How To Start Freelance Marketing (7 Steps to Success)
How to start freelance marketing (7 steps to success)
Omid G Jul 17, 2024
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2. Is freelance marketing worth it?
3. Traits of a successful freelance marketer
4. How to start freelance marketing (in 7 steps)
5. Closing thoughts
Last year, I quit my in-house marketing job in San Francisco, CA, to become a full-time freelancer.
Today, I’m living in NYC, working on my own time and making more than double what I made as a salaried employee.
It wasn’t all rainbows and sunshine, though.
I made many mistakes that could have easily been avoided and wasted months because I had no direction.
Looking back, I wish someone had written an article like this that could help me avoid the painful agony I went through.
So I decided to do it here, right now.
In this article, I’ll show you how to start a freelance marketing business, sign your first client, and deliver a fantastic client experience that will set you apart from most freelancers.
So get ready and take some notes, it’s about to get interesting.
Is freelance marketing worth it?
If you have a passion for entrepreneurship and like to do things on your own time, freelance marketing may be worth it.
Let me preface by saying this: In the beginning, freelance marketing is going to be a lot more work than you might think.
But as you progress, things will get easier.
This is why, to be truly fulfilled in this type of work, you must figure out the “why” behind freelancing. If your “why” is to have location freedom, you can probably find that with a remote job.
If your “why” is to make more money, chances are you can get a significant pay raise if you start applying for new jobs (unless you want to freelance on top of your job).
For longevity, your “why” needs to be highly compelling. Or else, you’ll start to question why you chose this path when things get a bit hard.
For me, the “why” behind freelancing came because of two things:
- I wanted to have time freedom. I’m not a morning person, and I work best at night.
- I don’t want to get involved in corporate bureaucracy, and I want to focus on what I’m good at.
In all honesty, the latter was why I left my previous role. I love startups.
I’m also a sucker for new experiences, and the idea of becoming a “free agent” seemed like something I would look back on and be proud that I did.
Traits of a successful freelance marketer
Previous work experience
Having a proven track record of doing something extremely well in marketing is the foundation for having a successful freelance career (in my opinion).
Don’t get me wrong, you can have no traditional job experience and still make it as a freelancer. However, it’s a lot easier to make the transition to freelancing when you have 1-3 years of experience at a previous job.
A passion for entrepreneurship
This one might come as obvious, but some of the most successful marketing freelancers I know have an entrepreneurial spirit.
A passion for self-development
One thing many people don’t talk about when it comes to starting a freelance business is that it can be a very spiritual experience.
How to start freelance marketing (in 7 steps)
Here is my step-by-step guide to starting your freelance marketing career:
- Do great work as an employee first
- Try freelancing part-time
- Create a case study
- Sign your first client
- Package your services
- Create a system of operations
- Provide a great client experience
1. Do great work as an employee first
As mentioned earlier, the best thing you can do for yourself is to first learn on the job, and get paid for it!
2. Try freelancing part-time
If I could go back in time, one thing I would have done differently is start freelancing while I still had a full-time job.
3. Create a case study
Creating your first case study is going to be the basis for how you approach your first client.
4. Sign your first client
Let future you figure out how you’re going to deliver after you sign the client.
5. Package your services
Once you’re ready to freelance, and know your niche, it’s time to package everything and put a price tag on it.
6. Create a system of operations
As a freelancer, the more organized you are, the more at peace you will feel in your day-to-day life.
7. Provide a great client experience
Providing a great client experience is how you make your clients stick around and give you referrals.
Closing thoughts
Whether you want to provide SEO/SEM services or help businesses manage their social media platforms, becoming a digital marketing freelancer is a great way to make some extra money on the side of your job, completely replace your job (like it did for me!), or find work-life balance and work on your own terms.
Happy freelancing!
Omid G Jul 17, 2024