The path to freelancing isn’t necessarily a straight one. People turn to freelancing at various junctures in their lives. Becoming a freelancer in the Middle East comes with its own challenges. The region still lacks the “freelance mindset” and the infrastructure to support freelancers is somewhat nascent. Drawing from our experience at Ureed.com, we offer you 4 tips to get started!
Make sure you love what you do: Freelancing is a long and often lonely path, it is one thing to muster up the motivation to get started, but the real test starts when you hit your first road block and you have to figure out whether you want to keep going. When you are passionate about your work, you will go the extra mile to present your skills in the most professional way possible, you will take ownership of your work and the promises you make to clients and you will certainly start reaping the results when your clients begin to rave about you! Success won’t happen over night, but if you love your work, it most certainly will.
Research your field: Start by researching the market before you price your services. It could be as simple as asking friends and colleagues, or approaching potential clients to get an idea about budgets. Have a clear price range in mind and negotiate within that range. Setting low prices can hurt your income and demotivate you, while setting high prices may drive clients away. If this is your first attempt at freelancing, be willing to take on a few jobs at a discount in order to to get the ball rolling and gain momentum, but be clear with your clients and let them know that this is a one-time offer!
Choose the right platform to get started: Freelancing is no longer dependent on your own network, no matter how small or large it seems. With online marketplaces like Ureed.com, you can drastically increase your exposure to a wide network of clients that can provide you with a steady stream of projects/jobs to choose from. Spend some time building a well-rounded, detailed profile as most marketplaces – including Ureed.com – have algorithms that provide more visibility to freelancers with complete profiles as opposed to incomplete ones.
Build your reputation: On marketplaces like Ureed.com, clients are pushed to offer you a rating & review. This is a great way for you to start building your online reputation. Clients usually consider ratings and reviews when they are assessing different applicants. Your reputation is not only your gateway to more work, but it also means better clients and higher value projects.
Online work marketplaces have taken freelancing to the next level! It is now easy and safe for anyone with an internet connection to get access to thousands if not millions of potential clients and start earning an income fast.
If you want to kickstart your freelance career now, reach out to Ureed.com – the GCC’s largest online freelance marketplace.
