If you’re a smart person who can follow instructions and is diligent by nature, you have the skills needed to become a freelance web developer and work at home.
A lot of people understand this, and thus there are a lot of web developers out there. Only, not everybody has success. If you have aspirations of being a web developer, here are five things you need to know.
You’re in Sales
Like every other freelance position, a lot of what you do won’t actually be connected to your skillset. Instead, you’ll need to become a master of sales, because how well you do that will determine how successful you are in the position.
You have to negotiate the art of talking with people, of pitching your ideas, and closing the deal so that you get their business.
There are many ways to network and chase leads, and not everyone is cut out to do them.
If the prospect of picking up the phone and cold calling a potential client doesn’t absolutely terrify you, then the job might be for you.
People are Buying
There’s a misconception that there’s no longer money to be made in website development. This is not the case!
Almost every company in the world has – or needs to have – a website, and they’re willing to pay for it.
Competition may be more fierce than ever before, but if you can single yourself out as a developer who consistently produces outstanding work, then you won’t struggle to attract work.
You’re more than a Web Designer
When you’re working in a company, you’re given work, and then you get paid. Now, you’re in charge of everything, from sorting out your own tax, making sure you have the systems in place for you to do your job properly, and so on.
You’re a boss now, and that encompasses much more tasks than you might think. It’s tougher worker, but you will diversify your skills!
Passive Income Is Possible
If you’re good at what you do, you’ll be able to command a decent hourly rate. But you don’t want only to get paid for the hours you work (where’s that fun in that?!).
Instead, you’ll want to work on establishing a passive income. Find reliable reseller hosting and you’ll be able to become the host for your clients, generating a monthly income at a rate you set.
Also, it’s worth looking into writing an ebook or other guides; people are always reading about web development, and you have something to say they’ll be buying yours!
You Need To Look to the Future
Practically everything to do with the internet is in a state of constant flux. What you know today about web development may be obsolete within a year or two. As such, you need to always be in learning mode, always figuring out what the next trends will be so you can offer the latest and best service to your clients.
Be agile and open and you’ll be setting yourself up for years to come.
