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Can a Freelancer make it on a foreign market?



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Can a Freelancer make it on a foreign market?

Hello, 

I'm not talking about Fiverr and other freelancing platforms and big sites. But I'm talking about ... can you independently, through your very own website, make yourself known, get good reputation and get noticed abroad, if you're not from the country where you want to sell your services and market yourself? If you've never even been there. Is that even remotely possible? Can the distance, the psychical distance, be shortened and trust between a company and a potential client be established in any way? Do you have any success stories that maybe you would want to share with us and give us tips and motivate people who want to try? We all know the internet is a dangerous place full of scammers and spammers but a man's word gotta mean something, right? What else do we have?

Greetings 

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jayjaydimson
Yes, of course, everyone can make it on a foreign market. As long as it's online because everything can be accessed by the use of the internet.



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jeffreyjose48
I think so. You can make it there if you have the determination and goal. Your only need is commitment that no matter what will happen you choose to be over it.



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Youngshark
The content also needs to be relevant to the audience at hand which will make you impress the locals. However, you can make your own unique content which is marketable and with enough zeal you will certainly achieve success. I do not think that national boundaries really matter in the online world as it is content which is king.



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theresajane
I agree with you. Internet has made everything so easy for people nowadays. But, one should understand that since internet has given us a lot of avenues to be successful and be famous, a freelance should do his best and to not just wait for the blessings, work hard and earn it the right way.



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Youngshark
Hard work always pays and when one spends sufficient effort the rewards will surely come later on. I hate to be the motivational speaker but you can never expect to get anything for granted and without putting in work then proper rewards will be far from forthcoming. Always do your best and trust that it will bring you the right pay.



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overcast
I think freelancers do better on foreign work. Because first world nations are in search of low cost. That means they have to go for the foreign nations for the work. And that requires one to be regularly going for the cost cutting. I have seen that most of the people outsourcing to other nations. They are the ones who are more likely to be getting clients through. It seems to be working out for many freelancers.



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jaybee19
That's true. I know someone who's a Freelancer (he's a Filipino) in a very famous website that offers jobs for freelancers and almost all of his clients are foreigners from countries in the US and Europe. I believe it's actually because the exchange rate in dollars to peso and most Asian countries are very small that they are willing to give the jobs at a price that is considered high on the local market of the freelancers.



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overcast
Yes. Filipinios have more credibility than any other asian country. They seem to be loyal and also good in terms of the attitude. So I'd say that freelancers from that nation tend to do well compared to other nations. I'd definitely go for the filipinos if you are to be seriously working on the small jobs and other freelancing jobs.



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jaybee19
Thanks for recognizing the efforts of my fellowmen. I am also a Filipino and it's true that most of us are honest workers and are very loyal to our jobs especially if our employers are good people or if we're being paid according to the efforts we give. However, to be fair, there are also Filipinos who are dishonest and I believe that each and every nation has people that are honest and loyal or dishonest and disloyal.



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overcast
Yes but mostly I have came across the good ones. I am lucky so far in that case. i think we all have bad side. But the world chooses to work with what they benefit from. That's why some countries have bad reputation and some have good. That's how it works I guess.



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jaybee19
I'm glad you came across the good ones mate. You are truly lucky. And yes, each country has a bad side and I believe that I am lucky that my fellow Filipino freelancers are doing their best to gain trust from the international market because they are truly paving the way for freelancers like me who also wants to gain profit from freelancing.



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overcast
Yes. exactly. That seems to be the point. When we become honest we help others from our own community. And that is then domino effect plays out for the rest. Another thing is that it would be seriously harder for other countries to compete now.



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Corzhens
I agree and disagree in working on a foreign market because I had experienced some sites that do not accept paid content providers if they are not US residents. That is plain discrimination but I understand the concern about having a form for Americans only. Even if you can write good English there is the sentence construction and the use of words and idioms that would reveal your true color.



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overcast
I have seen that US residents tend to believe the local workers. But then again the work from US is a bit too high to consider that local workers can be hired for. And on that note I'd say that foreign market does change from time to time. So we just have to find out who is better worker and get it for retention if they are good enough.



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Kakashi2020
I think that you really needs to use a platform to tap the foreign market. Doing it all by yourself is counter productive and illogical. This is because there's a lot of freelance job platforms or sites that can make your journey shorter.



