Myss Miranda Says | The Blog about Graphic, Web and Social Media

4 Essential Elements of Freelance Business Planning

2011-12-26T21:52:55Z

Posted December 7, 2011 in Getting Started ^[1], How-To ^[2]

Some freelancers strongly advocate the use of business plans ^[3] for freelancers. Other freelancers will tell you that you don’t really need a business plan ^[4] at all.

So, which advice is right? Do freelancers need a business plan or don’t they? In my opinion, both opinions are correct.

While not all freelancers need to have a formal business plan like the kinds that you would take to the bank or to investors, all freelancers do need to engage in some sort of business planning. That’s just part of running a business. (However, do keep in mind that if you do plan on going to bank for a business loan, selling your business, or going public with business–then a formal business plan will most likely be needed.)

In this post we’ll go over the four essential elements of business planning that freelancers can’t ignore (even if they choose not to use a formal business plan). My goal is to streamline the process and make it easy for most freelancers.

Element #1: Your Freelancing Vision

What is a business vision?

Simply put, it’s the difference between having a vague idea that you want to be a freelancer and knowing that you are starting a freelance web design business that specializes in creating customized WordPress themes. Vision gives your freelancing business a purpose and a direction.

Your freelancing vision should reflect your business and personal values as well as your dreams for the future of your business.

Now that we’ve explained the importance of having a vision as part of your freelance business plan it’s time to discuss the importance of goals.

Element #2: Your Freelancing Goals

Goals are the objectives that you are striving for as a freelancing business. They should flow naturally from your freelancing vision.

The best goals are:

Specific–Business goals are more specific than business visions. You should know exactly what it is that you want to do.
Measurable–To measure your goal, you need to identify a quantity that you are striving to reach. For example, “get five new clients” (the quantity is five) as opposed to the more vague goal of “get new clients.”
Achievable–A good business goal is achievable. Over time you should be able to predict what your freelancing business is able to achieve. At first, however, you may need to make an educated guess (and that’s okay).
Time-based–Your goals will change over time. In fact, your business environment will also change over time. For those reasons, it’s best to set a time limit on your goals.

An example of a good freelancing goal for the freelance web design business mentioned above would be: create two new WordPress Themes by February of 2012. That goal meets all the criteria: specific, measurable, achievable, and time-based.

Another element that is closely related to your freelancing goals is action steps.

Element #3: Action Steps

Action steps are the road map that allows you to achieve your freelancing goals. They are extremely specific and detailed.

Your action steps are your plan for how you are going to achieve your goals. You may find that you need to tweak your action steps fairly often to make them work more smoothly.

The final element of a good freelancing business plan is measurement.

Element #4: Measurement and Analysis

At the end of the time period that you specified you need to measure how successful you were at meeting your goals. While there are a number of professional tools designed for this purpose, most freelancers may want to use a less formal approach. A spreadsheet may be helpful.

The most important questions to consider when measuring and analyzing business goals are:

Did I meet my freelancing business goals for this time period?
Why (or why not)?
If my goals were off, how much were they off by?

Your goal measurements will help you determine how successful your freelancing business has been and guide you in planning and in setting future goals.

Final Freelance Business Planning Thoughts

In this explanation, I’ve tried to streamline and simplify the business planning process in a way that will meet the needs of most freelancers. If you own a more mature business or are considering selling your business or getting a loan, then you may need to use a more formal business planning process.

While many freelancers keep their informal business plan in their head, if you’re like me you’ll benefit the most from keeping a written copy of it. It doesn’t have to be formal document–just a list that you can glance at from time to time so that you stay on track. For me, it’s just too easy to lose track of goals that aren’t written down.

Your Turn

Do you have a freelancing business plan? Is it written down or in your head?

Share your answer in the comments.

About the author: Laura Spencer is a freelance writer from North Central Texas with over 20 years of professional business writing experience. If you liked this post, then you may also enjoy Laura’s blog about her freelance writing experiences, WritingThoughts ^[5]. I'm also on Google+^[6].

References

^{^} View all posts in Getting Started (freelancefolder.com)
^{^} View all posts in How-To (freelancefolder.com)
^{^} advocate the use of business plans (freelancefolder.com)
^{^} you don’t really need a business plan (freelancefolder.com)
^{^} WritingThoughts (www.writingthoughts.com)
^{^} Google+ (plus.google.com)

25 Tips for Avoiding Communication Problems

2011-12-26T21:52:52Z

Miscommunication is a huge obstacle to building a successful relationship. And, since freelancer/client trust is based on relationship–miscommunication can be a huge problem for freelancers.

Nearly every freelancer eventually faces a communication problem with a client. Even those of us who specialize in clear communication ^[3] sometimes have problems.

In this post, I’ll describe some steps that every freelancer can take to avoid miscommunication.

