Freelancing is all the rage these days. Many people are leaving their full-time jobs for freelancing. Some also opt it as a part time career for an additional income source. What is freelancing? Is it a viable earning source in Pakistan? How to start online earning in Pakistan as a freelancer? All these details are discussed in this article. Let’s get started:
What is freelancing?
Freelancing means to offer your services against your expertise to different vendors on a project basis. This means that you are not working as a full-time employee for a certain company or a client. It gives you the freedom to work with multiple projects for different clients and in a flexible time slot.
Is it a viable source of income?
Many people are concerned about the amount they can earn through freelancing. The answer to how much income you can earn online depends on you. If you have good skills and can work independently without requiring any help from a mentor then you can offer your expertise as a freelancer. There is no limit to how much you can earn. You can earn X amount depending on how much effort and time you put into it.
How do you start freelancing in Pakistan?
Freelance Marketplaces
It is easy to get started with freelancing in Pakistan. You can sign up for freelance marketplaces such as Fiverr, Upwork, Guru etc and start bidding on the projects related to your expertise.
If you are a beginner and you lack skills then it’s recommended for you to first develop your skills and then sign up for the freelance marketplaces. Many newbie freelancers struggle with getting projects in the beginning due to a fresh profile. Fortunately, there are a few tips and tricks shared by experienced freelancers in Pakistan through their blogs and YouTube channels. Applying their knowledge, you can break through to get the first client and get your feet wet in the freelance world.
Some popular YouTube channel names for freelancing tips include Hisham sarwar, let’s Uncover, HBA services etc.
Apart from the freelance marketplaces shared above, there are other ways to grab your first client.
Work Directly with Clients
The best way to work with clients is to find them directly without any intermediary platform. That’s only possible if you have a website of your own. A portfolio service based site is a great way to attract clients. However, for a website, you need two things. Buy a domain and a web hosting in Pakistan to connect your site with the users over the Internet.
There are different types of hosting plans available, but as a newbie you can choose a shared hosting plan which is also affordable to get started.
Social Media
Who can forget about the power of using social media? It is where all the fun is. A website can also be promoted on social media. However, if you don’t have a website yet and also don’t want to try your luck on the freelance market places then social media is the place where you should head to for finding online work.
LinkedIn and Facebook are a freelancer’s dream. There are a number of freelance groups available on both which you can join and get started. Try to join international groups as they have better paying opportunities. Be online on a regular basis and look for projects relevant to your skills. You can also create a page on Facebook relevant to your services and promote it via Facebook ads which are quite affordable in Pakistan.
For LinkedIn you need to have a professional and well optimized profile. Be active and send connection requests to people who may be interested in hiring you as a freelancer. You can publish a few articles too on your LinkedIn network to show your expertise. Organic reach is quite good on LinkedIn so use proper hashtags and send a few connection requests to increase your network. After all, we all know that your network is your net worth.
Using Business Directories
You can also use business directories such as yelp, manta, yellow pages and search for different companies in a certain location to email to for offering your services remotely. You may be surprised to know that this is a free way of finding work to make money online in Pakistan. For example, you can choose yellow pages and select plumbing companies in Canada. Then send a few emails to the list shared with you. If you do this consistently, you would be able to find good work on a regular basis.
Conclusion
Freelancing is a great way to add to your total income. Some people do it part time while others do it full-time. Regardless of how many hours you dedicated to freelancing, it has a great potential to grow and help you increase your income. Try the methods mentioned in this blog post and be consistent. You may need to work hard in the beginning and also bear patience. But as soon as you get your first client, you would start getting noticed by the other clients to get a regular stream of work and money. Good Luck and start today!
