Want to know how to start freelancing in India? Well you have landed on the right article
Freelancing has become the preferred form of working for many people as the penetration of smartphones and the Internet has increased. It offers comfort, independence, and money, making it a popular choice among our country's youth.
However, if you, like many others, are seeking ways to work as a freelancer in India, you should be aware that it is not as simple as it appears. While freelancing is freeing, it can also be challenging.
According to a research report published in 2018, India was rated second only to the United States in terms of the strength of the freelancing workforce. By 2020, half of the Indian workforce will be freelancing, as per the report.
The desire to have a work-life balance and be one’s boss drives many people to become freelancers. Many firms find it acceptable and appealing to employ freelancers. As a result, beginning a freelance business while working full-time can pay off in the long run.
If you channel your energies and apply your skills effectively, you can transform the opportunity into a long-term self-employed profession. Many people in India have found successful strategies to advance in freelance by working on their skills and marketing themselves well.
Freelancing necessitates commitment, hard effort, and perseverance. Therefore, an individual must be aware of the many methods through which freelance work can be obtained.
In India, the scope of freelancing has expanded dramatically in recent years. Numerous factors have played a role in this. Thanks to rapid technical innovation, internet speed, and internet access, the field has altered significantly.
In today's workplace, technology is an essential tool. Most of the time, physical presence is not required to get the work done. The freelance industry has and will benefit significantly because of this.
Today, we can find a plethora of freelancing choices in the industry due to its convenience.
How To Start Freelancing In India?
The following steps will guide you to know how to become a freelancer in india and also it covers the entire process. Beginning with deciding what work you would like to be doing and finding your niche:
- Explain your objective
It's critical to have well-defined objectives with measurable milestones. It isn't easy to get where you want to go if you don't have any goals. So, first and foremost, figure out why you're freelancing in the first place.
Is it to supplement your income? Or do you want to profit from the freedom that comes with being a freelancer?
You must have clarity on the goal, regardless of what it is. Some of the most successful entrepreneurs agree that setting objectives from the start makes the trip more straightforward.
- Choose a niche
You cannot start freelancing out of the blue; you need to be sure and know what your niche is and then evaluate whether it is profitable. It can be something unique, but also has to be something that will bring you clients, or should already be known to be profitable, like Digital Marketing or Coding.
It is important that you identify one particular niche first and then invest all your time and energy towards it.
- Identify your market
The target market is just as crucial as the niche for any freelance business. You can opt for more of a shotgun approach to crack the first few clients. You can, for example, decide who you wish to collaborate with and then contact them.
After working with these identified clients, you’ll know if that is what you require. If so, you can continue to pursue clients who are similar to them. If not, you'll need to find a new set of target customers.
You should narrow down your target market because it allows you to fine-tune your talents in a particular niche.
- Fix the price
The appropriate charges can make or break your freelance career. First, spend some time studying the value you provide before calculating your hourly rate.
Then, make sure the rates you choose will allow you to achieve your income goals while also covering your expenses. Many freelancers in India find that charging an hourly rate is the best way to get paid for their time, but on average, a freelancer in India earns an hourly pay of Rs. 487.22
- Make a portfolio
When considering being a freelancer in India, you must also consider how you will present your work to the intended audience. A website, a Facebook page, an Instagram handle, or a blog are all good places to start.
How you go about operating these social media handles will be determined by what you intend to showcase and the kind of work you or your company does.
The goal of a portfolio is to show off your abilities in the best light possible. And, you must make sure that you do so to get noticed by potential employers.
- Choose a path
You've set your objectives, identified your target market, determined the pricing, and created a portfolio. After that, you must begin pitching to clients. First, however, it is important to design an execution plan before sending out communication.
It entails taking into account the following factors:
- How many days and hours a day can you devote to freelance projects in a week?
- At any given time, how many clients can you handle?
- What method of client communication will you employ?
Having a plan in place guarantees that you are not overburdened and quality is never compromised.
- Start searching for clients
You can find new clients through various channels, including social media and freelancing platforms such as Fiverr and Upwork, among others.
Reach out to as many potential clients as possible, depending on the services you offer. However, don't forget to keep the quality high and avoid spamming.
- Build your communication skills
You must establish a pre-communication structure before beginning your journey of becoming a freelancer in India. When a client reacts to your pitch, you must be prepared with information on the service terms.
The contract must include payment conditions, timescales, mutual rights and duties, and copyright information about the completed work.
- Confidence is key to success
Being a freelancer is similar to having your own business. To put it another way, it's similar to being a sole proprietor. If you don't want the venture to fail prematurely, you must take it seriously.
Furthermore, you must be prepared to deal with ups and downs, as well as criticisms and failures. For example, not all your pitch emails will receive a response.
