30 Days to Become a Freelancer
Photo by Sidi Guariach.
If you’ve ever thought about freelancing part-time but never done it, this post may help you. Most people never follow through on those thoughts because they are overwhelmed and confused by the process of starting a freelance business. The aim of this post is to provide a step-by-step guide to launching a part-time freelance business in 30 days, going from zero to taking on your first client.
The format for this challenge was inspired by the excellent 31 Days to Build a Better Blog program, which concluded recently. I really like this approach because it offers concrete, practical steps with a measurable result. Sometimes ‘do this, do that’ advice is more useful than theory. My hope is that you can follow the steps here, putting one foot ahead of the other, and find yourself with a little freelance business at the end of the process!
The program is designed to be completed while you are working full-time, either by dedicating a couple of hours in the evening or mornings, or working on the program over the weekend. It should be combined with daily hands-on practice in the skill you want to freelance in, particularly if you are a novice in that skill. If you are a novice, don’t delay the program until you feel you are ‘good’ enough. The emphasis is on selling a very specific skill that you can become good at in a short period of time. 30 days practicing one hour a day is more than enough time to develop a specific service that you are good enough at to sell.
The main aim of this program is to help you learn how to monetize a skill that puts you into flow. This will make you a happier and wealthier person!
If you’re going to create your freelance business in 30 days, you can’t afford to waste any time - so let’s get started.
Day 1
Decide on the one service you will offer. I emphasize picking only one specific service because without freelance experience, you are probably not already highly skilled in the area you want to freelance in. Even if you have been practicing it as a hobby for a long time, providing that skill as a service is a different challenge.
If you are wanting to freelance in web design, don’t offer everything and the kitchen sink to begin with (complete design + front-end code). Provide PSD mockups only. If you’re more on the dev side of things, start with some code slicing jobs. If you want to write, start with one specific kind of writing.
This approach will help you become skilled in the service you provide very quickly. Since you want to be taking on your first client in 30 days, it’s crucial that you develop your skills to an adequate level. Once you become comfortable with providing that one service, you will naturally expand what you offer.
Day 2
Gather learning materials to help you practice your service before taking on a client. As I mentioned in the introduction to this list, you should spend at least 1 hour per day just developing your skill. While this should be mainly direct practice (doing rather than reading about), you will need to gather materials to guide you here. This includes articles, interviews and tutorials. Focus mainly on developing techniques you could actually see yourself using in client work.
Day 3
Decide on a business name - are you a studio or individual? Then, buy the domain name and hosting. You can freelance under your real name, a pseudonym, or a business name. Here are some example business names I generated with this cool little thing:
- Flying Dog Design
- Green Ant Productions
- Scarlet Zebra Interactive
- Blue Cat Labs
- Chestnut Rabbit Solutions
- Golden Lemur Studios
- Friendly Kangaroo Ltd
- Evil Pencil Media
Of course, some of these are really absurd, but they do give you an idea of some common naming conventions.
Once you’ve picked a name, it’s time to buy the domain for that name. If there’s no domain available for that name, pick another one. Your domain branding is really important.
Buy a domain name that comes with web hosting, as the next branding step is to create your portfolio.
Further reading: Naming Your Freelance Business - To Personalize or Not (With a Poll!)
Day 4
Design your products. This is different from the service you are going to offer - here you decide how it is going to be packaged. Are you going to sell blocks of time? Completed projects? What will your rates be?
Your goals should be modest as you are only starting out, both in terms of how much you will work and how much you will charge. For your first job, I would suggest an hourly rate between $20 - $30. Keep in mind that you don’t publish these rates online and can therefore change them from client to client. Just because you do one job at $20 an hour as you’re starting out doesn’t mean you can’t be charging $50 an hour a few months later.
