills. Everyone knows how to do something very well, so these skills should be the main weapon in your arsenal.

You may have studied web design. Or good at drawing. Or maybe you like programming. Find your strengths and weaknesses and keep only what you are good at. Everything else you don't need. You want to be a freelancer, which means you have to become an expert in order for clients to trust you with work. This should always be kept in mind at the very beginning - after all, no one likes to cooperate with people who can do a little of everything. A client who wants to hire a freelancer is looking for a specialist, not a jack-of-all-trades.

Create your website

Once you have decided on the services you will provide as a freelancer, you will need your own website. In the freelancing world, a website is something of your own store or service center- it is there that you can profitably sell what you offer there.

Then you need to choose a domain name. There is no need to reinvent the wheel here - just name the site by your name. This is a good and, most importantly, memorable option. And then find a good hosting and just launch a business card site. Today it is very easy to do it yourself. The site should have four main sections:

• About you
• Services you offer
• Your portfolio
• Contact page

If you don't have anything to present in your portfolio yet, then you can turn to friends or acquaintances and offer them help. It is enough to do a few small projects for free or at a good discount so that you have some material for your portfolio. The main thing is that these projects demonstrate your level - future clients will view the portfolio and evaluate your skills.

A good, professional portfolio is the most The best way ensure a stable flow of customers. You are just starting to work as a freelancer and you, of course, still have few works that can be shown to potential customers. Do not worry about trifles! If you have already worked on small projects, try to get feedback from the client. Even if it's a friend or even a family member - still ask to leave a review.

Do not be shy in any way! Customers love positive reviews because they show that you are a skilled, reliable freelancer. Even if you have three or four reviews, this is already a big step towards success. Over time, there will be more of them and reviews will become a serious argument in favor of the client hiring you as a performer.

Network, network, network!

When you become a freelancer, you will have to spend a lot of time on the Internet, such is the nature of this work. From the first days, you need to start communicating closely with other freelancers and register on exchanges that offer the same services that you want to provide. Starting a freelance business will require you to create separate social media profiles. Focus on four of them, sign up for VKontakte, as well as Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

And get active. Make friends with other freelancers working in your field and send them a message that you are just starting your freelance career. Many people make the mistake of assuming that fellow freelancers will see them as competitors and won't respond. You will be amazed at how closely freelancers communicate with each other! If you can make a good impression on an experienced freelancer. He may well throw you a couple of orders if he has an emergency at work. And professional freelancers have jobs with enviable regularity.

Find your first client

Even though the network allows you to create a good source of passive income, your freelance business will not be like that at all. To make money, you need clients. And at first it will be difficult for you to find them. To receive your first order, you need to do the following:

• Constantly monitor the project feed of all the exchanges on which you are registered
• Scan social media for job postings
• Feel free to contact a potential client directly

When you find an order that matches your skills, you need to work on the text of the appeal to the client. This is a very important moment, do not be lazy, give it more time! Don't write too much, but introduce yourself, talk about your experience and skills, show that you are interested in this job. And be sure to explain how you can help the potential client. Suggest several ways to solve the problem and advise what can be done to make the result really outstanding. Act like you're in an interview. Clients love this kind of treatment, and you, in turn, can convince them that you can do the job.

When starting a new freelance business, it is very important to start fulfilling expensive orders as soon as possible. You are still a beginner and high fees are not yet available to you. It's not a problem. When communicating with customers, stay optimistic, meet deadlines, and answer any customer questions as soon as possible. And of course, do your job to as high a standard as you can.

And do not worry about the fact that you did everything very well, but received some miserable pennies for it. A little time will pass and ridiculous sums for professional work will remain in the past.

However, be aware that some clients may view your modest demands as a weakness. In this case, they will try to squeeze everything they can out of you. They may try to underpay you or put a lot of work on you without increasing your fee. If you see that a client is trying to manipulate you, be polite but principled in dealing with him. Steadfastly defend your opinion, do not be afraid to enter into unpleasant business negotiations. You are a freelancer, you are a businessman and you are interested in your business growing and developing. Difficult clients will often come up in your career and you need to be prepared for this from the very beginning.

standing orders

The most valuable thing in freelancing is constant and repeat orders. A long-term relationship with a client guarantees you a stable regular income. Look for just such projects and then you will always have a job. In order to make sure that customers contact again and again, you need to:

• Work to the highest personal standards
• Always meet the agreed deadlines
• Be polite and friendly with customers
• Do not forget about personal marketing, spend time on social networks
• Ask! Let your clients know that you are passionate about your work. They will be impressed by your zeal and when they have an order or encounter a problem, they will turn to you because you are an enthusiast.

Growth of freelance business.

Freelancing is not easy, you already know that. You will have to work two, three times more than before. Only in this way will you be able to move your competitors in this tough business. However, if you put your time and effort on the freelancing altar, you will certainly be rewarded. Your work will not be in vain and you will definitely start earning decent money.

When you are more or less on your feet, start looking to the future. Explore new areas, gain valuable skills, look for big clients. There will come a day when you realize that you can't do the job on your own. Team up with other freelancers, delegate some tasks to them. Teamwork will take your freelance business to the next level. And remember, there can be any number of these levels - after all, this is freelancing.

Today, freelancing has become the embodiment of freedom in its most diverse senses - creativity, self-expression, movement, finance, lifestyle and daily routine. More professionals are seeing freelancing as a tempting alternative to traditional office work, while companies are enthusiastically moving to outsource projects and even functions.

