freelancing
How to Become a Virtual Assistant: Ultimate Career Guide
Though the concept of a virtual assistant is relatively new, it is one of the most demanding jobs in 2024. Imagine what an assistant does. From administrative services to client support, an assistant usually covers work that falls under the spectrum of office management and may even branch into other delegations. A virtual assistant does all of that, except in a remote capacity. Here’s all there is to being a virtual assistant and what it takes to become one.
What is a Virtual Assistant?
It has been a common practice for offices and working professionals to employ a full-time assistant to take over administrative tasks. However as the concept of a hybrid work environment grew mostly due to the pandemic, the idea of a virtual assistant also became a reality.
A virtual assistant is essentially an independent contractor for the company who works in a remote and partially limited capacity. This allows businesses and companies to bypass certain benefits and gratuities that are otherwise compulsory for full-time employees. It’s a concept similar to gig workers or platform-based workers where the service is offered on a contractual or project basis.
Read more: What to Wear for a Job Interview
What Does a Virtual Assistant Do?
There is no fixed JD for a virtual assistant. What a virtual assistant does depends mainly on two key factors. First, what are the assistant’s areas of expertise; second, what are the requirements of the company or individual?
Depending on the area, the work of a virtual assistant can range from finances to emails to even routine office management. But the typical virtual assistant jobs include:
- General administrative work like sorting and drafting emails, calendar management, answering phone calls, and making appointments along with similar on-site tasks- Project management tasks like budget and life cycle monitoring - Bookkeeping tasks like finance and payroll management, and creating budget statements- Research work like due diligence and coming up with new ideas that align with the company or brand image - Customer support - Data entry tasks - Identification of target audience and running customer research - Email marketing, website, and social media management - Transcription-related tasks.
Read more: Proven Passive Income Ideas for Women in 2024
How to Become a Virtual Assistant
If you have expertise in any of the above tasks, you can build a career as a virtual assistant. The process begins by signing up at any of the leading freelancing platforms like Fiverr or Upwork.
Here’s how you can become a virtual assistant in a few easy steps.
Skill Identification
It is important to play on the strength when it comes to virtual assistant gigs. Identify the skills that are your strengths and look for gigs in that exact niche. Some essential skills include computer literacy, communication, organization management, editorial skills, etc.
Outline the Service
The key to success as a virtual assistant is to sell the skill. The next step after skill identification is to clearly outline in detail what will be offered and what will be the charge. A proper presentation of the service can be a make-or-break aspect in this regard.
Get the Equipment
There might be a requirement for additional equipment depending on the nature of the assistant gig. A laptop is a great option alongside a PC for working on the go. There might even be a need for a separate phone for cold-calling gigs. Then there are printers and scanners as well. So it is important to prepare beforehand based on the service offered.
Read more: 10 Best Programming Languages for 2024
Searching for Jobs
It is unlikely that the first day will bring tons of virtual assistant gigs. Rather than aiming high from the get-go, try and take up smaller low-paying gigs to get started and build connections in the platform.
Create a Portfolio
The smaller jobs of the early days will help to build a solid portfolio for a virtual assistant. A person can show their project details, deliverables covered as well as the reviews left by the hiring personnel to attract new and better opportunities.
Specialize and Market the Specialization
Instead of trying several areas at a time, it is better to focus on a single niche and build expertise in it. The skill level or expertise will determine the pay level as it will compound exponentially.
Read more: AI Robot Chefs: Automated Cooking Could Redefine Food Industry
1 year ago
Proven Passive Income Ideas for Women in 2024
In today's intricate economic landscape, ways of passive income have opened new doors to achieve financial stability while maintaining flexibility. After the pandemic and global economic crisis, the cost of living has significantly shot up throughout the world. Therefore, earning some extra cash can help women to support their families. Let’s take a look at several passive income strategies that working women and homemakers can try in 2024.
Passive Income Ideas for Working Women and Homemakers
YouTube Vlogging
Starting a YouTube channel stands as a promising route for cultivating passive income. Women can actively share their expertise, experiences, or daily life through compelling video content. With persistent dedication, this content magnetises a broad viewership.
Consistent effort in content creation empowers women to get views and subscribers. This engagement may pave the way for monetisation avenues such as AdSense earning, ads or sponsorships.
Read more: 10 Best Programming Languages for 2024
Facebook Influencer
Diving into the realm of a Facebook influencer offers another avenue for women seeking passive income sources. By harnessing a robust social media presence, women can make partnerships with brands, do sponsored content, and endorse products.
With these, they can generate revenue based on their level of interaction and number of followers. This engagement-driven approach cultivates a mutually beneficial relationship between influencers and brands. Thus, it serves as a lucrative source of income for women navigating the digital landscape.
