by Frances Laing

Created on: May 26, 2009

With the economic downturn, lots of us are choosing a freelance career as the way forward. Bear these pointers in mind:

Remember - you're a small business manager

You're a freelance writer, I.T. expert, graphic designer. This means that you're running a small business - and you need a small business infrastructure to be successful. Making freelancing work means being able to manage your accounts and your tax return. (Or, alternatively, paying someone to do it for you). You're going to need to set personal and business goals for yourself. You're in charge of advertising and marketing. You're also an office manager (and at the beginning at least you're also an office cleaner!).

You need several clients - not just one

It's very tempting to stick to one familiar client you like. But to maintain an efficient and sustainable business, you must avoid putting all your eggs in one basket. What happens if that client goes bust? Be on the lookout for new business.

Training

As a freelancer, and in a fast moving media age - you may need to allocate time to up-skill. This is always going to be a good investment. There are all sorts of possibilities nowadays - such as on line training. Ask your professional or trade association for advice.

Maintain a good web presence

You're going to need to work at this one, too. There are loads of freelance sites out there. No matter which one you choose, sooner or later someone is going to ask for samples of your work, and it really helps to have a professional looking (on-line) portfolio. Keep your website up to date and make sure your contact details are on it.

Guard against isolation

With Internet based work - it is relatively easy to spend a great deal of time on line. Social contacts sometimes fall by the wayside. So arrange your time with a work-life balance in mind. You need to keep up your contacts with real people as well as the friends you find on networking sites.

Look after your tools

Sounds like an obvious point, but you're going to need to look after that precious hardware which is your work window to the world. Learn how to maintain your computer properly, how to keep it secure and what to do if you encounter a major problem. Keep techie helpline telephone numbers pasted on the wall in case of emergency. If you're in the middle of a major project with a deadline - the last thing you want is for your system to bread down on you. Don't forget to update and upgrade your computer regularly and allocate some money in your business budget to do just that.

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