Imagine this. You can work from home or anywhere in the world, be your own boss, set your own schedule, meet new clients, and choose your clients! Best of all, you are making a good income from the comfort of your own home. That is the dream, and for many, it has become a reality.
Take Alex Fasulo as an example. In a Forbes interview, she talked about becoming a freelancer and her success. She always makes six figures and has been one of the top-earning freelancers on Fiverr, a website for freelance work, for the past three years, bringing in more than $350,000 a year.
Currently, she is teaching others how to start writing, the ins and outs of freelancing, and how to choose a freelance writing niche. And she was only 22 when she started!
This experience highlights the fact that anyone can do this, and if you are motivated and committed to making it work, then you can definitely see great success.
Fasulo highlights her experience as a freelancer and shares some of her top tips for anyone who wants to learn how to become a writer. Also added in are some extra, helpful tips to take your content writing from beginner to entrepreneur and help you get freelancing writing jobs.
Let people know who you are
While sometimes it’s convenient and easy to hide behind your laptop, letting people know who you are and giving them a more personal look into who you are can really help land clients. Fasulo states, “I was always transparent with my appearance on Fiverr and used a photo to show that I am a real person!”
Fasulo is certain this was how she was able to attract her clients and gain traction on Fiverr.
Now, you may be asking yourself this question. How do I show up online in a way that makes clients feel like they know me personally and are willing to trust me and, ultimately, hire me?
First of all, you have to understand how many people are competing for the job. Those who post job requests on Fiverr or any other legit freelancing platform (Upwork is also a great one) will get anywhere from 10 to 30, sometimes even more, applications for the job.
So the need to stand out is crucial! Share who you are on your profile: a little background about who you are and what you do, why you are a freelancer, and why you care about the work you do.
Creating and maintaining this social presence helps show potential clients that you are a legitimate person who has freelancing skills and is a nice person to work with.
Go above and beyond right from the start
This should be a given, especially for those who are really motivated to make this career path stick. You must always consider the long term. Think to yourself, “This client could potentially turn into a long-term, paying client of mine.”
That mindset will help you land clients and gain traction.
When Fasulo first began on Fiverr, she claimed her first year was far from easy. She states, “I learned very quickly to go above and beyond for every client and to ascribe to the “customer is always right” policy,” she reflected. “What mattered most was making sure the customer was happy, so that they’d leave a five-star review.” Because Fiverr recognized the number of 5-star reviews she was receiving, she was able to go from charging $15 per press release to $100.
Whether you are starting from day 1 or you have become an established freelancer, the rule stays the same: you need to treat your clients and potential clients with respect and kindness.
All of your customers deserve a 5-star experience, and never forget that these clients are trusting you and paying you to help them out. If you are treating every client at a 5-star level, you will soon see those great reviews roll in (that is, if you do the job well too), meaning you can earn more in the future.
Creating this friendly, long-term relationship with your clients also means they are more likely to refer you to their friends or business networks.
Make writing a habit
Unlike other jobs, writing doesn’t always just come to you. You may be lying in bed at 2 a.m. and suddenly think of the best opening paragraph for your next article, yet be sitting at your desk at 3 p.m. on a Tuesday, struggling to even make a plan. Sadly, creativity doesn’t work like your typical 9–5 job. You may go days without feeling inspired or stuck with writer’s block, then boom, the next day your hands can’t stay away from the keyboard.
But when this becomes your job and primary income, then writer’s block and a lack of creativity aren’t viable excuses. To get past writer’s block, set aside time every day for writing. It makes no difference how long you do this for; the point is to do it consistently in order to make it a habit. When writing becomes a habit, you will have no trouble finishing your clients’ work on time.
Make a plan!
Planning looks different for everybody, and everyone has a method that works best for them. I like to do a brainstorming session with a pen and paper and just write down everything that comes to mind.
If you are working for a client, you most likely already have a set topic you will write about. This is where research becomes your best friend, especially if you aren’t familiar with the topic. Research includes reading different articles about the topic and taking important notes. Reading these articles also helps me plan my headings for my work.
Once you have completed your research and created the main headings for your article, you are ready to begin writing your draft. You don’t need an incredibly detailed plan; just something simple that will keep you on track and writing with good flow will do.
Making the decision to start is the hardest part. If you have a passion for writing and want to work for yourself, freelancing is definitely for you. Fasulo says in the interview, “I never expected that I could make this much money doing what I love while being so young.” This just proves anyone can do it and become wildly successful.