Freelance/Home Based for Digital Marketing expert

[SweetMummy911]

Hello

Need ideas for freelance/home based work around digital marketing, online sales and/or social media management.

I have 10 years digital marketing experience in Paid and Social media marketing and need to break the shackles of 9-5 and go self employed!

Any suggestions welcome!

[Clavender]

Have you thought about being a Virtual Assistant? They seem to do a lot of this sort of thing, there are various threads on here about it.

[SweetMummy911]

Thanks Clavender I'll research it

[ilovekitkats]

I would look for small local businesses in your area that sell online and target them initially. I have several clients that sell online only and have had to bring somebody in for the media as they have no idea how to do facebook etc.

Offer them a free hour, or a discount.

As suggested above, the VA seems to be taking off as well now, I have at least 2 on my friends list.

You obviously know how to sell yourself IYKWIM , so create your own facebook page and market it like mad on FB.

I made the leap to go self employed a few years ago and have never looked back. I can go to all DC's things at school, not need so much childcare in the holidays, and catch up with work in the evening/weekend when necessary.

[MyKingdomForACaramel]

Hiya

I’ve set up my own digital agency as of September and it’s doing well already. But I would say that it’s tough to know what area to focus on - what do you like doing - social, ppc, strategy etc.

[emma1282]

Becoming a Freelance Digital Marketing Expert is very easy to do. I did it and am now specializing in doing Freelance work for health and lifestyle businesses specifically.

First thing you need to do is to sign up with some freelance websites like Upwork, Freelancer, Peopleperhour etc. Once you do, create a profile there and keep your rates low. There after, you need to sign in everyday and bid for projects. Doesnt matter whether you get it or not. Keep trying. When you do send proposals, offer to do free for first month etc. Then, use those work you did as a portfolio and promote yourself. The best part is with regard to the freelance sites like Upwork, they make efforts as well to get you projects. If you keep trying, you should be getting your first project in 3 months from start. Once you do that, you'll learn yourself on how to improvise, get more project etc. All the best!!

[annaharvey]

I suggest you build a portfolio. There are a lot of free website builders. Just create one. Then do some FREE work for any of the organizations you might know, or work as Intern. Then put your work in portfolio.

Then look for customers on Linkedin and Forums. Surely you'll find one. Most important thing is pricing. Be clear about how much you want to earn and also how much your customers are willing to pay. You need to make some efforts. But it will surely work.

[zlwinnie]

I've been freelancing for nearly four years and once I decided to go for it, I found that word-of-mouth has generated clients.

Is there a chance that your current employer would continue to use you freelance? With 10 years experience you must have contacts - start connecting with them all on LinkedIn.

The websites like PeoplePerHour I found rather dispiriting as there are so many people based in other parts of the world who offer to work for next to nothing. You could set up some really reasonably priced Hourlies though to start building a client base.

I would also get yourself on Facebook (there are loads of groups for freelancers) and Twitter and start networking.

Good luck.

[annaharvey]

@zlwinnie You are right. There are always so many people who will work for really cheap price. But these freelance sites are a huge market, so the competition doesn't hurt you. Everybody gets a chance because these websites themselves make efforts to get customers as long as one stays active in their site. For instance, in Upwork if you keep applying for projects, then you will get more invites for projects as well. Its an intelligent system in the backend that gives everyone a chance.