Freelance Expert (part-2)
Voiceovers
If you have a good voice and don’t have a very thick accent of any kind, you might want to consider doing voiceover work.
Voiceover work is simple and requires very little technical knowledge. As long as you can read well, speak clearly, and perform basic computer functions, you can offer your voice for videos, audiobooks, and other projects.
The only things you’ll really need for voiceover work are:
If you have a good voice and don’t have a very thick accent of any kind, you might want to consider doing voiceover work.
Voiceover work is simple and requires very little technical knowledge. As long as you can read well, speak clearly, and perform basic computer functions, you can offer your voice for videos, audiobooks, and other projects.
The only things you’ll really need for voiceover work are:
A decent computer
Audio processing software
A good microphone (a must)
A location good for recording (such as a closet)
Video Editing & Creation
Video editing is a more advanced skill that requires a little more technical knowledge and ability, but if you have the talent for it, you can make very good money creating videos and editing those that other people have created.
Video is quickly taking over text and photos as the media of choice online, and many individuals and companies are using them for a variety of promotional purposes.
Videos can be used for publicity, such as when celebrities post them on Facebook or Instagram. They can be used to promote something specific, such as when a restaurant posts a video of their newest dish and a limited time price promotion. Or they could be used in many other ways to publicize, promote, and sell.
Videos don’t have to be extremely complex. In fact, they don’t necessarily even have to contain any video. They could be just slideshows of photos or graphics with text, music, or voiceovers. Sometimes that format is even more effective than traditional videos.
Other Ideas
There are many other ways you can make money from home or on a freelance basis. Some of them include:
Keyword research
Photo editing
Translation
Photography
Programming and app creation
Selling crafts online
Selling used items online
These are just a few ideas. What’s your greatest talent? What’s the thing you enjoy doing most? Chances are, you can find a way to make money with it!
Finding Work
Finding work is generally the most difficult part of freelancing. In almost every area (writing, design, etc.) there is a ton of competition. And by “a ton”, I mean thousands upon thousands of people competing for the same jobs.
But don’t feel hopeless! The fact is, most of the competition is severely unprepared for the available jobs and many people just don’t know how to get them.
In this section, you’re going to learn about some of the various ways to find work as a freelancer, and how you can stand out from the competition in order to get more jobs and command a higher rate for your work.
Your Portfolio
One of the most important elements of being a successful freelancer is having a stellar portfolio available that shows your best work. (Be sure to ask every client before you use their project in your portfolio. There are many reasons a client might not want their project to appear, and you don’t want to have a client upset because you used their project without permission.)
A good way to create a portfolio is by setting up a website with WordPress. WordPress is much easier for the average user to use than standard HTML and CSS. Of course, if you’re more comfortable with HTML and CSS, you can use that instead. WordPress just makes website
setup a lot quicker and easier for those who aren’t well-versed in HTML and CSS.
Your portfolio should feature some of your best work, as well as contact information and testimonials. Testimonials should ideally include a photo of the person giving it, as well as a link to their website or contact information in case potential clients would like to verify the testimonial.
So what if you don’t have any work to show?
The best thing you can do is either make some samples that are meant simply to show your talent, or just take a few simple projects for free or at a heavy discount in order to build your portfolio.
Don’t use a free hosting service for your portfolio unless you are able to have your own domain name for it. It’s just not professional to host your site on a free server, and you may run into downtime issues that could cost you business. Hosting is only about $10 per month,
Fiverr
One of the quickest and easiest ways to find work is through Fiverr and other similar sites.
>> http://www.fiverr.com
Don’t think you must charge only $5 for your work. As the name of the site implies, most items are priced at $5, but you can also have upcharges that can increase the amount of money you receive for the work.
For example, you could write articles at 300 words for $5, and offer 600-word articles for $10 and 1,200-word articles for $15. People would order the 300-word article and add the upgrade to receive a longer article.
There are also some alternatives to Fiverr you can check out:
>> http://www.fiverup.com
>> http://www.gigbucks.com
>> http://www.zeerk.com
>> http://market.source-wave.com/
>> http://www.seoclerks.com
>> http://www.microworkers.com
One of the most popular places for finding work as an artist is at DeviantArt.com (http://www.deviantart.com). You can create an artist portfolio on the site, including different galleries with different types of artwork, and contact information to let people who are interested in your work contact you.
Other sites you can use to sell artwork, crafts, and other items include:
>> http://www.art.com
>> http://www.amazon.com
>> http://www.ebay.com
>> http://www.cafepress.com
>> http://www.etsy.com
>> http://www.fineartamerica.com
Webmaster Forums
Webmaster forums can be a fantastic source of freelance work of all kinds. They often have thousands of active members daily, and many of them need services such as the ones we’ve discussed on a regular basis. Make a good name for yourself on these forums and you could end up with more work than you can handle!
Here are some of the more popular forums:
>> http://forums.digitalpoint.com
>> http://www.warriorforum.com
>> http://www.webmasterworld.com
>> http://www.sitepoint.com
>> http://www.webhostingtalk.com
>> http://forums.seochat.com
Freelance Websites
The most obvious place to find work is through various freelance websites. Many of these are very well known, and get a tremendous amount of traffic. Yes, there is a lot of competition, but you can stand out from the competition in a number of ways.
First, you can make sure your profile and portfolio are the best they can be. Make sure you have plenty of quality examples of your work so people feel more assured that you can deliver what you say you will.
Next, you can work hard to complete jobs quickly to build feedback so people will trust you more than others. This is key, because people are rarely patient when it comes to getting work done.
Finally, you can compete on price by trying to be the lowest bidder, at least in the beginning. As you’re building feedback and a portfolio, you shouldn’t worry too much about money. Just take the jobs that fit your skillset at the best price you can get. You can charge more later, once you have built your business.
Here are some of the most popular freelance websites where you can try to find work:
>> http://www.upwork.com (formerly Odesk)
>> http://www.toptal.com
>> http://www.elance.com
>> http://www.freelancer.com
>> http://www.guru.com
>> http://www.peopleperhour.com
>> http://www.ifreelance.com
>> http://www.99designs.com (design contests)
Writing Websites
Writing gig websites don’t typically pay much, but they’re great for finding work in between regular jobs, and they help you build valuable writing experience you can use later.
Here are some popular sites:
>> http://www.freelancewritinggigs.com
>> http://www.textbroker.com
>> http://www.wordgigs.com
>> http://www.skyword.com
>> http://www.copypress.com
>> http://www.iwriter.com
>> http://www.constant-content.com
Conclusion
Freelancing is not for everyone. You have to deal with taxes, the potential instability of income, constant interruptions, having to motivate yourself, and more. Not everyone can deal with these things.
Best of all, you don’t need some ridiculously expensive college degree. Employers often expect you to have a degree, even if you’re far more talented and experienced than other candidates. Why would you go into debt with student loans only to end up making less working for someone else than you could working as a freelancer?
You must treat it like a regular job if you want to be successful. Create a regular work schedule and stick to it as much as you can. Try to minimize distractions. And be sure to let your friends and family know that when you’re working, you can’t be interrupted.
Don’t expect to make a fortune right away. Like any type of business, it takes a while before you start seeing good results, because you need time to build a reputation and get into the swing of things fully.
Best of luck with your new freelance business!
Resources
Here are links to some of the resources found in this guide.
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