Freelancing 101 -

Your First To-Dos

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Freelancing 101
Your First To-Dos

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Freelancing 101: Your First To-Dos

Lesson 11: Your First To-Dos

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Your first to-dos

While it might seem overwhelming to start your freelancing business, remember that you can do it in steps. You can start making money right away by setting up a profile on Upwork or a similar platform. Then build and grow from there.

In this section, you'll find a to-do list and a Google Sheets spreadsheet template to track keywords, competitors, finances, and more. 

If you haven't done so already, now is the time to create a bookmark, label it freelancing, and save your resources to reference as you grow your business.

Create a freelancing spreadsheet

Now it's time to get into creating Google Sheets to keep track of all your self-employment information. We're going to keep it simple, but if you need additional practice, Check out our Google Sheets tutorial.

First, gather all of the information on your to-do list.

To-do list

  • Write out a pros and cons list.
  • Write a list of skills to market .
  • Do competitor research.
  • Highlight in-demand skills .
  • Make a list of expenses.
  • Calculate pricing at a flat rate vs. hourly.
  • Set up a time management and tracking system.
  • Determine your first set of rates and services.
  • Create a Brand Kit: Logo variations, colors, type fonts, and more.
  • Join at least one freelancing platform.
  • Fill out all social profiles.
  • Make long-term goals.
  • Create content.
  • Add a content calendar.
  • Develop customer personas.
  • Website development.
  • Certifications and continuing education.

Google Sheets

Now, create a Google Sheets document and fill in the information that you need to keep track of your business.

Sheet 1: Brand Information

  • Your Freelance Name
  • Business Email
  • Business Phone
  • Website
  • Keywords
  • Link to Brand Kit
  • Freelancing platforms

Sheet 2: Competitor Research

  • Competitor names
  • Websites
  • Blogs
  • Social platforms
  • Notes

Sheet 3: Services and Rates

  • Core Service
  • Type ( Fast turnaround/ project)
  • Rate
  • Upgrade
  • Notes

Sheet 4: Incoming

  • Date
  • Service
  • Platform
  • Customer
  • Amount
  • Balance

Sheet 5: Outgoing

  • Date
  • Source
  • Type
  • Amount
  • Balance

Sheet 6: Content

  • Type (blog post, web page, how-to article, video, infographic, image, etc)
  • Date posted
  • Platforms (Website, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok)
  • Likes
  • Shares
  • Comments
  • Repurpose?
Continue

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