What would you need before you start freelancing?

Tips - for freelancers

<< Is the freelancing right for you Traffic lights

Money

No, not that money you are going to run after.
You'd gonna need a safety belt. Each beginning is hard one way or another and even if the things go smooth for you, keep in mind that it's jungle out there. The market has its ups and downs, sometimes you fail, sometimes things are slow, sometimes clients disappear after the job is done.

At any time you must have enough money to survive for at least 3 months without getting paid. Don't forget your social security, rents, bills food and such. Even if you decide you can't make it or don't like it, at least you would have to search for another 9-to-5 job, which needs some time too.

At the brighter side of the coin
You can make your month salary for a week or less. It is pretty normal. Just don't forget that now you are the boss of yourself and should carry about the stuff that bosses do.

A portfolio

Most of us need one. You'd need to show your potential clients what you are able to do in order to convince them.
Put somewhere on the web examples of your previous works. Probably the most important about it is to be able to send direct links to examples. Buyers are often busy and have to choose between several (at least) freelancers. They have an idea of what they need and seek who can provide this thing best. Most of them won't bother to browse your entire portfolio or even look where the navigation is (which sometimes could be a tricky business). Else more if the client is a business-minded one who looks for a welling banner ad, your stylish posters for that art festival could distract him. Or vice versa.Pay attention to the copyrights
As long as it is paid or contracted, your work belongs to who payed for it.
By default you can't show it anywhere. Try to deal with your ex-employers to give you a written permission to use samples for portfolio purposes. Or their clients which gets the job close to impossible. Some designers spend a lot of time building a visually impressive eye-catching websites to prove their creative side. This could be good, but it can not be worth. You could put all your time in a good bite, but when you start fishing you realize that there also lots of other fishers out there. Sitting and waiting clients to come just because (you think) you have an impressive site may or may not pay your bills. Even if you tend to know what would the most of clients look for and build your portfolio accordingly.

You will need some webspace anyway.
Even if you believe you don't need a portfolio or have no time to draft one, you'd better invest in a webhosting service and a domain name.

It is handy to be able to upload a file and send a link. Not all files are small enough or with the right extension to pass trough all email services. Or show correct in email programs/websites. Not all clients are trustable enough to just send them a ready job. Due to the spam and anti-spam policies nowadays you must expect problems sometimes, so you'd better have a backup way to transfer files to the client.
It looks firm and when your email ends at @yourcompany.com. It just proves you are serious about your business and looks less likely a "wanabee"
Freelance web developers/programmers would definitely need a webserver account in order to test what they do and show the results.

Workplace

It may look obvious but make sure you have a place where you can work. For most of freelancers this is the place they actually live. Think about what would you need and are you actually able to work from there.

Environment - you'd need to be able to concentrate on your work
Tools - like a computer with appropriate hard- and software, and/or others - the stuff you need to get the work done
Communications - you will have to be able to reach and to be reached by your customers. Check if you have enough enough options and if they are reliable. A fast and stable Internet connection is a must.

A company

Yes, you are individual, but setting yourself as a company may have benefits. Like additional access to credit lines with better conditions, lower taxes, subsidies and such. A company could also look more trustable. At least you can chose when and when not to present yourself as a company and when not according to what would be better in the specific case.
You could even set it up abroad - participate in the discussion about doing so.

How to start as a freelancer >>

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