Whether you’re a talented writer, software developer or you’re a gifted designer, embarking on a freelance career is a rewarding and lucrative career move. While it’s easy to get swept up in the excitement of being your own boss and working on new, challenging projects, freelancers should be wary of starting this new chapter of their working life without the right equipment and tools in place.

What many freelancers fail to realise is that solopreneurship consists of a lot of admin, computer work and juggling multiple responsibilities. From your marketing to your accounts, networking, client satisfaction and even IT support, it’s all in your hands! Thankfully, the right approach and the correct investments will ensure your freelance career hits the ground running. By taking the time to organise your freelance career you’ll save yourself time, money and energy giving you more resources to use doing what you do best!

Let’s explore some freelancing tools entrepreneurs should never be without.

Accounting Software

Possibly one of the most daunting prospects of freelancing is having to handle all your own bookkeeping and accounts. Not only is creating invoices crucial to getting paid, but it’s also your responsibility to ensure that these payment requests are accurate, professional and sent out on time. It’s for these reasons that many individuals utilise accounting software for freelancers as a way to streamline these responsibilities and ensure that their payment process is professional, accurate and easy to manage.

Using accounting software means automated invoices, customisable templates, easier invoicing and faster payments, giving you more time to concentrate on building a successful freelance career.

An Online Portfolio

Whether you’re a writer or a social media manager, working as a freelancer means you’re in charge of promoting your business and seeking out contracts. By having a portfolio and keeping it updated, you’ll be able to direct potential clients to your work and showcase your achievements, reviews and recognition. Having this simple tool in your arsenal will make gaining contracts much easier.

Social Media Management Software

As a freelancer, you’ll find that digital marketing is crucial to your career. Sharing your content across multiple platforms, handling queries, responding to comments and other social media-based tasks, will take valuable time away from your projects and other responsibilities – this is where social media management software comes in. Tools such as Hootsuite, Agorapulse, BuzzSumo and others will help you manage your social media effectively and allow you to post, share and network effectively without being stuck in front of your screen all day.

A Good Home Office Set Up

Working as a freelancer means working from home, therefore, you’re going to need a good home set up to ensure your working day is productive. A good laptop with the right capabilities, online office tools, a work mobile, editing software for photos and video content, headsets or microphones for video calls, as well as good lighting and somewhere comfortable to sit.