Freelancing has become much more popular with people as a career option in the past ten years, with the number of freelancers growing year-by-year across the globe. Freelancers are often classified as such because they are not employed by one company, but rather work for multiple companies or individuals on an independent basis. Although freelancing can offer many benefits to those who choose this career path, such as increased flexibility and control over their schedule, it also comes with its fair share of challenges. A major challenge is obtaining more predictable business, so you don’t have to worry about constantly looking for new clients and projects. If you’re interested in being a freelancer but want to make your freelancing work more consistent and predictable, here are seven ways you can do just that.

1. Have a niche

Many freelancers have specialties – areas of expertise or skill sets that set them apart from other freelancers in the same field. If you’re a freelancer who has a particular area of expertise, you should consider specializing in that niche so you can offer your expertise to clients who are specifically looking for it. Freelancing works best when a client comes to a freelancer because they want someone with a specific skillset, rather than a generalist who may be a “jack of all trades” but not an expert in any one field. Freelancers often specialize in a particular type of work because they have found success in that area. Specializing in a niche should create a steady stream of clients looking for your services within this niche.

2. Find reliable clients

Another way you can make your work more consistent is by finding reliable clients and keeping them happy. Freelancers often try to spread themselves out so they can work for as many clients as possible, but this can lead to you having less consistency in prospective business. If you’re constantly switching between projects with multiple clients, it’s harder to find balance and stability in your schedule than if you focused on just a handful of clients. Freelancers who want to make their job more predictable often find reliable clients and develop good, solid relationships with them over time. Freelancers may prefer to work for just a couple or handful of clients rather than numerous ones because working for fewer clients can provide more stability in your schedule.

3. Be flexible

If you’re not willing to be flexible with your clients, then you can’t expect to have very consistent business. Freelancing is a great option for those who want the freedom to schedule their own time and take on only projects within their skillset. Freelancers often have a lot of freedom because they don’t have set schedules or tasks that they need to complete every day. Freelancers usually must be willing to work at the time of day that is most convenient for their clients, so if you have a client who needs help in the morning, but you are not available until the afternoon, try your best to accommodate them instead of ignoring them because working at certain hours doesn’t fit into your schedule. Ig you are a freelancer who is looking for more predictable business, you should be open to working at any time because your schedule might need to change depending on your client’s needs.

4. Rely on referrals

Many freelancers find it discouraging when they have a hard time finding new clients, but this is often because they aren’t making the most out of the clients they already have. Freelancers who are looking for their job to be more predictable should consider relying on referrals from current clients. If you have a client that is happy with the work you’ve done for them, they might offer to refer you to other people. This type of referral can be very valuable because it eliminates the pressure of finding your own clients. Freelancers who rely on referred clients can find their jobs to be more predictable because they don’t have to worry about finding the client themselves. Freelancers should always ask for referrals after doing good work for a client because people are more likely to trust you if you were referred by someone they know and trust.

5. Invest in your career

Freelancers should always invest in their careers. Freelancing is a great way to do something you love and get paid for it, but you can’t expect to receive consistent work if your skills aren’t developing along with the industry. Freelancers often struggle with finding balance between what they love doing and monetizing their work, but this is often because they aren’t investing in their career. Freelancers who are looking for more stability should invest time into learning new skills, improving on existing ones, or enhancing their portfolios. They should be open to feedback from clients because constructive criticism can help you grow as a professional. Freelancers who are willing to take on constructive criticism or enroll in courses to improve their skills may find their job flow is more predictable. Treat freelancing like a business and invest in it the same way you would in any other job, because this can help you gain more stability in your freelance career.

6. Communicate with clients

Freelancers who want to make their business more predictable should communicate with their clients on a regular basis and interact with them more frequently over email or phone, depending on what works best for them. It’s a good idea to always check in with clients from time to time to make sure the job is going well and that they are happy with the results. Freelancers who want their work to be more predictable should reach out to clients whenever they have a question or if something goes wrong. They should not make assumptions about what clients are thinking because this can cause problems with their projects later down the road. Consider sending out monthly emails or newsletters with updates on recent work, milestones met, etc. Freelancers who keep in touch with their clients won’t have to worry about clients forgetting about them; in fact, doing a good job will ensure that you are at the top of your client’s list when a new project comes up.

Freelancers who forget to check in with their clients might lose them altogether, leaving them unsure of what will happen next. Regularly following up with clients can builds trust and strengthen the business relationship. Freelancers who want better predictability in their business should talk to existing clients about potentially helping on future projects and pitching ideas for future work. They should also reach out to past clients to enquire about potential new projects where they can be involved.

7. Treat it like a business

Treat freelancing like a business and invest in it the same way you would any other job because this can help you gain more stability in your career. Doing so means investing in the resources to properly manage your work, such as hiring an accountant, tax advisor or administrator. This will ensure that your billing is up-to-date and error free and enable you to avoid missing important deadlines like for tax filing. Freelancers who want to make their cash flow more predictable should seriously consider putting money aside in a savings account, to smooth out the ups and downs of freelancing.

Conclusion

While freelancing is getting extremely popular, many do not venture into it due to the unpredictable nature of finding the next job and the drawbacks of not having a consistent income. Freelancing is a great way to get your foot in the door of an industry and gain experience, but it can also be a difficult path. But if you know how to handle the uncertainty and get more predictable business, it can be an exciting and fulfilling career choice. These tips may help you get more predictable business and cash flow in your freelancing career.