Many dream of being their own boss, but the harsh reality of doing so can often be quite different to the initial idea. As you won’t be working a 9-5 job on a daily basis with a guaranteed salary and hours, you will need to have a great deal of determination and passion to make it in the freelance world. Here are a few top tips on becoming a successful freelancer:

1. Know your own strengths

Before taking on any freelance roles, you need to be aware of your strengths and weaknesses before committing yourself to projects. As you will be working alone without the assistance of colleagues, you need to feel comfortable with the type of work you can manage – regardless of the pay. Then, you can build on your client base and your experience, rather than falling flat on your face at the first hurdle.

2. Finding work

Being a freelancer, it’s not always easy to find your own work, therefore you will need to find strategies to get access to projects on a daily basis. If you are struggling to get work, one of the best ways would be to contact new clients with a plan as to how you could fit in within their company; you may choose to attend networking events with a portfolio and chat to others in the industry or join freelance websites where work is already available.

3. Work on communication

Due to the fact that you most likely won’t be meeting clients on a daily or weekly basis, you need to make sure you have good communication skills in order for clients to feel comfortable to hire you. As a freelancer, you will most likely be spending the majority of time emailing those you work for, but you may also need to make a great deal of phone calls and Skype sessions for running projects.

4. Be comfortable with saying ‘No’

As a freelancer, you may often take on too much work than you can manage. You feel the need to build up your client base and impress those you are already working for. However, committing yourself to take on more than you feel comfortable with can often lead to feelings of stress and overwhelm.

Be aware that it’s perfectly okay to say ‘No’; whether it’s with the workload or the way in which you are paid. If a client wishes to pay you in a matter that isn’t suitable for you, ensure you make them aware of your own regulations in a polite, but direct manner. If they cannot pay you the way you initially agreed, you may need to be much more upfront with your terms and conditions.

5. Keep your clients satisfied

In order to become a successful freelance, you need to keep clients on your side. Organise your time wisely by completing each and every task by its due date. If there are any issues with sending over the work in time, be sure to give your client enough notice. If your client isn’t satisfied with the work you have completed, offer any edits for free so they will be confident when using you for future projects. Also show your enthusiasm of getting the job first time around by asking any questions which may help you complete the task and ask for any feedback for further improvement.

Laura Bill writes for Inspiring Interns, which specialises in sourcing candidates for internships and graduate jobs.