Per-project rates are a great option down the track as they decouple the direct exchange of time for money. I don’t recommend them to a beginning freelancer, though. It will be extremely difficult to come up with an accurate price estimate before you have the experience you’d need to look at a project and quickly have a reasonable idea of how long it is going to take. That’s something that will only come with time and experience. (Note that this advice doesn’t necessarily apply to smaller jobs like article writing.)
Day 5
Set up a business email address and PayPal account. While your friends and family might not mind receiving email from ronny69@hotmail.com, prospective clients might! Create an email address linked to your new domain name. Forward it to a free Gmail account, then under your Gmail settings, put your domain email address as your default ‘Send Email As’ address. This will allow you to manage your domain email through Gmail, rather than the dubious email UIs provided by most webhosts.
A good format is
Next up you should create a PayPal account if PayPal is available in your country. If not, try Moneybookers. Most online freelancing is paid via PayPal and I consider it a must-have. If you dislike the fees, you can build them into your rates.
If you already have a PayPal account, it might be a good idea to think about changing your address to something linked to your business, i.e. ‘accounts@yourdomain.com’ or ‘paypal@yourdomain.com’.
Day 6
Set up Wordpress under your freelance business domain. Every freelancer should have an online portfolio, even if it’s very simple. If you’re a designer with time to spare you can probably take control of this step. If you want a quick solution that is quite effective, download Wordpress and install it under your domain name.
Day 7
Select and install a portfolio Wordpress theme. This platform will give prospective clients the means to learn more about you and your services, view your work, and contact you. You can browse some great Premium options under $30 at ThemeForest.
Day 8
Write your portfolio ‘About’ page. Include your current location, any relevant qualifications you have, previous work you have done in the industry and previous clients you have worked for (don’t worry if there are none). This is particularly relevant if you’ve been working in your field before going freelance. Keep in mind that this should be mainly professional rather than personal, but you can include some personal info at the end if you want. If you’d like to include a picture, a specially taken portrait is a good option.
Day 9
Sign up at Formspring and create your ‘Contact’ form. I use Formspring often in my job and I think it’s an excellent way to create intelligent contact forms. You can use this form to find out what kind of work the client is looking for and even what their budget is. All this information will help you when it comes time to write your response and close the sale.
Day 10
Design your invoice template. If you fancy yourself a designer, create an attractive template for your invoices. As someone who spends time receiving and paying invoices, they do affect my perception of how professional the freelancer is. If you aren’t confident in your design skills then I would create an account at Freshbooks. They’re my favorite free invoice management service and I’ve used them often.
Day 11
Set up your home office space. You’re a freelancer now, so you need space to work. A room dedicated just to your work is ideal, but if you don’t have that luxury (I know I don’t!) set up a desk or table in one of the quieter rooms in your house. A bedroom is a good option, but keep in mind that you probably won’t be able to get away with late nights - or possibly early mornings - if sharing with someone else!
In my experience, the cornerstones of an effective home office are a computer that works quickly, a good chair and a large monitor, or multiple monitors, for better productivity.
Day 12
Create a logo OR commission a logo OR work more on your skills. While not every freelancer has their own logo, it’s a fantastic addition to your branding. You can use it in emails, watermarks, business cards, invoices, your portfolio and when presenting work to your clients. If you don’t want a logo or don’t have the budget yet, work more on your skills today.
Day 13
Start work on a portfolio item - you will have 5 days to complete this. More important than having items in your portfolio is the practice you will gain from completing this exercise. By the end of the 30 day challenge you will have three items in your portfolio, and this is the first. These items should involve the exact skills you will be selling to clients.
Here are some ideas for portfolio items in various industries:
- Copywriting - write an original sales page for an existing product or service.
- PSD to code slicing - purchase a cheap PSD template and convert it into a functioning demo site.
- Writing - write an article suited to appear in the kind of publication you want to work for.
- Web design - create a one-page design.
Day 14
Add a page to your portfolio describing your one service. You should call this page ‘
Day 15
Read Freelance Switch’s guide to Getting Started as a Freelancer. There are some great articles here that cover all aspects of getting started with freelancing in more detail. If you have questions, you’ll find answers here.
