I want to become a full time freelancer, how do I start?

Jeremy, thank you, I love your information man

 

Hey Budd you should open a Linked in profile,,pros,,like you should need that website,,,there also you can find moe opportunities..if you already tried it..thats all good,,,and if me i use those skills to start my own business there re bunch of freelancers hiring now these days,but i recommend hang around Linkedin and then start a conversation with a person who really need you help thats all i do if i U hope help u just a bit...

 

Thank CyCchips

 

You always welcome and welcome to digital point i m getting like it...ALL THE BEST with your Freelancing effort!

 

I read somewhere that Craigslist can work out for some people. Have you tried posting your ad and portfolio on there? Consider a paid ad on sites like that, and kijiji. Use an image though, and good text. People notice those ads on a site, and if it doesn't work you're probably only out $20... Then at least you tried some paid promo...

If you had a site there's PPC for promotion.

 

First of all, register with websites like, freelance, elance, odesk which provide freelancing works. You will find so many project in it and start bidding as per your requirements.

 

I freelance. The trick to getting started on those sites is to offer to things at really dumb-low prices. You have to build your reputation on there, starting small and building up to more expensive projects. People on those sites don't care about your references outside of their own system. They want to see the feedback you get.

But be prepared for crap. People want you to do $500 worth of work for $50. But sometimes, starting out, you have to. And it sucks at first. Cause people WILL take advantage of you. Just be very clear on your limits and keep track of EVERYTHING. Messages, emails, and all. So if they try to screw you over, you can cover yourself.

Oh and learn WordPress...............

 

Freelance is horrible as a full time job. Back in the day I gave it a try. But I got sick and tired of chasing the dollar, working long hours which would always financially equate to below average income, scoring a big pay day to find myself out of work for the next 3 weeks (refer to the previous statement), having a new inexperienced BOSS with every assignment, and getting jerked to the right and to the left with my pay and schedule to accommodate clients who promise you a billion more jobs but never deliver.

If you don't mind having no health coverage or high cost crappy benefits and competing online with mohammad and babagofuckacow and their $20 project bids that make potential employers actually start to question your reasonable dirt cheap bid of $200 then I suppose freelance could work for you. I would NEVER advise anyone starting out to search for jobs on odesk or the many freelance web sites out there. It's a waste of time. The best Freelance gigs are found offline through networking. Target a niche market. Perhaps you build online presences for Hair Stylists or Salons... Maybe you build web sites for Construction companies or small restaurants... Get in to a niche market where you have little to no competition then start branching out and networking. Or simple direct marketing approaches. You will most likely see a greater return than to waste your time bidding on projects from clueless employers with Rasheed and Ali Boo Hoo...

Freelance just sucks. Go work for a firm or an existing company. You will make more money and will have dental. Or start your own service or project online. Freelance just means you will have no free time, employers will expect you to always be free and provide a service for free, and you always lose your bids because some scrub will bid a dollar or will do the job for free....