51. Freelance as a
database consultant
More and more data handling and
information are stored online as businesses increasingly become paperless. Most
of this data goes into online databases, hosted by servers to which all
computers in a given network are connected. These databases can be complicated,
and smaller companies in particular often don’t have the resources or expertise
to manage such databases.
That’s where you step in, as a
freelance consultant. If you’ve got specialised knowledge of IT and critically,
databases, you can earn a lot of money from home by providing consultancy
services to companies to help them deal with their databases. Consider taking
some training to further your knowledge and expand the service you can offer.
52. Create an online
counselling business
If you’re an accredited counsellor,
there’s no reason you can’t turn this into an online business. You can get
started quickly by registering your business name and setting up a website.
E-counselling services range from Skype sessions, web meeting programs, emails
and instant messenger facilities. Online counselling services cover a wide
range of services, including anger management and grief counselling.
Be
careful that you’ve got the right licenses you need for the job. In the
Top
tip: don’t forget to get business insurance,
and make sure that this extends to online counselling before you start.
53. Become a video
editor
If you’re camera-savvy and good at
editing, there’s a lot of money to be made in video editing. There are
countless events and businesses that want videos produced, whether its as part
of an ad campaign or for internal use.
The first thing to do is to find your
niche. Do you want to edit corporate videos, produce wedding videos or create
advertising campaigns? Deciding on a target client will help you market your
services. Next, you need to build a relevant portfolio. Most new video editors
begin by offering their services for free to their ideal client, or first few
clients. This deal is a win-win for clients and is a fantastic way to build a
credible portfolio and can also lead to referrals. Having a portfolio enables
you to charge more and attract better clients. LinkedIn or Youtube are perfect
places to showcase your past work and attract clients.
Growth is key here: once your
business gets going, consider hiring in assistants or outsourcing parts of the
production, allowing you to focus on the bits you enjoy.
54. Sell your notes
Most students clock up a fair amount
of absence at college or university. Turning off that 8 am alarm can seem like
a great idea at the time, but leading up to exams, a lack of revision notes can
be a big problem. This is where selling study notes has excellent potential.
Selling
study notes is a fantastic option for current or former students, as you can
make money off of work you’ve already done. The most marketable notes are
digital notes, clearly presented and well-structured. Getting started selling
notes is easily done through websites such as Stuvia, where you can upload your notes and start selling
straight away.
The best way to become a successful
online notes seller is by offering your first set for free! Once people realise
your notes are clear, concise and helpful, they’re more likely to buy more.
Another tip is to remember your audience: if students are your target market,
keep your prices student-friendly to become a top-seller.
55. Become a web
developer
Having a website has become a
prerequisite for almost all successful businesses, but most people still lack
the skills they need to produce one themselves. As a web developer, you’re
offering an essential service to most companies, and you’ll never be short of
clients.
Being
a service in such high demand, however, means there are tonnes of web
developers out there. The best possible way to make money as a web developer is
to choose a niche. Either focus on a specific industry or a particular type of
website design: eCommerce, for
example.
Promote your business far
and wide – start by creating social media channels for your business, reach out
to family and friends and past colleagues, attract leads through an email
list, promote yourself on
LinkedIn and even Twitter. Web developers’ biggest faux-pas is
waiting until business runs dry before turning back to their ad campaigns –
advertising always needs to be a top priority.
Finally, make sure your website is
flawless. Customers will base their purchase on the quality of your website –
this is your portfolio, and it needs to be the best example of your work.
56. Virtual
assistant
As a VA (virtual assistant), you will
provide support by completing a range of administrative services for
individuals and businesses remotely.
Demand for virtual assistants is
growing as businesses are increasingly outsourcing tasks such as bookkeeping,
scheduling and email management to freelancers instead of completing the tasks
themselves or taking on new, permanent staff.
A perk of being a VA is that you
decide as and when you work. You can also choose which tasks you would like to
perform and perform well. You can base your service around what you enjoy
doing.
Many
virtual assistants use software such as Buffer, a
social media management tool, Doodle, a
scheduling tool, and Float, a
client tracker, to help with their day to day tasks.
57. Become a social
media influencer
The popularity of sites such as
YouTube and the exponential growth of Instagram has given rise to one of the
most lucrative and attractive new careers: being a social media influencer.
Companies create partnerships or run ad campaigns through these “influencers” –
individuals with huge followings on their media accounts – as a marketing
technique, a method used in almost every industry.
Your best bet for success is to find
your niche and hone your brand. Pick something where you know you can
consistently create content. There are so many young people trying to become
influencers that it’s become a very saturated market in certain areas,
particularly in the areas of fashion, lifestyle and exercise. Be prepared to
hustle: it’s a common misconception that the life of an Instagrammer is an easy
one – but expect hugely varied income month on month and a lot of hard graft at
the start.
Having a lot of followers will be
your biggest asset when trying to get paid advertisement deals with brands.