Day 16
Familiarize yourself with tax laws for freelancers in your country. In my job I often receive invoices from Australian freelancers without an Australian Business Number listed. Unknown to them, it is actually illegal for me to pay them without that 11 digit number. Luckily it only takes a few minutes for them to apply for and receive their ABN once notified about this, but your country may have stumbling blocks of its own - and they might be a bit trickier to deal with!
Make sure you’re aware of the tax and government requirements freelancers must comply with in your country. A good place to start is the website of your national or state tax office.
Day 17
Announce that you are going to be taking on freelance work soon. If you already have an audience online, whether it be blog readers, your social media network or forum buddies, let them know that you’ll be available for freelancing soon. This will build a little bit of buzz and anticipation. If you’re really lucky, you might even be able to line up your first client before you’ve officially opened for business!
Day 18
Start work on portfolio item #2, add item #1 to your portfolio. Now that contains some work, you have a genuine portfolio. Now we’re going to work on beefing it up by adding a couple more items. Item #2 should again illustrate your one service, though approached from a different angle. If your first sales letter was for skin cream, the second might be for a membership site, and demonstrate a different selling style. If your first PSD to code conversion was for a Wordpress blog, the next one might be for a business site.
Day 19
Perform some simple SEO on your portfolio. Sprinkling a little SEO-dust on your portfolio can eventually help to bring a trickle of prospects to your portfolio on autopilot. To begin with, use likely keywords in your portfolio title (i.e. ‘Jane Smith: Flash game designer - Melbourne, Australia’). Try to work keyword phrases into your copy and page titles if they seem natural. Install a Wordpress SEO plug-in like the All-in-One SEO Pack. If you want to learn more, read SEOmoz’s Beginner’s Guide to Search Engine Optimization.
Day 20
Make your portfolio public (link it up everywhere). It’s time to debut yourself to the world (very quietly). Google can’t know about your portfolio if it can’t find it, so you need to leave a trail. You give Google that trail by linking to your portfolio wherever you can. Start by linking to it on every online property you have ownership over - blogs, Facebook pages, forum signatures, email signatures, Twitter profiles, Flickr profiles, etc.
Day 21
Create free portfolios and profiles wherever you can. Yes, you already have a portfolio, but you want to get your work out to as many people as possible. Some prospective clients may never know the right keywords to find your site, but they might browse Carbonmade or LinkedIn instead.
Day 22
Sign up to job boards relevant to your industry and subscribe to their RSS feeds. The Monster List of Freelancing Job Sites is your roadmap here. You don’t need to apply for any jobs today - your only task is to gather a ‘watch list’ of job boards and sites. Browse through some of the jobs available to get an idea of what’s out there, but don’t apply for anything yet.
Day 23
Start working on portfolio item #3, add item #2 to your portfolio. Another portfolio item done and dusted - well done! It’s now time to move on to item #3, your final item in the 30 day challenge. Once again, show your ‘one service’ in a different shade. This time, create the item as if you were working for the type of client you most want to work for. If you’d love to write sales pages for high-end internet marketing products, make that item #3. If you’d love to get work as a live show photographer, go out and photograph a gig in your area. The type of items in your portfolio will affect the kind of work you get. I think this quote from freelance designer Barton Damer illustrates this well:
“A couple years ago, I began only posting projects I love. I pulled down logos, brochures, etc. off my portfolio and only posted digital art. The result, people started contacting me for digital art!” (Source)
Day 24
Announce that you are now available for freelance work. Most people prefer to hire someone they know. They could spend 30 minutes searching online and probably find somebody more talented than you are (there’s always someone more talented!), but people place a lot of value in feeling they can trust the person they’re working with. That’s why your existing network and audience is an excellent place to find work. Post about it on your blog, tweet about it, update your Facebook status. Let the world know that you’re ready to work!
