How to start freelancing

I am full time employee as a presentation designer, but I would like to start freelancing. Please suggest where can I find those who outsource designing jobs.

I have extensive knowledge of creative softwares like PPT, InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, Premiere Pro and After effects, and 5 years experience in my current firm.

Thanks!

Make sure you have a nice fluffy savings account. It took me at least 8 months to have enough money coming in. I'm actually thinking about getting out of it and starting a service. It's a great ride and you can make great money if you target the upper end of society, but you get to a point where you flatline unless you A) get a team and start outsourcing (I caught too many writers plagiarizing for me to get into this and my rep is everything to me) or B) Move on to something else, which is what I've decided to do after being very successful at it. I would say I'm easy in the top 1% of earners in my area, but there is only so much I can physically do and I'm not one of these plebs that promises 10k words a day. I'm at about 2k-3k/day 5 days a week and then it's me time.

But anyway, you need to have a sales component in yourself. Lots of failed freelancers who are probably good at what they do but don't know how to price themselves, set rules for the way they do business, and know how to sell. These people usually get starved out.

bonerlicious said:

Make sure you have a nice fluffy savings account. It took me at least 8 months to have enough money coming in. I'm actually thinking about getting out of it and starting a service. It's a great ride and you can make great money if you target the upper end of society, but you get to a point where you flatline unless you A) get a team and start outsourcing (I caught too many writers plagiarizing for me to get into this and my rep is everything to me) or B) Move on to something else, which is what I've decided to do after being very successful at it. I would say I'm easy in the top 1% of earners in my area, but there is only so much I can physically do and I'm not one of these plebs that promises 10k words a day. I'm at about 2k-3k/day 5 days a week and then it's me time.

But anyway, you need to have a sales component in yourself. Lots of failed freelancers who are probably good at what they do but don't know how to price themselves, set rules for the way they do business, and know how to sell. These people usually get starved out.

Click to expand...

Thanks for your prompt response and suggestion, I will just take a shot and come back with my progress

If you use places like Upwork or Freelancer you'd be competing with people that happily work for the bare minimum.

Post your services on site such as SEOClerks....I have posted services there before and it is a great place to work.

Sumuji said:

If you use places like Upwork or Freelancer you'd be competing with people that happily work for the bare minimum.

Click to expand...

This is true but those people are bottom of the barrel and it shines from their proposals. If they were any good at what they do, I wouldn't be able to compete.

Don't compete at pricing, it's just not worth the hassle. Compete at your work quality.

Sumuji said:

If you use places like Upwork or Freelancer you'd be competing with people that happily work for the bare minimum.

Click to expand...

Tried but no luck till date maybe because I am a newbie don't have any rating yet. Yep most of their pricing are quite low

IPlease said:

Post your services on site such as SEOClerks....I have posted services there before and it is a great place to work.

Click to expand...

Thanks, will try it!

Upwork
Freelancer
Guru
People per hour

I am not advocating to compete with 3rd world freelancers under the same terms. Your first job is to create a solid portfolio and then bid only to jobs that are very suitable for you or to jobs that offer enough pay.
In your application letter do not emphasize your qualifications, but the benefit you can provide for the client. Do make a basic template for the application letter, but modify it every time and make it special - differentiate yourself from the competition. Make application letter not a sales letter, but a start of the conversation - tell them how you can benefit them and that you can explain the rest during the interview and later communication. When you are confident you can do a wonderful job, you may even put a quote above the clients expectations.
The logic in this approach is not to get a particular job, but to get in contact with high value clients and to get a long lasting relationship. Yes, the majority of the clients are there because it suppose to be a sweat shop, but not all of them - and those are your target.

For instance, I found one client by making my proposal in a form of a highly specific type of presentation. I just played, had an unusual idea how to catch his attention, and that worked, even I have never done similar type of presentation and had no similar thing in my portfolio. He is my steady client now - $100-$150 per presentation.

Also, make yourself a simple Wordpress site. Than make a list of marketing agencies and financial organizations - both well known that need a lot of presentations. Than mass email them. Again, make emails semi-personalized, with personal name of the recipient.

Google "remote work" websites and check them regularly - those agencies advertise their needs from time to time.

Advertise yourself on Craigslist and search Craigslist for presentation needs in your area.