When I quit my job and started working for myself as a freelancer, I assumed all I needed was a laptop and an internet connection. That’s the beauty of being a self-employed digital nomad. There are few overheads and you can start immediately. Instead of spending months setting yourself up, you can go looking for clients the moment you commit to being a freelancer. At most, you need an online portfolio.
I was not entirely wrong about this. I got my first gigs within a week, and started bringing in money. However, what I found was that I was not landing repeat clients, but rather low-paying individuals who wanted a quick job done. Big companies were not interested.
That’s when I discovered the importance of a business website. It does not have to be anything complex or fancy – a Wix design will do – but it does need to be professional and reliable. Make sure you choose the right hosting for it to ensure it’s not constantly crashing – check out this article that answers the question: is Bluehost any good?
Here are the reasons a freelance website will boost your career.
It shows you’re invested
The internet is full of chancers, and potential clients know this. There are many freelancers out there who are not committed to their careers, but are just trying to make some extra money. There’s nothing wrong with this, but a company looking for a long-term partnership is wary of this kind of person. It’s all-too-easy for the freelancer to drop the client the moment something better comes along. They simply need to drop off the map never to be seen again.
Having a professional website shows that you’ve invested in your career. It’s not something you’re doing in hopes you’ll land a couple of gigs. Rather, it is what you do. You’re not going to disappear the moment things get difficult.
It demonstrates your business acumen
Many people can write, code, or make catchy jingles. But that does not mean they make a good freelancer. Clients are hoping to hire someone who can do this work in a professional context. Someone who understands what a business needs from them. In creating your website, you are demonstrating that you are capable of this.
In other words, if the website you created is able to convince the client of your worth, they know that you can do the same for their company. You’re not just going to string together clever sentences or develop an attractive website. You’re going to create something that sells.
It boosts your own confidence
Most new freelancers have trouble selling themselves. It is tough to email someone out of the blue to tell them why they need your services without a tremendous amount of confidence. You can fake it til you make it, but faking it is much easier when you have a business to promote. Instead of selling yourself, you are selling a company.
This is true even if you’re using your own name rather than a business name. You’re not just relying on what you’re saying in your email. You’re relying on the vision you’ve created on your website.
Invest in your career and build a freelance website as soon as possible. You will make up whatever you spend on it in no time.
