Starting Out As A Creative Freelancer

Starting your career as a creative freelancer can be an exciting and fulfilling journey. Whether you're an artist, writer, designer, or any other type of creative professional, freelancing offers a unique opportunity to express your creativity while also being your own boss. However, it can also be intimidating and overwhelming, especially if you're just starting out. In this blog post, we'll explore some tips and tricks to help you kickstart your career as a creative freelancer and set yourself up for success. From finding clients to setting your rates, we'll cover all the essentials you need to know to get started on your freelancing journey. So sit back, relax, and get ready to take your first steps towards a fulfilling and rewarding career as a creative freelancer.

But with so many possible things to do, getting into the right flow is so important. Whenever creatives ask me the all important question of "where do I start?", this is the advice I always give them:

🎯 Learn the Skill - 50%

Your very first priority should be in the mastering the skill and up-skilling. They may sound like the same thing, but they're not. Mastering the skill is to do with keeping your eye on the latest trends, tech and styles that will help you to ENHANCE what you're offering as a creative freelancer. Up-skilling on the other hand is thinking about what you can ADD to the offering you already have. For example, if you're a graphic designer, so you have the capacity to offer a full brand development? If you're a videographer, could you also offer brand direction? it's all about two different skills that COMPLIMENT each other. By up-skilling you make yourself more valuable to prospective clients, therefore opening the door to be able to charge for what you offer. Invest the time into your skillset early on so you have a great foundation to start from!

👋 Build your network - 40%

As a newbie, it's really important to build a great support system for yourself of like-minded individuals. This is partly because being a creative freelancer can be incredibly lonely at times, so it's great to have those around you to lean on and build community. The other part of it is the stark reality that you probably don't have the experience you need to take on clients immediately. Working on your own personal projects is great for displaying you capability, but real working experience is far more valuable to both you and prospective clients. Ask to sit in on a client meeting as an intern, do some work shadowing on set as a runner or take a creative you admire out for a coffee. These are practical things that you can do to build your experience and network, whilst opening you up to new opportunities along the way.

🔍 New Client Outreach - 10%

The truth is that the work is not just simply going to fall on your lap, and whilst others may help set you up with great projects, it's not going to be able to sustain you in the long run. Just like a store on the street, you need a constant stream of people discovering you and what you have to offer. Not everyone will buy, but you want to increase the probability by ensuring as many eyes are seeing your work as possible. You do this by researching brands that fit into your ideal client bracket and actively pitching to them. This may feel like the most awkward thing to do at the time, but this will be an essential part of your long-term strategy.

As a freelance creative, you have the opportunity to work on projects that you are passionate about, set your own schedule, and enjoy the flexibility of working from anywhere. However, it is important to remember that success as a freelancer is not guaranteed, and it may take time to build a strong reputation and client base. By staying focused, continuing to learn and grow, and networking with other freelancers and potential clients, you can increase your chances of success and build a fulfilling and sustainable career.