Must-have’s in going freelance

Here are things you need to have and work on if you want to take your online teaching career to a whole new level.

1. Your own platform, a website.

I have written about the importance of having a website here and I understand how that sounds like a lot of hard work or money and may even seem impossible for those who do not have any idea about putting up a website or those who do not have money to hire a developer. But let me tell you again, that I, too, did not have any background in web-design and development. And that I didn’t have the sum of money I was quoted for the website that I required. What I had was only Php600 to buy a domain (url). So, I bought a domain without any idea at all what to do with it but with all the determination to learn all there was to learn to put up a website, all by myself, if that’s what it would take for me to make my dream a reality.
You can start learning more about it by using free platforms like wordpress.com, weebly, googlesites, blogger, wix, etc.. But sooner or later, you will have to buy and move all your content to your own hosting.

2. Web Content

This is something that you can start to work on now if you are truly serious in going on your own. You don’t need to have a website yet if you find that too difficult or overwhelming. In fact, it is actually better to have your web content first before putting up your website. What I refer to as your web content are the information and write-up’s that you want to display on your website.
Who are you? What are your missions and visions? What services do you offer? What are your terms and conditions? How much do you charge? How do you collect payment? Etc..
The only thing that can stop you from writing your web content is YOU. So, again, make no excuses. Start from the easy stuff. If you cannot do the easiest part, don’t even think about going on your own anymore. That would all be nothing else but daydreaming.

3. Lesson Materials/resources.

You can’t expect to get a pay higher than what you are already getting from your ESL company if you don’t have your own materials. Why would a student, for instance, want to spend more money on materials they’re already getting free of charge from ESL companies?
Having your own materials doesn’t necessarily mean you have to make or write your own materials from scratch. In the beginning, you may perhaps use books that students have to buy from Amazon and the like. That means that you might need to invest in the same books. The key is to NOT use free materials anyone can use. You may use such free mateials online as supplementary materials, of course.
And how about you make your own materials? This is something that you can do little by little. It’s not easy but it’s also not as difficult as you think. You may actually use the free materials you find online as a guideline. You may just modify them or even improve them. The most important thing in making your materials, aside from content and objectives, is the structure.

4. Booking system.

Another very important thing to consider is how you’re going to organize your schedule and make it easy for your students to book a lesson with you. Keep in mind that one of the main reasons why ESL learners now prefer online lessons is because it is very convenient. Having a booking system similar to what ESL companies have makes everything easier and more convenient not only for your students but yourself.
When and if you already have a website, there are plugins available online which you can install into and integrate with your website. Some are free of charge, some are not. I started with the free versions, of course, but at some point you’re going to have to upgrade to the premium versions for a more professional and positive impression.

5. Payment gateway.

As I have mentioned in another article, how you collect payments from your learners must be convenient and trustworthy. I use Paypal. Paypal is also used by ESL companies as a payment option. It’s a payment platform already tested and proven safe by millions of users.
Paypal can be easily integrated with almost any website. You also have the option to request payments via email using Paypal or you can even create an invoice to make it a little more professional. There are tutorials online that you can refer to to learn more about the features of Paypal.
Make no excuses. Get closer to your goals one step at a time. Start with the things you find easier to do. They will help you build confidence in yourself as you go on to the bigger and more challenging ones. “Do whatever you can, with whatever you have, wherever you are.” And however slow you make progress, do take those small steps to move forward. Stop making excuses. Cheers! 😉