How to become a successful freelancer in 2023

The freelance lifestyle comes with some pretty big advantages. Freelancers are free to decide when, how, and where they work… and to say no to projects that don’t interest them. Plus, freelancers get to work with a bunch of different people every day, which can make for an interesting and rewarding career.

But here’s the thing: freelancing also comes with its challenges — and success is far from guaranteed. In fact, newbie freelancers are often disheartened by how difficult they find the first stage of their freelance careers.

Maybe you’re still thinking about making the leap into a freelance career — and stressing about it already. Or maybe you’ve been freelancing on the side for a while now, and you’re wondering whether you’ll ever make enough to give up your day job.

Either way… take a deep breath. We understand that freelancing is scary — especially at first. And we want to help you succeed, whatever that looks like for you.

Ready? OK. Read on for our top tips for beating the odds and becoming a successful freelancer in 2023. 👇

What makes a successful freelancer?

First things first, let’s talk about what we actually mean when we say a freelancer is “successful”.

Well, the key factor is money, of course. Depending on the career you choose, there are opportunities to make a very good income as a freelancer. And increasing your take-home pay might be one of the main reasons you’re considering freelancing to begin with.

But money isn’t the only measure of success. It’s equally important to enjoy the work you’re doing. We’d also argue that a freelancer isn’t really successful if their work-life balance sucks and they have no time for themselves — even if they’re bringing in the big bucks.

After all, there’s no point in being a high-earning freelancer if you don’t have the time or energy to enjoy the rewards of your work.

1. So, being a successful freelancer involves three key factors:
2. Making a good income
3. Enjoying the work you do
4. Having a good work-life balance
5. With that in mind, let’s get straight to our tips for freelance success 💪

How to become a successful freelancer in 2023: 9 tips to follow

1. Get your paperwork in order first

OK, OK, we know… this might not be the kind of dazzlingly exciting tip you were hoping for — but it is important.

Here’s the thing: if you’re just starting out as a freelancer, it can be tempting to simply start looking for clients before sorting out your paperwork. But think of it this way: would you rather deal with a legal or tax compliance issue now, while you have time on your hands — or in a few months when you’re (hopefully) rushed off your feet with client work?

If you’re in the UK, the easiest way to start working as a freelancer is to set up as a sole trader. This is a simple process that you can do online on the HMRC website. Once you’ve done this, you can invoice clients and declare your income through a self-assessment tax return.

2. Niche down as quickly as possible

Many new freelancers make the mistake of offering a wide range of services in the hope that they’ll get more work. But in reality, most clients prefer to work with freelancers who are knowledgeable in one specific area. While this might mean that your pool of potential clients is smaller, it also makes you more valuable to those clients (and — yes — that means you can charge more 👀)

So, what do we mean when we say you should niche down? It’s all about making your offering as specific as possible. Instead of marketing yourself simply as a graphic designer, why not say you’re a graphic designer specialising in food websites? Instead of just being a freelance writer, be a copywriter specialising in personal finance, for example.

Not sure exactly what your niche should be yet? Don’t worry. Whatever you choose, it doesn’t mean you can never work for clients outside of those areas — it just means you’ll be more attractive to those within them. That means you should feel free to experiment a bit while you’re getting started. Trust us: you’ll find your true calling eventually… even if it’s not what you expected.

3. Expand and nuture your network

Psst! Want to know what one of the most important tools is for starting out on your freelance journey? No, it’s not your laptop (shiny as it may be) — it’s your personal and professional network.

Here’s why: by telling everyone you know what you’re doing, you’re building a huge pool of potential first clients. And if you’re thinking, “I don’t have a network”, we promise that you do. Your friends. Your mum. The owner of your local cafe. That lady you babysat for ten years ago — they all count. Remember: it’s not just that the people you know might need your services, but that the people they know might too.

As you advance in your freelance career, you should continue to build your network. This might mean reaching out to people on LinkedIn, or even attending online or in-person networking events to make new connections. Ideally, you should aim for a good mix of other freelancers, who can be a good source of advice, and people in your industry who may be (or know) potential clients.