Day 25
Apply to 10 jobs on various job boards. Over the last few days you’ve hopefully been keeping tabs on your jobs ‘watch list’. You may have earmarked a few jobs that looked good to you. Now is the time to really take the plunge and start applying for work.
I have advertised for freelancers before and I speak from experience when I say that by following the instructions in the job ad very carefully you will launch yourself into the top 5% of applicants. Seriously!
A friend of mine recently applied for (and won) a job in web development. The instructions in the job ad stated that the subject line of the application email had to contain the word ‘Elephants’. Though a little confused by this request, he complied. Later on after winning the job he learned that although the company had received close to 100 applications, only 7 of them contained the word ‘Elephants’ in the subject line. The company did not even open the other 93 emails. For them, the ‘Elephant’ instruction was a way to test the applicant’s attention to detail.
As a final note, make sure to only apply to jobs that match your ‘one service’. If you can’t find 10, don’t broaden your scope just to make up the number. If you end up applying for and winning a job that requires skills you don’t have, you may also end up delivering a sub-standard end product to the client. Remember: you want this job to be something you can add to your portfolio!
Day 26
Email 10 prospective clients. Erm… didn’t you just do that? Yes, but this kind of emailing is different. Here you are offering your services to people who don’t know they need them yet. If you’re a PSD to code slicer, look for the portfolio of a web developer who states that they are not taking on new work at the moment. This means they’re really busy. Send them an email presenting yourself as someone trustworthy to outsource to and help them get through more clients. (Note: this works in just about any industry, not just design.)
Next, look for people who might need your skills for other reasons. If you’re a freelancer blogger and you know a good blog that pays for content, email the owner and offer your services. If you’re a copywriter and find a lackluster sales page, offer to create something better. If you find a website that’s poorly coded, offer to shore it up with impeccably valid and clever code.
Keep in mind, though, that when presenting your services as a ‘better’ option you are often talking to creator of the original. If something looks DIY, it probably is. Rather than criticizing the original, point out the virtues of a professional service.
Day 27
Exchange your skills for promotion. Money is not the only currency a freelancer earns. They also earn promotion, referrals and reputation. Today your goal is to trade your skill for promotion and exposure. Pitch a guest-post to one of your favorite blogs. Offer to create a logo for a popular website that doesn’t have one yet. If there are errors in their web design, offer to fix them.
The key here is not to do something for free and hope that you get something in return. Negotiate this exchange like you would if you were being paid in cash. Outline specifically what you want in return. Do you want to be mentioned in a site update? Do you want a testimonial? Do you want a post written about you? Do you want a banner on the site for a set period of time?
You’re providing the client with something of value, so you should expect to receive something of equal value in return. It’s essential that this arrangement is made before you do any work at all. This guarantees you won’t waste your time and that you won’t spring any surprises on a client who thought they were getting free work without any strings attached!
Day 28
Create a Twitter account for your business. If you already have a Twitter account, consider whether it is consistent with your business branding. If not, you might want to consider creating a separate business Twitter account. The point of this is to get your clients to follow you. This is, in my opinion, the best possible way to stay in the minds of previous clients and encourage repeat work. Some freelancers are so good at generating repeat work that they don’t even need to look for new clients! If you begin working towards this goal from the beginning you will give yourself a useful head-start.
If you create a Twitter account for your freelance business, make sure the visual branding is consistent with your portfolio. You need consistency to create a ’sticky’ brand that clients remember.
Here is a quick introduction to Twitter for freelancers.
Day 29
Ask 5 people for a testimonial. Testimonials are solid gold to a freelancer, yet most of us don’t know it. Consider that more than talent, more than cheap rates, more than a slick portfolio design, prospects are looking for someone they can trust. Your portfolio items help them trust that you do good work. Your client list helps them trust that you are professional. Your testimonials help them trust that you are good to work with and deliver what you’re paid for.