Read more: Influencer Marketing: A Beginner’s Guide
Freelancing Opportunities
Freelancing presents a versatile work structure. It enables women to leverage their expertise in diverse domains such as writing, graphic design, programming, and beyond. Platforms like Upwork, or Fiverr offer a spectrum of income opportunities.
Through active participation, these skilled individuals can carve a niche for themselves. They can engage with clients globally and foster a flexible yet rewarding career path, underpinned by their unique talents and proficiency.
Read more: How to Transform Your Freelancing Career into a Scalable Business?
Creating and Selling Stock Photos
Producing and vending stock photos emerge as a lucrative opportunity. Women with photography skills can capture and market their images on platforms like Shutterstock or Adobe Stock. By catering to diverse niches and trends, they can monetise their visual creations.
1 year ago
5 Essential Skills to Make Money Online
The global outsourcing market has been on the rise for the last decade. The market has had a sharp growth in the past few years owing to the boom of work-from-home culture induced by the pandemic. The online marketplaces are highly dynamic. There are thousands of niches that hire millions of offshore workers. However, as many people are looking for jobs in the online outsourcing platforms, many beginners are struggling to get hired. Here’s a list of 5 soft and hard skills that can help freelancers to earn money online.
5 Essential Skills to Find Jobs on Outsourcing Platforms
Digital Marketing Skills
Digital marketing is essentially a sales job on an online platform. Skills like SEO, social media marketing, email marketing, content marketing, and paid advertising are in high demand on different gig platforms.
SEO and advertising require a good knowledge of content management and promotion strategies which are in high demand in today’s competitive market.
Read more: Top 10 Free Online Digital Marketing Courses
Content Creation Skills
Another highly demanded skill for making money online is content creation skills. Content creation can range from writing to video production, graphics design, and photography. Among these, graphics design and video production are in high demand.
Content creation requires high level of technical skills regardless of the niche. As a result, it generally pays a lot more than low-skilled high-volume gigs like web research and data entry online jobs.
Read more: YouTube Affiliate Marketing: Tips to build a successful channel
E-Commerce Skills
E-commerce is the future of shopping. Globally e-commerce has paved the way for many businesses to tap into target audiences beyond geographical boundaries.
E-commerce skills like online store setup, inventory management, payment processing, and customer service skills are in high demand on online marketplaces.
Besides these affiliate marketing and drop-shipping are promising niches to make stable online earnings. Nowadays, diverse local and international brands are offering commisons for selling products through affiliate links.
These specialized skills will not only help find jobs in the relevant niche but will also help if you plan to start your own e-commerce or drop shipping businesses.
Read more: Online Business: How to Get Started from Home?
Analytics and Data Science
Data Science jobs are in high demand globally because of the offshore nature and high pay structure of the industry. Technical skills like data science certification, Google Analytics certification, A/B Testing, etc are in high demand for business and platform growth.
Many organizations employ data scientists on an offshore or contractual basis making it a lucrative skill to earn money from the comfort of your home.
Read more: How to Be a Data Analyst from CSE or Non-CSE Backgrounds?
1 year ago
Which Outsourcing Skills Could Be Replaced by AI?
Now is a better time than ever to start earning anytime, anywhere with the help of tech. The increasing tech penetration in everyday life has paved the way for many earning opportunities using the right skills and the internet. But among the flurry of opportunities, there are also risks of getting replaced by AI. Let’s take a look into some popular online money-making skills that can be replaced by AI.
Online Money-Making Skills that AI Can Replace in Future
The online money-making skills can be classified into two categories – one that involves soft skills and others that are hard skills.
The problem with soft-skilled online jobs is that they require less technical skills. They are abundant and the online job markets are already saturated with them. Because of the nature of these jobs, they will soon be replaced by AI which will render most of the workers in these fields jobless.
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Here are some mentionable online work niches that are under threat of being replaced by AI.
Copywriting
Copywriting and content creation have been facing threats of AI for well over a decade now. With the advent of advanced chatbots like ChatGPT, the threat has been simply expedited. It's almost certain that human copywriting will become obsolete soon.
Data Entry
Low-skill jobs like data entry will also be completely replaced by AI soon. There are already powerful tools that can extract and compile data at the push of a button. As the technology gets more streamlined, it is sure to replace the data entry gigs found on different platforms today.
Read more: YouTube Scriptwriter Career Guide: Essential Skills and Free Online Courses
Paid Online Marketing
Paid online marketing mainly involves pay-per-click or PPC advertisement. The paid online marketers create campaigns or ads to target buyers from age-group, geographic location, gender, shopping preference and many other factors.
