8 Tips to Take Control of Your Freelance Career

Freelancing is an increasingly popular career path, as more people decide to go out on their own and earn their money through what they do best. If you’re considering this route, you’ll need to learn how to take control of your freelance career and give yourself the best chances for success. Here are eight tips that will help you get started.

1) Set Reasonable Expectations

It's natural to want to take on every job opportunity, every new business card, and every bit of social proof that comes your way. But you don't want too much success too soon. If you start accepting gigs right away, you'll be able to choose only from jobs that fit your schedule and skillset. Taking on less work will make sure you can keep a handle on everything so that you meet your deadlines and deliver high-quality results. Setting reasonable expectations early will help ensure a long-term freelance career.

2) Don’t Offer Free Services

It may seem counterintuitive, but while it’s tempting to give away services for free in hopes of getting your foot in someone’s door, doing so can backfire. You’re essentially giving away money, which means you need to make more elsewhere (or cut costs) if you want your freelance career to be successful. It’s not worth it if that gig could cost you several paying clients down the line; plus, word will get around and you might even lose out on future work. If a client is interested in hiring you but doesn't have enough cash flow yet (and it's OK with them), ask about discounting later or offer an alternative like bartering your time for an item or service they already use.

3) Be The Best at What You Do

In order to take control of your freelance career, you have to be awesome at what you do. Create content that people want and need and watch your audience grow. Be sure to be responsive and pay attention to what your audience wants because they are probably asking you for it. If people trust you as an expert in your field, they will always come back for more. When readers return again and again, you build a loyal following that can put money in your pocket month after month.

4) Know Your Value as a Freelancer

Getting started as a freelancer can be a little tough. Make sure you’re starting off on good footing by being realistic about your own value. Figure out what your skills are worth and charge accordingly. For example, if you have years of experience in accounting, figure out how much an hour that is worth in your local currency and price accordingly. Most people will not try to underpay for a skill because they can easily find someone else at a different rate, so don’t worry too much about it! It is important though that you know what your skills are worth so that you don’t miss out on business opportunities because you think that any job is better than none.

5) Practice Smart Time Management

Time management is an important skill for freelancers because no one’s going to tell you how long each project should take. If you don’t know where your time goes, it can be difficult to track and manage your hours. To keep yourself in check, start small by keeping a simple list on a sticky note in your computer of what tasks need to get done each day. Over time, as you become more familiar with your habits and workflow, use that data to improve upon ways you can be even more efficient. Time is money—so make sure you’re not wasting either!

6) Master the Art of Communication

Communication isn’t just about what you say, it’s about how you say it. Good communication involves a balance between speaking assertively and listening attentively. Bad communication involves interrupting other people, ignoring their concerns, and displaying anger or frustration over mistakes made by others. The key to professional communication is acknowledging that there are two sides to every conversation, and effective communicators don’t act as if they know more than everyone else in a room. If you want to be a successful freelancer, focus on demonstrating an eagerness to listen as well as speak: remember that being someone who pays attention to details is one trait every client will want in their freelancer (and one habit they won't want you dropping).

7) Use Tools To Streamline Client Workflow

There are a number of tools available that can help you streamline client workflow and make your job as a freelancer easier. Tools like Slack allow you to create custom channels for your clients so they can reach out to you directly, while apps like Trello are great for keeping track of what needs doing and when. Even email automation tools like Boomerang or If This Then That (IFTTT) can help speed up how you get in touch with people and keep on top of different projects. By using modern technology tools, as well as communicating clearly and often with your clients, you’ll be able to take control over your freelance career in no time at all.

8) Get Into The Right Mindset

If you’re going to have a successful freelance career, it’s important to have a few right mindsets. First, realize that freelancing is more than just a way to pay your bills: it’s a way of life. You need to approach freelancing as if you are launching your own business, because in many ways, you are! Second, getting control over your freelance career means not letting others get control over it. Learn how success is largely dependent on taking action—so take action! Finally, be sure that you aren't shortchanging yourself by investing time and energy into things that don't matter.