In recent years, the eLearning market went through some major changes that led to making it more approachable, affordable, and easier for more people. Many instructional designers and eLearning professionals worldwide are now thinking of expanding their services in the freelance arena by creating a side hustle or starting their own business.
If you belong to that category yourself, you’ve come to the right place. In this article, we’ll look at seven steps to starting and growing a successful freelance business.
How can you start freelancing as an instructional designer or eLearning professional?
First, as it happens with every freelancer, the most important thing you should bear in mind is that you are on your own. Regardless of whether you are making your move with a side hustle or creating your own freelancing business, one thing is for sure: you will be your creative team, your sales, and marketing team, your accounting team, and your PR team. In a nutshell, working as a freelancer will require you to be a one-man orchestra. Well, at least in the beginning before you start making enough to outsource and delegate some of your work. This is crucial to understand because it will help you evaluate and decide on the time and resources you’ll need.
So keeping that in mind, let’s dive a little deeper.
1. Position yourself in the e-Market
After deciding how much effort you are willing to put into your business, you should position yourself in the market. There are many ways to do that. You can create a website or build a profile on LinkedIn, the world’s largest social network for professionals.
You can also create an account on platforms that serve as mediators between sellers (freelancers in particular) and potential customers. The most popular platforms of this kind are UpWork and Freelancer. Having a profile on these portals gives you access to a wide target group all over the world while at the same time allowing you to gather information about what your competitors may charge, how they “sell” their services as well as gleaning some useful information from consultants.
Whatever means you choose – and each one doesn’t exclude the other by the way – make sure you present yourself and your work well. You want it to be attractive and promising for your potential customers. So, upload a well-written CV, explain how you can help, share your strategies for solving clients’ problems, and give samples of your job and testimonials.
2. Choose your business structure
If you are planning to start your own business, you should choose the type that suits you best depending on the resources and time you are going to dedicate. If you are currently thinking of building a part-time business without leaving your main job, then a Sole Proprietorship would probably be the best structure for you.
If, however, you are considering building a full-time business then the best solution will be to explore a Limited Liability Company (LLC), or even a Corporation. Whichever type you choose, you should make time to do all the necessary tasks for the birth of your business to take flesh (e.g. registrations, agreements, etc).
3. Make your business known
Your web presence shouldn’t be your only method of getting people to know you. You can also do some personal networking by letting your friends and ex-colleagues know about your venture and that you are scouting for work. This can be a great start for coming across opportunities that will better fit your skills and get you paid as well.
Another way is to contact potential customers. To do that, you’d first need to do some research and put together a list of eLearning companies looking to outsource work. You can send them your resume with an attractive cover letter along with a link to your portfolio that proves your expertise and exhibits your assets.
You can also attend relevant conferences and events to make new acquaintances that can take you to the next level. No need to say that handing over your business card to leave your mark and contact info is essential and you should never skip it. So, add the creation of a nice business card to present yourself on your to-do list.
4. Specialize in one niche
It is better to abstain from being a jack of all trades and find one niche to become the best in it. If you already excel in something then go for it, but if you are in the phase of testing waters then be upfront about it because you don’t want it to boomerang back to you by falling short of your client’s expectations.
So, choose what is it that you enjoy the most and are good at. It could be corporate eLearning or scenario-based training, for example. Niching down will help your reputation grow and in the long run your sales and income too. Your “good” clients who are the ones you want to create a stable relationship with, will always appreciate quality and expertise.
5. Set up your price list
Ok, this is what counts most. And to do that you need to have an honest conversation with yourself. How much money do you want to earn monthly? How much time are you willing and can devote? Break it down into smaller parts/tasks and estimate your effort. You’d need to keep track of your time to ensure you don’t end up working for free.
You don’t have to have a fixed price for every course since the needs and requirements of every client will be different. It is advisable to first examine these requirements carefully and then come up with the cost of each project. Your price should not only include your time and effort but also incorporate your experience and your profit margin.
6. Set up your payment methods
It is advisable to open a business account and separate your business funds from your personal account. Keeping your business income and expenses separate will help you run your financial matters better and see a clearer picture of your spendings and earnings.
In addition, make sure you create other alternative methods of payment to offer your clients a wide range of choices (e.g. Paypal, Google pay, Apple pay). We live in the era of paperless money after all.
7. Educate yourself
Last but not least: Educate yourself. Competition is very high out there so you don’t want to stay behind. Make sure that you leave time aside to offer yourself additional training, upgrade your skills, and keep up with the news related to new methods, tools, and opportunities. Self-development is a must for you because – remember – you are your own boss and the more competitive you are the more opportunities you’ll see for yourself.
Final thoughts
Working as a freelance instructional designer and eLearning professional can be very rewarding as it allows you to experience the liberating feeling of being your own boss and advancing your career.
With the help of technology and the information presented to you in this article you now have a useful road map to either creating a gig as a side hustle or starting a full-time freelance business.
The question is: which one will you choose?
If you still have questions about building a successful freelance career, join my Becoming a Six-Figure ELearning Freelance Consultant course where I cover everything you need to know about running a freelance eLearning business, from finding your niche to setting up your business, finding clients, pricing your projects, and marketing your services. Additionally, you will get 20+ templates you can adapt to your own business!
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