As the search engines are becoming more optimized and sentient, the AI tools are continuously evolving and improving. In future, business owners may choose machine learning algorithms for managing their PPC campaigns. Therefore, demands for paid online marketers, such as PPC advertisers, may become obsolete in the future.
Client Service
Client service workers are also under threat of being replaced by AI as more and more advanced chatbots enter the market. While there is scope for monetary gains in the short run, it will too become obsolete in the long run.
Read more: Want to start freelancing from Bangladesh? These are the best platforms for you
Proofreading and Editing
Just like copywriting, proofreading and editing online gigs will also be replaced by AI, albeit at a much slower rate. There’s already advanced software like Grammarly that is spot-on at catching grammatical errors. It's only a matter of time before AI will catch up with editing style and tones as well. But there’s a high chance that the need for highly skilled editors and proofreaders will be around even after 10 years. However, the market size and demand for that would significantly shrink.
It's important to note that these jobs may have a market value today, but in the long run, they will cease to exist for the majority of workers. It's important to identify similar online money-making traps that may bring returns in the short run, but will essentially yield nothing long term.
Read more: Recession-Proof Your Career With Tech Skills
1 year ago
YouTube Explainer Videos: Ways to Make Money While Sharing Knowledge
The internet has transformed the ways of sharing information and knowledge in the digital age. Among the many platforms to share ideas and expertise, YouTube stands out as a platform with vast potential for creators and viewers. YouTube offers content creators the opportunity to make money through its Partner Program, where they can earn revenue from their videos based on views and engagement. One popular format for content creation on YouTube is the explainer video, which allows creators to share knowledge and monetize their content. In this article, we will delve into the world of YouTube explainer videos, the skills necessary to create them, and the earning potential for content creators.
What is an Explainer Video?
An explainer video is a short, engaging, and informative piece of content that aims to explain a specific topic or concept to the audience in a clear and concise manner. These videos can cover a wide range of subjects, from educational tutorials and product demonstrations to explanations of complex ideas and processes. The primary goal of an explainer video is to simplify complicated information and present it in a way that is easy for viewers to comprehend and retain.
Explainer videos often utilize a combination of visuals, animations, voiceover narration, and sometimes background music to convey the message effectively. The visuals help to reinforce the content, making it visually appealing and engaging. By breaking down complex ideas into bite-sized pieces, explainer videos have become a popular tool for teaching, marketing, and communication across various industries.
Read more: How to Protect Your YouTube Channel from Getting Hacked
What Skills are Necessary to Make an Explainer Video?
Creating an effective explainer video requires a combination of technical expertise, creativity, and communication skills. Let's take a closer look at the essential skills necessary to produce compelling explainer videos:
Scriptwriting
A well-crafted script forms the foundation of any explainer video. The script should be concise, engaging, and tailored to the target audience. It should communicate the key points clearly and effectively while maintaining a consistent tone throughout the video.
Storyboarding
Before jumping into animation or recording, it's crucial to create a storyboard that outlines the visual elements of the video. A storyboard serves as a roadmap, guiding the creator through each scene and ensuring a smooth flow of information.
Video Editing
Proficiency in video editing software is essential for assembling the visual and audio components of the explainer video. Editors can enhance the video's quality, add animations, incorporate graphics, and synchronize the narration to create a polished final product.
Readmore: Top 10 Free Video Editing Apps for iOS, Android
Animation and Design
Depending on the style of the explainer video, animation skills might be necessary. Animators can bring static elements to life, making the content more engaging and captivating. Design skills also come into play when creating visually appealing graphics and illustrations.
Voiceover Narration
A clear and pleasant voiceover is essential to convey the message effectively. Content creators can either narrate the video themselves or hire a professional voice actor with suitable vocal qualities for the target audience.
Knowledge of Target Audience
Understanding the target audience is crucial for tailoring the content to their needs and preferences. A successful explainer video must resonate with the intended viewers, addressing their pain points and providing valuable insights.
SEO and YouTube Algorithm
To maximize reach and potential earnings, creators should be familiar with search engine optimization (SEO) techniques. Optimizing video titles, descriptions, tags, and thumbnails can significantly impact discoverability on YouTube's platform.
Read more: Why is Local SEO Important for Small Businesses in Bangladesh?
Engagement and Call-to-Action
Encouraging audience engagement through likes, comments, and shares is vital for YouTube's algorithm. Additionally, including a compelling call-to-action (CTA) can prompt viewers to subscribe, follow, or visit external websites.
