How to break into freelancing

Getty ImagesI can't go a day without talking to someone about how to get started as a freelancer, consultant or entrepreneur. Some folks are going solo by necessity; others are betting on themselves over employers in a market where jobs are no more stable than gigs. I spent the weekend with my cousin and her fiance who had both been laid off from jobs in adventure travel. We brainstormed about how they could build careers as entrepreneurs or consultants.

A few days later I had lunch with a colleague who is in the midst of a negotiation with her boss about moving from employee to consultant because she thinks she'd have more opportunities if she diversified her client base rather than remain at one company.

Those conversations came in handy this morning when I was interviewed by Tory Johnson on how to break into freelancing for a video series promoting her new book, Fired to Hired, which will be published in early August.

Here's a summary of our chat:

Dip into freelancing while keeping your job. Start by quietly spreading the word that you are available for projects and taking on assignments that don't present a conflict with your current job. The goal is to test the waters to see whether your services are in demand and to have at least one or two clients lined up once you're completely out on your own.

Befriend your competitors. Having relationships with others who do what you do is the best way to solve many of the challenges facing freelancers (e.g. whether to take on a particular project, what to do with work that you can't take, what to charge for your services). Subscribe to the theory of abundance rather than scarcity by believing that there is plenty of work for everyone. Once you do, you'll find that people will recommend you often.

How to find the work? For starters, approach your former employers. They might be cutting staff, but the work still needs to get done and you know the culture. To find new clients, tell people what you're doing or what you want to be doing, and ask friends and colleagues for referrals. A few other ideas -- announce your services on your Facebook page, add an email signature to your outgoing emails, offer a discount to anyone who refers you a client, do some work for free in exchange for a testimonial or referrals.

Pitch new business as soon as you finish an assignment. As a freelancer, your best source of work is a satisfied client. So, assuming your work is good, an ideal time to ask for more work is when you've just completed a project, especially if the client was satisfied. Successful freelancers have a stable of steady clients who are always coming back for more.

Diversify your clients. If you can find one or two clients that can provide you with steady income, you'll save yourself lots of time pitching new business. Though those jobs might not be the sexiest, they will allow you to use your remaining time to pursue the dreamier ones. Also try to find clients in different sectors so that you can survive market downturns. So if you're a photographer and you're eager to do high end advertising shoots, be prepared do headshots, weddings and corporate events as well.

Any tips you can share?