8 Top Secrets of Successful Freelancers: How To Join The Top 1%

Most people quit their jobs to become full-time freelancers only to realize that they are working more hours, don’t have employee benefits like medical insurance and pension and they also have to hire an accountant to track their expenses and pay taxes. But it doesn’t have to be so.

There are hundreds of freelancers in the top 1% who enjoy the freelancer life, earn more than their previous employee paycheck, and have the freedom to travel whenever they want.

If you have been working day and time trying to make ends meet as a freelancer then this article is for you. This article shares the 10 secrets of successful freelancers and shares how to join the 1% well-paid team even if you are a complete beginner.

8 Secrets of Successful Freelancers that You Should Know

Here are the top secrets of successful freelancers that you should emulate if you want to be successful in freelancing

1. Choose a niche

Being a beginner in freelancing makes you feel ready to take up any job because you want to make money right away. It may sound scary to niche down because it means letting go of other jobs. But successful freelancers know that the secret to becoming well paid is to niche down.

When you choose a niche you specialize in a skill set and become an expert in that field. That means that you’ll be able to charge premium rates because you are offering specialized services.

Think of it this way, when you go to the hospital you pay regular rates for a general doctor but you need to pay much more to see a specialist, right? That’s the same case with freelancing. Clients are willing to pay more to a health writer who specializes in medical content than a general writer who writes on all topics.

You can specialize as an email marketer, graphic designer, or web developer and focus on improving just one skill. You can further niche down and become a Web designer specifically for WordPress only instead of working on all content platforms or a Facebook ads specialist instead of doing ads for all platforms.

Building a brand as a specialist may take but it will be worth it in the end. Once you decide the niche to focus on avoid the temptation to take other projects that don’t relate to your niche.

2. Create a professional portfolio website

One of the top secrets of successful freelancers is that they take charge of their brand. They are willing to invest in a portfolio site to showcase their skills. Although there are many free portfolio sites, having a website that you have control over will make you stand out.

Create a professional self-hosted website to showcase samples of your work, highlight your experience, and include how clients can contact you. For example, if you want to work with clients who have tech blogs, create a personal website and post blogs on technology to spark interest and convince potential clients that you are experienced enough to work for them.

Creating regular content online is a good way to build your credibility and become among the top freelancers in your field

3. Adopt lifelong learning

Successful freelancers don’t stop at learning the skill the first time. They continue improving their skills even when they have unlimited clients because they understand the value of high-value skills.

You can level up your skills by attending industry events and networking forums or enrolling in paid and free online courses regularly. The more you improve your skills the higher our rates. When you’re so skilled you can justify higher rates and attract better paying clients.

4. Start passive income projects

Do you know what is not sustainable? Working for hourly pay as a freelancer without investing in your future. Most freelancers get frustrated with working online because it becomes a routine of working every hour and waiting for compensation.

The main issue is that because you only get paid for the hours you work, when you get sick or any time you don’t work you won’t get paid. Successful freelancers know that relying only on active income is not sustainable, that’s why they invest in passive income ideas such as blogging, selling digital products, real estate, or starting a YouTube Channel.

You need to find which passive income idea works for you and start right away with an hour every week or any time you are free and start stacking up on passive income and investing for your future.

The beauty of having multiple sources of income is that you will not be pressed to work for low-paying jobs just to make ends meet because you have other investments going on. That will make it easy to choose only jobs that you love working on to avoid burnout.

5. Charge premium rates

When deciding your rates as a freelancer you need to keep in mind your experience levels, the type of services you offer, and the market rates. In the beginning, you can charge lower rates to build your portfolio and gain experience but don’t stay at the bottom of the barrel for too long.

Keep increasing your skills and your rates periodically until you can charge higher rates according to your value. Most clients won’t hesitate to pay premium rates if you can deliver high-quality results. Furthermore, some clients believe that low rates mean subpar work so pricing yourself too low can hinder the best clients from working with you.

You can also agree with your client that they will increase the pay after a certain time as you gain confidence to charge higher. Ultimately, to become the best in the field you need to be among the best paid so don’t be afraid to quote higher. This will mean that you only need to work a few hours every week compared to when you had to work long hours to meet your financial target.

6. Networking

Freelancing can be an isolating experience and you need to be intentional about building your networks. Successful freelancers know that their network is valuable so they invest in it. Network with other freelancers on virtual events or forums to land higher-paying jobs and clients.

You will be surprised that most freelancers outsource work on freelance communities.  They can also send a referral your way if they are overwhelmed with work which may make it easier to get hired.

7. Learn how to market yourself

Most creatives are afraid of marketing. Yet you have to learn how to market your skills to win long term. Successful freelancers are always looking for ways to improve their brand and market their services that’s why they never have to search for clients but have a long list of clients on their waiting list.

You need to perfect how to pitch and stop relying on content mills and freelance platforms that pay low rates if you want to be among the top successful freelancers. Learn how to create winning pitches and proposals and how to approach clients directly from their websites, showcase your value proposition, and discuss your rates.

Some of the ways to gain confidence are to create content on social media platforms such as LinkedIn and Facebook or your blog in your field to showcase your expertise, spread the word about your freelance business, and attract potential clients. You can also do guest posts on popular publications in your niche to gain visibility of your brand and build your portfolio. Furthermore, you will get thousands of visitors to your blog and it can improve your overall revenue.

8. Be more productive

Have you ever seen people who achieve so much in a day it feels like they may have more than 24 hours? successful freelancers get the most out of their day because they are excellent at time management.

Have a dedicated workspace in your home and decide on definite work hours when you start and stop work to have a clear work-life separation. Also, limit distraction and adopt deep work where you focus only on work for a set number of hours per day.

Invest in productivity tools such as Trello and Asana to help you track your working hours and achieve productivity. Have a daily schedule to make it easy to stick with it and ensure to get all your work done.

Remember to always communicate with your clients and update them frequently on the project to keep them informed. being productive as a freelancer will help you build a good reputation and earn you repeat long-term clients and referrals and increase your revenue.

FAQs

• How to succeed as a freelancer?

To succeed as a freelancer you need to specialize in a niche, set reasonable premium rates, have a dedicated workspace, network with other freelancers, and stay focused on your daily goals.

• Which skill makes the most money in freelancing?

Some of the high-demand freelancing skills that pay the most money include web development, machine learning, copywriting, and mobile app development.

• How can I be a smart freelancer?

To be a smart freelancer you need to level up your skills by learning high-demand skills. Adopt a lifelong learning culture and keep improving to attract high-paying clients. You also need to build your online presence to have a credible brand.

• What are the essential skills for freelancing?

Some of the essential freelancing skills to help you build a successful career include communication, time management, marketing, problem-solving, self-discipline, and networking skills.

Final Thoughts

A freelance career can be exciting but it has its fair share of challenges. You only get paid when you work, don’t get employee benefits, and may have unstable paychecks. However, successful freelancers know that building a brand is the best secret to long-term success.

Ensure that you keep improving your skills, build a digital presence, and deliver high-quality work every time to build your online reputation. Use the 8 top secrets of successful freelancers highlighted in this article to build your brand and become among the top 1% in your field. Happy earning.

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