Want to be a Freelancer? Freelancing Mistakes to Avoid

Feb 9, 2023
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Freelancing has become more widely popular among professionals from diverse backgrounds. Even though it has "free" lancing, there is a reality check. 

Aside from being proficient in the field, one must also be knowledgeable about, if not an expert in, a variety of business and marketing-related abilities. Therefore, freelancing is not accessible in that sense or similar to regular work. Choosing a freelance career may be difficult, especially considering the vast amount of currently available information.

New freelancers are more likely to make several blunders since they are still determining their strategy. They seek positions where they can provide high-quality work. Still, their lack of prior freelance experience frequently presents a significant barrier. 

Mistakes that you may face as a new freelancer:

- Overcommitting to a project or taking on too many clients.

- Doing the bare minimum to get by.

- Being underpaid.

- Neglecting your physical and mental health.

- Constantly dealing with daunting clients.

- Lack of financial management.

Now, let's discuss freelance mistakes that you can avoid as a newbie in the market:

Bidding and marketing

As you're new to the industry, bidding on projects based on price rather than value increases your chance of getting a dreadful experience. Suppose there is ongoing competition among individuals with comparable qualifications. In that case, you must go with the projects, even if you're not getting paid a high price initially. So, you gain experience and learn more about the market. And as you get clients, you get new projects repeatedly. 

However, despite its variable circumstances, marketing is always a necessary, no, compulsion. But marketing always helps you stand aside from your competitors. 

Want to know how to find clients for your freelance business? Check out our blog here.

Setting price

It's always challenging to set up a price. If it's overpriced, the customer will look for other possibilities. Whereas, if your price will only be enough to cover the costs, it's underpriced. So, it would be better if you could do appropriate pricing by project rather than the hourly rate. Customers pay for the work rather than for the time that it takes. 

Contracts

Working without a contract might seem scary as many clients believe in a word-of-mouth policy. And these words might vary before and after the project completion. As a new freelancer, you must always keep documentation from the initial stage of the project. 

Documents you must prepare as a freelancer:

1. Project proposal, 2. Client Contracts and agreements, 3. Billing and receipts, 4. Project deliverables , 5. Invoice, 6. Review deliverables, 7. Closure report

You might like these blogs:

- Reasons Why Freelancers fail at freelancing Business - How to avoid it?

- Building a professional online network in the UAE

- Amateur Freelancer Mistakes That You Can Avoid

- Freelancing Habits that You Should Avoid

Networking

For freelancers, networking is essential since it enables them to expand their business. Networking ultimately provides you with professional advantages. You can often create strong links through reciprocal connections within a network. 

Top reasons why networking is essential for freelancers:

1. Create credibility, 2. Attract new clients, 3. Learn skills and market trends, 4. Grow your brand, 5. Engage with like-minded people

Bonus: Freelancers would frequently discover the first person they think of while passing on clients. In contrast, be kind to others without any hidden motives.

Money management

If you're starting your own freelance business, you will need to always keep startup expenses beforehand. 

You must consider the costs you would require in an emergency when calculating the amount to save. It may also include basic expenses- rent, utilities, groceries, petrol, and health insurance. Even if you don't intend to establish your own freelance business, most financial experts would advise you to save three to six months' worth of living expenses as a "rainy day" fund. 

One thing that many freelancers learn as they go is to stop looking for long-term or retainer clients. Longer-term projects and monthly retainer clients are the best ways to establish consistency in your income and business. However, short-term projects are practical for filling gaps and producing quick money.

Read our latest blog on Finance Guide for Freelancers: Budgeting, Planning & Management

Not everything is your cup of tea!

Often, new freelancers want to do everything. But this makes mistakes worse. Your clients will only take you seriously if you spread yourself enough. You might be skilled at writing, designing, and developing websites. Still, you can not do everything simultaneously. 

Choose a niche and stick to it. Develop your abilities until you are a top expert in your field.

Know more: How to Find Your Niche in Freelancing?

Asking for referrals isn't awkward

Many freelancers either "feel awkward asking" or forget to request recommendations and endorsements. 

Ultimately, you can't turn away from time

No magic recipe will instantly turn someone into a productive person; it is entirely up to you. The first step to enhancing your time management abilities as a freelancer is organisation. If you want to spend less time sorting through the stacks of papers on your desk and more time developing your profession, keeping things organised will be helpful. 

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