Common Freelancing Mistakes Beginners Should Avoid

Nothing beats the feeling of being a freelancer and making money on doing what you love the most. Yet, starting out as a freelancer is filled with challenges and common mistakes beginners make. And the thing is, all the beginning freelancers face them.
Nevertheless, these issues could be easily avoided if one had known about them. In this article, we review the most common mistakes beginners make when freelancing and provide some useful advice on how to avoid them.
Whether you are a novice freelancer or feel like failing in freelancing and need to start all over again, our recommendations will be extremely helpful for you.

Mistake 1: Offering Everything (being a generalist)

Trying to offer every possible freelance service (writing, designing, social media management, video editing, virtual assistance, etc.) belongs to the worst beginner mistakes.
Why is it bad for you? Clients hire specialists, not generalists. Thus, in trying to be specialists in everything, you cannot distinguish yourself as a professional.

How to avoid it?

Choose one core service and a particular niche. For instance, become an expert in writing LinkedIn articles for coaches and adhere to your specialization. Expand your offerings when you have steady clients and earn sufficiently.

Mistake 2: Underpricing Your Services

Setting unrealistically low rates to attract more clients is one of the most common mistakes of beginners.
Why it’s harmful? Low-paying clients always require much effort, delay payments, and don’t appreciate your work.

How to avoid it?

Research market prices for your niche
Set a price based on the workload, not spent hours
Offer only 3 distinct services specifying the scope and deliverables
Set ‘introductory’ rates for the first 3-5 clients only

Mistake 3: Having No Portfolio Initially
For beginners, the necessity to have a portfolio seems obvious. And that’s where they make another huge mistake, failing to build it at all.

How to avoid it?

Make 4-6 ‘spec’ projects (redoing a brand logo/webpage/SMM campaign etc.) for companies/organizations in your niche. Redesign their webpages/social media profiles/etc. and upload the samples on your website (Carrd/Framer might come handy).

Mistake 4: Dependence on Freelancing Platforms

It’s logical for beginners to use famous freelance platforms such as Upwork, Fiverr, Freelancer, etc. to find clients. Yet, relying on these platforms entirely is one of the worst beginner mistakes.
How to avoid it? Use platforms for gaining experience and acquiring references. At the same time, build your channels:

Get a website

Create your profile on LinkedIn
Write regular blogposts and create content
Make cold calls to prospects

And remember that you should have half of the clients coming directly within 6-9 months.

Mistake 5: Lack of Contract

It seems quite obvious to beginners to start working immediately after agreeing on everything with the client.
Why it’s bad? Even the seemingly reliable client can cause a lot of troubles for you (scope creep, non-payment, misunderstanding, etc.)
How to avoid it? Use a contract for each order you take. Include the following information:

Scope/deliverables
Revision policy
Payment terms (with at least 50% upfront)
Dates/terms for late payments

There are lots of useful resources providing contract templates (HelloSign, PandaDoc, etc.).

Mistake 6: Poor Communication With the Client

For beginners, providing quality work seems quite sufficient for success. But lack of communication can ruin any brilliant product.

How to avoid it:

Discuss all details concerning the work at the very beginning
Inform the client about your progress regularly
Answer any client’s questions within 24 hours
Request clarifications in case something is not clear to you (without asking too many times)
Under-promise and over-deliver

Mistake 7: Regular Marketing and Outreach

It’s obvious for most beginners that the client will find you thanks to the platforms.
How to avoid it? Set up a marketing system consisting of the following points:

Make 4-5 LinkedIn or Twitter/X posts weekly
Reach out to 10-20 people per week by email
Create some valuable content
Join online communities related to your niche

Your marketing routine should never stop, even if you have some important projects.

How to avoid it?

Register your freelancing business (if necessary)
Log every expenditure and income starting from day one
Use accounting software or Google Sheets/Notion/Wave
Set income goals every month
Develop your business-related skills aside from your core niche

Mistake 8: No Focus on Time Management/Burnout

Without the boss and obligations, beginners often procrastinate all day long or spend 14 hours daily on the job. And both these approaches can lead to burnout.

How to avoid it:

Set definite working hours
Try the time-blocking method
Take breaks and rest regularly
Learn to say ‘no’ if you are too busy
Track time spent on every project

Mistake 9: Quick Disappointment

Many beginners give up their freelancing dream if they haven’t seen any success within the first 3 months of working.

How to avoid it:

Recognize that it often takes 3-6 months to make things go smoother
Don’t concentrate on the results but focus on doing your job daily
Make a weekly record of your progress
Find new freelancers in your network

Conclusion

Knowing these mistakes and avoiding them, beginners will save tons of time and money. In other words, the success of freelancers depends greatly on whether they manage to avoid these beginner mistakes.
To become successful as quickly as possible, it’s crucial to specialize in something, set appropriate rates, create a good portfolio, and build systems.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. How long does it take to get consistent clients?
   Getting consistent clients takes usually 3-8 months. It depends on your niche and the ability to correct these mistakes.
2. Is it ok to be a full-time employee and a freelancer at the same time?
   Of course, it is! Moreover, it is recommended to do freelancing part-time for decreasing the risk and learning.
3. What should I do if I have made some of these mistakes?
   There’s nothing wrong about having made these mistakes at the very beginning. Just correct them now: set higher prices, make contracts, and start marketing.
4. Is it better to learn new skills or promote oneself?
   Both options are equally significant. Yet, the latter is more important initially. Good skills and active promotion will bring great results.
5. How can I increase my rates if I initially underpriced myself?
   With your new clients, start charging higher. As for the existing ones, notify them about the upcoming rise in your rates (for at least 30 days) and explain the reasons.
6. Which mistake do beginners typically make?
   Covering every imaginable field and underpricing themselves.