Starting a creative freelance business can be a rewarding journey. But let’s face it – it’s not all endless cups of coffee in cosy coffee shops. Getting started with a freelance business takes planning, hard work, and a strong strategy. If you’re ready to build a freelance career that both makes money and requires you to give it your all, you’ve come to the right place. This guide will walk you through the actionable steps to building a thriving freelance business. And remember, this is just the beginning. 

9 steps to take to run a successful creative freelance business

As a creative person, you probably don’t like strict plans with must-do steps and tasks. But to build a business, you need a plan and a strategy. You can’t do without them. But we are here to make the process easier for you. Below are the key steps we recommend you take. 

Step 1: Find your niche

What are you good at? The answer to this question will determine the future direction of your freelance business. The more specific your answer, the better. Clients are more likely to turn to a highly specialized specialist than a jack-of-all-trades. Here are some options:

Photography 

This can be one of those creative freelance businesses you’ve been eyeing. And while same-day photo delivery is more about the larger companies, as a solopreneur, you can focus directly on photography as a service. What kind of photography do you do best? Maybe it’s portrait or product photography? Or maybe it’s photographic support for a family vacation or children’s party? Find the type of photography you enjoy. Why? Because what you enjoy is usually what you do best. 

Software development

Are you tech savvy? Software development is still one of the most creative freelance businesses because there is always a demand for quality software. If you have programming skills, start small – build an MVP (minimum viable product) for clients. The beauty of MVPs is that they provide quick, yet effective results that help clients test business ideas in real life for little money.

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Still struggling to choose a niche? Spend some time brainstorming your skills and hobbies. What are you good at? What do you like to do? Answers like “I like to lie on the couch and eat pizza” are acceptable. You’d be surprised, but many people need to learn how to rest and relax. Maybe you can help with that? 

Take some time to think about niche options. 

Step 2: Build Your Portfolio

Your potential clients want to see how you work. If you’re just starting out and don’t have any paid work to showcase, create some sample projects:

1. If you’re a photographer, organize a photo shoot for friends or for free for your social media followers;
2. If you’re a digital marketer, create a case study that shows your approach and solutions to promoting one’s business using AI tools;
3. If you’re a software developer and a running enthusiast, create a simple fitness or habit-building app for yourself. Such an application will help you demonstrate your programming skills and be useful during training. 

Your portfolio doesn’t have to be extensive. But it should definitely include work that you are proud of and that you could do for clients.

Step 3: Know your brand

Your personal brand is more than a logo or a website. It signals how you feel about your work. 

Here is a list of things to consider:

• The way you sound: How do you express yourself? Is your tone friendly and relaxed, or formal and firm? 
• The way you look: Choose colors, fonts, and images that reflect your style.
• Your story: This is underrated for some reason, and it’s a big mistake. People adore stories. So help your clients get to know you by telling the story of your professional development. 
• Your unique selling point: If your freelance business is in video production, for example, you need to know in advance what makes the best video production companies and individual artists stand out. It might be high-quality tools, a strong creative vision, or powerful storytelling.

One more thing before we move on. All of your online activity should be coherent and consistent, meaning that you should communicate and look the same as a professional everywhere you go. This will show you as a confident professional.

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Step 4: Start Marketing Your Services

To be successful as a freelancer, you need to be visible in the marketplace. The freelance market is pretty noisy, so you have to work hard.

Here’s where to start:

• Content marketing: To attract clients, you need to engage in marketing, which includes creating quality content. Generative AI can help you with this. That way, you can let AI do the mundane work while you do the creative work.
• Networking: Building connections is key to getting word-of-mouth referrals and repeat customers. Join online communities and attend local events in your niche. 
• Social media: Every social media platform is a great place to showcase your work and connect with potential clients. Even dating networks. Ten years ago, this may not have been a very popular service on the market, but now it is in demand. We are talking about creating photos for Tinder. People want to meet online, and they need high-quality photos to do that. So such apps can also become a showcase for your photography work.

Step 5: Set Your Rates and Manage Your Finances

We know it can be hard to figure out how much to charge for your work at first. To make it easier, follow our tips:

1. Research the rates of other freelancers in your industry and region;
2. Consider your experience level;
3. Consider the complexity of each project;
4. Remember the value you bring to the client.

You can start with low rates. However, do not focus on the lowest rates for a long time. By the way, a low price can play a cruel joke: clients value the work more when it is expensive. Many branded goods or services were initially launched with a positioning as expensive. Maybe it’s all about positioning?

And, of course, let’s not forget that you need to keep track of your income and expenses to stay on top of your financial affairs. 

Step 6: Do the job perfectly

Satisfied customers are your best brand advocates. To build a successful freelance business, you need to provide high-quality services. How do you do that?

• Communicate clearly so there are no misunderstandings. 
• Meet deadlines and don’t promise instant results. 
• Do your best and then do more. 

When customers are satisfied, they will come back and recommend you to others. That means you don’t have to spend money on advertising.

Step 7: Stay flexible

The freelance world is constantly changing. New trends, tools, and client expectations can change overnight. It may sound like a cliché, but we’re going to say it anyway: To stay competitive, invest in ongoing learning.

What you can do:

• Stay abreast of industry and technology trends.
• Take online courses to broaden your skills.
• Experiment with new tools, such as generative artificial intelligence, to improve your workflow.
• Don’t be afraid to learn from professionals you admire.

Step 8: Plan for growth

We know it’s too early to think about this, but still. How do you plan to scale? Maybe you should think about creating a training course or workshop for your colleagues? Or maybe you have ideas for expanding your product line. Either way, it’s good to think a few steps ahead in business. For example, it doesn’t hurt to create passive income streams like online courses or templates.

Here are some ideas:

• If you’re a photographer, you can sell presets or hold workshops.
• If you’re a software developer, consider creating templates or plug-ins that your customers can buy.
• If you’re a videographer, create training videos for colleagues or how-to videos for clients.
• More ways to scale means more income and more free time. 

Step 9: Take care of yourself

Now we’re going to say something you’ve probably heard hundreds of times: maintain a work-life balance. It’s a common practice to keep your freelance business headquarters in your bedroom. But this approach can erode the lines between work and home, so it’s important to set boundaries:

• Schedule regular breaks. 
• Walk for at least 30 minutes every day.  
• Make time for family and pets every day. 

It would be great to go to the gym, have a picnic in the park, or travel to other cities to recharge. But you can start with scheduled breaks and physical activity.

Final thoughts

Starting a creative freelance business is a challenging but exciting step. To get started, all you need is an understanding of your niche, a client-led portfolio, and self-promotion skills. Marketing skills are often more important than technical skills. So if you’re a portrait photographer, app developer, or AI video creator, know how to create value for your clients and be confident talking about your work. We hope our guide has made your life a little easier.

Now go ahead and start building the freelance career you’ve always dreamed of.

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