Even though you don’t have clients yet, you can still have testimonials. A testimonial is, at heart, a statement vouching for you. Clients are not the only people who can provide these. If you’re a designer, get a testimonial from someone who thinks your work is great. If you’re a blogger, get a testimonial from a reader who thinks you’re talented. And finally, something anyone should be able to do: get a testimonial from a friend who thinks you’re a good, kind, trustworthy person.
If you feel uneasy asking for a testimonial, look through comments, tweets and emails about you. When people say nice things, that’s an instant testimonial you can use.
Day 30
Add portfolio item #3 to your portfolio, then buy yourself a home office gift for completing 30 days to become a freelancer! Your portfolio now contains 3 items - not bad at all! You’ve been working hard these last 30 days. Whether you have found a client yet or not, you’ve set up your own freelance business, and that’s an achievement. To celebrate, buy yourself an upgrade to your home office - something you will use to improve your business. Whether it’s a 30″ screen or a nice packet of ballpoint pens will depend on your budget, of course…
If you haven’t won a job yet, don’t worry. Your first job is always the hardest to land, and the process will get easier over time. Keep applying to any job that looks good, building your skills and your portfolio. Eventually your tenacity will be rewarded.
From Moonlighting to Daylighting
While you’ll begin doing 5 - 10 hours of freelance work a week, plugging away at it on evenings and weekends, you may eventually decide that you’d like to make freelancing your primary source of income. While much has been said on transitioning from part-time to full-time work, I can’t stress enough the importance of a financial safety net. Ideally you should use the extra income gained from part-time freelancing to build the cushion you’ll need when you go 100% solo. Having said that, most freelancers won’t make the jump until they are consistently turning down good quality job offers that they don’t have the time to complete while moonlighting. Chances are you won’t need to rely on your safety net, but it’s still an essential.
Taking it to the Next Level
What I’ve outlined here is really the most basic kind of freelance business. It’s effective and can be very lucrative, but there is still more you can do. I’ve not had the space to touch on more advanced SEO strategies, creating a launch process for your services, using a blog to funnel clients into your business, building a referral program, becoming an industry leader to charge premium rates, and other advanced business strategies. I know many Skelliewag readers are just getting started, so I don’t think it’s appropriate to post these high-level strategies on the blog. Instead, I’ll put them in the newsletter I mentioned in the ‘flow’ post. Don’t worry - it’s getting closer to being ready every day!
Excellent post Skellie, it’s really the worth the time to put together posts like this when you can become an awesome resource for people.
So true, I did this myself for working for a company in my chosen niche for a year before fully going solo.
Stumbled!
Cheers,
Glen
Very helpful. Thank you. I have been freelancing for a while now but you highlighted tips in here on how I can improve how I do my work and show opportunities on where I can get new clients.
Wow Skellie, I can honestly say had I read this six months ago, life would have been a lot smoother. Excellent, excellent resource.
As always, raising the bar on what it means to do something thoroughly… I’m impressed that you took this big, fat topic and made it incredibly accessible and digestible.
I’m currently sprucing up my own freelance business, so it was interesting to read through the steps again! Thanks for this… :)
Skellie, yes, there are plenty of important boxes checked, but life is not so linear.
As you’ll no doubt be aware, there are days as a freelancer where you’ll just want to crawl back into bed, or you’ll come home from a client so angry because you’ve been cutting their crappy code for weeks with no scent of a pay check.
Nothing prepares you for these realities.
I do however appreciate the sentiment. And I am aiming to create the environment where flow happens. I am aware that there are things that fall outside my locus of control, so for flow to happen, I focus on what I can do, now.
Great resource, Skellie. Thanks. You really broke the process down into something that seems easily doable.
Once again, another excellent article and information. You give a useful step by step, and easiyl attainable , process of going the freelance route.
Amazing post!
Very well done & impressive.
What a brilliant resource! As Writer Dad says, why couldn’t you have written it last year? ;-) I know I would have found it invaluable when making the slow transition from day job to freelancer.
