Estimated reading time: 4 mins
Working as a freelancer in any industry seems like a good idea, and indeed it is in most scenarios. After all, you get to be the boss and work the hours that you decide, not the other way around.
Plus, the money is competitive, the jobs more frequent, and it’s easier to do thanks to the internet. All of these pros might make you think that it’s easy peasy lemon squeezy, but there are pitfalls that you need to avoid. If you don’t, the chances of being successful are much lower.
With that in mind, these are the mistakes you need to look out for. Oh, and to help you along, they also come with the solutions. Good luck.
Not Pricing Competitively
Are you new to the freelancing community? Do you think that you need to stand out from the crowd as a result? Don’t worry if you answer yes to these questions because plenty of newbies feel the same way. The mistake is not the feeling of fear: the mistake is the action you take next. To be competitive, freelancers like to lower the prices in the hope that customers choose them to keep the cost down. However, it usually has the adverse effect as ninety-nine percent of consumers see a low price as a bad sign. Plus, the custom you do get will automatically lower your profit margins. Although it doesn’t seem like a good move, you should price your services according to the market. Then, you can use other strategies to lure in customers, such as a two for one discount.
Not Asking For Help
Another major mistake that you are likely to make is deciding to do everything alone. There are plenty of reasons this happens, but the main one is self-worth. As a freelancer, you might start to believe that your value isn’t as high if you don’t shoulder the responsibility. Of course, this theory doesn’t hold water from a logical standpoint. For one thing, there are areas which encompass your sector which won’t come naturally. Web designers, for example, need to think about everything from eCommerce to SEO when they create a new site. Because they are novices in both fields, they often list the help of external eCommerce and SEO specialists to hit the brief. Secondly, the cost of keeping everything in-house is too high. Whether you’re a big establishment or a freelancer, you need to consider outside help.
Not Working Productively
If you ask any freelancer what they find hard about their job, they will usually answer being productive. Sadly, most people are used to an office environment with strict working conditions. As a result, they know what to do and when to do it throughout the day. Freelancing isn’t the same, and this can cause problems. To begin with, you might not be sure which tasks are worth your time and energy. Plus, you might need to flesh out the job before you tackle it head on. The trick is to make a daily list of the most important things to complete before day’s end. The list doesn’t have to be long or energy sapping as long as it helps with productivity. For instance, a blogger should spend a day concentrating on social media for marketing purposes.
Not Setting A Routine
Working as a freelancer allows you advantages that you don’t get in a typical working environment. Still, these benefits don’t mean that you should exploit them because you want to be lazy. Yes, the hours are flexible, but there is no point in starting late and finishing late unless you have an emergency. Okay, there is something good on TV, but is that more important than your job? The key to a successful career as a freelancer is creating a routine that is conducive to your life. That means starting the day early, not taking multiple breaks, and working hard. Without a routine, there is no way you will last as a freelancer in any industry.
Not Being Cool
Sorry to break it to you, but work will slow up from time to time. As a freelancer, you have to come to terms with this fact beforehand. Otherwise, the coming months will be fraught with worry and stress. What you must not do is panic when things start to take a turn. Yes, it isn’t the best sign, yet it also isn’t the end of the world. All you can do is continue in the hope that things will change in the future.
A word to the wise: things often do change after a short while.