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amelia88
I'd agree with that - and that's basically the route I'm going down right now, to go via platforms to be able to market myself to a wider audience. I think eventually as I build more of a name for myself then that might be different, but for right now using platforms makes it quicker and easier to connect with people needing freelancers from all over the globe.



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theresajane
Anyone can, break through a foreign market. However, that person must have the skills, passion and consistency to be able to stand still and survive in an unfamiliar market. I always admire people who have influence not only in their country.



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mark8625
That is right. Everyone can work freelance job in the internet wherever you are. The characteristics that you have mentioned above was really important to be a good and successful freelancer.



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amelia88
I think you're right with those skills that are needed, and that kind of resilience and perseverance is such a great thing for freelancers to have. I think for a freelancer to be really resilient and able to thrive in a foreign market will set them in good stead for their entire career.



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mark8625
The best weapon of freelancer must have is the skills and experienced for them to grow and become effective freelancer. The employer typically looking for these qualifications in order for them to make sure that the candidate can able to perform the task the they will be given.



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vhinz
Yes it is possible. I"m living in Asia and I have friends that are freelancers and their clients are coming from USA, Europe, Canada and other countries. Although there are really scammers, there are still foreign clients that are honest and pay well for the work done. It's just that in these days, freelancers that have been for a while and have done many projects are most likely to be trusted foreign clients compared to those who are just starting out. I think it would a big help if a freelancer has own website to promote the services he/she is offering. A portfolio is a big factor also. Being active in social media, forums, and groups where a freelancer can share his/her knowledge could lead to clients from different countries.



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stbrians
Why not my friend. Here on Seocheckout we meet people from many countries. If you develop your website and market it here then you will still get people from other countries.



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Youngshark
If you have the right skills and you are familiar with the language that the content is being requested in then I think you are pretty much good to go. There are numerous sites that are not set up locally which I have personally worked from and earned some good cash. It all depends on how good you are with the jobs.



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Barida
To be honest with you, it is always going to be pretty difficult to make this happen especially when you are coming from a developing country. What I think is that once what you are offering is a load of values, it may payoff at the end, but this is not going to be easy.



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Youngshark
Yeaah you have to start off hard but if you are incredibly great then you will always impress and people will learn to see beyond the nationality. They will appreciate the content that you deliver to them instead.



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kaka135
I think it is possible, though I don't have my success stories to share. I know some local software companies hire freelancers from India, and they communicate via Internet, either email, Skype, WhatsApp, Trello or other tools. As a freelance programmer, I haven't get a chance to work with a foreign company yet, but when I am working for a local software company, we communicated via those online communication tools without having to meet each other too. So I don't think physical distance matters.



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cmoneyspinner
I have tried or tested a foreign market. I tried France. It didn't work for me. But I probably did not try hard enough. I wouldn't discourage any freelancer from trying to make it in a foreign market. Why not? It's a great opportunity.



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mitan143
Yes, it happens and in fact the trend now is to reach out people worldwide. Your business can also be successful outside your country as long as you are very resourceful and you have a lot of information about the industry you are in. It also depends on your approach, and you should also consider your resources if it worth to introduce your business internationally. You might also consider if your business is locally sucessful already. Why not try to make it big and popular within your place first.



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vinaya
Based on my experience I can say you can. I am based in Nepal, however, I have worked with the clients in the US, UK, Australia and Canada. However, in order to market yourself in the international arena, you need to be well know. I don't mean to say you should be well known like Brad Pitt, what I mean is when people are looking for freelancers, your name should pop up n search engines. You also need to build your portfolio on social sites. Marketing is the key to succeed as a freelancer.



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mark8625
Definitely yes. Freelancer can do foreign market. In the Philippines there are so many online worker who is working in international company especially in United States of America,England, Canada and Australia. Freelance job is not focusing in local area it is international job too.



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vhinz
Foreign clients hires freelancers from the Philippines because they will pay lesser compared to other countries. US dollar for example has higher value in it is converted to Philippine currency. And of course there are lots of good freelancers from the Philippines.



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mark8625
That is right. Philippines man power salary is really cheap compared to the salary in the U.S. in general. This is also the reason why they liked Filipino to hire because they pay low compensation but has a world class standard of work from Filipinos.



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amelia88
I've heard of the Philippines being a huge growing market for freelancers. I'm from the US originally and I know a lot of companies there outsource a great deal of work to there, especially things like call center work and online chat support. Most people I have met from the Philippines have excellent English too, so it makes sense that businesses would want to deal with freelancers from there.