Will definitely recommend this to some folks…
Thanks!
Wow, Skellie, thank you very much for this. I intend to make freelancing a major part of my income in the next few years, and this is a great place to start. Very excited.
Amazing…
I thought it was another 30 days challenge by Skellie…
I intend to work as freelancer,
but my plan is to work on my skill before moving into another stage…
Awesome! I’m about to start freelancing and this couldn’t have had better timing.
Thanks mang!
Excelent article! I’m considering to switch to a freelance life and it has helped me a lot! thanks
[...] View original post here: Skelliewag.org » Posts » 30 Days to Become a Freelancer [...]
I really liked your post.
Hey there, could someone direct me to a page or explain (very idiot proof haha) how to do Day 5?
I want to make a proper, domain email but filter it through Gmail account because like it said above, the web hosting ones are weird! I already have a generic @gmail.com email for my site that is known though, how to i direct mail to both email addresses (@gmail) and (@domain.com) to that one gmail account?
So sorry if i’m asking too much questions!
Nice post, great tips…
Freshbooks is not free (if you want to manage more than 3 clients). However it’s very inexpensive and totally worth it. Much more than just invoicing. You can do time tracking (with a widget), export reports, etc.
Members of freelancer’s union get a discount on Freshbooks!
I’ve been doing this hopscotch style, wish I had done this in a 30 day challenge style.
too many Red’s, beers, bourbons etc to be sensible !! BUT, read the first few tips and wanted to “Tweet” and shout and post about em.. Had a personal “event” tonight that made all this work of yours absolutely fantastic.. Will alcohol addled brain rememebr great new plan - YES all written down!!
I luv ya Skellie and we will meet - coffee in Lygon I reckon, and YES , I will be nice! LOL (cake and coffee is on me) Apologies in advance ……
Thanks, Skellie. I’ve taken on some recurring projects that are good launching points. Applying the points in your post can help push me toward working smarter, not harder.
Skellie,
You continue to amaze and provide actionable tips… Locating that one specific service is where it all begins. Thanks for sound, practical step by step guide. Looking forward to the newsletter. Cheers,
-Mig
Fantastic post Skellie, really clear step by step advice that is incredibly useful.
Just jumping into this world and loving it!
(Thanks for the mod and coffee offer is still real! - delete this bit)
[...] 30 Days to Become a Freelancer The aim of this post is to provide a step-by-step guide to launching a part-time freelance business in 30 days, going from zero to taking on your first client. (tags: business tutorial) [...]
Skellie,
This is a great resource for anyone thinking about adding freelancing to their offerings. Freelancing (or consulting) is part of the Holy Trinity of Blog Religions.
Freelancing (consulting) helps builds expertise rapidly and provides the springboard for the other two elements of the Holy Trinity, training and leverage.
This post is a great resource. Thanks!
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Wow, this is really great.
I was just recently creating up some plans to go freelance just recently. This article was great, really insightful.
I was thinking about starting off small, trying to focus on simple 3 page sites and such, while also learning other languages to start adding dynamic content to my portfolio.
I just recently worked on the redesign of the site me and my friend created. In roughly 6 months since becoming interested in Web Design, I’ve learned a ton.
Thanks!
I came across this article via Digg and like many others commenters, I wish I came across this two months ago. Lucky for me and my JV partner, we ended up following the plan pretty closely. And in less than two months, we’ve already taken on a handful of paying clients.
On invoicing, we’ve tried Freshbooks and (being a designer) I hated the UI. We ended up using InvoiceMachine and absolutely love it. It’s inexpensive, integrates with BaseCamp and PayPal and it’s visually stunning. Not to mention your invoices look awesome.
This is quite succinct and well written with amazingly good tips. I’ll add that picking a profession to freelance in also depends on how crowded that market is with people whose skill level is above yours. For example, the radio industry has lost so many jobs that many of those folks, people with incredible radio voices, are freelancing as one-stop shops for voicework and production. A person getting into this field would have to be mindful of that fact and strive to offer something different enough to get noticed. Sure, you could undercut the price but there is a limit to how low one can go and still run a successful business.
