Freelancing is one of the most popular side hustles around and for good reason. You can work on projects you want, when you want, and charge what you want.
There are lots of people freelancing and they’re doing it across several fields like writing, design, digital marketing, virtual assisting, and web development. People are doing a side hustle to make extra money or they’re doing it in hopes of making it their new full-time job.
There are freelancers who are hitting it big and making lots of money doing something they like. However, you can’t expect to get started and make the big bucks right off the bat. Freelancing takes time, discipline, and motivation.
Whatever your freelance goals are, the hardest part about freelancing is getting started. When you’re first starting out, you usually don’t have much or anything of a portfolio and it can be tricky figuring out how to get clients.
At some point, you will probably be faced with having to decide if you should work for free or not.
If you were to ask a group of freelancers if you should work for free, the answer would usually be a universal ‘no’.
Working for free isn’t ideal. In most cases, it’s not worth it. Although in certain situations it can make sense and even be good to work for free.
Here’s when freelancers should and shouldn’t work for free.
It Can Lead to Something More
Your portfolio is the equivalent of your resume when it comes to freelancing. I’ve rarely had clients ask me for my formal resume when I pitch them for work.
A strong portfolio can showcase the work you’ve done, your expertise, and the results you’ve been able to get. In order to succeed as a freelancer, you need to have a good portfolio.
The problem is when you’re starting out, you don’t have much of a portfolio.
As a new freelancer, working for free can be a great way to build your portfolio. If you’re looking to be a freelance writer, consider doing some unpaid guest posts on different sites. Do some sample design work if you’re looking to get into design.
Have a destination clients can go to to see your work. A blog or website is great for this. Start a blog or website and use it as a portfolio to showcase the different work you’ve done.
Clients want to know you can do the work you say you can do. They want a freelancer who can help get results for their business and make their lives easier. Sometimes they are hesitant to hire a new freelancer who doesn’t have much of a portfolio.
Doing a free gig could potentially lead to something more. Maybe the client will see the work you’ve done and hire you or refer you to others for paying gigs. You never know.
That being said, it’s important to be strategic about which free gigs you take on.
Choose Free Work Carefully
Doing free work as a freelancer can lead to something more, but that doesn’t mean you should take on just any unpaid opportunity.
Make sure the free work you do aligns with the skills and expertise you want to be known for when looking for paying gigs.
There are a lot of sketchy individuals and spammy companies out there. People who will gladly take your unpaid work and give you nothing in return. Even though you aren’t getting paid, you should still get something out of doing the work.
Set yourself up for success by establishing some guidelines with your client for the free work you will be doing. Get to know them. Ask them if they would be able to give you a testimonial or refer you to others.
Establish how the unpaid work will be used. Will it be used just to evaluate your knowledge or will it be published and distributed, thereby benefiting the company?
Factor in the time it will take to complete the free work and set client expectations accordingly.
If you’re looking to be a freelance writer, consider how doing an unpaid post will help you. Is it a guest post that will help drive traffic to your site and get your name out there? Is the piece something you can link to on you blog or website to use as a portfolio piece?
Get clear on how the work will help advance your freelancing endeavors.
When Doing Free Work Isn’t Worth It
If you’re an established freelancer with a portfolio of work, then most of the time it’s usually not worth it to work for free.
Working for free is mainly beneficial when starting out in your field. Don’t devalue your craft. Charge what you’re time is worth and let people know your value by showcasing the work and results you have gotten from past clients.
If you’re approached to do work for free, offer some alternatives like doing a short trial period at your regular rate to see if you and the client would be a good fit. Refer a hesitant client to your testimonials page and portfolio of work.
It takes time and dedication to build a freelance business. When you’re starting out with not much experience, it can make sense to do some free work. For established freelancers, doing free work usually isn’t worth the time.
Figure out the best step and do what’s right for your freelance business.
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interesting point of view:D
I only offered to work for free or a reduced rate as a test article or if it’s a topic I’m brand new to when I was getting established, as you mentioned. Now I don’t.
In my experience, the prospective client still pays the normal rate. It’s different with each industry I know, but most legit clients are willing to at least pay something when it comes to writing.