1 year ago
How to Make Money with Amazon Kindle Publishing: A Step by Step Guide
Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) is a self-publishing platform by Amazon that allows authors to share their books with a global audience.This program allows self-publishing of eBooks, including control over pricing and royalties. KDP enables writers to connect with readers and gain valuable insights into book performance. Whether one is a seasoned author or a newcomer to publishing, KDP offers an accessible and empowering way to share one’s work with the world. Here is a step-by-step process to make money from Amazon Kindle Publishing.
What is Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP)?
Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) is a self-publishing platform offered by Amazon that allows authors and content creators to publish their books and reach a vast audience worldwide. Through KDP, authors can publish both eBooks and print-on-demand paperbacks, making it a convenient and accessible platform for aspiring writers and established authors alike.
How does Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing work?
Step 1: Creating an Amazon KDP Account with a Definitive Payment Method
The first step to getting started with KDP is to create an account on the platform. This involves providing necessary details such as your name, email address, and payment information. When creating an Amazon KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing) account, you will need to provide some payment information for royalty payments. Here are the details you may need to provide:
Bank Account Information:
You must specify the bank account where Amazon can deposit your royalties. This includes details such as the account holder's name, account number, and the bank's routing number.
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Address and Tax Information:
Amazon KDP requires you to provide your tax information, such as your mailing address and tax identification number (TIN). For the inhabitants of USA, Social Security Number (SSN) will be required.
Payment Method:
Apart from bank account information, Amazon KDP may offer other payment options depending on your location and the payment methods supported in your country. Common alternatives include Payoneer, PayPal, and checks.
Currency:
You may also need to specify your preferred currency for receiving royalty payments. Amazon supports payments in various currencies, and you can choose the one that suits you best.
Step 2: Preparing Your Manuscript
Before publishing, it's essential to format your manuscript correctly to ensure a seamless reading experience for your audience. KDP supports various formats, such as Word, PDF, and ePub, so authors have flexibility in preparing their content.
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Step 3: Designing a Book Cover
An eye-catching book cover plays a crucial role in attracting readers. KDP offers design tools and templates to help authors create professional book covers without the need for advanced graphic design skills.
Step 4: Setting the Price and Royalty Options
Authors have control over pricing their books and can select royalty options that best suit their publishing goals. KDP offers two royalty options: 35% and 70%, with the latter requiring the book to meet certain pricing criteria.
Step 5: Publishing Your Book
Once the manuscript is ready and the book cover is designed, authors can upload their work to the KDP platform and make it available for sale on Amazon.
What are the Steps Involved in Creating a Kindle Direct Publishing Book?
Write and Edit Your Manuscript
Creating an engaging book begins with the art of writing. Let your creativity flow as you put pen to paper or type away on your keyboard. Whether it's fiction, non-fiction, or poetry, ensure that your content is well-structured and compelling. Once you've completed your first draft, it's time to polish it. Editing is an essential step in refining your work. Make your manuscript shine by paying attention to grammar, spelling, and sentence structure.
Read more: 7 Top AI Writing Tools, Software to Generate Human-Like Text
Choose the Right Book Title
The title of your book is like a window into its soul. It should intrigue potential readers and give them a glimpse of what awaits within the pages. Brainstorm different titles that resonate with your story or subject matter. Keep it simple yet powerful, and make sure it aligns with the genre and tone of your book.
Create an Eye-Catching Book Cover
"Don't judge a book by its cover" may be a popular saying, but the reality is that readers often do. Your book cover is the first thing that grabs a reader's attention, so invest time in designing a visually appealing and professional cover. If you lack design skills, don't worry; plenty of talented graphic designers can bring your vision to life.
Format Your Manuscript for KDP
Proper formatting ensures a seamless reading experience for your audience. Amazon KDP has specific guidelines for formatting, so familiarize yourself with them. Attention to font choice, paragraph spacing, chapter headings, and page numbering. A well-formatted book shows readers that you care about quality.
Set the Book Description
The book description serves as your book's sales pitch. It should be persuasive and enticing, leaving readers eager to explore your book further. Use engaging language to convey the essence of your story or the value of your non-fiction content. Don't give away all the details; leave some intrigue to pique curiosity.
Read more: Best Free Websites to Improve English Writing Skill
Select Appropriate Keywords
Keywords are like signposts that lead readers to your book. Research relevant keywords that match your book's content and genre. Incorporate these keywords in your title, subtitle, and book description to improve discoverability.
Choose Categories and Keywords
Properly categorizing your book on Amazon is vital for reaching the right audience. Select the categories that align with your book's content and theme. Accurate categorization helps your book show up in relevant search results, increasing its visibility.
Set the Book Price
Determining the right price for your book requires consideration of various factors. Take into account the length of your book, its genre, and your target audience. Pricing too high may deter potential readers, while pricing too low might undervalue your work.
