Well if you have been doing freelance programming work then your in the industry already. Can you clarify your question a bit more. When you ask how to get into the industry do you mean how to get a programming job for a big IT company like Microsoft, Google, etc or do you mean how do you get bigger or more consistent freelance projects?
Really the answer to both the above is to build a great portfolio of projects that demonstrate your skills. If you are looking to get more freelance work you should try to get out and network in your community. Meet as many business owners as you can and have a business card with a website url ready for people to go to and see samples of systems you have built. If you don't have a lot of really complex projects to show off your skills then take some time and build a system just for the sake of having something to show off to potential customers.
When it comes to getting more freelance work and or getting hired by the big companies in the industry it comes down to needing to have really solid programming skills and the only way you can show that to someone is to have a portfolio of projects that demonstrate your skills.
