Hello all!
I am just getting started in the world of freelance work. I did what all savvy business owners do and went to Redditt to glean some knowledge about the industry. This forum was recommended to me. Is anyone willing to give me a semi-brief overview of what's happening here and what I can do to contribute?
Thanks!
Hi Chrissy, welcome to the Freelancer Forum!
This is the place to learn about freelancing and grow your business. When it comes to setting correct expectations, you can find diverse expert advice in terms of services you're looking to offer, platforms that you could consider, managing your freelancing business, identifying good clients and accompanying information. Feel free to share how you'd like to position yourself and what type of business you'd like to start, along with any questions you have. One thing experienced freelancers and clients love is questions, so keep them coming.
Soon afterwards, you'll start getting feedback from fellow freelancers and forum members.
Thank you for the info, Vladimir!
My freelancing venture is aimed at offering clients a professional writing service for medical documents, articles, media content, and educational materials. I'm seeking to market my services to health journals, healthcare organizations, medical offices, and physician groups. I hold an active registered nurse license, thus adding valid scientific backing to what I write.
I have a lot of questions about how to start an LLC and how to properly market myself as a freelancer! I would love to hear from any and all who have experience in these things...
1) If you could go back to when you were first starting out, what would you tell yourself?
2) How in the world does one determine pricing for one's services? My field is relatively ambiguous, so there isn't a ton of data on pricing.
3) Any advice for starting a new LLC? I am seeing a lot of push to hire a service to handle the paperwork for me... what have you done? I'm leaning towards handling the paperwork myself but wonder if it is too complicated to try to do that and start freelancing at the same time.
4) How do you manage your time as a freelancer?
Thank you in advance for your input!
-C
1) If you could go back to when you were first starting out, what would you tell yourself?
I actually think you are off to a good start on this but I would say to not see it as freelancing but as starting a business.
2) How in the world does one determine pricing for one's services? My field is relatively ambiguous, so there isn't a ton of data on pricing.
I personally think you should consider what you need, broken down to an hourly wage, assuming you were working full time and then double it (because you will not work full time). Your rate needs to be high enough that when you are making money you build up savings for when you don't have work (which happens). Your rate SHOULD be as high as you can sell.
3) Any advice for starting a new LLC? I am seeing a lot of push to hire a service to handle the paperwork for me... what have you done? I'm leaning towards handling the paperwork myself but wonder if it is too complicated to try to do that and start freelancing at the same time.
This would be dependent on country but in the US I can answer that all you have to do in my state is just pay the Secretary of State some money and it's done, and then keep paying them year after year. I would point out, in the US, this isn't even necessary and I personally think that the legal protections it provides are readily pierced. So if you had the money for setting up an LLC OR getting Errors and Omissions Liability insurance I would definitely do the insurance.
4) How do you manage your time as a freelancer?
I don't really. I work when I have work but I am a horrible procrastinator but I hate the results of it so I just try to force myself to work every day. But somedays and coming up next week for a few weeks I just don't work.
