The Gig economy, which is formed by online platform workers, contract firm workers, temporary workers, etc. is booming today. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, freelancers around the world are building successful careers taking their skillset to global marketplaces.

If you are a freelancer looking to take your business to the next level, then you have come to the right place. Below, you will find the 7 steps you need to take to transform your service into a full-fledged business.

1. Understand Your Customers

Understanding your customers is extremely important if you want to achieve all your business goals. You need to know the basic details of your customers if not everything. These include the following: age group, location, gender, spending habits, etc.

Once you know exactly who your average consumer is, you can modify your business model accordingly. For instance, your average consumer could be a small business owner based in the USA who seeks copywriting services. In that case, you may use US English when you share your writing samples. You also need to price your services accordingly (businesses in the US can afford to pay higher for your services than those in third-world countries).

2. Identify Your Competitors (And How You Can Differentiate)

One golden rule of every business is- learn from your competitors. Think about it- if you are selling a service in a market, then you are simply competing with others that are selling the same service. So, you need to think how you can outsmart them and differentiate your business from theirs. To do this, you need to observe your competitors closely. You can learn from their mistakes and do better what they are doing poorly. If done right, this technique can give you an edge over others.

3. Specialize in Something

Rather than becoming a jack of all trades, try becoming a king of a single trade. In other words, try to specialize in one particular domain or niche rather than selling all kinds of services. For instance, if you are a copywriter, then you can try to focus on copyrighting for tech businesses. In the same way, if you are a jingle writer, then you can specialize in wring jingles for kids’ products. When you are an expert in a particular domain, it becomes easy to bag good projects and earn high pay.

4. Build Your Brand Identity

There are millions of freelancers in the world today and all of them are selling their services online. So, how can you stand out and attract clients? Well, with a unique brand identity, you can make it easier.

When you take your business to the next level and build a brand around it, then it shows you take your work seriously. It becomes easier to charge a premium price for your services when you have a brand. Besides, building a brand has become a lot easier and cheaper today. You can easily create a premium logo yourself by using an online logo generator tool, and obtain all other branding assets with the help of AI branding platforms. You can also take help from a freelance copywriter to write taglines and copy for your social media accounts and website which helps strengthen your brand identity.

5. Create a Website

All the professional freelancers have high-quality websites. If you want to convert your freelance service into a real business, then create a professional-looking website. Also, make sure that the website has the following web pages:

  • About me
  • Services
  • Contact
  • Testimonials
  • Pricing

There is a wide range of website builders for freelancers and agencies that you can use. Just compare the top options and pick the one that meets your requirements.

6. Create a Marketing Plan

You can’t grow your business unless you market your services. So, create a comprehensive marketing plan that includes a variety of techniques. These include SEO (learn how to hire SEO freelancers), social media marketing, guest blogging, etc. 

7. Collaborate with Other Freelancers

The freelancer community is growing and thriving today. So, you can benefit from networking with other like-minded freelancers. As you will collaborate with freelancers from different domains, you will showcase your talent to other potential clients and businesses. It’s a good way to tap into new markets and grow business.

Conclusion

There is nothing like making a living life as a freelancer. With no boss breathing on your neck, flexible working hours, and freedom to choose your own working space, freelancer living is a dream of many. However, to earn a decent income through gigs requires some preparation and planning. By applying the above steps, you can make freelancing a serious business. Of course, you can add to these techniques as per your requirements. Good luck!