How to Avoid Communication Problems

Here are twenty-five ways that freelancers can dramatically reduce client communication problems:

Be proactive–Research and learn everything you can about your client and your client’s business before you meet with them. Find out what some of the common problems are your client’s industry.
Manage your expectations–Every client and every project is unique. While we can learn from past clients and projects, it’s important to understand that this client and this project may be different from what you’ve experienced in the past.
Listen carefully–Pay close attention to what your client says. Take notes if you need to, especially during a long meeting or a confusing discussion.
Pay attention to non-verbal signals like tone of voice or body language–Often words are not the only way that your client is communicating with you. Pay attention to their posture and facial expressions. If you are meeting by phone, listen carefully to your client’s voice for clues as to what they may be thinking.
Ask questions–If you are unsure about something, ask. It is better to ask a question now than proceed based on an incorrect assumption.
Repeat your understanding back to the client–It’s often a good idea to put what the client said into your own words and repeat it back to them. This can insure that you really understand what they mean.
Don’t forget about cultural differences–Different cultures communicate differently and may have different ways of conducting business. If your client is from a culture that is different from your own, make sure that you learn about the cultural differences before you meet.
Park your preconceptions at the door–It’s easy to jump to conclusions about a project or a person. Even if you suspect that this will be an easy project or this will be difficult person to work with, try to put those feelings aside until they can be confirmed. Preconceived notions can keep you from understanding what is really going on.
Be open to new ideas–You’re probably an expert in your field. If you weren’t, you wouldn’t be as successful in your field as you are. But even experts can sometimes learn from their clients. Make sure that you are willing to learn new things.
Avoid emotional words–Being a freelancer is a lot like being a diplomat. Some words are just too emotionally charged to have any place in a business conversation. Avoid those words.
Be understanding, not critical–As a professional, sooner or later you’ll probably be called in to fix somebody else’s mistake. Whether it be something the client did wrong or the mistake of a previous freelancer, don’t immediately start criticizing it. After all, anyone could make a mistake.
Don’t communicate when you’re upset–If you’re angry or hurt, then now is not a good time to talk with a client or send an email. Many freelancers have fired off an angry email, only to regret it later.
Check for typos and grammatical errors–Grammar and typos can cause your client to misunderstand you. If you do believe me consider that there’s a huge difference in agreeing to do a job for $10.00 and agreeing to do it for $1000. A misplaced period CAN make a difference.
Pay attention to your tone (especially online)–There’s something peculiar to online writing. You can type one thing and your client can perceive something that you did not intend. That’s why it’s important to check all emails to make sure your tone is appropriate. The best way to do this is to get someone else to read them before you send them.
Get it in writing–While this is true for all freelancing projects, getting something in writing is especially important for long projects. When a project drags out it’s just too easy for you or your client to forget the details of your agreement.
Better yet, get a contract–A great means of avoiding misunderstanding with a client is to get a signed contract that outlines the details. A signed contract also gives you some legal advantages if you have serious problems later on.
Get a partial payment upfront–A client who pays upfront is usually more committed to a project’s success than one who hasn’t invested anything yet. A client who doesn’t make an upfront payment may try to cancel before the project is finished, while the client who made the advance payment will want to recoup his or her initial investment.
Keep good records–Some miscommunication is due to sloppy recordkeeping. Don’t let this happen to you. Make sure that you document everything including: client meetings, original project scope, scope changes, and any other factors that affect the project.
Stay in touch–This is especially important if you are working on a long deadline. Don’t let too much time pass without touching base with your client. Often, just a short status to let them know that the project is on track is enough to keep them from worrying.
Be reachable by email or phone–You can’t be communicated with if you can’t be reached. Make sure that your client has a working email address and/or phone number that they can use to reach you.
Don’t make it personal–If your client criticizes your project or complains, remember that it’s not about you. Don’t take negative comments personally. Rather, try to find out if the situation can be resolved.
Share problems you are having–Too many freelancers wait until the last minute to let a client know that they are struggling or having problems. However, clients don’t like last-minute notification of problems (especially if it means the project will be delayed).
Ask for feedback–Your communication with the client is not over when the project ends. Instead, ask the client for feedback on your work and on the process. You may able to learn something from this project to help you with your next project.
Keep your materials (such as your website and marketing literature) up to date–Out-of-date marketing materials can also create miscommunication. If you’ve changed anything about how you do business, such as the rate you charge or the type of work that you do, make sure that your materials reflect those changes.
If necessary, find a mediator–In the most extreme situations, when a large sum of money is involved, you may need to turn to a professional mediator or arbitrar to resolve your differences.

What About You?

How do you avoid client communication problems?

Share your answers in the comments.

Image by Clemson ^[4]

References

^{^} View all posts in How-To (freelancefolder.com)
^{^} View all posts in Managing Clients (freelancefolder.com)
^{^} clear communication (freelancefolder.com)
^{^} Clemson (www.flickr.com)
^{^} WritingThoughts (www.writingthoughts.com)
^{^} Google+ (plus.google.com)

5 Tips to Kick the Perfectionist Habit

2011-12-26T21:52:49Z

Hello. My name is Mike. And I’m a recovering perfectionist.

