Freelancing as a way of life is finding an increased number of takers the world over, with Kenya being no different.
While there are several people in Kenya who already work as freelancers, some are making the most of their opportunities by working with international clients.
This typically means they earn more money than they would have if they stick to Kenyan clients.
Fortunately, finding and working with international clients might be simpler than you think.
All you need to do is follow the right approach.
What's Covered in This Article
How to Find and Work with International Clients
Use Global Freelancing Platforms
Online global freelancing platforms give Kenyans an easy way to work with international clients.
All the good ones have multiple categories from which to choose, so you may expect to find work according to your skill sets. Some of the leading global freelancing platforms include:
- Upwork (previously oDesk and Elance)
- Fiverr
- Guru
- PeoplePerHour
- com
- 99Designs
- iWriter
- HubStaff
When you start, consider registering with more than one website.
Bid on multiple projects at the same time, because not every client will accept your proposal.
You may need to keep your bids low because experienced freelancers might also be applying for the same jobs.
What Type of Work Can You Find?
You can think about finding international freelance work in different realms.
Some of the categories that find favour with international clients include:
- Web, mobile, and software development
- Writing
- Information Technology (IT) and networking
- Data sciences and analytics
- Engineering and architecture
- Design
- Creative
- Translation
- Legal
- Admin support
- Customer service
- Sales and marketing
- Accounting
Carry Out Your Own Research
Use the internet to look for individuals or businesses that have hired freelancers with the skill sets you have to offer. Send them emails asking for advice with questions such as:
- What do they look for in potential freelancers?
- How do they find suitable freelancers?
- What results do they expect?
Bear in mind that not everyone will reply to your emails. However, when you word your emails carefully, making them seem like you’re asking for advice, you might be surprised at the number of people who send replies.
Besides, the idea here is to get an indication of how employers deal with freelancers.
Any work you get out of this process is simply icing on the cake.
If you don’t know where to look, scouting client lists of other freelancers from your realm might serve as a good starting point.
Contact Other Freelancers
Don’t think of other freelancers as competition. Instead, view them as part of a rapidly growing global community.
Once you’ve established a good rapport with freelancers from your field, ask them if they can do with your help in handling some of their workloads.
Online and offline networking events give you opportunities to interact with other freelancers.
What Else Can You Do?
If you have attended school to master your skill set, consider staying in touch with your classmates because they might lead you to relevant projects.
If you have an existing job or a regular source of income, consider offering your services for free on a trial period.
If you think you are an expert in your field, you can even market yourself as a consultant.
Getting Paid
Freelancers who work with international clients often end up losing a noticeable percentage of their earning through unfavourable exchange rates and fees.
To make the most of your money, ask your clients if they mind sending money to Kenya through specialist money transfer companies such as TransferWise, WorldRemit, or OFX.
What helps is that these companies can also help your clients save some money.
Conclusion
If you are proficient in what you do and you can carry out your work remotely, there is no reason why you cannot work with international clients.
The internet, after all, continues to make the world a smaller place.
At the same time, the freelancing community continues to grow.
—About the Author—
Jon works as a researcher with iCompareFX. This online platform gives its users easy means to compare the world’s top overseas money transfer companies across different parameters. Outside of work, Jon likes listening to music from across genres.
