There’s a lot being said about freelancers and the opportunities the internet has brought forward for them. Not only is it everything that almost every pundit says, but the fact that there’s nearly 3 billion social media users across the web means these so-called opportunities are often undermined. Bigger companies just do not have the time or resources to take advantage of these platforms and hence it has given growth hackers a reason to get into the freelance business of social media marketing.
Getting started with your own freelance social media business requires you to endure a few broad steps. These often have to do a lot with developing your internal brand, polishing up your qualifications and portraying the correct credentials to attract clients.
Developing your Social Media Credentials
Social media has a lot to do with recognising what skills are required by clients that do not have the expertise to work on multiple social platforms. All they want is an omnichannel solution that maintains their branding standards. Your clients will already understand that you know how to handle accounts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc. What they really want to know is if you are capable of living up to their expectations. This means that you need to be proficient in:
- Writing grammatically correct posts and be fluent in the language they need.
- Evaluating the market and studying the competition in which your clients intend to reach out to.
- Building a strategy that works well in their favour as well as budgets.
- Relating with the public on their level.
- Using various tools and technologies and leveraging them to their advantage.
Once you are capable of showcasing that you have the skills they need, you will need to demo these aforementioned skills to them. This means that you will want to prepare a case study or a review document that outlines the work you have done. If you have the right industry experience and if you can pair it with additional technical qualifications, then you have managed to get half the job done. You can always get this certification on Udemy of Skillshare to help you get started. The best way to build this kind of credibility is to show how you have used your skills to work for your own social media profiles.
Promote your Freelance Social Media Business
If you don’t tell anyone you’re in this business, then no one is ever going to know. Print some business cards, meet people, share conversations whenever you can and tell them about your skills and how you help companies reach out to a better audience with social media marketing.
Look out for freelancer sites where you can list your services. There are a bunch of places around the web that have people looking out for freelancers to handle their social media business. You can check out Upwork, Elance or ODesk to help you get started.
One of the best ways to reach out to people with your business is to look out for profiles that are underdeveloped. Approach them and tell them what you can do. Remember to price your services accordingly. The last thing you want is to overcharge some SMB that is just starting up.
Build a Clientele that is Diverse
Most freelancers out there make a common mistake of looking out for big players to ensure they have a stable income. It’s great to have big brands as a part of your portfolio but don’t shun out the smaller players. You’ll be surprised at the number of smaller guys out there that are need help and are willing to stick around with you in the long run. Remember that smaller brands have the tendency to talk a lot to other small brands and collaboration is always on the table for them. It’s a great way to kill two birds with one stone here.
Additionally, with larger clients, freelance work is not stable and is most of the time unpredictable. Since you will not be entering into a contract with them, it means that you will get work only when they decided to run a campaign. Develop a network of diverse clients of all sizes and soon you will realise you will have contacts from every stream contributing to your bank.