For a long time, I believed that being a perfectionist was a good thing. I was proud of my compulsion to work and rework even the smallest assignment until it was faultless. What did it matter that it took me hours more than it probably should have? I was a perfectionist. All that mattered was that I nailed it.

When I became a freelancer, however, I realized that my perfectionism wasn’t the big pat-on-the-back that I thought it was. In fact, it was just the opposite. With my eye now always on the clock, I saw that my relentless quest for perfection was making me inefficient. More often than I care to confess, I undercharged clients because I didn’t want to admit the true amount of time it had taken me to complete the assignment. (Note: this is not a good way to run a business.)

Frustrated and anxious, I knew I had to beat the problem or kiss my career goodbye. But how? I was afraid that if I devoted any less time to my projects, I’d make some hideous mistake and ruin my career. I also afraid that being even a smidgen less meticulous might result a failure to meet–no, exceed–my client’s expectations. How could I alter my work habits without sacrificing my high standards?

Well, it didn’t happen overnight, but I did eventually come up with a workable strategy. If you suspect you might be a perfectionist too, consider these five tips to bring your obsessive tendencies under control.

Tip #1: Address the Real Problem

At its root, perfectionism isn’t really about a deep love of being meticulous. It’s about fear ^[2]. Fear of making a mistake. Fear of disappointing others. Fear of failure. Fear of success. Think about it. The next time you find yourself spinning in endless circles on an assignment, ask yourself what you’re afraid of–whether you feel consciously afraid or not–and dig deep for a response. You’ll be surprised at what comes up.

Now, once you’ve isolated that fear, confront it head-on. Anxious about working with a new client? Worried about tackling a new technique? Scared you’ll miss a deadline? Run through worst-case scenarios in your head. Keep ‘what if’-ing, worse and worse scenarios, until you can’t anymore. Often when you stare fear straight in the eye, it miraculously loses its power. And you’re left free to work productively.

Tip #2: Set Time Limits

Sometimes it’s hard to know when you’ve crossed the line from conscientious to compulsive. When you’re in the thick of an assignment, it’s easy to believe that you must spend so much time brainstorming, researching, writing, testing, revising or what-have-you. Often, it’s only after you’ve been working for hours on end that you realize that half the work you’ve been doing wasn’t actually necessary and that you’ve just wasted a lot of time.

Nip time-wasting in the bud by setting an objectively reasonable time limit to complete each task. If you run out of time, no matter the point you are at, stop and switch to a different task. This approach has two advantages. First, it serves as an alarm that your perfectionist tendencies may be taking over. Second, it forces you to take a breather and give your mind a chance to relax. When you return to the task, you’ll look at the project afresh–and be armed against letting your perfectionism get the best of you.

Tip #3: Trust in Yourself

Insecurity is a component of fear. And fear, as we know, is the driving force behind perfectionism. When insecurity prevents you from working productively, stop and take some time to reestablish trust in yourself. You can do this by reminding yourself of the clients who have responded favorably to your work in the past, naming them aloud, if necessary. Re-read any client testimonials you’ve received or review work that you’re particularly proud of. You might even want to say a simple affirmation along the lines of “I always produce excellent work.” Say it slowly at least ten times in a row, with feeling and while smiling.

Tip #4: Get a Freelance Buddy

In my view, freelancers are particularly susceptible to succumbing to perfectionism. We work in a highly competitive field and we often work entirely alone. It’s easy to lose perspective on the quality of our work in these circumstances. This problem can be solved by finding a freelance buddy: someone in your field with whom you can exchange ideas, drafts and tips. When you’re stuck in a perfectionist spiral, call on your buddy to help break you out.

Tip #5: Embrace the Value of Mistakes

Face it: as much as you’d like to be, you’re not perfect. Mistakes will be made in both your freelance career and life. Instead of fearing mistakes, remind yourself that there’s plenty to learn from them. If nothing else, you’ll learn that a mistake doesn’t mean the end of the world. In fact, it might be the beginning of a new one. Penicillin, pacemakers, microwave ovens, fireworks, and even chocolate chip cookies were created from projects that went awry. You just never know what amazing benefits an imperfect undertaking might yield.

Your Turn

Have you wrestled with perfectionism? Share your experiences in the comments.

About the author: This guest post is by Michael Law. Mike has extensive experience as a freelance journalist and online marketer, and has worked with leading Sydney immigration and compensation lawyers ^[3]. If you'd like to get in touch, you can send Mike an email ^[4].