Enroll in KDP Select (Optional)
KDP Select is a program that offers certain promotional benefits but also requires exclusivity with Amazon for a limited period. Decide if enrolling in this program aligns with your marketing strategy and goals.
Read more: English Writing Skill: How to Start Writing and Improve Continuously
Upload Your Book to KDP
With your manuscript, cover, and details ready, it's time to upload your book to the KDP platform. Follow the step-by-step process, carefully inputting the required information. Double-check for accuracy to avoid any potential issues later.
Preview Your Book
Before hitting that publish button, take advantage of Amazon's preview tool. This tool allows you to see how your book will appear on different devices. Check for formatting errors and make any necessary adjustments to ensure a professional presentation.
Publish Your Book
Once you are confident that your book is ready for the world, it's time to publish. Click that "Publish Your Kindle eBook" button, and your book will become available for purchase on Amazon.
Promote Your Book
Publishing your book is just the beginning. To attract readers and build a loyal audience, you need to promote your book. Utilize social media platforms, reach out to book bloggers and reviewers, organize virtual book tours, and consider running Amazon ads to boost visibility.
Read more: Ai and Future of Content Writing: Will Artificial Intelligence replace writers?
What are the benefits of using Kindle Direct Publishing?
Global Reach and Distribution:
Through KDP, authors can tap into Amazon's extensive global marketplace, reaching readers in various countries and regions.
Control and Flexibility:
Authors retain full control over their publishing journey, from pricing to promotional strategies. They can update their books and make changes as needed.
Royalties and Earnings:
KDP offers competitive royalty rates, allowing authors to earn up to 70% of the list price for each sale, depending on the pricing and distribution options chosen.
Publishing Speed:
With KDP, authors can publish their books rapidly, making their content available to readers within hours of uploading.
Data and Analytics:
KDP provides valuable insights into sales data, allowing authors to track book performance and make data-driven decisions.
Read more: Free Online Content Writing Courses
How Much Can You Earn from Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing?
KDP provides a fixed royalty rate of 60% for paperbacks sold on Amazon marketplaces, where they support paperback distribution. This means you will earn 60% of the list price as your royalty. However, your actual earnings are determined by deducting the printing costs from this royalty amount. The printing costs are influenced by various factors such as the trim size, page count, ink type, and the specific Amazon marketplace where your paperback is ordered. You can find more details on calculating printing costs in the provided link.
To illustrate this with an example: Let's say your book's list price is $15, and it is a 333-page regular trim size paperback with black ink sold on the US marketplace. The calculation would be:
Royalty = (60% x $15) - $5.00 = $4.00.
You will earn a $4 royalty per sold book.
Conclusion
Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) offers a remarkable avenue for writers to fulfill their publishing dreams and reach a vast global audience. By following the step-by-step guide provided, authors can easily navigate the self-publishing process, from creating an account and formatting their manuscript to designing an eye-catching book cover and setting the right price. The benefits of KDP, such as its wide distribution network, author control, competitive royalties, and valuable data insights, make it an attractive choice for both aspiring and established authors.
Read more: How to Transform Your Freelancing Career into a Scalable Business?
1 year ago
Freelancing training can make underprivileged women skilled, self-reliant: Study
Online freelancing training can have a significant positive impact on the employment and income of underprivileged women, according to a study by the BRAC Institute of Governance and Development (BIGD).
However, success in freelancing may be hindered by steep competition in the online marketplace, the resultant loss of confidence, and time constraints in learning and building their portfolio due to household responsibilities.
Findings from the study were disseminated at a workshop held Wednesday in Dhaka. The workshop brought together government officials, trainees and implementers to discuss the ways forward to develop an inclusive and sustainable ecosystem for women freelancers in Bangladesh.
The mixed-method study evaluated the impact of a freelancing training programme, conducted by Coders Trust Bangladesh (CTBD), which targeted women aged between 18 to 35 years.
The programme "Women’s Skills Development for Freelancing Marketplaces" aims to develop 1,000 young underprivileged women into freelancers by providing them free training on different ICT-related skills and building their confidence through post-training technical mentorship and career advising support.
Women who received the training had a 28 percent higher employment rate, and a 53 percent increase in monthly income from both freelancing and non-freelancing sources, compared to women in the control group who did not receive the training.
Read: The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic in the Freelancing Industry: Can You Sustain?
However, constraints such as lack of family support, access to digital devices and connectivity, language barriers, and lack of time drove many women to drop out of the training programme.
Dr Imran Matin, executive director of BIGD, said: "Youth unemployment is a ticking time bomb for Bangladesh; we must address it with urgency."