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Great post, but when I clicked on “this cool little thing,” it said “This Account Has Been Suspended!”
this is extremely helpful to me as I’m currently setting up my freelance photography business. thanks so much!
The intro photo reflects the complexity of the decision! great selection and great post!
Way to nail it!
I like the fact you connected the dots between making a living and a skill that puts you into flow.
Key question - how do you build an effective portfolio for things that aren’t art’ish? For example, I can imagine portfolios for writers, artists, photographers, designers … but what’s a portfolio look like for life coaches … is it simply case studies and stories? … or is that just a different bucket than freelancing? (though, I imagine a freelancer is any gun for hire.)
This is such a good article! I’m really inspired :) I’ve been thinking about freelance writing a lot recently and it would have taken me forever tofigure out a logical way of going about it for myself, this post has given me some clear guidelines to work with. I like the tip of choosing a specific type of writing to start with, rather than offering everything and anything.
[...] Skelliwag - 30 Days To Become a Freelancer – wow. Just Wow. I’ve never seen a guide like this, and I wish I had one a year ago when I started freelancing. This guide literally breaks down the first month as a businessman (or woman) and sets you up a foundation to build upon in the coming months. It’s detailed and shows you exactly what to do. Definitely a vital resource for anyone starting a side business! [...]
Try getting laid off. Takes way less than 30 days to get motivated, trust me.
This is such a wonderful post! I’ve been freelancing part-time for over a year now and still haven’t completed some of the steps mentioned above. This post eliminates all questions about how to get started and where to find clients. Thanks again.
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I’m looking into the world of freelance writing, and your second sentence describes exactly how I feel. This is a really useful article! I appreciate that you’ve taken the time to provide us with this challenge… now, to get on it!
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[...] Skelliewag’s brilliant post “30 Days to Become A Freelancer” is great advice even if you’re only dabbling in a bit of freelance [...]
Day 17 should be Day 1.
[...] artículo está inspirado en el de Skelliewag.org, 30 days to become a freelancer, que a su vez está inspirado en el programa de Problogger, 31 days to build a better blog (muy [...]
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Superb post, I’ve completed the first day, only 29 to go! Lots of research needed but at least I have a plan to follow - this article!
Cheers again
Roy
Really good article. I wish you’d have written it when I was just starting out. It would have given me a great head start.
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Excellent article. Even veteran freelancers should go through this list once in a while to make sure they are always marketing themselves the best way possible.
AWESOME article!
[...] post is part of a series based on Skellie’s article. You can read the other installments [...]
[...] post is part of a series based on Skellie’s article. You can read the other installments [...]
[...] post is part of a series based on Skellie’s article. You can read the other installments [...]
[...] post is part of a series based on Skellie’s article. You can read the other installments here. [...]
[...] how do you get started as a freelancer? Skelliewag has a fantastic 30 days to become a freelancer post that outlines every step you should take to get there. The steps are fairly generic because [...]
[...] post is part of a series based on Skellie’s article. You can read the other installments [...]
Thanks for this list! I’ve already done alot of the things on it, but there are a few things I didn’t think of, and it’s nice to refer back to it to make sure I have everything covered. Bookmarked!
[...] post is part of a series based on Skellie’s article. You can read the other installments [...]
[...] post is part of a series based on Skellie’s article. You can read the other installments [...]
[...] Skelliewag’s 30 Days to Become a Freelancer [...]
Simply just very useful stuff. Thanks a lot for sharing this great article, which I enjoyed very much.
[...] post is part of a series based on Skellie’s article. You can read the other installments [...]
[...] http://www.skelliewag.org/30-days-to-become-a-freelancer-961.htm [...]
[...] post is part of a series based on Skellie’s article. You can read the other installments [...]
