Starting your career as an interior designer may get you thinking about where to begin your journey. You may have been searching for companies that hire interior designers, but you may not like what these companies have to offer. If your goal is to be your own boss and start your career as a freelance interior designer, you are in the right place.

Today, we are here to teach you what it means to be a freelancer, as well as how you can start your freelance interior design journey. With these tips, you can build the life you’ve always wanted and make your career a successful one.

What it means to be a freelancer

In today’s day and age, many people are freelancers, but what does it mean to be a freelancer? Freelancers work independently from companies – they are not a part of a bigger unit. Moreover, these people don’t have a fixed wage, so how much you work dictates how much you will earn.

If you don’t like the concept of working for someone and earning a fixed wage, freelance jobs may be a better option for you. There are many platforms where you can post about your experience and reach the target audience.

You will have complete freedom when it comes to your work hours and work environment. Moreover, most freelancers around the world work remotely, so you can travel and work without a problem.

However, you may not instantly get many customers when you start your freelance journey. Building a good reputation and being hired regularly will take some time.

Build a portfolio

The first step in your freelance interior design career is building a portfolio. It is a collection of your work that people can access and see whether they like your art. When creating a portfolio, you should give it some identification (for example, a signature) to make it look trustworthy.

You should prove that the work in your portfolio is yours, so your future customers will believe you. An excellent interior design portfolio will be categorized according to rooms and styles. For example, you can create separate folders with designs of bathrooms, kitchens, living rooms, etc. Your portfolio should be as versatile as possible – “the more, the merrier.”

Create a blog

A recent study has shown that over 5.3 billion people use the internet almost daily. You can find various things on the internet, so it’s crucial to create a blog containing information about your work.

A blog will act as a marketing tool and attract people wanting to hire an interior designer. For a freelance artist, creating a blog may be one of the best means of reaching a broader audience.

Since your blog will be online-based, you can use various SEO (Search Engine Optimization) tools to help you build a better online reputation. When people search for interior designers, you may be one of the top searches if you use appropriate tools for creating content for your blog.

You will be more visible to other internet users, and they will most likely enter your website to see what you offer.

Be active on social media

Social media platforms are the prevalent form of communication today. If you want your freelance journey to be successful, you should use social media as another marketing strategy. People will see your advertisements and have an insight into your work just by entering your social media profile. Moreover, people can share your work with others, so you can passively gain more users.

Let’s take the following scenario as an example: your friend told you they need a new vacuum cleaner but don’t know where to find one. When you see an ad that sells vacuum cleaners, you will probably send it to your friend to help them with their decision.

The same works for interior designers. Someone might be looking for you, but they don’t know where to find you. If you are on social media, there is a good chance that the person who needs you will eventually find you.

Use freelance platforms

The internet is full of different platforms – you can use some for freelance purposes. You can use several trustworthy websites to get more customers in the freelance industry. For example, many freelancers worldwide use UpWork to post their services, and many people in need will visit this website to find what they are looking for.

Our advice is to make multiple accounts on different freelance platforms. The more accounts you have, the more visible you will be to other people, making you more likely to get hired through these platforms. In the beginning, it may take a while to get your first job, but you need to be patient. Good things take time.

Get referrals

There is nothing more secure than hiring someone reliable and trustworthy, but how can you become such a person in the freelance world? You may already have experience as an interior designer, and your customers will be your best advertisements. Get their referrals to show potential customers that they can trust you.

In this case, you need some previous experience to get referrals. Ask for referrals from your last employer if you are just starting your freelance journey. Once you get into the business a little bit, get your customer’s honest reviews and ask them to refer you to other people if they need an interior designer.

Network

Becoming a freelancer is all about building your network and expanding your horizons. To build your network, you should dedicate your time to the process and ensure that you cooperate with people who will motivate you. You should also use your client’s experiences as an addition to your network.

Freelancing is all about building your reputation and gaining other people’s trust. To do so, you need to expand your network and prove to others that you are a professional. However, this step will take you the most time, so be sure to regularly collect the materials you need to take your network to the next level.

Conclusion

Freelancing is one of the most sought-after careers today. Many people have decided to take this step and become their own boss. If you are one of these people, follow the tips mentioned previously. Remember, the most important thing is to gain trust, but you need to be patient on your way there.