Ataul Gani Osmani, Country Director, CTBD said, "If you want to earn online, you must learn online."
However, Lopita Huq, research fellow at BIGD, said: "We have to weigh the pros and cons before involving women in online freelancing in Bangladesh."
2 years ago
How to Transform Your Freelancing Career into a Scalable Business?
In this day and age, freelancing has become a popular option for many who are looking to earn money on the side. When it comes to freelancing, there's a lot of advice floating around out there. But, how many of these tips are true? Is it possible to turn your freelancing business into a scalable business? The short answer is YES! But that requires a little bit of work. Freelance can be an intense business as it does rely on how you manage your time effectively. If you are wondering how to turn freelancing into a scalable business, then keep reading.
Why is it necessary to transform your freelancing skill into a business?
Starting a freelancing business brings in a lot of benefits over your traditional job. It gives you the flexibility to work whenever and wherever you want. Freelance allows you the freedom to start your own business with very little initial capital required. And, if you are planning on making it into a scalable business, then having full control over your work is one of the biggest advantages that come with it as well.
By transforming your freelancing skills, you can maximize your income potential and diversify the skills you have to offer. You can also gain the benefits of running your own business, including tax advantages and control over the office space, schedule, and overhead costs. It will also give you the opportunity to take advantage of employee benefits such as health insurance and paid time off. Eventually, with the business, you can go for greater client satisfaction through continuity in service.
Read How to Become an Entrepreneur without Money or Skills?
How to turn your freelancing job into a scalable business?
The freelancing industry is a booming one, and that's not even an understatement. According to the latest statistics, it was estimated that there are around 1.1 billion freelance workers in the world. Most freelancers don't want to transform their skills into a business as they think they might have to go through some sort of hassle.
Although any business has hassle, you can transform your freelance work into a business, and you can hire other freelancers to work for you. Here are the ways to start a scalable business with your freelancing skills.
Market yourself well - Build up your own personal brand
When it comes to transitioning your work from a freelancer to a business owner, one of the most important things to think about is your own personal brand. In fact, when hiring people for your business, you should be looking for someone who is willing to build up their own personal brand too.
Read Making Investment Decisions: Factors to consider when investing money
The reason you should focus on building up your personal brand alongside your freelance work is that it will help you differentiate yourself from other freelancers.
Most new freelancers feel that their work is their brand and it is up to them to create value and make contacts, but this isn't the case. In order to create a personal brand, you must first learn how to build good relationships with other people.
The best way to do this is by being active on social media, writing a blog, and working on your online portfolio. You should be looking to get as much experience as possible so that you can showcase it in your portfolio. Try to show off your expertise and work on building your personal profile by making sure you are the one who is networking and meeting new contacts.
Read Entrepreneur Vs Wantrepreneur: 8 Ways to Tell Them Apart
By creating your own personal brand, you can use trustworthy clients who will work with your newly formed business.
Build up a marketing system and stick to it
One of the easiest things you can do as a freelancer is to stick to one marketing system. This allows you to build your client list, market yourself and start generating work. Eventually, you can drive clients to your business.
Just like basically anything else, if you want to get the most out of your marketing system, you need to be consistent and make sure that you are sticking with it.
Read Neuromarketing: How brands psychologically manipulate the consumers
A marketing system should consist of a minimum of three core components. It should include setting up social media accounts and spending time on them. You must also choose an email marketing platform. Lastly, there must be a proper use of an effective blog and a strong work email list.
Networking
One of the most important things you will ever do as a freelancer is to build your own network. This not only helps you get new clients, but it also helps you grow your business and provide value to existing clients.
When building up your network, the best way to do this is by going out of your way to meet new people and build up relationships. Social events are a great way to network. You can meet new people and introduce yourself to others who are at the event. You can also make valuable connections with people who work in your industry.
Read How to Choose the Right Business Idea?
Save up enough money
When building up your business with your freelancing skills, the biggest thing you need to do is save up enough money so that it is sustainable. This will allow you to expand with ease rather than having to worry about paying bills every month.
So, before freelancers get started on their business, they should build up a large enough savings account. This way, they can ensure that their business is sustainable in the long run. If you don't have saved up enough money, then you might not be able to scale.
Conclusion
Building your own business is one of the most common dreams that many people have. But it's important to note that it isn't easy, and there will be times when it doesn't work out. So, you will need to set up a proper system for managing your tasks. This will not only help you manage your time well but also keep your work organized. Setting up a task management system will also help you keep your business running.
Read How Does Inflation Affect Business, Professionals, Mass People in Bangladesh?
2 years ago
Why Should Freelancers Have a Plan B?
