The road to success as a freelancer begins with developing and delivering the best of what you have to offer. Think—what are your key skills? Which do you most enjoy and excel at? Are these skills in demand and marketable?

Identifying your saleable skill set

The first thing clients will want to know is your identity, your brand and what it’s about, so it is important you know what interests you before you begin. When it comes to the work you wish to specialise in, having a clear idea laid out of who you are as a self-branded freelancer will help to draw in the clients you want to attract.

Remember, you’re not just writing about yourself, you’re writing to attract clients, so be sure to answer in your writing why they should want to work with you. Companies do their research when it comes to hiring a contractor/freelancer, so make it easy for them to find the information they are looking for on your online profiles. Will you work in-house or remotely? What will your rates be? How will you manage your working hours? These are all things you need to consider as a freelancer.

Hannah Martin, in her eighteen years as a copyright freelancer, has been able to write for well-known brands such as Google, The Guardian, Ford and Waitrose to name just a few. She is also one of the founders of the Talented Ladies Club and had said at a recent PCG event for female freelancers that she created her own USP by being available to work late at night for last minute deadlines. Hannah made her USP being available to work late at night as she wasn’t able to come into the office. She was able to find a way to appeal to clients and still be able to work around her childcare commitments.

To achieve business success as a freelancer, consistency really is key and can be easily monitored by following simple principles:

• Be realistic when it comes to how much work you can take on and how fast you can complete the job without compromising quality.
• Be able to communicate with who you are working with, ensuring you are both on the same page and you’re clear with what is expected.
• Stay organised by keeping record of the projects you are working on.
• And last, but definitely not least, manage your time properly.

As a freelancer you are your own promoter. The volume of clients you draw in primarily depends on you and how well you have marketed yourself. Effective self promotion combined with a lot of hard work is the key to a successful career as a freelancer.