Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning if you decide to make a purchase via my links, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. See my disclosure for more info.
Remote freelance work has emerged as an excellent path for professionals seeking a dynamic and self-directed career. For the business-minded, remote freelancing represents an avenue for entrepreneurial pursuits, diverse collaborations, and global networking. This guide aims to help aspiring remote freelancers with invaluable insights, practical tips, and actionable strategies to map a successful and fulfilling career through remote work.
E-Commerce Consulting
Brick-and-mortar shops leave money on the table when they don’t offer their products and services online. An online store means a business can expand globally and reach millions of potential customers relatively cheaply.
Dropshipping has also become a popular online business model, thanks partly to e-commerce platforms. With dropshipping, store owners don’t stock any physical inventory and rely on suppliers or distributors to fill orders. Dropshipping store owners are responsible for marketing, sales, and support of their customers.
Many business owners need help to create and manage their online stores, whether it extends their real-world shop, is a pure e-commerce play, or is a dropshipping arrangement. Choosing the right software, integrating with other sites and systems, and setting up order processing can be a nightmare for those just starting. Store owners might be experts in their niche but need help with online sales and marketing.
If you’re well versed in e-commerce platforms like Woocommerce or Shopify, you can offer your expertise to new and existing online store owners. You can help with setup, design, integration, conversion rate optimization, or moving from one platform to another.
How much does an e-commerce consultant make?
E-commerce consultants on Upwork are charging between $25 and $120 an hour. Most fall in the $40-$50 per hour range. WooCommerce has a pool of certified WooExperts, most of whom charge at least $100 an hour.
Learn e-commerce
If you’ve run a successful store or dropshipping business, you might have all the knowledge you need to assist others. Otherwise, if you’re interested in learning the ins and outs of running an online store or need a refresher, check out these courses:
- Shopify Partner Academy
- How To Become A Shopify Expert (From Zero To Hero!)
- How to Build an E-commerce Store with WordPress & WooCommerce
- WordPress + E-Commerce Mastery: Build Your Online Store
Finding e-commerce consulting gigs
Shopify’s forum has over 750,000 members. WooCommerce has a Slack group, and they organize meetups. There are also Facebook groups dedicated to e-commerce and online selling.
You might generate business by participating in these communities, being helpful, and adding value. If you don’t spam and play nice, you get your name out there and demonstrate expertise. That could lead to opportunities and referrals.
If you can find independently owned shops in your area, you might convince them to try e-commerce. An online store isn’t suitable for every mom-and-pop shop, but if they have unique products, you could open an entirely new world.
The big remote freelancer marketplaces and job boards usually have plenty of e-commerce gigs available. Check out:
- Upwork
- FlexJobs
- Freelancer
Sales
Independent sales reps make up some or all of the sales force for many businesses. And it’s not just multi-level marketing companies like Avon or Pampered Chef.
Companies of all kinds face less financial risk when outsourcing sales to freelancers. Only paying for performance makes freelancers more cost-efficient than hiring, training, and paying salaries plus commissions to an in-house team. For startups, the time to market is quicker when hiring experienced freelancers with contacts in their industry.
Sales are not for everyone, though.
Most successful salespeople are personable and upbeat. You must be a good listener and use what you learn about the prospect to tailor your pitch. Handling rejection without taking it personally is a must.
It is best if you are comfortable with not getting paid unless you make a sale. Your income will fluctuate. You might only get paid once a month, so budget your money wisely.
Unless you have zero expenses or sufficient savings, or your family is not dependent on your income, you might want to start a sales commission-based side hustle rather than try to sell for your supper.
How much do contract salespeople make?
The sky is the limit if you have the right personality, strong sales skills, and the ability to close deals consistently. Sales can be one of the more lucrative ways to make a living, but it’s hard to put a number on potential earnings—commission structure, how leads are generated, and the product impact how much money you make.
That said, ZipRecruiter has the average annual pay for an Independent Sales Rep in the U.S. at $68,976 yearly, totaling $5,748 monthly.
Learn how to sell more effectively.
If you’re thinking of getting started in sales, either as a side gig or as a new career, here are three highly regarded sales courses:
- Practical Sales Techniques
- Learn to Sell Anything by Grant Cardone
- How to Prospect Over the Phone
Where to find remote freelance sales jobs online
Just about any general job website will have contract sales positions listed.
Start here:
- ZipRecruiter
- FlexJobs
- CommissionCrowd
Customer Support
Most customer support jobs can be done from home by freelancers. As long as you have a phone and a reliable internet connection, you can provide information, answer questions, and resolve customer issues.
Not everyone is a fit for customer support, though.
To succeed, you must have excellent communication skills, practice active listening, and show empathy when appropriate. A thick skin and the ability to deal with demanding customers are necessary. Companies will measure your performance partly by how quickly and accurately you respond, so you should be comfortable juggling multiple tasks.
Before you work with customers, you might need to complete training to learn the product you’re supporting and company policies. There might also be brand guidelines you need to master to ensure your communications are on point with the tone, style, and image the company wants projected to customers.
Some companies need remote freelancers to provide support after regular business hours. You might find a support role you can do on the side for extra income if you don’t see yourself pursuing a career as a support professional.
How much do freelance customer support jobs pay?