References

^{^} View all posts in Inspiration (freelancefolder.com)
^{^} fear (freelancefolder.com)
^{^} compensation lawyers (www.lawpartners.com.au)
^{^} send Mike an email (freelancefolder.com)

Two Weeks to More Client Leads

2011-12-26T21:52:45Z

Posted December 22, 2011 in Marketing ^[1]

Have you ever gotten desperate for clients? Maybe you don’t know how you’re going to pay next month’s rent. Maybe your car broke down and repairs will cost more than you have right now. Maybe a tree fell into your house and your insurance won’t cover it (that’s a true story, by the way).

Whatever the reason, you need clients. Right now. What’s a freelancer to do?

It’s time to step up your marketing game! Fortunately, there are tried and tested marketing strategies that have proven to be effective for freelancers. No need to reinvent the wheel.

Read the list below and choose two you can implement in the next two weeks.

5 Ideas to Get Leads Fast

1. Approach your existing network

The easiest way to get new leads fast is to approach your existing network. Reach out to family members, friends, former co-workers, and even former employers. Let them know what type of work you do and for whom, and to pass along your information to someone who may need your service.

It doesn’t matter if nobody in your network is a business owner. The idea is to somehow get the word out into their networks. After all, everyone knows someone who runs a business, or works in a business that hires freelancers.

Shoot them an email, call them, or set up a coffee date. Do whatever feels natural and comfortable to you.

(By the way, there’s no need to tell everyone about your emergency. That will only make you look desperate, which is not attractive. Promote yourself based on your merits as a skilled professional, not based on your needs.)

2. Tap your current/past clients

Your clients can be your best promoters. Assuming you’ve done a great job and they were happy with your work, they will effectively talk you up to people they know. Don’t be shy; ask for referrals.^[2]

Write or call your clients to explore if they may have a need for your services again, or if they know someone who does. It never hurts to ask. The worst thing that could happen is they say “no.”

3. Get super active in one social networking platform

If you use any of the social networks ^[3], such as LinkedIn, Twitter, or Facebook, intensify your presence there in the next couple of weeks. Follow or connect with people who fit your Ideal Client profile, or who may know those who do.

Engage with them. Respond to their posts or updates. Add to the conversation with your own insights, or share additional resources they may find helpful.

If they express a need for anything and you know a solution, share it. Post links to useful articles, blog posts, or reports.

Occasionally, throw in a pitch for your services. Make it natural and non-hypey. Something as simple as, “If you or someone you know needs graphic design services, I have an opening in my schedule right now. Call or email me….”

4. Offer a steep discount to members of a forum/networking group

I don’t like this approach, because in general, I don’t like discounting on my services. However, in times of great need, this strategy works very well.

Go to an online forum or networking group you belong to and offer your services at a special rate — exclusive to the group’s members only.

Be very specific about which services are discounted, and when the offer must be taken. You wouldn’t want people taking up your offer months down the road when you’re already too busy with other clients.

5. Launch a direct mail campaign

Direct mailing to a targeted list of prospects is another effective way of getting leads fast. However, it takes more work than the other strategies discussed here.

Instead of offering your services directly through the mailing, offer a free piece of information or buzz piece instead. A special report or white paper is the most common buzz piece. If you have two weeks to pull this off, I suggest spending one whole week creating your buzz piece.

You want your buzz piece to be focused on one specific need or problem your Ideal Client is experiencing. You want it to be well written (yes, even if you’re not a writer) and provide extremely valuable information. You want it to be so good, you could charge money for it — and people would happily pay you.

After your buzz piece, you’ll need a letter to go along with it. The letter sells your buzz piece. It’s free, but you still need to convince the prospects that it’s more than worth the time and effort to go to your landing page (web page) and submit their contact information in order to get your buzz piece for free.

Don’t Despair

Even if things look dire to you right now, don’t despair. Times like these, you realize it’s actually a GOOD thing that you don’t have a fixed salary. You can make more or less money — it all depends on you.

The amount of projects you can get are no longer limited by your geographic location. Through the Internet, you can connect with prospects from any country in the world.

It’s up to you. Do as much or as little as you like to get the word out about your services and skills. Accept as much or as little work as you like.

But when time is running out, it’s wise to use high-impact marketing strategies that have been proven effective by freelancers who came before us.

If you were desperate to get more clients immediately, which of these strategies would you use? Have I missed high-impact strategies that should have been included in this list?

Do share your thoughts, experiences and questions in the comments below.

PS: Don’t wait for an emergency. Market your business consistently, even when you think you don’t need clients. That’s the only way to ensure you’re never desperate for clients.

Image by kelsey_lovefusionphoto ^[4]

References

^{^} View all posts in Marketing (freelancefolder.com)
^{^} How to Ask for a Referral (freelancefolder.com)
^{^} From Social Networking to Paying Clients (freelancefolder.com)
^{^} kelsey_lovefusionphoto (www.flickr.com)

35+ of Your Favorite Software Tools

2011-12-26T21:52:42Z

Posted December 26, 2011 in Tools/Resources ^[1]

What software tools do freelancers love to use? Whether you’re a seasoned freelancer, or just getting started, there’s a tool that is right for you.