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mark8625
What you have heard was right. Philippines is still dominating other countries when it comes to Business Processing Outsourcing and now the freelance industry as well. No doubt that foreign employer like in Western and Europe likes Filipino worker not only because of the world class work that Filipino can do but also the salary in the Philippines is low compared to other countries.



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vhinz
BPO is a great opportunity for Filipinos. Many Filipinos now are working from their home. They earn great amount of money more than a regular employee in a company that's why many decided to resign from their day job and work as a freelancer.



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NerdIndeed
Everything is possible. But I believe you have to start from somewhere, and that is where those freelance platforms like Fiverr will come into play. Once you gained good recognition with the services you offer, you can ditch those platforms and start receiving jobs directly from clients whether it be local or even overseas.

Impossible is nothing.
- Adidas



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jpk0007
I think globalization has brought us all together in spite of our various differences. The world has become a single community and the best example of that is the online world. I think even if there may be some issues when dealing with foreign workers or foreign clients, overall people are able to give and receive services without any problems, Although I hope in the near future the number of companies outsourcing there works to other countries will eventually increase.



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vhinz
The power of the internet makes remote working possible. Outsourcing is a great opportunity for the countries that are lacking jobs for its citizens. Good opportunity to work for foreign clients without leaving home and earn substantial income. This is also great for those who were not able to finished their schooling but has skills.



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amelia88
In my opinion, absolutely. I think in fact it's easier for freelancers to succeed on a global scale rather than just sticking to their local community for work.

One of the best things about freelancing is it really is borderless. Live in Europe but want to get the opinion/design of someone in the USA? It's simple to find someone to consult with. Want some graphic design that you can't seem to find the right fit for locally? Expand your search!

Freelancing is the way of the future in my opinion, and is something that really does transcend country lines.



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thejoyrevolutio
Yes I think so. Online freelance jobs in my country often comes abroad so it would be easier to be recognize in another country. As long you are hard working or have good contents nothing is impossible.



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DISTEFANO115
Yes, due to the improvement of social media there are already platforms such as Upwork, FreeUp that provides this kind of service. The site is a platform for business owners to offer jobs and where freelancers go to find a job.



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Jeane
It is possible to make it on a foreign market as long as you speak the same language. For example, an acquaintance who lives in India does a lot of web design for Canadian clients. She's good at what she does and for something like web design it is not that hard to make it in a foreign market. As long as you can show your clients how good you are, you'll be hired. You get paid after the work is done after all.

So yes, it is possible to make it as a freelancer on a foreign market.



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allyn2017
If you are determined to be there then maybe you can make it. It depends on the person on how hard working they are. It is a slim chance tho, but don't lose hope.



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jaymish2
It depends on where you are from however,I think they can. If they can find a way to showcase their skills. For example when if you a writer, you need to be able off the bat to be able to show that you can really write. I think it is also easier to get a job in a foreign market if you make your prices cheaper. I think that you are likely to to be in a prime position.In the USA many clients hire freelancers from outside the states e.g from India and the Philippines.



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mark8625
Yes that is so true. Western companies hired Filipino workers especially online because they know that Filipino are working hard and they can deliver a world class standard of job. Aside from that the salary is cheaper compared to the US and other countries.



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amelia88
I think the other great thing about employees from the Philippines is that their English is fantastic. It’s easy for them to integrate easily into a US market.



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jayjaydimson
Yes, why not. Anyone can be on a foreign market, as long as you know what you are doing.



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jayjaydimson
Yes, definitely. Because there's a lot of people from any other country that their website has been known all over the world. If your site has the content that the people are looking for, you can get into it.



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silvia232
Yeah, freely. I make landing pages for my clients from Eastern Europe and do not feel ant discomfort or something. Thanks to detailed plans of work I have a clear picture of what I have to do. Moreover very often I advise my clients some of my referral programs like my web hosting provider services Zomro.net or Wix promos. The results are pleased by everybody



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Corzhens
The internet is now a universal place that physical distance does not matter much anymore. I once had ordered a product from an online store that when delivered, I learned that it came from Hongkong. That is clearly an indication that online transactions are transparent with the distance or should I say distance is not an object. With a freelancer who is good enough for the job I guess he can do it in a foreign market.



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knnon
Yes of course anyone can make it in the foreign market it all depends on the high quality service you can offer your clients. It might take time but you'll definitely breakthrough to foreign market through your clients who are satisfied with your work.



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