Freelancing is becoming increasingly more popular these days as it allows individuals to set their own schedule, work remotely, and take on projects they are passionate about. In order to succeed in the freelance business, freelancers need to have a plan B just in case something unexpected happens. The most important thing for freelancers is learning how to position themselves financially so that they can provide stability without having such a rigid plan. Let’s find out some valid reasons why freelancers should have a plan B.
Why Should Freelancers Have an Alternative Plan?
Suppose, for some reason, your freelancing profession collapsed, your account with many reviews became disabled, you are not getting any job with the new account; what to do if this happens?
If you have a plan B, this is a good idea. But the reality is that most of the freelancers in Bangladesh and across the world have no Plan B. Because we don’t hold on to it, it seems like the rest of our lives will continue. In fact, there can be no more misconceptions than this. Let’s go through some valid reasons.
Read Coronavirus hits Bangladeshi freelancers, outsourcing sector hard
Lack of job security
Freelancers should always have an alternative career plan because their work is not always stable. For example, a freelancer might have a lot of work one month and then hardly any the next. This inconsistency can be difficult to manage financially and emotionally.
No one can predict when the next economic recession will hit or when a big client will unexpectedly go out of business. If you are relying solely on Freelance income to pay the bills, you could be in for a rude awakening if your work suddenly dries up.
Additionally, there is no job security when you are a freelancer. If you are laid off from your day job, you still have to find work to pay the bills. However, if you have an alternative career plan, you can transition to it relatively easily if needed. By having an alternative career plan, freelancers are able to manage the ups and downs of their work more easily and remain financially secure.
Read Work from Home Business Ideas for Moms, Housewives in Bangladesh
Freelancers are not immune to career setbacks
Freelancing can be unpredictable and often feast or famine. What happens if you have a string of bad luck and several months in a row where you do not land any jobs? Or what if you get sick and can’t work for a few weeks? If your only source of income is Freelance work, you will quickly fall into debt.
Freelancers’ expenses are likely higher than they think
Freelancers often have to cover their own health insurance, retirement savings, and other benefits that traditional employees receive through their jobs. And don’t forget about office supplies, software, internet service, and other business expenses. So, if you are a freelancer, make sure you have a realistic idea of how much you will need to make each month to cover your costs.
Read Work from Home, Earn and Be Your Own Boss
Freelancers are not as independent as they think
Freelancing can be a great way to have control over your work schedule and your income. But it is important to remember that you are still dependent on others for work. What happens if a client cancels a project last minute or flakes on a meeting? If you don’t have a solid network of contacts, you could find yourself scrambling to find new work.
Inconsistent income
One of the biggest downsides of freelancing is that your income can vary wildly from month to month. What happens if you have a few slow months in a row? Or what if you land a big project but then don’t find any other work for the next six months?
Requires continuous improvement
Freelancing is a constantly changing industry, and it can be difficult to keep up with the latest trends and technologies. As a freelancer, if you are not good with change, freelancing may not be the right career for you.
Read Taxation of Bangladeshi Freelancers in 2021
2 years ago
Want to start freelancing from Bangladesh? These are the best platforms for you
Working online through different freelancing websites is currently a very popular line of work because you can match the opportunities on offer to almost any skills-set that you may possess. It can denote both white-collar and blue-collar work. It is possible to earn thousands of dollars by using your own skills through different freelancing platforms - these web-based apps or websites can be essential to match you with the right opportunities, from the ones that abound in the global gig economy.
When outsourcing a lot of their business processes, organisations often engage specialist firms and even freelancers. Bangladesh is also keeping pace with the transformation underway in how human beings view and understand the concept of 'work'. Our large population, which is also youthful, makes it a very attractive pool for recruitment agencies that are often engaged to hire their freelancers.
A 2019 report by Payoneer, the Global Gig Economy Index, put Bangladesh at number 8 for countries with the highest year-on-year revenue growth in the freelance sector - earnings had grown 28 percent from what it was in 2018. Almost all successful freelancers have started their careers through different websites, also known as platforms. This article will discuss freelancing websites where you can get a job faster, matching your skills.
Read Work from Home, Earn and Be Your Own Boss
Top Freelancing Websites for the Beginners
If you research based on your skill, you will find multiple freelancing websites, and those are good enough to confuse your kickoff. Therefore, we have made a list of freelancing websites for beginners from Bangladesh. The following websites are great for newbies.
Fiverr
Founded in 2010, Fiverr is well ahead of other freelancing sites. As a newbie, anyone can open an account in Fiverr. Because it is much more effective and easier for beginners. If you are quite new to outsourcing and do not know which website to start, then feel free to open an account with Fiber and start working.
