Freelancers of ERA?

[nevercomehome]

I looked around and saw no threads on this so I decided to to go ahead an do it myself (or someone point me to where the official thread is.)

So, long story short, today was my last day at my part time job.
I started to hate being there, the pay wasn't that great, no room to move up, and it was barely related to my study (graphic design). I made the choice to quit without having another job secured because I wanted to give freelancing a try. I'm not expecting much tbh so i'm also gonna be job hunting when i'm not working on stuff.

I'm mostly sticking to online freelancing since I live in a small town so I brushed up my LinkedIn and I am in the process of applying for the well known freelancing sites like UpWork, Freelancer, Fiverr, etc. I also figure I should come on ERA and ask for any tips/tricks.

It doesn't just have to be graphic design related. Any freelancing advice would be helpful!

 

[Deimos]

This isn't an Anthem thread.

 

[Anton Sugar]

I do freelance video production/camera work. In terms of approaching the market, it seems a bit different from your situation. LinkedIn, for me, is mostly useless. The sites I use a lot are StaffMeUp, ProductionHub, sometimes Mandy (actually just cancelled my sub, wasn't getting much from there), Thumbtack (I lost a lot of money bidding for jobs and learning which leads to follow through on, but I'm getting more consistent work now), and a lot of local resources (gig postings on local film group sites, Facebook groups, etc.).

I tried Freelancer but there is a ton of competition and not much video work beyond some video editing or helping with really short how-to/digital content. It does seem more lucrative for someone who can handle a lot of volume for design and graphics work, though.

Really, the main thing for me so far has been to not lose your persistence. I get up every morning and check my pinned tabs (for all the sites I check daily), send emails, followup, etc. Sometimes I score a good paying gig, sometimes I take a lower than normal rate, but really try to avoid that. It will be harder when you're starting out and client/testimonial-less. On a gig app like Thumbtack, I was basically getting 0 views, despite having a reel, images, etc. up there. I asked a few close clients to add some reviews. With 3 reviews, I get about 100 views a week, about 7 opportunities/leads a week, even though there are a lot of stinkers. But something I'm at least interested in doing comes by once a week.

Definitely figure out your cost of doing business. There are some calculators out there, as well as guides designed specifically for freelancers. It helps you understand your expenses, revenue, and how to set goals/balance for profit. I don't know if it's as immediately applicable for design work (I typically work on a day, sometimes a half day, rate; I only sometimes do an hourly rate), but knowing how much I need to make each day for X days a year is critical. And sobering!

 

[Ashodin]

I looked around and saw no threads on this so I decided to to go ahead an do it myself (or someone point me to where the official thread is.)

So, long story short, today was my last day at my part time job.
I started to hate being there, the pay wasn't that great, no room to move up, and it was barely related to my study (graphic design). I made the choice to quit without having another job secured because I wanted to give freelancing a try. I'm not expecting much tbh so i'm also gonna be job hunting when i'm not working on stuff.

I'm mostly sticking to online freelancing since I live in a small town so I brushed up my LinkedIn and I am in the process of applying for the well known freelancing sites like UpWork, Freelancer, Fiverr, etc. I also figure I should come on ERA and ask for any tips/tricks.

It doesn't just have to be graphic design related. Any freelancing advice would be helpful!

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What do you specialize in OP?

 

[nevercomehome]

*snip*

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oh i've actually done a bit of video video editing for my previous job and it's something i'd like to get into as well. Do you feel like video stuff is more in demand than the other kinds of freelance gigs? I just assume it is since everyone has a youtube channel now and they're trying to up their game.

And yeah, i've noticed how competitive and chaotic freelancer can be. I was thinking of going on Fiverr for now, set my rates and turnaround time low, and seeing if it helps me get my foot in the door.

What do you specialize in OP?

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I've mostly done marketing/promotional materials like flyers, posters, cards, social media posts and images. I've also gotten into UI/UX, website design, and a bit of web dev stuff but i'm not really ready to go around saying "I can definitely build your landing page for you!" I've just built a basic portfolio site for myself.

 

[killertofu]

Please don't do Fiverr. It brings everyone in the industry down

 

[nevercomehome]

Please don't do Fiverr. It brings everyone in the industry down

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Yeah I can see that. What do you recommend tho? Legit question.

 

[8byte]

DO NOT WORK FOR FIVERR.

You are effectively pulling down your own worth, while sabotaging everyone else putting out quality work for a fair price.