[...] 30 Days to Become a Freelancer [...]
[...] post is part of a series based on Skellie’s article. You can read the other installments [...]
[...] post is part of a series based on Skellie’s article. You can read the other installments [...]
[...] post is part of a series based on Skellie’s article. You can read the other installments [...]
[...] post is part of a series based on Skellie’s article. You can read the other installments [...]
Great article. I worked in this direction to get where I’m at now(which is about day 28-30), but over a four month period, not in much of a hurry. But this article has shown me some stuff I missed and some areas I am relieved to see was the right direction (you second guess your self when you ride this solo, that sucks up time too).
[...] post is part of a series based on Skellie’s article. You can read the other installments [...]
[...] ??????????? Skellie Wag ?????????????????? 31 ??????????????????30 ??????????????????????????????????????????????????????? [...]
[...] post is part of a series based on Skellie’s article. You can read the other installments [...]
[...] post is part of a series based on Skellie’s article. You can read the other installments [...]
[...] post is part of a series based on Skellie’s article. You can read the other installments [...]
Great advice, especially the emphasis on picking one thing to market. I’ve enjoyed all your posts, but this one is my favorite. Thank you.
[...] Read It Here: http://www.skelliewag.org/30-days-to-become-a-freelancer-961.htm [...]
This is awesome! I wish I had this list when I first started writing. I really need something detailed and organized like this!
[...] post is part of a series based on Skellie’s article. You can read the other installments [...]
Wow, this is great, a tip for each day of the month!
I just added your article my latest article on Dig Deep Thinker (Self-Employed: Ready or Not). Fantastic, actionable content.
[...] 30 Days to Become a Freelancer [...]
Great plan! Jumping into something like freelancing - whether as a web designer, print designer, or copywriter - with nothing to go by is very intimidating. The step by step guide is immensely helpful, breaking the huge process down into manageable pieces that build successively until finally you’re a freelancer! Every beginner freelance should be saving this to refer to often.
What a thorough guide that was, Skellie! I have noted down the useful links and will check them out later. I am a feeelance writer. I believe the biggest challenge an extra-time (after-office part-timer) writer faces is being prolific in writing content. It is easy to add widgets adn other tools like polls, RSS etc., but that is not the purpose of being in business. Your guide shows us how to build our business foundation-level upwards.
I’ll read the related posts when I have some more time. In the meantime, I await your newsletter.
[...] 30 Days To Become a Freelancer: New to freelancing? Skellie, former FreelanceSwitch editor, provides one possible step-by-step guide that may be useful if you’re not sure where to start or what to do. [...]
Amazing post. I have dabbled with freelancing for a while using some of the techniques mentioned but this post will provide more structure for me. Does anyone know where I can find the minimum legal requirements for making money from a website in the UK? registering company names, tax etc
This is an amazingly thorough guide. I do think for designers it would be better if you design your portfolio site from scratch, but I realise on a 30 day plan that’s not going to happen.
Great plan! Jumping into something like freelancing - whether as a web designer, print designer, or copywriter - with nothing to go by is very intimidating.
I have to admit, I’m impressed with the completeness of this post. I feel empowered just having read it. While I was only slightly considering starting moonlighting as a freelancer, I’m strongly considering it now. It’s organized and really focuses on the positive, constructive things you can do before going full-bore into freelancing. Keep it up, I’m loving everything I’ve read here thus far.
Freelancer works independently to touch the heaven
“To blog successfully you have to be passionate about something and stay true to it.” and don’t forget to stay online.
Great article. So much help me as a newbie.
Waiting your others related article.
thats nice! i like the way its well documented day by day. its easy to follow and well structured.. well done and thanks for sharing the info..
Excellent!!!! Thanks!
Really a great post - one that many can learn from and implement on a day to day basis…
Nice article. Thanks for that
inspirational stuff - thx
Thank you so much for this. Highly informative and practical.