Jobs at Fiverr start from $5. Further, there is a huge demand for jobs like digital marketing, logo design, content writing, translation, audio, and video editing in Fiverr. Unlike other platforms, no hourly work has been launched here yet; only fixed-rate work will be available. You can withdraw Fiverr's income via Payoneer and Bank Transfer in Bangladesh.
Read Passive Income Ideas in Bangladesh in 2021
Upwork
Getting a job in Upwork is a bit difficult as you will need to bid on the jobs to get hired. However, if you are a skilled candidate and can show your potentiality to the clients, you can get the job easily.
Currently, Upwork is one of the most popular freelancing websites. The job posting feed here is updated very quickly. From small businesses to large multinational organizations, hire their freelancers from Upwork. In 2015, Upwork changed its name from oDesk. Well-known freelancing website Elance and oDesk teamed up to launch a new and expanded platform called Upwork.
Although you will find job opportunities for every sector, jobs like web development, graphics design, customer support, freelance writing, and WordPress management have relatively more in demand in Upwork. Upwork offers both fixed and hourly rates. Payment methods here are PayPal, Payoneer, and bank transfer centric.
Read Taxation of Bangladeshi Freelancers in 2021
Freelancer.com
Freelancer is quite old and popular compared to other freelancing platforms. It has about 16 million users. With more users here, both job opportunities and competition are proportionately higher, and it can make it difficult for newbies to get a job. However, Jobs are available at both hourly and fixed price rates. Earnings from Freelancer.com can be withdrawn through PayPal, Skrill, Pioneer, and bank transfers.
Guru.com
Guru is another popular freelancing marketplace with 1.5 million members. Both fixed price and hourly jobs are available here. Usually, job prices at Guru.com range from $100 to $200. However, after completing each task, the platform deducts Tk 4.95% to Tk 8.95%, which is relatively lower than other platforms. So, working on this site is a little more profitable than other sites, but getting a job is difficult. The payment receiving process can be done through PayPal, Payoneer, and bank transfer.
Read How to Earn Money from Mobile Photography?
PeoplePerHour.com
People Per Hour is a popular outsourcing marketplace based in London and the United Kingdom. As you can see from the name, you can find work here on an hourly basis. However, at present, in addition to the hourly system, fixed-rate job opportunities have also been created here.
This platform has huge competition. The minimum income for each project is $20 to $200. However, the platform charges 15% to 20% on the earned money. Freelancers can withdraw money from PeoplePerHour through PayPal, Bank Transfer, and Payoneer.
Read Quarantine Income Opportunities: How to Earn Money during lockdown period
Choose the Freelancing Sites Based on Your Skill
As we have mentioned earlier, you need to have the skill to start a freelancing career. Clients will not offer you a job out of anywhere. So, it is mandatory to know your category of skill. After that, you can assess yourself and apply for the right job. Randomly applying will not land you a job. Hence, opening an account on the right platform is highly essential. Let's see the best freelancing platform based on specific skills.
Programmers
For the programmers and developers, Toptal.com is the first choice. Besides, Gun.io, Turing, Hired, Upwork, and Freelancer.com are also good choices for programmers.
Graphic Designers
Graphic designing is the most common and popular job category. That is why there are some specific websites where only graphic designers can get a job. Upwork, Freelancer, Fiverr, 99designs, Toptal, Guru, and PeoplePerHour, are well-known platforms for graphic designers.
Read Free Online Graphic Design Courses to Enhance Your Skill
Educator and Trainers
Since this category might not have enough freelancers, most of the platform doesn't focus on that. But Guru.com, Upwork, Fiverr, and Freelancer.com have a huge load of jobs for educators and trainers.
Writers
There are some specific freelancing websites focusing on the writers, such as textbroker, iWriter, WriterAccess, etc. Further other popular platforms are Upwork, FlexJobs, Fiverr, and Freelancer.com.
Read How to Get Hired for Online Writing Jobs
Business and Finance
Almost all the popular platform has plenty of job for business and finance experts. Especially, Upwork and Fiverr have more jobs related to this expertise. So, if you have experience in a company's business and finance department, you can think of a freelancing career as full-time or part-time.
The global pandemic situation has increased the demand for remote freelance work. So, if you intend to start a freelance career, you can work with any of the websites we have mentioned here.
Digital Marketers
As people are living in the internet culture, the job of digital marketers is increasing. To meet the demand, different organizations tend to find experienced freelancers. Therefore, if you are a digital marketing expert, you can open an account on Upwork, Fiverr, and Frelancer.com. If you are an experienced marketer, you can find a job at Hubstaff Talent.
Read Top 10 Free Online Digital Marketing Courses in 2021
3 years ago