Here are some tips for freelancing:

1) Built passive revenue streams. Any art, icons, or other things you have ownership of, put them up for sale on stock websites, things like Redbubble or Society Six, etc. You can sell these stock assets perpetually with little to no work. If you have the means, I would also advise building your own webstore and selling some of your products there. Things like photoshop brushes, Motion Graphics Templates, etc.

2) Build your social networks to showcase your works. I get a lot of my freelance work through friends & relatives recommending me to clients. Consistently post your art / design work on a regular basis. It is important (and can also function to push people to your web stores).

3) Do not under value yourself. Avoid things like "flat rate" package deals. Work hourly, have a contract signed, and obtain a retainer fee. If you begin work without the client investing a dime in you, then you are very likely selling yourself short and potentially doing free work should the client decide to back out (without a fee and a contract).

4) Be a salesperson. Put together a portfolio package & sales pitch, and go find some clients (either online or in person). Look for local businesses, or growing businesses that are lacking in their design / marketing. You'd be surprised how many businesses would LOVE a rebrand and some social marketing collateral, but don't have the means to pay a full time designer a salary + benefits.

5) Ensure that you use all of your best freelance work to promote when you're looking for more freelance work. If it isn't a part of your portfolio, your clients don't know about it. Also try to find measurable metrics to which you can weigh the impact of your work (i.e. increases in business, revenue, social reach & engagement, etc). You should keep in touch with your clients, check on them, and be overly caring in emails so they are more likely to provide you with this information to bolster your reputation.

6) GET A PART TIME JOB. Freelance is difficult to work fulltime at the start, and you'll need some kind of steady revenue. Everybody's gotta eat & stay warm.

Good luck, hope this helps you out!

 

[ArnoldJRimmer]

I started on this freelance adventure myself a little over a year ago.

Some advice: Value your time and your work. Cause if you do t your clients sure as hell won't either. Charge for your time. always. Be a professional and always communicate, ask questions, let your client know what going on with the project on a regular basis, etc. go above and beyond as often as you can. Estimate time and cost very conservatively. Delivering early will always make you look aces while delivering late will always make you look bad no matter the reason.

Depending on where you re located, keep in mind that freelancing full time will requir you to make a lot more money than you would being a regular full time employee somewhere.

In the us in my area I have to pay higher taxes than I would as a full time employee thanks to the self employment tax. I have to pay for my insurance which is basically like paying rent twice a month. Even if you have all your ducks in a row there will be times when the next substantial project will take a while to materialize. Count on it, and you won't be making much or any money in between. Same for vacation sick time,

This is why you need to calculate what you need to make and charge accordingly or you won't survive. Most good clients understand this and are prepared to pay for your work accordingly. They know they are getting professional experience and the ability to quickly ramp up or scale down projects in this way.

Balance your requirements with demand. If you are getting too many clients biting, your not charging enough. And let clients who want to cheap out or don't value your time and work go. This is a big advantage in freelancing compared to a standard 9 to 5. You get to fire your clients!

Find passive sources of revenue. This is critical if your going full time especially to cover in between project time and just to free you to do professional improvement tasks and projects. Look into offering retainers or subscriptions to your work, put up art assets, templates etc for sale.

Make sure you charge upfront for work, ask for a deposit of good faith and always include a statement of work that is signed by your client. Do not accept work from clients unwilling to put forward money for your work.

Good luck, and feel free to pm me, I'm a developer and usually hire designer to help out with ui/ux and I'd like to have people I can reach out to when I have work.

 

[The Albatross]

I used to do a lot of freelance web/app development, making about an extra... 40% of my annual income or so via freelance. All of my freelance work was referrals.

I recommend using an accounting service to track quotes / invoices / payments. I've used WaveAccounting for ... like 6 or 7 years and it's been really good. It works on a Freemium model. I've never needed any of the premium extras.

 

[BrutalInsane]

Make contacts, and approach people directly. Pitch local businesses, ad agencies, etc. I opened up my own small design firm about 12 years ago (it's more like glorified freelancing, as I'm a one man band,) and I find that most of my work comes from referrals. Some of my clients I've been working with for almost 20 years dependably, and they'll often refer me to other people who need my help. I'm a motion graphics artist, it's pretty specialized and there's a lot of competition in my area, but I managed to carve out a nice niche doing it this way. I'm not picky about the work I take on either, I'm way past that 'want to be a design rock star' phase of my life, and I'm happy and love the people I work with.

Do not use LinkedIn to message people. I get so many messages a week from that, that I need to tell these people to stop contacting me and I block them. Also, as many others have mentioned, do not use Fiverr. You're doing yourself, and you compatriots, a disservice.

 

[8byte]

I started on this freelance adventure myself a little over a year ago.

