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A Step-by-step Guide for Developers to Start Your Freelancing Journey
Ever dreamed of a job where you don’t have to slog hours on public transport? Or don’t have to work 18 hour days, including weekends? Or how about a job where you have your own responsibility and ownership to deliver? If this has swept you off your feet, you should consider becoming a freelance developer .
And the good news is that you can fulfill this dream without dropping a penny into the wishing well.
Many full-time developers wish to start their freelancing journey but often leave it for tomorrow because they don’t know where to begin.
We have got you!
Here is a complete month-on-month plan for you to get started and nail the freelancing game so you won’t ever have to go back to your boring job again.
Table of Contents
Month 1: Before You Start
Before you jump on the freelance bandwagon, let’s get the basics out of the way.
1. Know Your Why
No matter how fun freelancing sounds, it demands constant hustle. And you might lose your motivation halfway if your reasons aren’t right.
So, see why you want to become a freelance developer
- To replace your full-time job?
- To have a side income?
- To get experience for a new skill
Based on your goal, decide how much time you can give to it.
2. Find Your Niche
What does your ideal client look like? Is there a market for the skills you possess?
Thinking about these questions will give you impressive mileage in your freelancing journey and ensures that you never run out of work.
See if your skills can turn into service for someone. For example– coding is a skill but designing an application for a business is a service.
And how much demand is for this service will decide your future.
Research the market for the top in-demand skills and how much, on average, is being charged by a freelance developer.
Apart from this, work on your communication and time management skills too.
TL;DR– Don’t quit your full-time job right away if you aren’t sure about the work you will get. Start small along with your day job, to figure out your interests, ideal clients, and market space.
Month 2: The Baby Steps
It can get frustrating if you don’t get clients or the expected work satisfaction. That’s the reason many people quit freelancing in their first month because they fail to plan right.
So, how can you avoid it?
1. Build Your Portfolio
A portfolio website will be your new business card. But it doesn’t mean you have to spend weeks perfecting it. Just answer the following questions for your visitors to make a decision.
- Who are you?
- What have you been doing till now?
- What services do you provide?
- What are your contact details?
- Why should the client trust you?
2. Get Customer Testimonials
The foolproof way to make your clients trust you is to show them what your previous customers are saying about you.
But how to do that when you have just started out as a freelance developer?
Offer free services for a limited time. Consider it an investment where you can ask the clients to pay instead through testimonials.
Ask your colleagues if they can recommend you based on their work experience with you.
It will get you the credibility you require initially.
3. Update Social Channels
Tell the world that you are open to freelance gigs. Create profiles that can get you more work quickly.
- Update your availability and contact details on all social channels so prospects can reach out to you.
- Add the core skills that can get you more visibility.
- Link your social accounts on your portfolio website.
- Include links to your work experience in these channels.
4. Join a Global Talent Marketplace
Finding the platforms where your potential clients are most active is like hitting the jackpot.
Developers can use ellow for tapping into the global market. All you need to do is sign up in two easy steps and take a skill assessment test. It will help you determine your primary and secondary skills.
Within hours it will match you with the verified hirers to get things going. It will save you the trouble of hunting opportunities and getting stuck with the wrong clients.
Month 3: Aim for the Big Clients
After a few months, you can expect yourself to be more confident with the whole freelancing game.
Now, it’s time to scale up. Let’s see how.
1. Know Your Worth
Even a month’s experience of leading a one-person initiative teaches you much more than years of experience in a company.
And with freelancing, you can expect fair rewards.
So after a month’s grind, evaluate
- How many skills have you acquired?
- How much time can you give your clients?
- Are your past clients happy with their experience with you?
- What has changed in the market?
Based on this, restructure your service cost.
2. Market Yourself
Don’t be shy to promote yourself as a freelance developer. If you won’t, nobody else will.
- Reach out to your clients and ask them for referrals. See if anyone from their friends and family might need your services.
- Engage on social media regularly. You don’t have to plan out a content calendar. Just keep sharing tips and your learnings to build a solid online presence.
- Get high-value clients through cold communication, acquaintance, or a marketplace.
3. Optimize Your Operations
Around 50% of freelancers are highly skilled. It means more competition for you.
You must step up if you want to work with international or high-paying clients.
- Keep working on your skills. Get online and pick courses to learn or teach others.
- Incorporate the right tools for your daily operations. A freelancer manages accounts, sales, and marketing, along with their core job. So invest in reliable technology and processes to ease the chores.
- Many freelancers in the market can do the bare minimum. Differentiate yourself by going beyond and offering value to the clients.
- And lastly, optimize your personal performance. Track your time and analyze your execution to see how better you have become at what you do.
Month 4: How to Sustain As A Freelance Developer
To pass the test of time, you will have to work on staying relevant among your clients.
Here’s how to beat the competition and grow month-on-month.
1. Invest in Client Relationship
Your clients are your currency of trust. People who are happy with your work will bring in more business through referrals.
- Understand the new client’s requirements by asking the right questions when starting to work with them. It will help you deliver better and set the correct tone.
- Involve the client throughout the project by updating them on progress and getting feedback.
- Even after project completion, stay in touch with them and build a rapport.
- Reward customer loyalty by offering bundle deals and some free top-on.
2. Don’t Burn Out
You can’t run a marathon by sprinting.
Maintain your work-life balance to avoid exertion and do rich work. Otherwise, you will keep working daily without going anywhere.
Fix your schedule and ensure to keep some off time too. Use that time to unwind and restore your mental peace.
Remember that you quit the job for a better routine, don’t fall into the trap of 24/7 productivity for fear of missing out.
3. Join a Community
A community of like-minded people can accelerate your learning process and multiply your opportunities. Research online about groups of your profile. For example– here are a few communities that every freelance developer must join.
You can even collaborate with them on some projects for better results.
Now, Go Out There & Win 'Em All
Over 38% of full-time employees quit their job to become freelancers. Amidst such a trend, one can understandably feel the urge to join the crowd. But get into it with the right expectations and motivation to succeed.
It’s essential considering freelancing will challenge you with everything from managing your finances to pitching yourself on a cold call.
However, you don’t have to do it all by yourself. Leverage the right tools to cut the hassle and boost growth. Since getting the clients is the biggest concern, our recommendation to solve this problem is ellow.
You can get any job from the comfort of your couch. And since it has a global community, you can access numerous job opportunities and work with the best brands.
Jisha Panicker