Generating a large following is best done by posting regular content,
consistently updating all your social media channels and engagement with your
audience. Try tagging and mentioning brands to attract them to your profile.
Finally, use hashtags! It may seem
outdated for Instagram users with personal accounts, but it’s a great way to
play the algorithm on social media and make sure new people can find your
account.
58. Become a
cryptocurrency miner
The popularity of cryptocurrency has
soared in recent years. Many cryptocurrencies are uncovered through a mining
process, which introduces new coins to the market. Cryptocurrency miners ensure
that transactions between users are authentic and are then responsible for adding
each sale to the blockchain.
Cryptocurrency mining is complicated
and highly skilled work. Not only that, but it’s incredibly competitive – to
earn money, you are working in constant competition with other miners. The
first to crack the code gets to verify the transaction and add it to a block,
which is how they earn money themselves. The speed and urgency of the job mean
you need a constant internet connection and can never take your eye off the
ball.
Make sure you do your research – not
all cryptocurrencies can be mined, for example. The better-known currencies,
such a Bitcoin, are also the most competitive, and you may not be able to
compete with enterprises in the industry mining in such popular currencies.
59. Offer a CV &
cover letter writing service
Writing effective and grammatically
correct CVs and cover letters is a struggle for many professionals. These type
of writing services includes an analysis where clients are given guidance to
determine their objectives, and define the skill set needed to achieve them.
As a CV writer, your next step is to
select an appropriate format and choose vocabulary which will appeal to
potential employers, without making the applicant sound arrogant and “too good
to be true”. A good resume or cover letter needs to highlight an individual’s
skills, be relevant to the position applied for and have a positive tone.
CV writing is a really easy career to
get off the ground and can be lucrative. All you need to get going is a
computer, the internet and some clients. Marketing, too, can be reasonably
cheap: advertising on sites such as LinkedIn is useful to attract customers
searching for jobs. It’s a good idea to have a portfolio of example CVs and
cover letters for different industries to show prospective customers before
they purchase your service.
60. Email marketing
consultant
The role of an email marketing
consultant is to work with businesses to improve their email communication and
step up their marketing campaigns.
In this job, consultants help clients
to assess and improve their email communication as a marketing technique. They
may also be engaged in creating and setting up email campaigns. In practical
terms, it can mean advising the client on what words to use to increase the
response rate, and words to avoid so that emails and email newsletters are not
perceived as spam.
You can also advise on how to write
an active subject line and structure the email in the best way to encourage
engagement. The startup costs are low with marketing your services being your
only expense. The more background experience you have in marketing and
advertising, the more you can charge.
61. Provide a legal
writing service
Legal
writing is a type of technical writing used by lawyers,
legislators, judges and other legal professionals to formulate legal analysis,
legal rights and obligations. This type of text requires references or
citations from a legal authority, and must often follow a prescribed format and
include technical terms.
The
most common types of legal documents are employment contracts,
company bylaws, meeting minutes, operating agreements, non-disclosure
agreements, terms of use, contractor forms, leases, claims and complaints.
It’s an accessible business to start
and has minimal startup costs. Legal writing does, however, require a very
specific skillset. A background in law is essential, and clients will want
evidence of this in the way of a degree or previous work experience in a law
firm. You’ll also need flawless writing skills and impeccable grammar.
62. Social media
management
As an SM (social media) manager, you
will work alongside individuals, brand and companies to build and run their
social media presence. An SM manager’s daily tasks consist of monitoring,
measuring and engaging the performance of their clients’ social media accounts
and making appropriate changes to improve their online presence.
Many
social media managers use tools such as Buffer, Hootsuite and Sprout Social to
manage their clients’ account and to execute tasks such as posting content at
optimal times and replying to fans appropriately. If you want to become a
social media manager, create a website and use your social media pages to
procure clients. You can also target high-profile individuals on their social
media, or via mailing lists.
Practise
what you preach – your best bet for securing clients is
to have a strong social media presence yourself. Familiarise yourself with all
the most popular social media platforms and build your own accounts as your
portfolio.
63. Freelance
graphic design
As a graphic designer, you will work
with your client to produce visual content that communicates their brand
message to their target audience. Commissioned projects include creating
marketing materials such as posters, billboards, logos and packaging.
Graphic
designers typically use software Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator and Dreamweaver
to create their work. The websites we’ve mentioned above for freelancers such
as Upwork, Fiverr and Freelancer are
great places to market your services, as well as reaching out to companies
directly.
64. Become an online
business consultant
As a business consultant, you will be
providing clients with expert advice in areas such as management, accountancy,
law, HR and marketing, to name a few. Your main tasks will be to strategise,
plan and problem-solve together with your clients to help grow their business.