Some advice: Value your time and your work. Cause if you do t your clients sure as hell won't either. Charge for your time. always. Be a professional and always communicate, ask questions, let your client know what going on with the project on a regular basis, etc. go above and beyond as often as you can. Estimate time and cost very conservatively. Delivering early will always make you look aces while delivering late will always make you look bad no matter the reason.

Depending on where you re located, keep in mind that freelancing full time will requir you to make a lot more money than you would being a regular full time employee somewhere.

In the us in my area I have to pay higher taxes than I would as a full time employee thanks to the self employment tax. I have to pay for my insurance which is basically like paying rent twice a month. Even if you have all your ducks in a row there will be times when the next substantial project will take a while to materialize. Count on it, and you won't be making much or any money in between. Same for vacation sick time,

This is why you need to calculate what you need to make and charge accordingly or you won't survive. Most good clients understand this and are prepared to pay for your work accordingly. They know they are getting professional experience and the ability to quickly ramp up or scale down projects in this way.

Balance your requirements with demand. If you are getting too many clients biting, your not charging enough. And let clients who want to cheap out or don't value your time and work go. This is a big advantage in freelancing compared to a standard 9 to 5. You get to fire your clients!

Find passive sources of revenue. This is critical if your going full time especially to cover in between project time and just to free you to do professional improvement tasks and projects. Look into offering retainers or subscriptions to your work, put up art assets, templates etc for sale.

Make sure you charge upfront for work, ask for a deposit of good faith and always include a statement of work that is signed by your client. Do not accept work from clients unwilling to put forward money for your work.

Good luck, and feel free to pm me, I'm a developer and usually hire designer to help out with ui/ux and I'd like to have people I can reach out to when I have work.

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This is also all very good advice. I have the benefit of working a 9-5 so I can't speak to the living off of freelance, but I can speak to the pains of getting taxed twice on that income. It can be pretty brutal, which is why it is essential that you charge enough for your work. If you have trouble determining your worth, reach out to some other designers and have them do a portfolio review for you. You'll learn a lot about where you're doing well and where you can improve, as well as a general measure of where you stand among your peers.

 

[nevercomehome]

*snip*

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Looks like I got a lot to think about. I've heard all of this before especially the passive income bits. I am planning an icon pack and font stuff but that'll take a bit.

Yep yep it can get easy to undervalue my work sometimes.

*snip*

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I'll definitely be PMing you, thanks.

 

[Anton Sugar]

oh i've actually done a bit of video video editing for my previous job and it's something i'd like to get into as well. Do you feel like video stuff is more in demand than the other kinds of freelance gigs? I just assume it is since everyone has a youtube channel now and they're trying to up their game.

And yeah, i've noticed how competitive and chaotic freelancer can be. I was thinking of going on Fiverr for now, set my rates and turnaround time low, and seeing if it helps me get my foot in the door.

Click to shrink...

As others have mentioned, Fiverr can be good but is mostly bad. I got a Fiverr-ish feel from Freelancer, but maybe that's just because it was saturated with bids, particularly from the international market, which can be hard to compete with.

When I was trying Freelancer, it did seem there were a lot of YT light editing gigs. "I'm making a Youtube video and need intro cards" "I want this cool music and graphic to show up" or even just editing their videos after they shoot them.

Again, I can't stress enough how helpful it is to get testimonials/references/reviews.

I don't know that video is more in demand than others gigs. I see 2-3x as many portrait photo gigs on Thumbtack vs Video Production/Editing. If you really want to make money, get into weddings. It's one of those things that families are often happy to basically write a blank check for (not literally, but the wedding industry is loaded with money). In fact, when I need money, I augment income with portrait photography and the occasional wedding.

For Pre/Post production stuff (basically editing, coloring, titles, etc., but also if we do location scouts and meetings beforehand), I will often do an hourly rate, but for shoots themselves, you don't want to do hourly, you want a flat daily rate. A lot of working cinematographers/DPs don't even offer a half day rate, because a "half day" in this industry can mean different things when days are often over 8 hours.

Here is a good primer on CODB, specifically for freelance video work, but it's applicable to others and he has some links to other helpful stuff: http://blog.vincentlaforet.com/2013/08/01/how-to-succeed-as-a-creative-long-term-know-your-c-o-d-b/

 

[Wackamole]

Freelancer since 1997 here.
Illustrator (and a bit of graphic design and animation).

 

[8byte]

Freelancer since 1997 here.
Illustrator (and a bit of graphic design and animation).