The average Customer Service Representative job pays $14.34 an hour, according to PayScale.com.
Sharpen your customer service skills.
Here are two courses that will help you hone the skills necessary to deliver excellent customer service:
- Customer Service: Soft Skills Fundamentals
- Customer Service Mastery: Delight Every Customer
Find work-from-home customer support jobs online
The sites below specialize in remote job opportunities. Have a look through the customer service jobs available:
- We Work Remotely
- Remote. co
- Support Driven
Bookkeeping
Keeping the books straight is critical to running a successful business. Nobody starts a business because they love using QuickBooks, other than maybe bookkeepers and accountants.
Every business has bills to pay and records to keep. Someone must also track receivables, do the payroll, and generate cash flow statements. Then there are taxes (sales, payroll, unemployment, corporate, etc.) to prepare and file.
It’s no surprise business owners hire someone else to manage their books. Non-profits and government agencies hire bookkeepers, but most of your freelance bookkeeping jobs will likely have you working with small businesses.
You don’t need an accounting or any degree to become a bookkeeper. It does not require certification.
Getting certified is a good idea if you’re starting. Certification gives you credibility, marketability, and an advantage over uncertified competitors. Check the websites of the National Association of Certified Public Bookkeepers and the American Institute of Professional Bookkeepers for more information.
Proficiency with QuickBooks is expected. Some businesses might use other bookkeeping apps like FreshBooks or Xero, but QuickBooks is standard, and your skills will transfer over to other software.
Professional liability insurance, often called errors and omissions insurance, is a good thing to have before accepting paid work. Insurance covers Errors and omissions if you make a critical error or forget to do something meaningful.
Hopefully, you’ll never have to use it, but offering your services without insurance adds an element of risk. Even if you’ve done nothing wrong, you must defend yourself if accused or blamed. E&O insurance can help with court costs, attorney fees, and other administrative fees.
How much do freelance bookkeepers make?
According to ZipRecruiter, the average salary for virtual bookkeepers is $38,193 as of 2020. That totals about $18 hourly or a little over $3,000 monthly.
Learn how to start a bookkeeping business
If you’ve done accounting or bookkeeping work for an employer, you might have all the skills you need to have for remote freelance. Otherwise, community colleges and universities offer non-degree accounting and bookkeeping classes. There are also online courses available.
Here are some top online bookkeeping courses:
- Bookkeeping Basics #1: Understand the Fundamentals
- Bookkeeping – Step-by-Step Mastery
You can also take free classes at Bookkeepers.com. Their courses cover the business of bookkeeping. They’ll help you decide if the business is right for you.
Where to find bookkeeping clients
The best way to find a remote freelance bookkeeping job could be leveraging your existing connections. Former colleagues, friends, and family might be able to refer business to you.
You can also check the big job boards and freelance job sites as they do list bookkeeping opportunities:
- Upwork
- Indeed
- FlexJobs
Salesforce CRM Administration
Salesforce.com is the largest provider of CRM (Customer Relationship Management) software. Some of the largest companies in the world use their cloud-based tools, but many smaller businesses also use them for sales, customer support, and marketing.
The software is extremely robust and can be customized for B2B and B2C businesses. For the new user, it can be overwhelming.
Many companies will hire a consultant to get up and running or an administrator to optimize the experience, shorten the learning curve, and keep the software running smoothly.
If you’ve used Salesforce extensively in your work, there are plenty of services you can offer, including:
- Initial setup
- Training new users and admins
- Customization
- Integration with other apps
- Optimization
- Ongoing maintenance
Salesforce is an investment. Helping people make the most out of it can be lucrative.
How Much Does a Salesforce Administrator Make?
LinkedIn says the average Salesforce administrator salary in the U.S. is $75,000.
On Upwork, certified Salesforce admins charge up to $185 an hour, most falling in the $50 to $100 per hour range.
Learn Salesforce.com Administration and Get Certified
Salesforce.com offers plenty of free training. There are courses available that cover practical, real-world skills and use cases. Start with Trailhead, which is Salesforce’s free learning platform. You’ll probably learn something new even if you’ve used Salesforce before.
Salesforce has several certifications available. If you’re going to work as a remote freelance Salesforce admin, you’ll need one or more of these certs to win business.
The Salesforce Administrator credential is necessary, and you might want to pursue the Advanced Administrator certification. Find out more about what you need to learn and how to get your certification here: Salesforce administrator certification.
Where to Find Freelance Salesforce Admin Jobs
Networking with other Salesforce online and in your area is a great way to establish yourself as an expert. You’ll make connections quickly if you contribute quality content and answer questions in the Trailblazer community groups. Check Meetup.com for local user groups as well.
Blogging and building a social media presence are ways to generate leads—post on CRM-related topics like sales, customer service, and the Salesforce software. Prospects will see you as an authority in the space.
Here are some additional resources to help you find remote freelance Salesforce admin work:
- The Salesforce App Exchange Job Board
- People Per Hour
- Flexjobs
Though the vast networking opportunities and diverse skills can be overwhelming, it should also be reassuring to job seekers that there are many ways to secure work. Save this guide and refer to it often to remind you where to sharpen your skills or look for new job postings. Perhaps you might develop remote freelance skills in one or more related fields listed above, making yourself even more valuable.
