They say that to be a freelancer you either have to be dedicated enough to survive the craziness, or crazy enough to survive the dedication. Never have more true words been spoken.

But if you really want to test the water and see if you can make money in your free time (presumably doing something you love), there are some tips you may wish to keep in mind… 

Invoicing – Get Paid 

Freelancing can take many forms. Perhaps your skill set lends itself to digital work such as graphic design or blogging. Perhaps you’re more interested in becoming a freelance personal trainer, or even a dog walker. Whatever you decide, you need an invoice template for freelancers. Here’s why.

Perhaps you are already on board with the value of invoicing, but for every entrepreneur that understands how to bill clients, there are countless others who still rely on message reminders through unprofessional channels such as social media. Invoicing gives your client a breakdown of services. It states every relevant date. Not only that, but you can map out how much to pay and how to pay it.

Don’t simply assume your clients will go out of their way to pay you. Often, they will get away with it if they can. Invoice them on time, and the battle to ensure you get paid will swing in your favour.

Model the Best 

Modelling is a business term that people outside the world of entrepreneurs probably wouldn’t understand right away. You could be forgiven for thinking that modelling is a fancy way of saying “copy someone else”. And those who have modelled successful business people in the past will tell you that that is exactly what it is. So, why the hesitation?

People think they need to reinvent the wheel. But the wheel is fine. The wheel works. Inventing something rounder is impossible. The best you can hope to do is make your own inroads to inventing the exact same thing that we already know works. That’s where modelling can cut corners and teach you lessons.

Look at who has been successful in your field. There’s bound to be someone who has done what you want to achieve. Look at how they did it. Adopt the established strategies and don’t look back.

Keep a Portfolio of Your Paid Work

Freelancers are a funny bunch. Some refuse to take on the mantle of being their own sales staff. Others will promote their own work to the hilt, leaving no time to complete the work (which never ends well). Isn’t there a path down the middle? Yes. yes, there is.

Keep a digital portfolio of your work. Some portfolio software is free. That way, the next time a potential client asks if they can see some of your past work examples, you only need to fire over a link in an email. That’s all you have to do. That’s your sales pitch. One link. One email.

Keeping images and written content of your past exploits is a freelancer’s gateway to a steady client base.