The important thing here is not to give up and to continue to strive until the industry comes to trust your work and refer to you, allowing you to develop credibility and a reputation.
However, note that just because you are working as a freelancer, you must not think that you will get independence from your job or won’t be answerable to anyone.
Whether it be freelancing or running your organisation, clients will always be the boss. So, you must select your clients carefully.
- Create a strong network
If you're a newbie actively hunting for work, we would advise you to start by establishing a solid network. Begin by contacting those in your immediate circle. Tell them what you're going to do and pitch your idea to them.
Their positive and negative responses will tell you a lot about your next course of action, and you will also gain some clients.
- Work smart instead of working hard
This is an effective secret! You'll hear thousands of pieces of advice on how to acquire a lot of gigs, but none on how to manage them all. As a freelancer, you have the freedom to choose which assignments you want to take on and don't.
So when opportunities finally knock on your door, you should decide which projects are worth working on, which ones contribute to your progress, and which ones you want to take on solely for the money.
Types of freelancing jobs in India
Content Writing
It is one of India's most important freelancing sectors. These days, content writing is in high demand for both academic and non-academic purposes. There are various ways to work as a freelance content writer, including news reports, books, and essays.
The demand for content writers has skyrocketed in recent years. You will be compensated primarily based on the price of accepted work. The earning potential is extreme and can result in you earning a substantial sum of money.
Tax consulting services
Online tax consultancies offer expert guidance on a variety of tax issues. Several areas require a high level of qualification, and many of these situations necessitate the assistance of a professional. The government has even made some of them mandatory.
It is thus extremely easy to become a freelancer and take on clients if you are professionally qualified in such areas as CA, CS, and so on. You can charge costs for a single client's problem. It is a viable alternative to working as an employee for a corporation.
Influencers
All travel advisors, lifestyle influencers, work influencers, and others provide advertising services as freelancers. It requires extensive talent and skill to portray oneself on camera. Influencers have a large following and can help promote various companies.
This is for you if you are interested in specific niches. Advertisements, endorsements, and other means of income are available. This also aids in generating a substantial sum of money as a one-time payment or commission for each purchase completed.
These influencers use online networks such as Instagram, YouTube, and others.
The pros and cons of freelancing
Listed below in tabular format are the pros and cons of working as a freelancer:
Pros of freelancing | Cons of freelancing |
You have complete freedom to work (or not work) as you see fit. You can work from home or on a beach in Goa if you prefer, and even wear your slippers to work; no one would notice. Since you're your employer, there's no one to call you out on anything. | It's difficult to be your boss. Your prior supervisor was responsible for depositing money into your bank account at the end of each month; now, it is exclusively your responsibility. Sure, now that you don't have a boss, you may slack off all you want, but it'll be your enterprise that suffers as a result. |
As a freelancer, you get to keep all the profits that arise from your work. | You will surely need to fight hard to earn these profits. |
As a freelancer, if you want to work on a project, you don’t need to convince your boss through presentations that you are capable of doing it well; you can just do it. | But at the same time, there is less certainty of getting work whenever you want it. |
Being a freelancer, you can choose the clients whom you want to work with. | Difficulties in finding consistent work is a major disadvantage of freelancing. Projects can start and then be abandoned. Clients have the option to terminate a contract early. After completing a project, you may find it difficult to find new work. |
Why prefer freelancing over a full-time job?
Freelancing allows you to pick your clients, build and develop your working style, choose the projects you want to work on, and, most importantly, to grow and develop as a person.
Apart from skill development, freelancing allows one to gain varying work experience since work is done on a project-by-project basis. It also helps you get paid for what you are worth and lets you work on a flexible schedule, making it a fantastic prospect for Indian youth.
Furthermore, freelancing is an excellent source of income for young parents, persons with special needs, and people who cannot leave their homes for personal reasons. Today's Indian market is ripe for freelancers, with countless recruiters and opportunities.
As more people are opting to freelance, it's no wonder that today's freelancing environment is a diverse haven supporting several genres such as marketing, publicity, content writing, advertising, technological support (such as web development), design, and even bookkeeping.
How much freelancers earn in India?
According to a recent PayPal poll, freelancers in India make almost Rs. 19 lakh on average. The data is further broken down in the survey.
Around 23% of freelancers make between Rs. 40 and 45 lakh each year. 23% earn between Rs. 2.5 and 5 lakh per year. 13 % earn between Rs. 10 and 15 lakh per year.
Only 11% of people earn less than Rs. 2.5 lakh each year, and 8% of people earn between Rs 7.5 and Rs. 10 lakh every year.