Curiously, most go through similar stages. professional development, despite all the variety of industries and specializations open to freelancing. Understanding the specifics of these stages allows you to correctly prioritize and avoid dangerous traps, achieving success even without connections, experience or formal education.

Let's try to figure out what these stages are and how to successfully overcome them.

Stage 1. Unrecognized genius

Nobody knows you, nobody trusts you, you apply for hundreds of projects and you don't even get rejection emails. You just don't exist in the freelancing world.

The goal of this step is to create a credible profile.

What to do

Sign up with the leading freelancing platform in your field, one is enough to get you started. Next - fake it until you make it. Clearly and concisely describe your skills and relevant education or certifications, add a photo of yourself with a cheerful smile and write a friendly letter with a wish to work together.

Don't worry if you don't have an education that matches your specialization, this can be easily replenished with the help of a portfolio and reviews.

Portfolio is the most important element of your profile. If you don't have a portfolio and you're hoping to create one when you start working on the platform, then this stage will be much longer than necessary and will probably lead to depression.

A portfolio with examples of projects that you ideally look forward to should be ready in advance. These could be projects you made up or projects you made for friends. The main thing is that they demonstrate the quality of your work. If relevant, include examples of before and after your intervention, this is one of the most effective means of capturing a potential client's attention.

Once you've created your portfolio, start writing reviews for yourself. Invite friends or family, create a few projects, and hire yourself for those projects. As a rule, after 5–7 reviews and a beautiful portfolio appear in the profile, potential clients start responding to emails.

What not to do

Don't quit your job. Creating and promoting a profile and portfolio from scratch will take a lot of time, and you will need a parallel stable source of income.

Stage 2. Promising

You are hired on the first projects, you are checked frequently and meticulously interrogated in interviews. You receive a response to 25% of sent emails.

The purpose of the stage is to confirm the declared reputation.

What to do

Work hard and develop communication

Fight desperately for projects, recycle, stay connected at any time of the day or night (thanks to the current exchange rate best projects come from abroad), listen to the client and fulfill his wishes, be polite and correct.

When applying for a project, be sure to indicate several ways to contact you (phone, Skype, email). Monitor the prices for the services of your closest competitors and dump, at this stage the price and speed of communications are your best friends in the fight for the customer. Develop telephone skills and business communication, especially if your main market speaks a different language.

If your foreign language is not good enough, invite the client to conduct all discussions by email under the pretense of saving all the details and wishes. As a rule, the majority perceives such an approach positively and even distinguishes you from the rest as the most responsible performer.

To plan

Because everyone new client still seems to you a miracle and extraordinary luck, there is a temptation to agree to all the proposed projects. The monitor is overgrown with files with unfinished tasks, coffee cups are multiplying on the table, and email jingles with letters from clients with a bewildered “When will I see the new version?”.

You need to start time and prioritize projects, learn to say “no” or at least adequately evaluate employment (“I can start in two weeks”).

Manage client base

Be sure to start compiling a file with a client base: include contact information, data on the work done, the specifics of communication with this client, his personal or professional interests. Start building relationships with clients, the end of a project doesn't have to mean a complete end to communication between you.

At this stage, you will longingly remember lazy lunches in the corporate office and fun evenings with friends over a glass of wine. The main thing is to realize that it is not endless and after 30, 80 or 150 projects (depending on your specialization) you will be recognized as a professional worthy of respect and decent pay. Of course, only if the reviews of your profile are impeccable and speak of high quality work, and budget, and, importantly, about your pleasant personal qualities.

What not to do

Don't give up on difficult clients.

They are often your most ardent supporters and lead a steady stream of projects through friends and colleagues. Yes, you may lose time (= money) or some nerve cells in the beginning, but in the long run you will be in the black.

Stage 3. Top specialist

You receive dozens of invitations to new projects, you have a stream of regular customers, you are recommended in professional circles as a specialist with a good reputation. You get paid enough and you can choose which projects you sign up for.

The goal of the stage is to follow the strategy.

What to do

Choose projects that in the long run will bring you best results. For example, between a small project of a corporate giant and a highly paid one-time project, choose the first one. If successful, you have a high chance of becoming a permanent freelancer in the verdant field of corporate projects.

Try to build friendly relationships with talent managers on freelance platforms as well. They are constantly on the lookout for reliable freelancers with great referrals. corporate clients platforms. A carefully selected pool of talent gets direct access to Fortune 500 companies and projects with unlimited budgets.

What not to do

Don't think that you are irreplaceable. You will be forgiven for a couple of missed calls or unanswered emails, perhaps a couple of delayed deadlines, before hiring a dedicated and rock-solid freelancer to replace you.

So freedom is freedom, but it's not worth it to suddenly go traveling for a month with unfinished projects.

Stage 4. What's next

In principle, top specialists are already free enough to live where they want, work in their own style, grow professionally and creatively. For some, this stage becomes the norm. happy life and for many years.

Someone gets tired and takes a job with one of their clients or their partners (which is much easier if you maintain a long-term relationship with your client file). Others will try to translate personal success into creating own company and development in a managerial position. There are many options and the decision is yours.

The described stages give a rough idea of ​​what awaits a novice freelancer on the path to success, how best to prepare for this and what mistakes should be avoided.

Despite the fact that it is easy to become a freelancer today, only a few reach the level of top specialists. Understanding the steps and following the basic tips will help you achieve your goals faster and with minimal losses. If you have already gone this way or are halfway there, share your impressions, experience and tips on the steps with us in the comments to the article.