The idea of freelancing from home can be very appealing to people that work in graphic design and web development. When you choose to do so, it allows you to make more of your own decisions and it could be a great way to increase your income. However it is an endeavor that requires dedication, so if you're interested, be ready to commit yourself in order to succeed.

Here are a few tips on how to realize the dream of freelancing from home.

Develop your skills

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If you are going to work from home, the first thing you need is the ability to do the work. If you're not sure whether your skills are up to scratch, you could undertake some level of formal education. Update your knowledge base at a community college or even opt for an online school. There are also plenty of professionals who are self-taught reading design books, practicing, and using learning programs like SkillShare.

Equip yourself with the necessary tools

Both graphic designers and web developers will need certain tools in order to perform the job. To work from home, you will need a good computer and depending on which field you get into, you could need several different programs that will allow you to perform the work, primarily Adobe Creative Cloud Programs such as Photoshop, Illustrator, and Muse.

Calculate startup costs

Starting out as a freelance designer of any sort is going to come with some costs. You may need to buy some new equipment, new software, or you might want to build your own website. Additionally, you may decide to get some business cards and build a dedicated in-home office for your work.

Figure out how much to charge

Starting out with a set rate for projects is a must. If you do not calculate your expenses and figure out how much you should charge to make a decent income, then you run the risk of not earn enough money to make working from home a worthwhile venture. It is a good idea to check out the Bureau of Labor Statistics to find out what others in your industry are charging.

Develop your contracts and other documents

Having contracts and several other documents will be an important part of working from home. The contract offers protection to both the designer and the client and it helps to provide both parties with expectations. In addition to contracts, you might need a pricing schedule, documents that lay out your work process and explanations of the services that you provide. Tools like docracy can help you create legal contracts, negotiate them, and have them signed online.

Create a profile online with a freelancing platform

Online freelancing platforms like DesignCrowd can be a great resource for designers who want to work from home. Working on sites that offer freelancing and crowdsourcing for designers will open up opportunities to find work and to build your reputation as a professional.

Set up a website presence

Having your own website will provide you with an online presence that is independent of the freelancing platforms. Showing potential clients your website can help to further establish a professional reputation and can help you find more clients.

Build a portfolio with samples

A solid portfolio will help a designer to land the best clients. If you are just starting out, then it might be hard to put together a good a portfolio. To build one, you could do some self-inspired projects, offer to work for a non-profit that needs some work done free or you could take some lower paying jobs where the client is not concerned with the level of experience you have.

Craft a killer cover letter

When you submit an application to a potential client, you are going to need a good cover letter. While there may be some parts of the cover letter you can make standard, there are certain elements that should be unique to each submission.

Talk about the relevant experience you have for the work they need and tell the potential client how you propose to complete the job. Not sure how to get started? ResumeGenius is a great source for looking at cover letter samples and reading guides to help you write your own.

Submit applications for job postings

Once you have yourself set up, you can start submitting applications to jobs on a freelancing network. To start, try to look for jobs that are a good fit for your skillset and ones that tie directly into your portfolio pieces.

Scouring through LinkedIn and seeing which companies you’d like to work with is a great way to discover new freelance opportunities. With the help of LinkedIn, you can easily stay up-to-date on industry news and trends, follow potential employers and company pages, join relevant groups for networking purposes, research job postings, and leverage the power of your existing connections.

If you want an extra edge over other freelancers when contacting recruiters, consider investing in an email finder tool; this will allow you to quickly source valid email addresses associated with specific companies so that you can reach out without having to rely solely on LinkedIn messages. These tools often come with an automated follow-up system that sends reminders at predetermined intervals until the recipient responds – thus enhancing your chances of getting noticed among many other applicants vying for similar positions.

Strategize your sales cycle

To build a business that is sustainable, you are going to need to know how to sell your services. You need to identify a variety of ways that you can find leads, work on your ability to build long-lasting relationships with clients, and find ways to spread awareness of your professional abilities and the services that you provide.

Create a routine

Many designers choose to work from home because they want less structure, but you are going to have to build a daily routine if you want to succeed. The daily routine is going to vary from individual to individual, but you need to have some set structure for how you are going to get tasks done.

Be realistic about your working hours

The at-home designer is going to need to know how to manage their time. Set reasonable time limits for all of your tasks and make sure not to take on more than you can handle. When you can work anytime, it is even more important to have a progressive work-life balance.. Luckily, you aren't the first to forge the freelancing territory, and there are many time management apps and tools that can help. Lifehack shared 15 tools here that are all valuable, from RescueTime which tracks your browser time productivity to Toggl for tracking your time spent on different projects.

Conclusion

Working as a freelance designer can be a great opportunity, but it is not something that you should just jump into without adequate preparation. There are plenty of designers out there who have failed because they went into it with the attitude that they could find ways to make things work out as they go along. This often results in burnout, broken contracts, and poor work. If you take the time to plan carefully, you put yourself in a better position to achieve your goals with freelancing from the comfort of your own home. Over time, you can grow your freelancing into a wonderful network that will keep you busy for years to come.

Want More?

Starting out in the design industry can be challenging, but here are some of our top articles you may find useful:

The 7 Steps of a Professional Design Process

10 of the Best Productivity Apps for Designers

How Joining The DesignCrowd Community Can Help Fast-Track Your Design Career

Ten Inspiring Work Spaces for Freelancers

Written by Jessica Walrack on Wednesday, May 25, 2016

Jessica Walrack is a professional freelance writer with a background in sales and marketing. After 7 years in the corporate world, she stepped into the online sphere and has now been freelancing for 4 years. She specializes in helping businesses to create a stellar online experience for their audience in order to build industry authority and increase profitability. In her spare time, Jessica enjoys traveling all over the world with her family.