Hey all you Freelancers here! What is the one part of being a freelancer do you wish you had help with when you started out? I'm new to this and want to avoid the pitfalls.
Getting contracts which keeps you busy and brings revenue too? That's what I would think off as a first.
Freelancing is risky. You have a lot of freedom - but sometimes, depending on your situation this can be a bad thing. Ie. not consistent work. I'd recommend building your profiles on these freelancing sites while you are working, and once you have enough feedback/reputation(required to get constant work), then you switch over. Always have backup plans and jobs relatively lined up in the event you need the stability of a 9-5.
Take as many jobs that you can manage so you are keeping busy take even the small jobs. Always remember to stay humble and to not have the mentality of a certain job is beneath you. A good freelancer is a freelancer that works.
Seriously though, make sure your profile is complete, particularly the ‘overview.’ You should stand out by highlighting what you can do, even if you’re new. Hope this helps!
I think one very important thing is to be true to yourself. Only accept jobs that you are good at so you would always end up with a quality product. Accept jobs that you know you can handle on a set deadline. Time is essential on pleasing clients. Most importantly, just be honest with your client and with yourself.
I would say that you need to be committed. Don't waste any time. Work for 18 hours if you need to (that what I did) because you are competing with thousands of other freelancers.
So many things come to my mind when I think of this. Marketing was a big pitfall, as well as charging enough. I wish I avoided content mills and low paying gigs. Time management and contracts are two more big issues.
Charging what you're worth and consulting the right way (read Million Dollar Consulting by Alan Weiss). I jot down all leads in an excel file and create reminders to revisit anyone I don't close business with. Reach back out to previous clients you've worked with and ask them how the work you did for them, ask for referrals. Facebook groups are a huge source of potential clients that's often overlooked.