The days when freelancing was regarded as a stop-gap solution for people with bills to pay but who cannot find a proper job are long gone. Incredible though it may sound, over a third of the US workforce is now made up of people who freelance. Many of these, of course, still have day jobs and ply their own trades on a sporadic or part-time basis as a means of securing an additional income. But a significant and growing number have made the conscious decision to market their own individual skills as an alternative to joining the rat-race.

If you have a talent which somebody else is likely to have a use for then the chances are you will be able to find work through the offices of freelancing web resources such as Elance or Freelancer. Succeeding at it much depends upon your own application and, frankly, your common sense, but there are four simple rules which it might help to be mindful of:

Rule #1: Host a Website

Any business these days, no matter how small, requires its own web presence of some kind or another. Use your website, blog or Facebook page wisely, to showcase your talents and reach out to potential clients.

Rule #2: Build Multiple Income Streams

Relying on one source of income makes you a hostage to fortune. By all means specialize in one area but have others as a back-up in case available work in your chosen field should dry up.

Rule #3: Advertise

You’re in business to make money, not to spend it, but there is no point in offering a service if potential customers don’t know it exists. There are many low-cost and even free options for advertising as well as pay-per-click, so seek out any opportunities you can find within your budget to get the word out there.

Rule #4: Don’t Be a Pushover

You may be desperate to earn money, but don’t sell yourself for less than you are worth as this will do nothing for your long-term reputation. Hold firm and decent business will come your way soon enough.