3 Pillars of Freelancing

Build a business, not a client list.

Author

Diksha Kalra
September 26, 2025

One of the biggest mistakes people make in freelancing is treating it like a job. You find clients → you get comfortable → you only do client work. Because that feels like your “job,” right?

But here’s the problem: when a client stops sending work → you feel stuck with no immediate income → you end up going back to full-time.

Sounds familiar? You’re not alone.

The rookie mistake is this: treating freelancing like a job, when in reality it’s a business that runs on a system.

Freelancing as a Business

In Job: Security comes from a salary every month. A manager assigns tasks. HR handles hiring.

In Business: The moment you stop showing up, the inflow of work also stops.

Think about it: A bakery doesn’t stop marketing just because they sold 100 cakes last week.

Similarly, as freelancers, we can’t stop building visibility just because two clients filled our calendar.

The Freelancing System

  • Outreach = your “sales team”

  • Content = your “marketing department”

  • Positioning = your “branding”

Together, these pillars turn freelancing into a small but sustainable business.

Without a system: Freelancing becomes a string of short gigs → burnout → return to full-time.
With a system: Freelancing compounds into referrals, higher rates, and client choice.

Ask yourself: if you stopped client work today, would you still have visibility, leads, or a pipeline to fall back on?

It matters to clients as well:
Founders and brands prefer working with freelancers who treat freelancing like a business — it signals reliability, consistency, and a professional approach.

Outreach – First Pillar of Freelancing

Outreach is the most essential pillar of freelancing. It can feel daunting and taxing—especially when you’re just getting started—but it’s also survival 101. Lucky are those whose business runs purely on referrals and inbounds. For everyone else, learning the art of outreach is non-negotiable.

There are two types of outreach:

Cold outreach – When you reach out to someone and directly ask for work.
Best for when you’re actively looking for new clients.

Warm outreach – When you connect with someone, build a relationship first, and then ask for work later (or when they have a need).
Best for when you’re already booked but want to keep networking for the future.

P.S. If you’d like me to cover this topic, Outreach, in detail then reply to this email with your questions and I’ll do it in the coming editions.

Content Creation –– 2nd Pillar of Freelancing

People who understand the importance of distribution are the ones who take content creation seriously. The rest usually struggle with it and then talk nonsense about why “content doesn’t work.”

Why Content Creation?

  • For beginners, it builds a portfolio.

  • For others, it creates visibility.

  • It brings inbound leads and referrals.

  • It helps in networking.

  • It builds a personal brand.

(And I’m sure there must be more than this)

Long-term benefit

  • Content is not just about leads; it compounds. Old posts keep bringing visibility, and your online presence becomes an asset that works for you even when you’re not actively reaching out.

  • When you post about the work you’re doing (case studies, lessons, behind-the-scenes), it doubles as both marketing and social proof.

Things to keep in mind while creating content:

  • Be clear about the goal behind your content.

  • Define your target audience — founders, brands, creators.

  • Decide the type of posts you’ll write for them (funny, industry insights, educational, promotional, ICP-focused).

  • Choose the platform where your audience actually hangs out.

  • Content creation should not eat up client work time. Even 2–3 posts a week done well are enough to build authority.

If you stay consistent, improve your content quality, and track your growth by analysing metrics — content will work for you, and it can do wonders for your business.

Positioning –– 3rd Pillar of Freelancing

Positioning = how people see you in the market.

The difference between any writer and the writer who is known for what they do is the work of positioning.

Without positioning: I write blogs, copy, and scripts.

With positioning: I do personal branding via scriptwriting and LinkedIn ghostwriting.

See the difference?

With positioning, you aren’t just a “writer” or another option in the market. You become unique and specific. So, whenever someone needs personal branding services, your name will come to mind.

But what if I don’t want to niche down just yet?

If you’re a beginner who hasn’t chosen a niche, positioning is still important.

Here’s the nuance: positioning is about how you portray yourself in the market, not necessarily everything you’re working on behind closed doors.

For example, I know a well-known copywriter who has also ghostwritten books. But to the market, she is known only as a copywriter.

So here’s my advice: pick a few formats you’re genuinely interested in and position yourself around those. Take on other types of work quietly if you want to explore. Later, when you feel more aligned, you can switch your positioning without any issue. Since you’re still early in your journey, switching would not be an issue.

How to position yourself:

  • Decide what you want to be known for (pick 1–2 services or formats).

  • Reflect that clearly in your LinkedIn headline, bio, and portfolio.

  • Create content that reinforces this expertise—share case studies, tips, or behind-the-scenes from your chosen area.

  • Repeat your value proposition often, so people start associating you with it.

This is it!

These were the 3 pillars of freelancing. As you go along this journey, you’ll run your own experiments, create your own “swear by’s,” and eventually replace some of them with new ones. That’s part of the process, and that’s what growth looks like.

Take inspiration from this newsletter issue, tweak it, mold it, and make it your own — that’s the whole point of Charaiveti.

If you have any questions about this or anything else, feel free to drop them by replying to this email or leaving a comment below.

I’ll see you in the next edition. Until then,
Toddles!

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