#02 What is freelancing and how to do it (Part 1)

Freelancing is done online, no matter where you are in the world, you only need a laptop and the internet to start your work. In freelancing, you do not have to work for a single company, but you are offered projects by different companies. On those projects, freelancers offer their own services. The client chooses the freelancer whose offer seems standard to the client or the one that is offered in his budget and assigns his project or work. Freelancers mostly complete the work themselves and also get the projects of their choice. When a freelancer has more work, the freelancer hires other people on the job and then only supervises the work. I have seen many large software houses using freelancing websites. The income of freelancers can be very high because the clients are also from expensive countries like the US and UK, where payments are made in dollars.

How to Start Freelancing (Step-by-Step Guide) 🚀

1. Identify Your Skills

This is a tough question, but there is no question that does not have an answer. To identify your talents, look at what you enjoy doing and don't seem to know the time or what people appreciate about your work. You can also ask yourself these questions. What am I good at? For example:

•  web development
• graphic designing
• writing
• social media marketing

2. Set Up a Portfolio

• To showcase your skills, you'll need to upload samples of your work there to help people see what your work is like. You can even make the samples fake.
• Free tools can also be used such as Behance, Canva, or your own website (e.g. WordPress, Wix).
• Example: If you are a writer, you can also use free websites. Like Medium or LinkedIn, post your blogs and post in Facebook groups, you can also get work from there. And you will also get traffic to your website for free.

3. Choose a Freelancing Platform

There are many freelancing platforms, but you have to see which platform is suitable for my skills, where my work will be valued and I can get orders quickly. I am posting some freelance website names here, now you have to see which platform is better for me. I will also give some brief explanations so that it is easier for you to choose.

• Freelance 

What skill sets is this suitable for?

🔸 Web and software developers
🔸 Graphic designers, architectural drafting
🔸 Data entry, virtual assistants
🔸 Engineering and CAD designers

• Toptal

🔹Which skill sets is this platform best for?

This platform is staffed by highly skilled freelancers, so you should check it out and sign up for it.

🔸 Senior-level software engineers

🔸 Data scientists, AI, and machine learning experts

🔸 Finance consultants, project managers

• Fiverr

This platform is also good for beginners. You can also get projects for $5 on it. You post a gig on this platform and then customers see your profile and reviews and place orders with you.

• Upwork

Who is it best for?

People who do writing or programming work, etc.

• Pakistani Platform

You can also get Pakistani clients by posting sponsorships on ProFreelancer.pk (for clients based in Pakistan).

• Niche platforms:

• 99designs (for designers)  This platform is best for graphic designers as it offers projects based on graphic design. You can also earn money by participating in competitions, but for that, you have to acquire a lot of skills.

• ProBlogger (for writers)

• This platform is best for those who love writing. You can earn money here along with fulfilling your passion. But you need to choose a niche and master it. However, writers need to correct grammar mistakes in their English. You can also use the Grammarly application to correct grammar mistakes, it is available in both free and paid versions.

4. Create a professional profile

You should design your profile in such a way that the viewer feels that you really know your job. Because you do not have clients and their reviews at the beginning, that is why you have to make your profile look professional. So that the client trusts you. You can also get an idea by looking at the profile of another freelancer. But keep in mind that do not copy it completely, but only take the format from their profile so that you do not face copyright issues and your profile also ranks because if you copy and create a profile, Google will not let your profile come up on Google.

Here are some examples of how you can improve your profile:

• Profile Title: "Expert [Your Skill] | [Unique Value]
• Example: "Professional Graphic Designer | Logo & Branding Specialist
• Bio: Highlight skills, experience, and achievements.
• Portfolio: Link to your best work.
• Pricing: Start with competitive rates (e.g., 15–25/hour for beginners).

5. Find Clients & Apply for Jobs

• Search for projects: Use keywords like “logo design” or “WordPress developer” on the platforms. But only bid on projects you are sure you can do, otherwise your clients may give you bad reviews on your freelance profile. If you get bad reviews on your profile right from the start, you can face a lot of problems getting orders. Many people ruin their freelance careers because of one bad review. If you get a project and you find out that you cannot do it, you should immediately get someone else to do it, even if it costs you more money. But from now on, only take on work where you know I will do it. 

• Write Proposals:

Now let's talk about what kind of proposal you will write for the client so that the client does not hesitate to order from you. If your proposal states that you will solve the client's problem or you reassure him that I can solve his problem. Explain to the client how I can solve his problem.

• For example:

Dear [client name], I am a graphic designer with 5+ years of experience. I will create a professional logo design using Adobe Illustrator. The pixels will not be distorted when zoomed in. And you can get this design from me in different file formats. My logo design will be different from all others. And it will be designed with your company's goals in mind. Let's discuss your project further. 

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Complete Article (Part 2) Link 

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