To work as a freelancer you need to know a few things first. Certain issues that should be kept in mind to avoid making a wrong decision, or not well thought out. To begin with, if you still don't know what freelancing is, we invite you to read this article in which we talk about it in detail. After fully understanding what freelancing is all about, its advantages and disadvantages, it's time to know what characteristics to take into account to adopt them in your work life and be a successful freelancer.
To be successful in the freelance world you need to be an expert in a subject, this can be something like writing documents, translations, copywriting, etc. But it can also be something like programming, graphic design, accounting, among others. Any talent that can be profitable is acceptable. Once you know what you will do, it is important to know who you will sell it to. That is, find your niche. The market you are going to target must be studied in depth so that, in this way, you can assign the right prices to your services. Remember that a freelancer does not necessarily work by hours, but by deliveries; so it is very important to decipher these rules to be able to communicate them through contracts to clients. That communication will be defined by the personal brand that you create around you and that is tailored to your niche. This is the way you will sell yourself to clients and thus you will be able to generate a bond of trust and loyalty with your market so that clients don't stop coming.
Aside from the fact that a freelancer must remain humble by always educating himself, he must have mastered the soft skills. Soft skills are those skills that we need in addition to our expertise. For example, the ability to negotiate, to communicate, to be organized, problem solving, etc. They are those things that will help you to have a better relationship with customers and, therefore, more sales. If you want to know more about softs skills, read the article from the Caunce O'Hara blog.
Once you have launched into freelancing you will be creating projects that you can put in your portfolio. This is not mandatory and you may find more projects without it, but having one doesn't hurt and even helps you have an easy way to showcase your work. One way to get a leg up on the competition in Mexico is to have an RFC (Registro Federal de Contribuyentes). This helps you bill and is something that many clients, both businesses and individuals, are looking for.
These are just some of the basics to enter the freelance world, although it sounds like a risk, it is one that is always worth trying. The independence it provides doesn't compare to being an employee and you can potentially grow much faster. Besides, there will always be platforms that will support you with your freelancer processes like Crema. Visit us at crema.cm/en and start living the benefits of being a freelancer!
