How much did each of those steps actually help you earn income as a freelancer?
When I tried, most of them didn't help much at all. I am convinced, more often than not, that making a good wage as a freelancer/consultant is to have expertise in an area of interest - like using Ruby on Rails to increase sales of early stage startups through their online store; or using Visual Web Optimizer to increase conversions in enterprise businesses. The more specific the better.
Granted, I am still learning my place and getting my bearings, but my experience and the experience of others seems to point me in that direction.
None of them help much, but all of them together can help.
As I think to myself sometimes: Not a single step will be significant on a thousand mile journey.
I have earned a little more than 10k from freelancing in 2 years, (Still at university), but here are three places I got clients from: University job board, HN freelancer posts, profile on a freelancer website. I also had someone contact me on LinkedIn once but I didn't make it.
When I tried, most of them didn't help much at all. I am convinced, more often than not, that making a good wage as a freelancer/consultant is to have expertise in an area of interest - like using Ruby on Rails to increase sales of early stage startups through their online store; or using Visual Web Optimizer to increase conversions in enterprise businesses. The more specific the better.
Granted, I am still learning my place and getting my bearings, but my experience and the experience of others seems to point me in that direction.