We’ve written plenty of posts ^[2] about resources ^[3] for freelancers. A few months ago, however, we asked you to share your favorite software tools ^[4]. Many of you did just that.

In this post, we list those software tools that you said you loved in one convenient place–over 35 of them! We also invite those of you who may have missed the original open thread to once again share your favorite software with us. (Note: Some of these tools are open source or freeware although some do cost money. Where possible, I’ve identified the free tools.)

Administrative Tools

These software tools can help you run your freelancing business:

Basecamp ^[5]–Allows you to manage projects using online collaboration tools.
curdbee ^[6]–Helps you with invoicing and billing. The lowest level package is free.
Quoterobot ^[7]–Helps you to create quotes and proposals.
WORKetc ^[8]–Allows freelancers to manage projects, bills, and more.

Blogging Tools

Since most freelancers have a blog, these blogging tools can help:

LiveJournal ^[9]–Site allows you to create a journal for free. You’ll get the chance to interact with thousands of other LiveJournal participants.
Windows Live Writer ^[10]–Create blog posts and preview them online.
WordPress ^[11]–Can be loaded onto your own site. You can also blog directly on the WordPress site at WordPress.com.^[12] WordPress is free.

Design Tools

If you’re a freelance designer, you may be interested in one or more of these tools:

Adobe Suite ^[13] and Design Premium ^[14]–The suite packages of Adobe apps was at the top of the list for many.
Adobe Illustrator ^[15]–Allows you to draw and to modify drawings.
Adobe Indesign ^[16]–Page layout tool for online publishers.
Inkscape ^[17]–Open source tool allows you to edit SVG graphics.

Development Tools

These software tools are of particular interest to web developers and programmers:

Aptana Studio ^[18]–Development tool for open source IDE development.
E Text Editor ^[19]–Use this text editor to manipulate files quickly and easily.
Firebug ^[20]–Open source tool to help you debug HTML and JavaScript.
Geany ^[21]–Text editor based on GTK2 toolkit. This software is licensed under the terms of the GNU General Public License.
Greenshot ^[22]–Open source tool that allows you to make screenshots.
Netbeans ^[23]–Lets you develop Java, PHP, and C/C++ apps. This package is open-source and free
Notepad++^[24]–Free source code editor.
Zend Studio ^[25]–Development and debugging tool for PHP applications.

Email Tools

Every freelancer needs an email package to stay in touch with clients and colleagues. Here are your favorites:

gmail ^[26]–Google’s email package.
Yahoo! Mail ^[27]– Another favorite email service.

Miscellaneous

These software tools didn’t fit into any particular category:

1password ^[28]–Helps you track and manage your passwords. Includes a version for Mac, Windows, Ipad, Ipod, Iphone, and Android.
Excel ^[29]–Spreadsheet application is great for crunching numbers or keeping metrics.
Keepass ^[30]–An open source tool to help you remember your passwords. This tool is open source.

Operating Systems & Web Browsers

This browser and this operating system are your top choices:

Chrome ^[31]–Web browser from Google.
Ubuntu Linux ^[32]–Top-notch open source operating system.

Photo Manipulation Tools

For photo manipulation, you liked these software tools:

Adobe Photoshop ^[33]–Digital imaging and photography editing.
GIMP ^[34]–GIMP is a free tool for image composition and photo retouching.
Photoshop Lightroom ^[35]–Helps you to manage, edit, and manipulate photographs.

Productivity Tools

Every freelancer needs to work more effectively. Here are your favorite productivity tools:

Dropbox ^[36]–Allows you to access files from multiple computers by storing them online. This tool is free for Windows, Mac, Linux, and mobile use.
Evernote ^[37]–Helps you to save ideas and find them when you need them. This app is free.
Focus Booster ^[38]–Free online timer helps you to use the pomodoro technique to finish your tasks.
OS X: Launchbar ^[39]–Tool for the Mac that acts as a super efficient file manager.
DragThing ^[40]–Another Mac tool to help you organize your files.

Word Processing

These were your favorite word processing software packages:

Google Docs ^[41]–Google tool lets you create and share documents online.
Microsoft Word ^[42]–Popular word processing tool from Microsoft.

Your Turn

We freelancers need our software tools, but I’m sure this list is not complete. Did you miss the original post? Is your favorite software tool missing?

Why not add your favorite software tool (and a brief description) in the comments below?

