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7 Tips to become a successful Freelancer in Pakistan

Freelance Articles

After writing a descriptive article at the end of the month, I uphold the same topic to persuading people who intended to venture for Freelance career. By pursuing my previous article “Why freelancers failure to get freelance jobs“, people interacted by emails and comments on the blog and insisted to go in depth with the same topic so I’ll try to lighten the same niche by using my personal experience not too long though but enough to guide you.

Instead of a tirade, I just want to share 7 successful freelance tips that would be pretty much helpful while creating an account to use as a freelancer over different forums available for freelance jobs including upwork, Freelancer.com,  & many other popular web portals. Be careful in selecting a forum as every website has its own policies and terms. I recommend to go through the website terms & conditions specially payment method, prior to register with the website as a freelancer.

Choosing a right place to start your freelance career is most important as I have already written the main reason why freelancers failure to get the job and that happens when people register and create their profile prior to going through the website policy and structure. So please read carefully the rules and regulations of the web portals and when you feel comfortable with every thing then don’t hesitate to create a powerful complete profile because the profile is a career building and destroying item.

OK so let’s get started with 7 seven important and useful tips to become a successful “freelancer”.

Tip#1: Find Your Niche :  A common question from every one is, What should I do to start freelance? Well you have to evaluate your level of skills to get the answer right away. Think what is you are interested in. For instance, You are a good Graphic designer, familiar with web design, write good stories, drawing sketches or vector graphics, Interested to be updated with the current affairs, having knowledge of Copy writing, Press Release, have a huge crowed on Social Media like Facebook, Twitter, You tube etc.

Just analyze about your interest without focusing the trends and demands of any thing over the internet. Instead,  try to concentrate on your interest and level of skill. If you are interested in WordPress but don’t have knowledge, Doesn’t matter just schedule a month to focus on your interest and find tutorials on either YouTube for fast learning via video series available or download written content like E-Books from any website that provides the easy to learn content and tips. You can subscribe for an upcoming tutorial series on our website.

Tip#2: Freelance Job Providers: After finding your niche, find a related web portal but keep in mind that the platform you selected should be easy to use so that you could conveniently start your career without having any fix regarding Payment method, Job searching, creating profiles, managing your account or something else. I emphasis to read terms and conditions before registering your account.

Once you are registered, you will be prompt to verify your location, phone number or other things like that. Remember all the websites have their own verification methods. Verifying yourself is a most important part to get the job from the client who doesn’t know you at all. Every buyer rely on the platform you are getting access the project from. None of the above websites will allow you to send proposal or bid on any project unless you are verified member.

Tip#3. Creating a Killer Profile: The most important thing you should focus on is, a descriptive, professional looking Profile that you have to show the clients why they select you for their project. Remember this is a most important part while going to become a freelancer. No one see your face how smart you are instead, your profile tells a client about your interest, skill, expertise and the work history. If you have a very professional, impressive profile with great content, that will compel the buyers to use your services for their project.  Your profile should have:

 A professional looking Photograph: Yes of course, customers like the profile with a professional photograph because the photographs helps client to understand you. The ratio of a professional image is higher in getting positive response from the client  The photograph also describes that you are professional freelancer and you can handle the given project by utilizing your skills and relevant knowledge and that’s build clients confidence to hire you for the job.

Tip#4. Write a descriptive “Overview”: Write a brief Overview about your self for your profile. A descriptive overview tells a client without going through all the way, what you are? what are your area of specialization and whether you are, the client is looking for? Try to write out of the box content for your overview but the content should be real and relevant instead of writing the content that are not relevant or based on false information. Try to show the exact figures while going to put any ranking or numbers for your profile. I recommend to write your skill level honestly and don’t try to include any skill or item, you are not familiar or experienced in.

Tip#5. Create a Professional Portfolio: Create a professional portfolio to show your previous experience whatever you have and where ever you get from. A professional portfolio helps clients to analyze your level of enthusiasm and interest. Clients focus on portfolio to help themselves  deciding to award the job to a most capable and excellent freelancer who could provide independent services within the timeline and the budget. Two more things are very important for a new freelancer.

a) In the beginning, You have no previous jobs to show in portfolio but you should add some rare art work or some thing similar to show a client that no matter you are new to “freelance”, but you are skilled and expert in your niche.

b) Carefully read and understand the job requirement prior to submitting a proposal for any online project and concentrate on the buyer’s requirement. Understand each and every thing that required by the client. If you feel stronger, then design a proposal for that particular project instead of copy and paste of an already written proposal.

c) Try to show the client that you have carefully read and understand all the requirements and capable to provide professional services as per demand. Provide some pieces of job description in your proposal. That will help client to understand that you have informed

d) Always start your proposal with the buyer name, for instance “Hi James” or ” Hi abc-company”. Don’t try to start with “Hi there” or ” Hi Sir/Madam”. Try to personalize & you will see the positive response.

e) Create sections in your proposal to discuss every thing about project description, suggestions, solutions, your services, additional services provided by you, featured offers and tell why are you the best choice for that particular project.

Tip#6. Deliver within the Timeline: The Time is money so analyze and focus on the time allocation. I know most of the projects failure due to crossing the Timeline. You should be very careful while giving the project delivery date. If you understand that the project would be finalized in 3 days, give the date of after 4 days. That will increase trust and cooperation with the client but you must finalize the project within the given time frame.

Tip#7. The Lower the cost, the higher the chances to get the jobs: Lastly, very important and game changer item is “Project Cost”. I suggest new freelancers to avoid demanding high price for the project. Don’t focus on high cost, instead try to make your profile by keeping your rate lower. It will provide you more chances to get the job specially when you have no portfolio or have a few things to show. Remember, no matter you are a professional freelancer or a beginner, Project cost does matter. for instance, If a customer in needs of creating a logo with a low budget, He must hire a freelancer who deliver within the budget instead of hiring a professional that demands more than the project budget.

These are the tips that I use to get freelance projects and I guarantee if you follow these tips you will be able to create a professional profile and get the job conveniently.  Hopefully I have concisely discussed the tips and suggested positive solution that will help you to start your freelance career. You can visit my profile on elance to have an idea about a professional profile. My profile is on the top of the list in “Sales & Marketing, Individual” in “WordPress” “Graphic Designer” “Logo Designer” category. I have used these tips for my profile and received huge response with every single thing that I discussed in this post. If you found this article helpful, leave a comment and don’t forget to LIKE and share this article so that more people can use these tips to start their career.