Many IT consultants wonder if they can make a profitable career out of freelancing and moonlighting.  The following tips can help IT consultants that would like to turn their freelancing and moonlighting endeavors into a real business opportunity.  

Don’t Underestimate Expenses

In order for IT consultants to create a PROFITABLE career out of freelancing or moonlighting, they need to paint a real picture of their expenses.  If you are thinking of starting a real career, you have to charge enough for your services.  There are several simple formulas that can help you think through our expenses and create a vivid picture of the strategies necessary to achieve profitability and sustainability.

Be Selective About Customers

Many freelancers and IT consultants make the mistake of offering their services to anyone that asks for them.  If you are truly serious about a moonlighting and freelancing career, you need to qualify prospects from the beginning based on the following criteria:  location; size and software/hardware needs.  You can save yourself a lot of money if you get the right clients from the beginning.  

Marketing is Critical

In order to start a sustainable freelancing career, you need to really focus on marketing.  IT consultants often assume that all small businesses are the same.  They are absolutely not!  A small, one-person company will only spend probably $300 on your services, whereas a 10-person company will need to see your much more regularly — once a month or more.  If you really want to make a profit at freelancing, you need to understand that many really small SOHO customers will be TOO small to bring real benefits to your career.  You need to look for clients that will need to regularly and be willing to pay you top rates.

The Bottom Line About Creating a Real Career Out of Freelancing

In order to have a profitable career as freelancing IT consultants, you need to set rates high from the beginning, choose customers wisely and concentrate heavily on your marketing efforts.  

Added By:  Joshua Feinberg