How you can start earning some money as a freelance programmer
Let’s face it, the idea of not working for a boss and being your own boss is very appealing to almost everybody. This is not any different when it comes to programmers. It seems so nice to work from where and any place you want — from cute little coffee bars to snow-white beaches. Or maybe just from the comfort of your own home.
Who doesn’t like that idea?
Working as a freelancer comes with some major perks. One of them is the possibility to have a flexible work schedule. You could start typing code wherever you want and whenever you feel like it. And on top of that, you can decide which projects you want to work on.
It might seem easy, but making money as a freelance programmer is actually quite hard. Once you jump on the freelance bandwagon you all of a sudden start competing with thousands of other people from all over the globe. More often than not those people can do the same job as you but for way less money than you’d do it.
So how can you actually make some money as a freelance programmer?
Dream Big, Start Small
If this is the first time that you’re starting for yourself, start small. Don’t just quit your daily job at the moment you decide that you want to work as a freelancer. Forget about the idealogy that you tell your boss that you’re flipping your job to pursue a freelancing career. Trust me, it ain’t gonna happen.
Start off by building your freelance business on the side first. Give it a shot and see whether you like it or not. You’ve got plenty of hours left to work as a freelancer in addition to your daily job.
You have to keep in mind that your daily job is your number one priority since it is the sole source of reliable income. You’ll still need your job to sustain you while you grow your freelance business on the side.
Once you’ve been freelancing for a while and you found out that freelancing isn’t something for you you at least didn’t shoot yourself in the foot by quitting your daily job.
If you find that freelancing is for you, awesome! It’s time to do the hard work since that’s needed in order to make this a success. You’ll have to grind —constantly and consistently.
Look Into Your Own Network
One of the easiest options that you have to find your first client is to ask family and friends. Try to find a few people that have a small business and that are in need of a new website or some improvements on their existing website.
If you’re just starting out as a developer and this is one of your first paid projects you could consider doing it for free. This way you can add the project to your resume to show other people what you’re capable of.
When you’re more of an experienced developer you could charge money for the work. Although, doing it for free could really help you do some more work for the same client — which you could then charge them money for.
Once you’ve successfully completed the job you could ask your client if they know anyone else with a business who might be interested in your services. This way you can start building your network of clients.
If you really want to be proactive you could start looking for shitty websites of businesses that are near you. Come up with a better design or create (a part of) the website upfront. Don’t just walk in and ask them if they need a new website, because the answer is going to be no most of the time. Provide value upfront.
Once you’ve got your foot in the door with one client that usually gets the ball rolling. If you did an awesome job they’ll probably come back to you.
Expand Your Network
In order to keep new clients coming, you should expand your network. One way of doing this is by going to local network events. Meet other people. As a freelancer, it never hurts to get in touch with other people.
Try to partner up with a couple of designers. Designers often need someone who can make their designs a reality, that’s where you come in action.
Another very good way to get new clients is by delivering fantastic work. Word of mouth is still one of the most effective ways to get recommendations.
Getting new clients is an essential part of being successful at freelancing. Without clients, you won’t have a paycheck.
Build Your Personal Brand
The key difference between a full-time and a part-time freelance programmer is simple. You need to start with personal branding in order to separate yourself from the masses.
What is it that makes you stand out from the horde of freelance programmers?
Building your personal brand is what makes the difference between being able to make a living out of it or just do it next to your daily job. A personal brand is what helps you get more clients. Since you’re in the driver’s seat you can pave your own way when it comes to making a name for yourself. It’s important to ask yourself how you want the world to see you.
Create an online portfolio with high-quality work that you’ve made. This way you can show potential clients what you’re capable of. A great portfolio allows the work to speak for itself.
Online Marketplaces
It’s easy to offer your programming skills and services online. There are various online freelancing platforms where you could look for a gig. Find one that works best for you.
Using online marketplaces is a great way to grow your experience as a developer. Getting gigs on an online marketplace all comes down to building a reputation. The steps that you have to follow in order to start building a reputation are very easy.
The first thing you have to do is selling your gigs for pennies on the dollar. That’s how you can get your first gig if you don’t have any reputation build yet.
The second and last step is to deliver awesome work whenever you have a gig. Once you’ve completed the gig and made your customer happy ask them if they would give you a review. Once you’ve built up some reputation you should be able to make a decent amount of money.
However, I want to make a side note here. Since there’s so much competition the rates are pretty low on these freelance platforms. I’d only recommend this if you’re just starting out and want to dip your toes into the water for the first time. Use these freelance platforms, not for the money, but just to gain additional experience and getting comfortable working with clients.
Time to Shine
Now that you know how you can make money as a freelancer programmer it’s time for you to give it a try. Take a look into your network; are there any small local businesses that could use your help? Otherwise, you could also try to land a gig on one of the online platforms.
Give it a try and see whether you like it or not. And remember to start small, but dream big.