5 Awesome Habits Of Successful Freelancers

If you are new to the freelancing game or think it might be an interesting career direction, there’re a few things you need to know. It’s a tough old world out there, and it can be difficult to understand if you are going about things the right way or not. But, when you look at successful freelancers, they all share some common traits. If you can build up these habits yourself, you will find you get better quality clients and better-paid work in no time at all. Let’s take a look at the five awesome habits of successful freelancers.

They love what they do

If you are thinking of going freelance for any other reason than loving what you do, forget it. Yes, there is a sense freedom, tax breaks, and other advantages to working for yourself. But none of them matter a jot if you don’t have the passion for your work.

They know themselves

Successful freelancers know who they are, and where their strengths and weaknesses lie. It’s not something that comes naturally to most, either. You need to have complete trust in yourself, otherwise, how can you expect others to think the same? So, get to know yourself and understand how the work you bid for is perfect for your skills. If you can’t relay those opinions to potential customers, the work will just go to someone else.

They are organised

Freelancers have to be organised if they want to be successful. The consequences of a haphazard approach are more alarming than you might think. You can lose clients, mislay invoices, and even end up in trouble with HMRC if you don’t file your tax returns properly. Accountants can help, here, of course, but good organisation skills will help you reduce the costs and keep them happy. If you are disorganised, it’s time to up your game. Otherwise, your freelance career is going to end in tears – and financial difficulty.

They know when to say no

Unfortunately, there are a lot of poor quality clients out there who expect the world for little return. Avoid these exploitative people like the plague. Successful freelancers understand their worth and charge their customers accordingly. Plus, getting involved with low-paying clients will waste a lot of your time that could be spent doing more profitable work. If a client can’t see the value you bring, walk away and find others who do.

They create awesome portfolios

When businesses look for freelancers, the first thing they check is their portfolio. Make sure you have a minimum of twelve examples of your best work. You’ll also need to tweak your portfolio when approaching clients from different sectors. Aim to show them work you have done for similar businesses or industries. It will also help if you include a short outline of the effect your work had. You need to shout about your concrete results, as examples of your work won’t be enough.

Hope this has helped. While these habits might not be in your nature, it’s possible to work on them – we recommend doing so before turning freelance!