It’s no secret that people start freelancing because we love the prospect of what the freelancing lifestyle has to offer. We also get into freelancing to make money.
One of the biggest benefits of freelancing is that there is no cap on how much money you can make. We are not limited to a salary or hourly rate. The more you produce, the more you can make. It’s one of the most appealing things about the lifestyle, and it’s one of the main things that motivates freelancers to go above and beyond and achieve great success.
Obviously, you are not going to make tons of money right away – that is, unless you are an experienced professional in your industry who is well connected. But most of us are not there yet.
We are skilled professionals with some experience, maybe a few connections, and a drive to do something more than work 9-5.
Bring On the High Paying Gigs, Right? Not So Fast
We all hear the stories of freelancers making six figure incomes and charging top dollar for projects. What you don’t hear is how hard and long they had to work to achieve this level of success.
Getting top paying gigs is a matter of signing up on freelancing platforms, submitting bids, and winning high paying projects. First of all, freelancing platforms are not the place to go if you want to make good money – most are extremely competitive and low paying projects. It’s a race to the bottom.
Getting those high paying gigs you hear about takes time. Before you can expect to charge top dollar, you need to:
- Establish your presence in the industry
- Get a number of projects under your belt (often low paying at first)
- Develop a top quality portfolio of past work
- Develop your personal brand
- Increase how much you charge incrementally over time
- Prove your worth to clients
Expect to Compete for High Paying Gigs
Even once you have established yourself as a top level freelancer in your industry, companies are not just going to drop projects in your lap (not all the time – but it does happen!). You are going to have to compete with other top freelancers for lucrative gigs. It’s what we are all after.
Once you get an email reply, remember that you are not the only freelancer a company is considering. You could be one of 10 or more, depending on the nature of the gig and how companies onboard freelancers.
And don’t think you are too good to supply a resume – remember that many companies are very new to the idea of hiring a freelancer, and they may resort to traditional hiring practices to search. So, have your resume handy just in case.
How to Win High Paying Projects
The key to getting high paying gigs is not necessarily your experience, what’s on your resume or even in your application for the project. Most freelancers will have similar skill sets and experience.
The key is in how you communicate – your ability to build rapport, the vibe you give off, your level of confidence, and how they perceive you as a cultural fit for their company is vital.
How do you communicate this?
- When applying, let them know you are available for a call or in person meeting
- Connect with the company on social media – follow their channels and get to know what they are all about
- See if you have connections in common, and use them to get the inside track
- Consider contacting them outside the application process other freelancers are using. For example – you are connected to them on LinkedIn, send them a message and let them know you are interested and applying for the position
- Be timely with all communications – if they request something, do your best to send it as quickly as possible
- Be as easy to work with as possible – this will at least help you get to the next phase of the hiring process
Competition is fierce for top gigs. Remember, you don’t have the gig until you sign on the dotted line. Until then, do everything you can to differentiate yourself from other freelancers and prove you are the person for the job.
Bottom line – There are high paying gigs out there, it just might take you a little longer than you originally thought to get there. Establishing yourself as a freelancer is a process, and as you grow, so will your ability to charge more for your services.
