Learn what steps you should take now to have a successful freelance marketing career in the near future.

1. HOW TO
START YOUR
FREELANCE
MARKETING
CAREER

2. The notion of what defines a traditional workplace
structure is evolving as the freelance economy
continues to grow and as more employers need their
services. No longer are independent/freelance
workers confined to working remotely and juggling
many projects for various companies.

3. You can now find freelance workers in corporate offices,
marketing agencies, and other 9-5 businesses working alongside
full-time employees. In fact, independent workers currently make
up 34% of the American workforce and experts expect that
number to increase to 50% of the private workforce by 2020.

4. Even as freelancing becomes more prevalent and
employer hiring behaviors are changing, it can still be
nerve racking to make the jump from a full-time
marketing employee to joining the freelance workforce.
But in reality, you may have more job security and
benefits as a contractor than you do as a salaried
employee. Discover 5 ways you can start preparing to
become a freelance marketer now to ensure you will have
success if you decide to make the transition in the future.

5. BUILD YOUR NETWORK

6. Start networking and letting people know that you’re
looking to transition into contract marketing. Tell former
colleagues, friends, and even family know about your
plans and your expertise. You never know who might
have a need for your services. Also, it takes time to build
up a client base so you don’t want to wait until you’ve
quit your job to let people know about your plans.

7. Don’t just reserve your networking to your existing group
of contacts. Make sure you’re active on social media,
especially LinkedIn, and reaching out to new
professionals. Go to networking groups, become a
regular at industry events, and even frequent local coffee
shops and coworking spaces. The more people who
know about your services and skills, the better chance
you have of finding work when the time comes.

8. SHOWCASE YOUR
PERSONAL BRAND

9. A huge part of finding new clients and gigs for freelance
marketers is done online and through social media. Since
someone is not meeting you face to face, their first
impression of you is going to be from your LinkedIn profile
or personal website. Even though you’re selling your skills,
you’re also selling yourself. And if people don’t like you,
then they’re not going to buy your services.

10. Make sure all of your social media profiles are accurate and
positively reflect the skills you’re trying to showcase. Get active
on Twitter and LinkedIn, participate in industry conversations,
and position yourself as an expert in your field. This won’t
happen overnight and is something you can start building today.

11. CREATE A PORTFOLIO

12. You can tell potential clients about your skills and expertise,
but oftentimes it comes down to them seeing actual work
samples to really make a decision on whether or not to use
your services. One way you can showcase your talent is by
creating a personal website or an online portfolio.

13. For example, if you’re looking to
become a freelance graphic designer,
make sure you have a personal
website or work samples that show off
your skills and creativity. If you have a
sloppy or unfinished personal website,
it reflects poorly on your work and may
discourage a potential client from
using your services. Also, make sure
the samples your provide accurately
represent your work and the services
you’re offering.

14. FIND A MENTOR

15. There are many different tips and articles on the internet about
working as a freelancer, but some of the best advice will come from
someone who actually has experience working as a contractor. There
are many forums and Meetups dedicated to freelancers, but you can
even meet other freelancers at coffee shops or coworking spaces.

16. APPLY FOR FREELANCE
OPPORTUNITIES

17. When you’re just starting out as a freelancer, it may be
difficult to find steady work and contracts on your own, but
you there are many sites dedicated to helping place
freelancers in contract roles with top companies. According
to research from Randstad, 72 percent of HR professionals
consider finding workers a challenge because the talent
pool is lacking, and a separate study found that 70 percent
of companies had hired a freelancer.

18. This research shows that there are companies
looking to hire freelancers for their specialized skills.
Sites like Guru or marketing staffing companies help
freelancers connect with current open contracts. You
can either apply to specific open marketing positions
or submit your resume for recruiters to review.

19. The transition from full-time employee to freelancer may
seem scary at first, but with the right preparation, you can
have a more successful career as a freelance marketer. If
you're interested in freelance opportunities, visit
navigarecruiting.com or call 866-487-4156.