Tax Return for Marketer

At its most basic level, marketing is all about communication. It’s a business talking to its customers, or people it wants to be its customers. Then you sell products to those customers.

Why would a business hire a freelancer?

Most businesses aren’t actually very good at marketing. They might be able to make a great product, or provide a great service, but marketing involves very different skills. Large corporations usually have a dedicated marketing department, but smaller companies often hire freelance marketing consultants to help them sell their products.

hat does a freelance marketer do?

To make a successful freelance marketing consultant, you’ll have to be both creative and analytical to be able to deliver messages to customers in new ways, and to perform some or all of following tasks:

  • Identifying target markets
  • Planning marketing strategies
  • Planning campaigns
  • Managing budgets
  • Researching and analysing market trends
  • Plan social media strategies
  • Ensuring campaigns are run on deadline and on budget

Training and qualifications to be a freelance marketer

When thinking about hiring you, clients will probably be looking more at your experience than your formal qualifications. However, you’ll probably have at least a few years’ experience working as a marketing executive for an employer if you’re considering becoming a freelance marketing consultant, in which case you’ll probably already have relevant qualifications.
If you are starting from scratch, it’s best to study a business or marketing related diploma or degree.

What skills and qualities does a freelance marketer need?

After studying for a relevant degree or diploma, and working as a marketing executive, you should already have many of the following skills and qualities needed to be a successful freelance marketer:

  • Creative
  • Analytical
  • Self-motivated
  • Able to take initiative
  • ttention to detail• Business sense and good with budgets
  • Able to handle lots of pressure

How to find work as a freelance marketer

You’ll be spending a lot of your time as a freelance marketer – especially in the early days – marketing your services.
Fortunately for you, that’s what you’re good at doing. You will have lots of competing freelance marketers trying to get the same jobs as you, so here are a few places to start to get ahead:

  • Business networking events: A lot of being a successful freelance marketer is about who you know. And a good way to get to know more people is to attend business networking events. Listen to people talk about their businesses, and give them some free advice to gain their trust.
  • Social networking: The modern form of networking, social networking websites such as Twitter and LinkedIn are great places to talk about what you do and make new contacts.
  • Website: A professional website will make you look more credible, and is a great place to show work you’ve done previously.

Accounting as a freelance marketer

There are various benefits to freelancing as a marketer, from the freedom and flexibility to work with a variety of businesses and individuals to more take-home pay. But there is one downside – accounting. As a full-time employee, your tax is usually taken care of on your behalf in the form of PAYE.
As a freelancer you’ll have to keep a range of financial records and then prepare and pay a Self-Assessment tax return at the end of each business year.

Accountancy can be very confusing and can distract you from your work.

Getting tax and accountancy advice With most accountants, you’ll pay them to do your year-end accounts, and then they’ll forget about you until the next year. But for your business to be run smoothly and successfully, you’ll need advice on tax and accountancy throughout the year, especially in the early days.

Citi Accounts is different

Citi Accounts provides an affordable and specialist accountancy service designed just for freelancers. Throughout the year we’ll be on hand to give you any tax and accountancy advice you might need, including things like:

  • Take-home pay
  • Which VAT scheme to register for• Expenses
  • Tax allowances
  • Choosing between sole trader and limited company
  • Running your business in a tax-efficient way

We charge for our accountancy services in a clear and simple way, which means you’ll never receive an unexpected bill, and you can get in touch for advice whenever you want without the worry of being charged a fortune like you would with many other accountants.