Working
as a business consultant requires a specialist skillset. You’ll need industry
experience in consulting as well as an extensive business background. The more
experience you have to offer, the more you can charge for your services. Try to
whittle down your service to a niche where you have a lot of relevant knowledge
so you can genuinely help businesses improve their service. You’ll need to be
able to evaluate the environment in which your client operates and their
current position in the market, identify leading competitors, and then find
opportunities that could help the client earn more money. More often than not,
solutions relate to time management,
distribution of resources or company structure.
Attribute
most of your investment and profits to marketing to attract clients and grow
your business. A top tip is to take heed from key players in the industry –
study your competitor’s methods and keep up to date with industry developments
by joining a trade association, such as the MCA.
65. Advertising
management
All companies need to market their
product or service to attract clients. The bigger and better the ad campaign,
the more customers they’ll attract and the more revenue they’ll bring in. Many
companies opt to outsource the management of their ad campaigns to select
companies. This is where you step in.
To start an advertising management
company, you ideally need some experience in either marketing, advertising or
sales. Next to this, there are few startup costs – you can start a small online
advertising agency at home. It becomes even cheaper if you outsource graphic
design and production elsewhere. Before you start, you’ll need to compile media
kits, which provide advertising rates, target demographics and specs. Make as many
contacts as you can – get in touch with the media outlets you plan to use for
your campaigns.
Trends in the advertising industry
are constantly involving. Keep as up to date as you can with the industry by
joining trade associations – this is also useful for keeping an eye on the
competition.
66. Become an online
dating guru
Online dating has boomed in the last
ten years. In February 2019, an estimated 50 million people worldwide were
using Tinder, just one of the hundreds of dating sites and apps now available.
Love and relationships appear to be a universal interest, affecting people
regardless of age, nationality or gender. It’s no wonder that it’s become a
moneymaking industry, bringing in worldwide revenue of over £1.4 billion every
year.
With such a broad target audience,
becoming an online dating consultant has the potential to be a very lucrative
trade. Even better, you don’t need a qualification to give dating advice. That
said, having a background in psychology or some counselling training gives you
more credibility. It’s also a business you can run entirely online. You can
choose to offer phone consultations, e-mail consultations or even sessions on
an instant chat. To sell your services, create a website and try advertising on
social media.
It can take a while to build a
customer base – consider offering some tips or advice for free, to encourage
customers to visit your site and pay for your service.
67. Develop apps
If you’ve got a specialist skillset
in app design and development, you can market this skill for a significant
profit. In recent years, almost every business has an app, from airlines to
supermarkets to fitness influencers to online dictionaries. App developers are
in-demand and won’t be going out of fashion any time soon.
With any freelance business, to start
making money, you need a portfolio. The best way to do this is to offer your
services for free to several reputable companies. Once you’ve built apps that
they’re happy with, this will serve as a credible portfolio to attract other
high paying clients. Start by deciding on a platform, for example, iOS, Android
and Windows. Make sure you’ve got some qualifications. A degree in computer
science or engineering is a solid starting point, but you can also complete
online courses.
The next step is marketing. Try and
create a network in the industry. If you can get an internship in the industry,
this is a great way to make contacts. Create a website and invest in
advertisement. Contact as many businesses as you can who might want an app developed.
The good thing is, it’s an easy sell – almost all companies can profit from
having an app.
Practise makes perfect! This is the
best piece of advice that app developers should heed. To offer an outstanding
service, you need to be an expert in your field. Make sure you’re a specialist
at fixing bugs and troubleshooting so you’re not hit with any surprises that
could cost you in revenue.
68. Become a
freelance illustrator
If you’re creative, you can easily
capitalise on your skill and make money online. Illustrators can sell their
drawings online in a multitude of profitable formats.
Client work is the most lucrative
stream of revenue for illustrators. Illustrating for advertising campaigns for
companies and working with magazines are some of the biggest earners and are
also most beneficial for building a credible portfolio. To find clients, you’ll
need to market yourself: start with a website featuring examples of your
designs and reach out to as many businesses and magazines as you can. It’s a
good idea to use a mailing list to reach as many prospective customers as
possible.
Another
more automated way to sell your work is through an Etsy shop. Once you’ve put your products on the Etsy market,
you can sit back, relax and wait for the orders to come in.
69. Website theme
& plugin seller
Websites and companies will want to
buy plugins to add certain features to their websites, for example adding a
membership feature or a weather feature. They’ll also want a theme for their
website, which is a package offering specific graphics for the appearance of a
website and its navigation functions.
Becoming a web theme or plugin
developer requires a very specific and technical skillset. You need to be
fluent in coding and have extensive knowledge of the industry. You can either
produce more general plugins off your own back and sell them on, or you can be
commissioned to develop specific plugins for certain features for company
websites. The same goes for producing web themes – you can either sell specific
preset theme packages or create custom-made ones for individual clients.
Lead-generation is essential here to
make sure your work doesn’t dry up. Work can fluctuate massively from one month
to another, so consistent and effective advertising is key.
){kind=link}
0 Comments