10 steps to going freelance
Whether it’s circumstance or desire that’s put you on this path, freelancing can be a wonderful career. Flexibility, management, credit, and ownership over the projects you work on and your own time. All very good things.
It’s also, as you may imagine, not the easiest of jobs. Particularly in the early days when making contacts and pulling in regular or semi-regular work is akin to a dung beetle plodding uphill with a very large ball of dung.
Here’s the 10 steps to going freelance
1. Have persistence
2. Accept that making a reliable income will take a while, unless you have existing contracts or connections
3. Tell everybody you know that you’re now freelance and are looking for work
4. Register your business with ASIC
5. Get an online presence, preferably your own website
6. Get onto socials, pick one and work it
7. Get onto GMB and start racking up 5-star reviews
8. Join a paid networking group – they usually share job ads and offer other marketing/networking/training opportunities
9. Avoid freebies unless you get something concrete from it, like a glowing testimonial on GMB
10. Make life easier for your clients – over-deliver the best work you can, on time or early, along with more ideas
About the author: Lilani Goonesena is a digital communications specialist and the director of LIGO Creative. Based in Canberra, LIGO delivers content, editing, SEO copywriting, web design, strategy, social media and branding for government, the development sector and businesses. Contact LIGO today.
