Developing marketing and communication freelancer business – opportunities and challenges
Keso, Sebastian (2024)
2024
All rights reserved. This publication is copyrighted. You may download, display and print it for Your own personal use. Commercial use is prohibited.
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2024053119099
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2024053119099
Tiivistelmä
This study examines the opportunities and challenges in the communication and marketing freelance work. The theoretical framework focuses on defining freelancing, exploring the features of communication and marketing freelancers’ identity, character, and specialized skills commonly found in this field. The research also investigates motivations like potential for higher income, remote work, and experiences like control over own work of freelancers as well as the benefits of freelance work for companies.
The research objectives were achieved through a literature review and empirical data analysis. A questionnaire was used to collect information from freelancers in Finland, which complements the existing literature. The data-driven analysis provides a view of the fast-evolving business landscape and gig economy, highlighting the advantages and attractions that may tempt professionals to choose freelancing over traditional employment model. The results also encompass some previously mentioned challenges associated with freelancing.
The selection of methods, data collection, and analysis succeeded in providing insights into the opportunities and challenges of freelance work in the communication and marketing sectors in Finland. Despite the limited local market data, the survey got 32 responses from a narrow target group, which is a good achievement. The study observed that information acquisition channels and client acquisition methods vary according to freelancers' experience. The most common challenges relate to acquiring new clients and competition in the field, whereas the most common opportunities of freelancers include flexibility, autonomy, and a desire for continuous learning.
The findings of this study aim to serve as a developmental work for the reader interested in freelance work or communication and marketing entrepreneurship. The thesis concludes with a discussion of the results, also presenting suggestions and development ideas for future research. As a recommendation the thesis suggests that future research should explore the impact of emerging technologies, remote work, and professional networks to enhance the success and wellbeing of communication and marketing freelancers.
The thesis was written in the first half of 2024.
The research objectives were achieved through a literature review and empirical data analysis. A questionnaire was used to collect information from freelancers in Finland, which complements the existing literature. The data-driven analysis provides a view of the fast-evolving business landscape and gig economy, highlighting the advantages and attractions that may tempt professionals to choose freelancing over traditional employment model. The results also encompass some previously mentioned challenges associated with freelancing.
The selection of methods, data collection, and analysis succeeded in providing insights into the opportunities and challenges of freelance work in the communication and marketing sectors in Finland. Despite the limited local market data, the survey got 32 responses from a narrow target group, which is a good achievement. The study observed that information acquisition channels and client acquisition methods vary according to freelancers' experience. The most common challenges relate to acquiring new clients and competition in the field, whereas the most common opportunities of freelancers include flexibility, autonomy, and a desire for continuous learning.
The findings of this study aim to serve as a developmental work for the reader interested in freelance work or communication and marketing entrepreneurship. The thesis concludes with a discussion of the results, also presenting suggestions and development ideas for future research. As a recommendation the thesis suggests that future research should explore the impact of emerging technologies, remote work, and professional networks to enhance the success and wellbeing of communication and marketing freelancers.
The thesis was written in the first half of 2024.