In this modern economy, it’s simply not enough to depend on a single income stream. Even IT professionals that are supposed to enjoy hefty paychecks every month may still need to investigate an alternative income source. To achieve a financially secure future, you will have to work extra hard, which is understandable.
One thing’s for sure, you can always set up a business that guarantees passive income. But, as we all know, building a business involves a great deal of time and resources. On the other hand, you can also try out freelancing if you already have a target niche in mind.
Let’s look at a few freelancing ideas that should get you started.
1. Illustration
The visual medium has always been an important marketing device. People are naturally drawn to a product if it’s cleverly presented by engaging graphics. Still, it takes a great deal of talent to create stunning pieces of art that entrepreneurs can use to promote their businesses. And no doubt, these businesses can spend a lot of money on freelance illustrators.
According to Glassdoor, creatives can earn a gross income of $82,000, depending on your experience and the quality of your output. A pro tip: you may want to build a portfolio of original work and upload it to a professional website or through platforms like LinkedIn and Behance. That way, people can look you up and hire you for special digital marketing projects.
2. Virtual Assistant Services
Real estate professionals and attorneys are becoming increasingly dependent on virtual assistants. As their workload increases, they will need extra help from home-based secretaries who can handle a wide array of administrative and personal tasks.
Contrary to what many people think, becoming a virtual assistant is easy. All it takes is to understand the niche and undergo virtual capacity-building training. Aside from that, you also need to have a thorough understanding of communication tools like Skype and marketing platforms like HubSpot, that is if your client wants to improve their marketing capabilities.
3. Survey respondent
Isn’t it annoying when you’re about to watch a YouTube video and you’re asked to fill out an advertising survey? Well, most of us seem to think that filling out surveys is a complete waste of precious time. For some, however, it’s a great way to make a quick buck.
If you’re saving up for a vacation to Japan or the Bahamas, you can start by filling out online surveys. It’s easy and it’s highly lucrative. You only need to find sites that provide surveys for money. Just fill out and submit the questionnaires and you’ll get a hefty reward in return! If you have a lot of time on your hands, then why not spend it answering a few questions?
4. Ghostwriter
Have a flair for words? You can always put your academic and creative skills to the test by moonlighting as a freelance ghostwriter. Your role basically covers a wide range of areas, from academics to e-book writing. All you need is to understand the tone of your client and create content that matches this tone, more or less. It can be complicated at times, but it’s a lucrative venture to say the least.