Image by Brett Jordan ^[43]

References

^{^} View all posts in Tools/Resources (freelancefolder.com)
^{^} posts (freelancefolder.com)
^{^} resources (freelancefolder.com)
^{^} share your favorite software tools (freelancefolder.com)
^{^} Basecamp (basecamphq.com)
^{^} curdbee (curdbee.com)
^{^} Quoterobot (www.quoterobot.com)
^{^} WORKetc (www.worketc.com)
^{^} LiveJournal (www.livejournal.com)
^{^} Windows Live Writer (explore.live.com)
^{^} WordPress (wordpress.org)
^{^} WordPress.com. (wordpress.com)
^{^} Adobe Suite (www.adobe.com)
^{^} Design Premium (www.adobe.com)
^{^} Adobe Illustrator (www.adobe.com)
^{^} Adobe Indesign (www.adobe.com)
^{^} Inkscape (inkscape.org)
^{^} Aptana Studio (aptana.com)
^{^} E Text Editor (www.e-texteditor.com)
^{^} Firebug (getfirebug.com)
^{^} Geany (www.geany.org)
^{^} Greenshot (getgreenshot.org)
^{^} Netbeans (netbeans.org)
^{^} Notepad++ (notepad-plus-plus.org)
^{^} Zend Studio (www.zend.com)
^{^} gmail (inkscape.org)
^{^} Yahoo! Mail (login.yahoo.com)
^{^} 1password (agilebits.com)
^{^} Excel (office.microsoft.com)
^{^} Keepass (keepass.info)
^{^} Chrome (www.google.com)
^{^} Ubuntu Linux (www.ubuntu.com)
^{^} Adobe Photoshop (www.adobe.com)
^{^} GIMP (www.gimp.org)
^{^} Photoshop Lightroom (www.adobe.com)
^{^} Dropbox (www.dropbox.com)
^{^} Evernote (www.evernote.com)
^{^} Focus Booster (www.focusboosterapp.com)
^{^} OS X: Launchbar (www.obdev.at)
^{^} DragThing (www.dragthing.com)
^{^} Google Docs (www.google.com)
^{^} Microsoft Word (office.microsoft.com)
^{^} Brett Jordan (www.flickr.com)
^{^} WritingThoughts (www.writingthoughts.com)
^{^} Google+ (plus.google.com)

How to Devise the Perfect Freelancing Social Media Strategy for You

2011-12-21T23:28:04Z

How can a freelancer develop an effective social media strategy with a reasonable investment of time?

As freelancers we rely on social media ^[4] to interact with clients, potential clients, and other freelancers.

Social media is a great tool for freelancers (and since social media is most often free it’s very budget-friendly). But if you’re not careful, social media can also take up a lot of your valuable project time.

Of course, strategies will vary for each individual freelancer. However, over the past few years I’ve put a lot of thought into social media strategy. The tips in this post should work for most freelancers.

Decide Which Social Media Tools to Use

There is a huge universe of social media platforms available. Deciding on which ones to participate in can be confusing. Here are a few questions to help you narrow your choices:

Are my clients active in social media? If so, which platforms do they participate in?
Is there a social media platform or tool that most of my freelancing colleagues use?
Do any social media platforms address my freelancing specialty?

If you find that most of your colleagues and clients are active on a particular social media platform, that’s a good indication that you should have a presence there as well.

Here are six social media platforms where participation will benefit most freelancers:

Blogging–Not only does blogging help you to connect with others, it can also help establish you as an expert in your field.
FaceBook–This social media platform has a huge group of users and shouldn’t be overlooked by freelancers.
Forums–Since forums generally hone in on a specific topic, participation can be a great way to target your social media interactions.
Google+–A quickly growing social media tool, Google+ has the reputation of having a more technical user base.
LinkedIn–The corporate world has embraced LinkedIn as a way to make connections and for that reason you should too.
Twitter–There’s more to Twitter than meets the eye. This microblogging tool has influenced trends worldwide.

Ideally, you would be able to establish a freelancing presence on all of these platforms. However, at first you may want to focus on just one or two of these areas due to time constraints. Which brings us to the our next point–exactly how much time should you spend on social media?

Determine How Much Time to Spend

If you jump in without a plan, social media could easily consume all of your time. That wouldn’t be good for your freelancing business. That’s why I recommend designating certain times specifically for social media during your day. I’ve found morning, noon, and the close of business to be the most effective for me, but you may want to experiment and find your own best combination of times.

For most freelancers 15 minutes, three times a day (once you’ve set up your profiles) is enough to maintain a good online social media presence. Of course, if you just launched a new product or happen to be a social media consultant, you’ll spend much more time on social media.

There are third-party apps for most social media platforms that let you spread your participation over a 24-hour period. TweetDeck ^[5] and HootSuite ^[6] are just two popular examples of such apps. These tools are a good way to ensure that you reach users in time zones all over the world. However, it’s also a good idea to make sure that at least some of your social media networking is live.

If you find that social media is too distracting, there are also apps to help you limit the amount of social media time that you spend. LeechBlock ^[7] and Nanny for Google Chrome ^[8] are two examples of such apps.

Once you’ve budgeted some specific times, you may wonder who to connect with on social media and how to find them.