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Whoa, that's quite a long stretch! I've gotten a few commissioned illustration jobs but don't really feel like I "deserve" it. I always struggle to find acceptable prices for illustration because I don't feel I'm particularly good at it, I just do it for fun as a hobby.

 

[HellforLeather]

Keep reciepts for EVERYTHING. Seriously, almost anything you buy throughout the year is tax deductible. When I freelanced for the auto industry I occasionally went out and bought new computers and stuff just so I would have additional deductions.

 

[Anton Sugar]

Keep reciepts for EVERYTHING. Seriously, almost anything you buy throughout the year is tax deductible. When I freelanced for the auto industry I occasionally went out and bought new computers and stuff just so I would have additional deductions.

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Yup, this. And really, try to find other freelancers in the same field to get ideas and tips on what you can deduct. There's stuff you might not realize you could deduct. In the film/video industry, this includes home expenses (I have a home office, so I get to report a certain amount of my internet, utilities, etc. to keep my office "running"), movie tickets, lunch with potential clients, MILEAGE, etc.

 

[Wackamole]

Whoa, that's quite a long stretch! I've gotten a few commissioned illustration jobs but don't really feel like I "deserve" it. I always struggle to find acceptable prices for illustration because I don't feel I'm particularly good at it, I just do it for fun as a hobby.

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oh i know the feeling. Many creatives have that, unfortunately. Just continue to learn and improve. But people will always think you'll do stuff for free as they don't really see it as a profession, it seems. But it is. I wish everybody could turn their hobby into their job. The world would be a better place.

Keep reciepts for EVERYTHING. Seriously, almost anything you buy throughout the year is tax deductible. When I freelanced for the auto industry I occasionally went out and bought new computers and stuff just so I would have additional deductions.

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Hell yeah. Projectors, computers, DSLR-s, etc.

 

[baron doggystyle von woof]

Im a freelance consultant so different area but my biggest advice don't undersell yourself. For example if you are worth 50 an hour than ask that price. Going lower than your worth will only get you shit customers and shit jobs. (Of course if the need is high you can drop a little.)

Also work on your communication skills. You can be the best in the industry but people value good communication a lot. With proper communication also comes more jobs which results into more revenue.

Good luck! Going freelance was the best thing I did career wise.

 

[shaneo632]

Have a safety net for the shitty months. In my field (freelance journalism) ad revenue goes in the toilet in the summer as nobody's reading shit, so it's good to put some money away during the more prosperous months (Christmas for me).

 

[Deleted member 11069]

I'm a freelance Storyboard artist, I work in TV animation but I'm trying to slowly transition to film. A lot of it seems to be just knowing folks, being friendly and honestly, lucky sometimes for the schedules to line up (you being free when a show is staffing).
And having a wife with a "Normal" job helps as well with the worries and night time Terrors.

 

[Ashodin]

Lots of great tips in here, I'm a graphic designer myself, so I'll definitely be peeping this.

 

[Fright Zone]

Freelance illustrator here.

Started a bit late in life, graduated in 2014 when I was 32, and got taken on full time by a music festival run by a guy I used to know.
Was fun for a while but got made redundant after a couple of years - was initially happy about it as the work had become stale and I'd always imaged I would be freelance and work on a variety of projects.
But the last two years have been the hardest of my life. As soon as I went freelance the work seemed to dry up and I've struggled to get more clients ever since.
I get a few jobs come in but it's mostly small stuff and not earning anywhere near a living wage.
I'm now having a style crisis, I'm sure that having a more consistent portfolio would help me land work, but I really struggle to focus on one thing and can't decide precisely what kind of work I want to be doing.

 

[HammerOfThor]

So I'm a consultant and I specialize in small fintech companies. One major issue I have is getting new clients. I'm never sure how to approach it. Do I just email their standard public email? Send them a flier? I'm not sure how to approach a company unless they have some sort of listing up. Many items I'll look at a companies website and think of ways I could help them, but then I get stuck. How do I bring that to them?

 

[Erwinadriansyah]

Freelance corporate copywriter and translator, specializing in annual reports and company profiles since 2010. I live in Indonesia, however, so there's a good chance my freelance experience/freelance scene here is very different compared to yours/your country.

That said, I'm also a full time employee working from home. So my advice to you is keep trying to get a full time job as it entails benefits and other social security nets. And networking, never stop networking, always grow your network.

Good luck, OP.

 

[nevercomehome]

*snip*

Good luck, OP.

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Thanks! And yeah I'll probably be going back to a more normal job at some point.

That reminds me, does anyone have any experience when it comes to going back to the regular workforce after a long time of freelancing?