Freelancing is an appealing career path for many people, regardless of industry. Establishing a freelance business means you can choose your work hours, be your own boss, and work as much as you want. However, there are added stresses of running a freelance business you need to be cautious of when getting started.
Several industries are better suited to freelancing than traditional employment. Writers, actors, voice actors, graphic designers, and artists usually perform better as freelancers than full-time employees. But, as the gig economy becomes more popular, there are several downsides to consider.
In this article
- What To Avoid When Running a Freelance Business
- Get Comfortable With Inconsistent Work
- Avoid Isolating Yourself
- Trouble Self-Motivating
- Not Getting a Contract
- Not Knowing Your Value
- Taking Every Available Job
- Becoming Complacent
- Forgetting To Eat and Drink
- Not Communicating Clearly
- Assuming You Know What Your Client Wants
- Best Ways To Manage Your Freelance Business
- Establish a Workspace
- Establish a Schedule
- Practice Marketing Yourself
- Establish an Online Presence
- Keep In Constant Contact With Your Clients
- Apply To New Jobs
- Set Boundaries With Your Clients
- Keep Your Skills Updated
- Prioritize Jobs You Enjoy
- Be Adaptable
- Final Thoughts
Here we look at the dangers of freelancing and the things you need to do to manage your freelance business. If you consider these points, you should be able to find success as a freelance voice actor, writer, or designer.
What To Avoid When Running a Freelance Business
Running a freelance business is exciting, but some things can trip you up. Here are a few things that can add stress to the lives of freelance workers:
Get Comfortable With Inconsistent Work
The first thing you realize as a freelancer is that nothing is guaranteed. Work can be inconsistent, especially when you start. As a result, your paychecks will vary drastically.
Some months you might have incredible success with a client, and as a result, you make double your usual take. However, there will be months when you have trouble finding much work, which results in substantially less pay for you.
Avoid Isolating Yourself
When you start your freelance business, you will enjoy the work-from-home lifestyle, and many people continue to love it forever. Regardless of your feelings towards working from home, you will have moments of loneliness.
Trouble Self-Motivating
The biggest problem freelancers experience is difficulty motivating themselves. When you work for a company, you have a boss or coworkers telling you to get your work done. As a freelancer, it can be easy to fall behind if you don’t find ways to motivate yourself.
Not Getting a Contract
A lot of freelance business is done via verbal agreements. While verbal agreements are usually fine, you will eventually find clients who refuse to pay. Signing contracts beforehand can solve this issue.
Not Knowing Your Value
New freelancers often underestimate their worth. Know what your skills are and request fair payment based on your experience.
Taking Every Available Job
Beginners tend to take every offer they get. While taking all offers is acceptable at first, it’s not sustainable. You need to learn to turn down some jobs.
Becoming Complacent
You should always have your eyes open for the next gig. Doing so gives you the best chance to make as much money as possible.
Forgetting To Eat and Drink
Working from home makes it easy to lose track of time. But remember to schedule sufficient breaks and eat well-rounded meals throughout the day. Your work and productivity will benefit because of it.
Not Communicating Clearly
Communicating via email can be a struggle, and as a result, you need to put forth a strong effort to communicate with clients so that there’s no confusion.
Assuming You Know What Your Client Wants
A big mistake a freelancer can make is assuming they know what their client wants. Always ask questions and get clarification.
Best Ways To Manage Your Freelance Business
Here are some things you can do to mitigate the dangers of running a freelance business.
Establish a Workspace
If you’re going to be a freelance worker, it likely means you’ll work from home. For many voice actors, writers, and other creative freelancers, working from home is more productive than working in an office.
However, you must establish a good workspace. If you work on your computer, you can easily be distracted by YouTube, video games, and social media. Having a separate workspace helps clear your head and get into focus mode.
Establish a Schedule
Although you can work at any time as a freelancer, you should establish a schedule. Doing so will increase your productivity and reduce the risk of burnout.
Practice Marketing Yourself
Learn how to grab a client’s attention via email or call so that they remember you. If you perfect the art of the elevator pitch, you’ll have a lot of success.
Establish an Online Presence
You should have social media pages on all major platforms, including:
- TikTok
Additionally, it’s a good idea to set up a dedicated website.
Keep In Constant Contact With Your Clients
Email clients throughout the week with updates on projects and remind them of payments. If you stay in contact, you’ll stay on their mind.
Apply To New Jobs
The best way to avoid stagnation is to get new jobs. Always keep your eyes open for new exciting opportunities.
Set Boundaries With Your Clients
If you start responding to emails at three in the morning, clients will expect you to be available at all times. Instead, establish working hours with your client, so they know when they can contact you.
Keep Your Skills Updated
Being a freelancer means you have opportunities to work in many fields. As a result, you can learn new skills regularly. Update your resume with new skills and experience after completing a job.
Prioritize Jobs You Enjoy
There are hundreds of jobs, but not all of them are what you want. Once you establish yourself as a freelancer, prioritize jobs you enjoy.
Be Adaptable
Finally, you need to be adaptable as a freelancer. Clients may change things on you quickly, and you need to be able to pivot. Learning how to adapt will benefit you significantly as a freelancer.
Final Thoughts
If you or anyone you know has experience as a freelancer, they will all have different experiences. However, many industries have similar dangers and benefits.
If you’re going to successfully manage a freelance business, you need to create a safe workspace, build up your clientele, keep in contact with your clients, and establish an online presence via social media and a website.
Looking to try your hand at doing some freelance voice over work? Sign up at Voices today!
Leave a Reply