Connect with Others

Naturally, you’ll want to connect with the contacts you’ve already made as well as the people that you know in your day-to-life. Consider adding these folks to start out:

Former boss(es)
Current or former teachers
Current and past clients
Classmates
Work colleagues (past or present)
Friends
Family members
Neighbors
Bloggers who write about your freelancing niche

Basically anyone in your extended network who could have a lead on a freelancing project and who is already active social should be invited to connect with you. In addition, many social media sites suggest followers (friends or fans) based on your current followers. Review these suggestions carefully–they could lead to valuable connections. You may also wish to add your social media contact information on your blog or website. Some freelancers even include it on their stationery and business card.

Now that you have built up a social media network, you may be wondering what you should share through social media.

What to Share

What you share on social media sites as a freelancer is different than what you would share if you were just using social media for personal use. As a freelance business owner, you may want to think twice about sharing certain topics or downloading family photos. Without careful planning on your part, it’s easy to share T.M.I.^[9] Be sure to check the privacy settings for whichever platform you’re using unless you want everyone to see everything.

One of the biggest mistakes that new freelancers make on social media is making it all about them. Have you been at a social gathering and met someone who talks incessantly about themselves? Naturally no one wants to be around that person and it’s the same on social media.

Instead, balance information about you with relevant information that your connections may find useful or entertaining. Of course, it’s okay to share about yourself from time to time–but such shares shouldn’t dominate your social media contributions.

Also, if someone interacts directly with you and their profile matches that of the folks you’re trying to connect with, be sure to acknowledge them. If they ask a question, answer it. If they share something you’ve shared, thank them. If they message you, reply. The higher the quality of your interactions, the better the relationships that you will develop–and some of those may lead to business relationships.

Your Turn

What social media strategy works for you? Share your answer in the comments.

Image by son_gismo ^[10]

References

^{^} View all posts in How-To (freelancefolder.com)
^{^} View all posts in Marketing (freelancefolder.com)
^{^} View all posts in Social Media (freelancefolder.com)
^{^} social media (freelancefolder.com)
^{^} TweetDeck (www.tweetdeck.com)
^{^} HootSuite (hootsuite.com)
^{^} LeechBlock (addons.mozilla.org)
^{^} Nanny for Google Chrome (chrome.google.com)
^{^} T.M.I. (freelancefolder.com)
^{^} son_gismo (www.flickr.com)
^{^} WritingThoughts (www.writingthoughts.com)
^{^} Google+ (plus.google.com)

How to Find the Right Freelancer for the Job

2011-12-21T23:28:01Z

Posted December 15, 2011 in How-To ^[1]

You’re thinking about hiring a freelancer. That’s why you’re reading this post.

You may be a freelancer yourself (because freelancers do hire other freelancers ^[2]). You may be a small business owner, or you might be the representative of a large corporation.

If you’ve never hired a freelancer before, the process might be a little bit confusing. There’s a ton information out there–some of it conflicting. How can wade through it all and find the best freelancer?

This post will take you through what I believe is the best freelancer hiring process, step-by-step. At the end, I’m inviting our readers (actual freelancers) to add their own advice. The result should be an invaluable resource on hiring freelancers.

Why Cheap Isn’t Always Best

Your first impulse may be to rush out and get the cheapest freelancer you can manage to find, but I’m here to say–don’t give in to this impulse.

Have you ever bought something you thought was a bargain, only to have it break a few days after you got it home? Well, that’s often what happens when a client hires a “bargain” freelancer.

Sure, there are a few rare freelancer deals out there–but most bargain basement freelancers use a similar model. To get enough to earn a living at those low rates, many count on getting as many “clients” as possible and putting minimal effort into each “project.” The web is filled with horror stories about cheap freelancers who didn’t do a good job.

Be aware that if you’re looking for a huge bargain, you’re also taking a huge risk.

Networking–Your First Stop in the Hiring Process

Instead, the best way to start your hunt for the right freelancer is through networking. You can tap into your offline and online networks to find qualified freelancers. Simply ask those in your network if they know of or can recommend a freelancer with the specialty that you are looking for. You may be surprised at how many responses you get.

As a reminder, here is a list of people you can check with in your hunt for a good freelancer:

Family members
Friends
Professional colleagues
Acquaintances (neighbors and others you are on a speaking basis with)
Social media contacts (Facebook friends, Twitter followers, etc.)
Members of your club or organization

Pay particular attention to those who recommend a freelancer that they’ve actually hired themselves. This is a best case scenario, but you will want to ask these folks a few additional questions.

Other Ways to Find Freelancers

If none of your contacts knows of a qualified freelancer (this is becoming increasingly rare), you can still find one. Here are two more venues that you might want to check:

LinkedIn. LinkedIn specializes as way for professionals to network with each other. The most professional freelancers will have set up a complete profile there. You can search on a freelancing specialty to bring up those who are qualified in a particular area.
Professional organizations. Most freelancing specialties have a related professional organization. For design there is the AIGA ^[3]. For technical writing there is the STC ^[4]. For journalism there is the ASJA ^[5]. You get the picture. Most societies have a local chapter and offer job banks where you can place an ad for a qualified freelancer.
Freelancing websites. You can also look at the posts on freelancing websites like Freelance Folder. Many top freelancers share their expertise with the freelancing community.

