Self employed marketing

[Cloud44]

Has anyone here gone self employed as a marketer? How’s it been? It’s something I’ve considered for a few years but not been brave enough to do it! Any tips?

For various reasons I know a lot of Freelance marketeers and many of them are trying to get employment now.
Its very tough for experienced freelancers with good contacts at the moment so I probably wouldn't advise anyone to start doing it now.

Do you have any insights into why it’s especially tough for them now?

I have. It was fine, I got a long-term contract which was lucky as it gave me a regular income, but it meant I never really developed the business in the way I’d planned (I imagined having lots of little portfolio clients).

i found most other clients outside the contract wanted copywriting rather than anything else, which was fine but not the strategic work I’d perhaps envisaged. Without the contract making up the bulk of my income, I’d have struggled, though actually earned very well (six figures, more than I had done employed).

As PP have said though, it feels like a tough time to start at the moment.

Is it a tough time at the moment because a lot of businesses are having to cut back on marketing?

What area of marketing do you specialise in?

The rise of AI has decimated certain areas of the marketing industry, namely copywriting, content marketing, and graphic design but also other areas. The bottom has completely fallen out of copywriting in the last 12 months and I know a lot of experienced and highly-skilled freelance PR/marketers who are now desperate for work and can't find any. AI is not doing the job particularly well but people don't care, they just see that they can get the work done for cheap/free and go for that option. You're also competing on a global platform these days against people who can price themselves cheaper because cost of living/local economy where they live is so cheap.

Really to go freelance in anything (but especially marketing) you need existing contacts who are willing to take you on to work on a freelance basis or you just won't get a foot in the door.

I am, pays well, and allows me plenty of freedom. But I started 15 years ago which allowed me to put together a portfolio. Nowadays, it's hard to get enough work to compile an established portfolio which is what people want to see, not a CV. I find it easy to get work because of this. I'm a 45 year old with a 5 year old and a baby. So definitely not young and trendy. A portfolio is everything.

I think so
There are a lot of people chasing not as much work