Business Ebook

Hello out there! I’m Logan, a freelance writer, lover of movies, and wannabe Renaissance woman with a thousand different ideas flooding my brain at all times. At 23, I’ve already forged my path through a career that many people dream of making work, and I’m nowhere near finished. I’m living the dream of a freelancer, with a cushy income I wouldn’t be making if I hadn’t found the magic of the internet and it’s many, many freelancing sites.But, don’t be fooled by my bright smile and wonderful job. Getting here took work- hard work. It was a lot of late nights and early mornings, tears and screams, headaches and outbursts of frustration.You’ve heard that all before though, right? You wouldn’t be here, reading this book, if you weren’t thinking of freelancing, and practically every blog post and how-to guide about starting your own freelance business warns you way ahead of time that it will be hard.I’m here to say that hard work will all be worth it in the end. When you can pick up and go to Cancun on a random Monday because you have both the flexibility and income to do so, you’ll hardly remember those late nights spent staring at your computer screen like the second coming of Christ was about to happen on those pixelated pages.Keep reading to find out what actionable steps you need to take in order to make yourself just as much of a Renaissance human as I am.

📷 📷Starting Your Freelance Business

That’s what they all scream at you. The Youtubers, TikTokers, blog post connoisseurs, and ebook writers like myself. They say to pick a site, sign up for it, and just start. I could say the same.But I won’t.Sure, you could sign up for Fiverr or Upwork right this second, throw up a profile and start trying to get a job. You may even get one. But I can guarantee you won’t see the sort of quick success we need in today’s world. And, just to be clear, when I say quick success, I’m talking about a livable income in 3-6 months. Not half a million bucks.So, if I’m not telling you to start already, what am I telling you? It’s simple: figure out who you want to be as a freelancer. Do you want to design websites? Write enthralling romance stories? Create the picture perfect Instagram post for someone’s candle business? What excites you as a human being? Freelancing is all about passion, and if you’re missing that, you’re missing a business.

1.) What do I love to do every day? What’s something that I’ll hardly ever get bored of?

2.) What am I an expert on? If I’m not an expert on something freelance-worthy, what can I become an expert on quickly?

3.) What fits into both categories above, but is also sellable and scalable? (Hint: that last one will come in handy in chapter four.)

Amazing! Now, after answering those three questions, you should have your niche.

“So, Logan, can I start now?”

Not quite yet. We’ve got one more step to conquer before we get down to business. And that step is going to involve a lot of research and introspection. Here’s the deal: there are a ton of ways to sell your freelance services. And I mean, a ton. You can sign up for freelance websites, like Fiverr, Upwork, Freelancer, and countless others. You can create a website, optimize it, and start pushing that out. You can start up a social media presence and sell your services to your audience by proving your knowledge. Hell, you can even pound the pavement and sell your services face to face, to local businesses, your neighbors, or your friends and family.

That’s the ultimate question. Truthfully, I don’t purport to know which way is right for everyone person. As a writer, freelance websites were the way to go for me. But if you do social media management, I think you can see why a following on Instagram or TikTok would be the best way to sell your services. Like I said, we need to do some introspection.

1.) Where is my audience? A web designer’s audience is probably scouring Fiverr and Upwork for the perfect person to breathe life into their new website. A health and fitness coach is likely looking on Instagram for her next social media manager. Look around and figure out where the people that you want to work with hang out. This might take some trial and error. And that’s okay! We’re in it for the long haul.

2.) What safety net do I want to have? Freelancing websites have plans in place for clients who request money back. If you’re working with a freelance writing agency, they have contracts for you, and often legal teams, too. And if you’re on your own, your only safety net is your contract and whatever money you’d be willing to put up if you happen to get sued, or need to sue.

3.) Is this a single order package, or a monthly recurring package? By this I mean: do people buy from you once, like a product description or a 30 day meal plan, or do they need your services on a regular basis, like a social media manager or a virtual assistant? Figuring this out will help you price your services and target your audience.