The freelance business is one of the most sought after businesses in the world today.

One study revealed that freelancers could increase to a staggering 40% of the workforce by 2020.

Are you contemplating how you can make the best out of a freelance career? Here are 6 steps that’ll greatly assist you:

1. Make That Decision and Stand by it

The first step to building a successful freelance career is to make a firm decision and stand by it. This is very critical because the beginning stage is usually the hardest. You can stay up to two months without income because you’ll be trying to attract clients and market your skills. A person without focus, determination and perseverance will easily back off and opt for paid employment.

Studies shows that perceptions of freelancing are changing. A total of 59% of freelancers think the freelance job market has changed as compared to three years ago. Of these, 63% said perceptions of freelancing as a career are becoming more positive, and 60% said freelancing has become more respected as a career path. Nearly half (46%) of full-time freelancers raised their rates in the past year, and more than half (54%) plan to raise them next year. The majority of freelancers said that having a diversified portfolio of clients is more secure than having one employer.

2. Identify Your Skills

What are my skills? What can I offer? What skills do I need to further acquire? These are critical questions you need to be asking in this stage. The good thing about the freelance business is that there are countless jobs that require diverse skills to complete.

To mention a few, you need to be skilled in content writing, editing, web design and development, project management, proofreading, academic and business research, data analysis, auditing, digital marketing, online tutoring, virtual assistance, social media marketing, java development, accounting, animation, engineering and iOS and android development.

Such skills are in high demand. If you don’t have any, consult experts and acquire skills that will make you your own boss.

3. Choose Appropriate Freelance Websites

Thanks to digital tech, there are many freelance websites where one can register, bid for job opportunities, execute projects and earn substantial income. Freelance platforms such as Upwork, Peopleperhour, Freelancer, Fiverr and 99designs to mention a few, offer millions of job opportunities to freelancers.

For instance, Upwork, Peopleperhour and Freelancer enable freelancers to earn income from content writing, editing, proofreading, digital marketing etc. while 99designs is for freelancers that design business logo and cards as well as book covers and t-shirt designs.

All you need is to identify your skill set and register on the appropriate freelance website that will help you meet prospective clients and make some bucks.

4. Enhance Your Professional Online Presence

Marketing your skill set is an important step to fulfilling your freelancing career. You may have excellent skills in web design and development, content writing and video editing, but without a personal marketing strategy, no one will know you exist. All you need to do is to professionally advertise your skills on your social media accounts such as Facebook, LinkedIn, and About.me as well as your personal websites.

If you have a website, your task should be to provide quality content that will attract millions of readers. Getting massive traffic to your site is very crucial since the more people visit your site, the more income your site generates. Having a well-defined personal brand is essential for attracting prospective clients.

5. Build Your Professional Online Reputation

Freelance business thrives on the reputation you have built over the years which is aptly shown on the reviews and endorsements from clients happy with your services. Bad reviews from clients are very dangerous as prospective clients may avoid doing business with you.

This is why one needs to have the creative ability, mental and physical strength to carry out jobs requirements and meet deadlines. Without these, you can kiss your freelance career goodbye.

6. Always Keep Communication Channels Open

Freelance business is all about effective communication. By having a robust online presence, prospective clients can contact you via Gmail, Google hangout, Skype, LinkedIn, Facebook, as well as notifications from freelance websites that your bids for advertised jobs were accepted.

You can lose prospective clients if you don’t have access to these communication channels. Even if you have access to them, you need to always be online to answer phone calls and reply mails from clients.

The freelance business is not for lazy people. It’s for the brave of heart; those who are determine to utilize their skill set to build a meaningful and successful career.