When you set yourself up as a freelancer, the assumption is that you have to do everything by yourself; you have to chase your own leads, sort out your own equipment, and you’re responsible for your own deadlines. This is true for the most part, but that doesn’t mean that you have to become a lone wolf and take on tasks that you don’t know how to do. You have enough on your plate without learning how to do your own accounts or design your own website if you don’t already possess those skills. Here is the support network you need to have when you become a freelancer.
Web designer
These days, one of the easiest ways to introduce your freelance business to the world is by having a well-designed website. A website designer is the expert you need to make a professional site that accurately represents your business, promotes your services, and knows how to use SEO to drive up website traffic. Ideally, they will have some coding knowledge, but they will be in charge of keeping your website up to date. This ongoing customization will help you stand out as a freelancer, and give your prospects a reason to take notice of your marketing, driving further growth.
IT Support
Now that you’re responsible for your own income, you definitely cannot afford to lose business because the computer is down. Making contact with a local IT support company means there is someone on hand to deal with failed hard drives or corrupt files; they can sort the problem quickly, leaving you more time to get on with your own work. As you acquire more business, you will need to save more and more information, and an IT consultant can help monitor where that information is saved and make sure it won’t get lost.
Legal support
Hopefully you won’t be sued for your freelance work, but protecting yourself from legal mishaps not the only reason to have a lawyer in your contacts. When you first become a freelancer, you’ll be signing a lot of contracts with new clients; these are probably designed to protect your client’s interests, but as you are your own business, you also need protection in case a client forgets to pay you for your work. Having a lawyer look over these contracts before you sign them will save you from potentially devastating situations, whether it’s loss of income or getting sued until you’re penniless. A lawyer will also go over liability insurance, if you need it.
Accountant
Taxes get more complicated when you’re a freelancer working by yourself. Are you self-employed, or do you technically have an employer if you mostly do work for one client? Then again, if you’re not on payroll then maybe you are self-employed. You can easily check out your employment status for tax purposes through the government website, or speak to an accountant who understands all the legalities.
Freelancing isn’t always as simple as it appears, so make sure you’re not entirely alone.
