Book Review: 10 Steps to Freelancing Online by Daniel Ong’era

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The online freelancing journey is not easy as some people make it sound. Yes, all these people with laptops on the beach don’t tell you the whole story.

It’s fun to work from anywhere, dress up anyhow, and have clients all over the world. But on the other side, there are skills to perfect, deadlines to beat, and endless hours to work.

10 Steps to Freelancing Online by Daniel Ong’era comes to bridge the gap for you. It’s a handy book that lists the exact steps you need to take to become a highly sought-after freelancer.

No, this is not your ordinary freelancing book. Here are the key takeaways…

I know what you’re thinking: Same old tips, right? Wrong!

In 2013, Daniel was a watchman earning $150 per month. By 2017, he was a top-rated copywriter earning $50 per hour. He spent a year waking up at 4am to take 2-3 hours writing this book.

I’ve been a freelancer since 2011 and guess what? I still found a lot of value here. So, it’s not the ordinary freelancing tips you get everywhere. In fact, it’s deeper than some of the books I’ve read by big-name authors.

Here are the key takeaways:

1. There’s a client out there who’s looking for your talent stack

You don’t succeed because you’re excellent at one skill. You need a talent stack.

You can actually be average in a couple of skills. But these skills combined give you a unique talent stack that valuable clients look for.

I love his perspective on his personal talent stack and his in-depth guidance on how you can take advantage of your own.

<h3 “”=””>2. The savior mentality can make you stand out from the crowd

Take time to literally study your prospects and figure out their most pressing problems.

What is the biggest thing you can help them achieve?

After analyzing your capacity, go ahead and show them how you’re better at fixing the problem than your competitors.

3. There are many freelancing options. Learn exactly how to choose the right one.

Let me ask you something:

Do you really know how many types of jobs you can do online? No, online freelancing is not just about article writing or transcription. There are thousands of options available. In fact, Upwork alone lists over 8,000 skills.

Daniel breaks this down and helps you to identify what option is most appropriate for you. After reading this, you may review exactly what you want to do online. Unfortunately, many people get this wrong.

The good news is that 10 Steps to Freelancing Online will make it easier for you to decide.

4. Niching, explained (including when niching went terribly wrong for Daniel)

Daniel recommends niching down. He’s very realistic about this so he tells it as it is.

Some experts make it seem like niching is the be-all and end-all. Like once you niche, your bank account automatically starts getting fatter.

Daniel shares the reasoning behind his claim on why you should niche. He also explains what happened when niching went terribly wrong for him. He gives practical solutions for such instances, too.

5. Understand how to charge clients

Finally, your question on what you should charge your potential clients is answered here.

You don’t just pick a figure and throw it to all your clients. There are important factors to consider. He lists them out and one that really stands out is opportunity cost.

He explains that well so that you don’t have a blanket quote without understanding important project details.

6. My favorite part: The psychology behind how you should package yourself, persuade people to hire you, conduct interviews, and more

One of the reasons I’ve been following Daniel for years and reading most of the stuff he posts on social media is this:

He’s one of those freelancers who reads many books on business, influence, psychology, persuasion, etc.

I love psychology. You will, too, when you read this book.

Using proven psychological concepts, Daniel shows you how to:

Make people consider you a pro
Make strategic freelancing decisions
Conduct interviews
Persuade clients to hire you
Fix your mistakes without embarrassing yourself
Earn consistently
Increase your rates

There’s much more. Buy the book now and let Daniel show you the way himself

You must agree that going from a watchman earning $150 per month to earning $50 per hour is a great achievement.

To put this into better perspective, Daniel can now earn $150 at home in just 3 hours. That’s what he used to make in a whole month walking over 1km to and from work and spending nights in the cold protecting people’s homes.

He’s now giving his wife, Teresa, and their children a better life.

And through this book, he can show you the exact steps you can take to succeed as an online freelancer.

This book for you if you’re an aspiring freelancer who wants to make the right decisions. Or if you’re a veteran who wants to go to the next level. Here’s how to buy 10 Steps to Freelancing Online by Daniel Ong’era:

Or if you want a locally printed copy, buy it at Writers Guild Bookshop. Call them at 0748055879 or email them at write@writersguild.co.ke.