4. Build an online presence

These days, it’s almost impossible to become a successful freelancer without some kind of online presence. And the earlier you start building it, the sooner people will know about your exciting new business venture (that’s a good thing, we promise).

This might be as simple as setting up a LinkedIn profile and making it clear that you’re a freelancer who’s open to opportunities. Posting regularly can help show your expertise, and ensures people remember your name — which might come in useful down the line when they’re looking for a freelancer in your field.

You may also need a website to promote your services. Depending on the type of work you do, setting up profiles on different, specialised websites could be useful too.

5. Don’t expect work to come to you

If you’ve never worked as a freelancer before, the shift in mentality can take some getting used to. And a big part of that is realising that work is probably not going to come to you. Networking and building an online presence are both important, but actively marketing your services is even more crucial to success — especially at the beginning of your career.

Usually, this means reaching out to people and asking them if they need your services. At first, this might be people you know (or friends of friends), but eventually, you’ll move on to pitching people or companies you don’t know.

You might start to get some inbound leads that result in work as you advance in your career. However, even experienced freelancers usually need to continue marketing their services — all the more reason to start practising straight away!

6. Don’t undersell yourself

What’s the most common mistake that new freelancers make? Well, we haven’t done the research, but we’d be willing to bet that setting their prices too low is pretty high up on that list. Part of the reason for this might be a lack of confidence, but a larger part is that many misunderstand how freelance pricing works.

Look at it this way: as a full-time employee, the salary you receive is only part of your compensation. Depending on where you are, you may also get paid holiday, sick pay, healthcare, pension enrollment, and all kinds of other benefits. When you set your prices as a freelancer, you need to incorporate all of this into the figure you land on.

Of course, you might not be able to charge a super-high rate as a beginner, but there are disadvantages to setting your prices too low too. For one thing, clients might not take you seriously if your prices are too much lower than other freelancers in your field. It can also be more difficult to raise your prices over time with a client if you went in too low to begin with.

7. Be prepared for dry spells

All seasoned freelancers know that dry spells are inevitable — and that it’s important to plan for them. Setting aside money in times of plenty means that you won’t be in trouble when you have a lower-income month. Over time, many freelancers learn to embrace quieter periods and use them to market their businesses, learn new skills or take time off.

It can take a while at the beginning of your freelance career to start making decent money. But take heart and remember that it is possible to make a good living as a freelancer. In fact, according to data from Upwork, 75% of freelancers make the same or more than they made at their last traditional job.

8. Always request referrals

As you begin to build a list of happy clients, don’t be shy about asking for referrals. After all, your clients probably know other people working in the same field who could also benefit from your services. And if they enjoyed working with you, most people would be happy to recommend you.

LinkedIn can be a great help here, as it allows you to explore your satisfied clients’ connections. If you see that a client you’ve worked with is connected to someone you would like to work with in the future, don’t be afraid to ask them for an introduction. This allows you to make a warm pitch to your prospect, which makes them much more likely to respond favorably.

9. Take on work outside your comfort zone

Most freelancers find themselves repeatedly working on the same types of projects. And this makes sense: it’s totally logical to stick to the things you know you’re good at (and we did just tell you to find a niche, after all 😉)

But if you never take any chances, it’s easy to get stuck in a rut. Try to take on the occasional project that’s outside your comfort zone (as long as it’s still work that interests you). This can help you to build new skills, learn about new types of work, and may even provide you with more opportunities in the future. Ultimately, it can make you a stronger and more skilled freelancer.

Learn more about freelancing

At Out of Office, we love sharing content that helps freelancers, contractors and other independent workers to make the most of their professional lives.

If you’re still unsure if freelancing is right for you, read our list of the pros and cons of freelancing to help you decide. And if you think 2023 could be the year you take off for your freelancing adventure overseas, our recent post on remote work visas could help you get started