Earnings of a beginner freelancer and that of an experienced freelancer:
A study that interviewed freelancers while selecting talent for the Kool Kanya Freelance Marketplace found that rookie freelancers in India earn anywhere between 10,000 and 30,000 rupees each month.
However, freelancers who have prior experience can make as much as 80,000 rupees per month. Of course, the amount of money earned is dependent on the sort of work and its scope.
How do Indian freelancers charge their clients?
Freelancers can bill their clients in three different ways:
Based on a retainer
A contract between a freelancer and a firm is known as a freelance retainer. The freelancer will work a set number of hours per month in exchange for a flat fee payment, according to the contract.
Charging by the hour
This is effective if you plan to devote a set amount of time every week towards your freelance projects. Determine an hourly rate for your freelance services and multiply it by the number of hours it takes you to complete a project.
Charging by the project
This is by far the most popular approach. The majority of freelancers are aware of their abilities and keep track of everything that goes into a project. When a freelancer works on a project basis, he or she usually sees it through from start to finish.
Challenges faced by freelancers
A client will leave without paying. This is true for the majority of freelancers. Ascertain that the probability of something like this occurring exists. Make it a habit to formalise contracts wherever possible.
People in your field will be willing to labour for pennies and peanuts. Don't go down the same path as them. Some customers value quality and are willing to pay a premium for it. The fact that you appreciate your work will also benefit you because clients will have more faith in you.
Scams of all kinds are common among freelancers. Unfortunately, some ventures are a little too good to be true, and they may turn out to be fake.
Make an effort to plan ahead of time and be available to work during that period. However, don’t make any promises about completing your assignment in a certain length of time.
Keeping track of who has paid and who still needs to pay is essential if you’re a busy freelancer. Make sure you retain accurate records of your payments, as this can be quite crucial. Many applications on the Internet can assist you in this regard.
Some clients have a propensity of expecting you to accomplish more than you're expected to. So keep note of your hourly rate and demand that they pay you for the extra hours you put in.
The key to success is to achieve a suitable work-life balance. Although freelancing allows you to devote more time to your personal life, many freelancers struggle to keep the two distinct. Therefore, make it a practice to keep the two separate from the start. Otherwise, the issue will get worse with time.
If you work as a freelance designer or programmer, you need to stay updated on the latest technologies available. In this way, your work life will be similar to that of a doctor; it is impossible to stop studying.
Freelancers must also deal with clients who tend to call you at all hours of the day or night to demand updates or revisions. Make sure you establish boundaries right away. Set up communication parameters. If they call at an inconvenient time, don't pick up the phone and instead send them a polite email later.
It's natural to receive negative feedback. It's unrealistic to expect everyone to like your work. On online sites, clients may offer you a poor rating. Ask for constructive criticism and suggestions on how you can improve. Every client can teach you something.
Conclusion
It's important to remember that freelancing does not mean absolute work independence. In the world of freelancing, clients are the bosses. As a result, you must carefully select your clientele.
However, after you have earned trust and respect for your work, freelancing will seem to be the best employment alternative.
So, if you're interested in working as a freelancer in India, there is no better time to begin than right now and learn how to do freelancing in India.
I hope you liked our article on how to start freelancing in India, if you have any comments or suggestions do share them in the comments below.
Frequently Asked Question
Q1. How to calculate what freelancers should charge?
Substitute the actual billable hours for the total number of hours worked, tally up all of your expenses, and multiply by the hourly salary you wish to make. This can vary depending on how you plan to charge your clients, out of the three methods discussed earlier.
Q2. How much do freelancers earn in India per hour?
On an average, Indian freelancers charge an hourly rate of $19, approximately $2 less than what other freelancers earn globally. However, this can vary widely based on the industry and the type and urgency of work.
Q3. How do freelancers get paid in India?
Direct bank transfers are the most straightforward approach taken while being paid by Indian clients. These can be through NEFT or IMPS. IMPS might be preferable as NEFT takes up to one business day to go through while IMPS gets cleared instantly.
Q4. Which skills are best for freelancing?
Photography, designing, videography, social media management, virtual assistance, web designing, content writing, among others, are few of the best skills to take advantage of for freelancing.
Q5. Who is the richest freelancer?
James Knight is a programmer who quit a well-paying position at Google to pursue a freelancing career. As a freelance developer, he now earns more than $1,000 per hour. Programming jobs pay freelancers the most, notably software and mobile app development.
Q6. Can freelancing be a full-time career?
You can work for yourself and work from anywhere full-time as a freelancer. You no longer have to drive to an office or deal with traffic on a daily basis. Not to mention the fact that you are free to wear whatever you like! So yes, if you have what it takes, freelancing can certainly be a full-time career.
