I started my freelancing career in 2017 as a web developer. Since then, I have created more than 1400 websites worldwide. Besides, as a trainer, I have trained many people during this period. From these experiences, I am going to share the steps to start freelancing from zero.

And I promise you that if you follow my guidelines, you won’t need to search for other content to know how to start freelancing.

You will find a ton of content on the internet about “How to start freelancing.” But the question is, why am I sharing the same thing again?

Most of the available content on the internet is written from general knowledge without any real experience. That’s why I am sharing the proper guidelines from my personal experiences. So, let’s get started.

The Beginning

Forget everything, just think about two steps:

1. Learn the specific skill from basic to advanced.
2. Learn how to get clients.

Okay, if you can understand the concept, then you can start your freelancing career right now without reading this content. But I will suggest you read the full content to get all the hidden layers among these two steps.

Step 1: Learn the specific skill from basic to advanced.

This is the first thing you need to do to start your freelancing career. You can divide this step into several layers:

1.1: Set your mind:

First of all, you should think about whether freelancing or office jobs are right for you. Freelancing is one kind of office job with some advantages and disadvantages. Do you agree with these advantages and disadvantages?

Well, let me be clear. The main theme behind freelancing is that you can work anytime according to your suitable timetable. You just need to complete the task within the deadline. After completing your project, you will get paid. That’s all. On the other hand, in an office job, you have to work for a fixed time.

The question is, are you fit for self-organizing? Well, for office jobs, you don’t need to think about the growth of the company, or make major decisions. At the same time, you can do repeated tasks at your office. You will get your salary at the end of the month. And it’s a very cool thing for a lot of people.

On the other hand, as a freelancer, you have to think about world changes. You have to work on yourself to scale up continuously. You are the decision maker, you are the owner, and again you are the worker! So, are you fit for these multidimensional responsibilities?

If you are, then welcome! WELCOME to the freelancing world – the mission of limitless growth!

1.2: Select your industry based on your interest.

Now your task is to select your niche to start your freelancing career. Be very careful. If you choose an industry with zero interest, you will suffer in the long run.

The biggest mistake is that many people enroll in a course from promotional content without any interest in that industry. Be careful. Don’t jump into a course without knowing your passion.

We all have our tastes and interests. If you like writing on different topics, you can start blogging as a freelancer. If you love drawing or editing images, you can go into the graphics design sector. If you are interested in coding or website making, you can choose web development. So, it’s totally up to you. I don’t know about your interests. So, think and make your decision. If you have any questions, you can mail us.

Here are some suggestions:

• Programming and Tech
• Web Development
• Software Development
• Digital Marketing skills
• SEO
• UI/UX Designing
• Video Editing
• Motion Graphics
• Virtual Assistance
• Social Media Manager, etc.

If you think it’s difficult to find your passion, then you can read this article: How to find your passion.

1.3: Be an expert

After choosing your niche, now you have to start learning. Know everything about your industry. Be an expert, not a semi-skilled person.

AI is very powerful nowadays. That’s why you cannot do well if you aren’t an expert. So, you have to learn properly. You should have basic to advanced level knowledge about your topic. If you do, then your journey will be smooth.

1.4: Create your portfolio:

After acquiring skills in your specific niche, now it’s time to build your portfolio. A portfolio will help you a lot to get projects.

It’s very natural that if you don’t have any previous work, then why should someone hire you for their project?

Your portfolio will play a vital role in these cases.

So, build a strong portfolio in your niche. If you are a writer, you can write on several topics on your website and send your article links as your portfolio. If you are a designer, you can share your best designs as your portfolio.

You can also read this article to learn how to build your portfolio: How to build a strong portfolio.

Okay, done. You have completed the first step. Now, you need to know about the second step.

Step 2: Learn how to get potential clients

After completing your learning properly, now you need to know how to get clients. To get clients, you should improve your soft skills.

Well, which soft skills are required for your freelancing career? What do you need to learn to get started? Let’s discuss.

2.1: Communication Skills:

I can share the secret behind my success in this freelancing career. Whenever I get a message from my buyers, I always try to respond as fast as possible.

Whenever they send me a message, I never just answer their questions. Yeah, I answer, but I always ask something new to hook them up.

Well, think about a scenario. You go to a clothing store to buy a shirt.
In shop “A,” the salesman only shows you the clothes that you want to see. If you ask them, they just answer your question.

On the other hand, in shop “B,” the salesman wants to know your favorite color and your preferences for buying a shirt. After that, he shows some shirts and describes the characteristics of those shirts. He also explains how these shirts meet your requirements.

Now tell me, which salesman is more capable of attracting you?

It’s very important to increase your communication skills in this digital world. If you don’t have proper communication skills, your journey will be hard.

I can guarantee you that if you can talk with a buyer for just 10 minutes, you will get that project in 90% of cases.

Let’s try it.

2.2: Be a good salesman:

In this freelancing world, if you want to scale up, you have to be a very good salesman. You have to know how to sell your service. You have to know how to convince your buyer. If you don’t know, you can never scale up!

2.3: Time management

The biggest problem of freelancing is you are your own boss. For this reason, most freelancers don’t follow any timetable and work all day long! It’s not good for your mental and physical health.

You should keep in mind that you can build a team instead of handling all the projects yourself. It will help you to scale up. At the same time, you can build and run your own agency if you take the proper initiative.

So, follow a routine, take proper breaks, and work smarter.

2.4: Be Fast:

I always suggest completing your freelance project as soon as possible.

If you have 3 days to complete your task for a new buyer, my suggestion is to complete this task within the first day. It will help you a lot to get your next job from this buyer.

It will help you a lot.

2.5: Creativity:

Creativity can help you in different ways in this freelancing world. If you have creative ideas, you will be able to get more clients. At the same time, you can charge more from buyers.

It’s not mandatory, but it will help you to go to the next level easily. Maths can help you to increase your creativity. Listening to podcasts or reading articles can also help generate creative ideas.

2.6: Build your network:

A network is the biggest strength of this freelancing career. Your good communication skills will help you to build and expand your network.

If you have a strong network, you will be referred by your buyers. At the same time, you can also get freelance projects from your freelancer friends.

Now do it

I think it’s enough to start. All the other things you will learn automatically on your journey.

See, my friend, everyone’s journey is different. We should follow a framework to start. After starting, we can scale up with our own strategies. Best of luck. A bright future is knocking at your door! Good day.