Once you’ve identified some freelancers you’re interesting in hiring, it’s time to do a little homework.

Doing Your Homework

Once you have some referrals, you’re ready to contact the freelancers, right? Wrong!

First you need to do some homework. Examine the freelancer’s website and/or LinkedIn page. Read over their references. Look at their portfolio work. If they have a blog, read a few posts.

Here are some red flags to watch out for:

No website
A poorly designed website
A blog that hasn’t been updated in over a year
No contact information on the freelancer’s site
A website or blog that is full of sloppy work or mistakes
All the posts on the freelancer’s blog criticize former clients

Doing your homework may seem like a lot of extra work, but it can save you a lot of grief in the end.

Ready to Contact Some Freelancers, Now What?

By now you’ve probably narrowed your original list down to a few freelancers. You’re ready to contact these freelancers and ask for a quote on your work (also known as an RFP or request for proposal).

When putting your information together, be as thorough as you can. No freelancer likes surprises during the project.

Here is some information to include:

The work you want done
When you need the project to be completed
A means of contacting you with questions
Any special requirements
The number of revisions you expect (especially if there will be more than one person approving the project)
Your tentative budget for the project

The more information you provide, the better the freelancer will be able to meet your needs.

The Freelancing Agreement

Chances are that a few of the freelancers you asked for a proposal won’t be available to work on your project. So, you’re probably down to one or two choices at this point.

At this point, I recommend choosing the freelancer that you’re most comfortable working with rather than the freelancer who quotes you the lowest price. Client/freelancer rapport is important and can provide a huge boost to the project.

A professional freelancer will probably ask you to sign an agreement formalizing the terms that they listed in their proposal. Naturally, you should check it over to make sure that it is accurate–but I strongly recommend signing this document. A good agreement will protect both you and the freelancer if something should go wrong later on.

Wrapping It Up

This may seem like a lot of work, but really it can all be done fairly quickly. An extra hour or two at the start of a project can really pay off.

The post would not be complete without me making one last recommendation. Once you’ve found a freelancer whose work you’re happy with, be sure to use them again (and again). Also, remember to refer your friends to them. Repeat business should be the reward for a job well done.

Your Turn

Freelancers, this is our chance to talk to clients before they hire us. What would you add to the process? Share your thoughts in the comments.

References

^{^} View all posts in How-To (freelancefolder.com)
^{^} freelancers do hire other freelancers (freelancefolder.com)
^{^} AIGA (www.aiga.org)
^{^} STC (www.stc.org)
^{^} ASJA (www.asja.org)
^{^} WritingThoughts (www.writingthoughts.com)
^{^} Google+ (plus.google.com)

It Will Happen to You

2011-12-21T23:27:57Z

“That will never happen to me.”

Have you ever heard another freelancer say those words? Have you said them yourself?

Over the years, I’ve heard other freelancers use those words to describe situations ranging from family emergencies, to getting too busy, to getting sick, to missing a deadline. Regrettably, I’ve also heard some of those same freelancers take back words when the very thing that they never planned for happens.

It’s no secret that I’m a big advocate of having a Plan B (and maybe even a Plan C) for dealing with common setbacks.

The odds of lightening striking you are pretty slim. From what I’ve read, fewer than 500 people are injured by lightening each year in the U.S. It does happen, though. I once hired an attorney who actually had been struck by lightening.

Other setbacks are much more likely to happen. The truth is that no one is immune from life’s troubles. The very thing that you think will never happen to you may also be the thing that puts you out of business if you’re not ready for it.

In this post, I’ll share ten common problems that most freelancers eventually face and talk about how to deal with each of them.

10 Problems Freelancers Face

Here are ten problems that many freelancers face, although few like to think about them.

Family emergency. Nobody wants to think about this, but family emergencies can happen to freelancers just like they happen to everyone else. However, unlike many other jobs, freelancing does not provide you with paid personal time to handle family emergencies. Make sure that you know at least one top-notch freelancer who could pinch hit for you if you needed them to. Also, make a draft of a note ^[2] you would send to a client if you had to.
Illness. Getting sick is no fun. Not only do you feel bad physically, but as freelancer illness can mean loss of income and added expense of medical bills. Don’t ever take your health for granted. Make sure that you have an insurance policy. Believe me, the expense of health insurance is well worth it when you need to use it. There are also some other practical steps ^[3] that you can take when you are sick.
Work slowdown. No matter how busy you are, a work slowdown is always a possibility. Everyone knows that freelancing work has its peaks and valleys. There some real truth behind the famous freelancing Feast or Famine cycle ^[4]. Make things easier by saving for the slow periods and keeping up with your marketing when you are busy.
Unhappy client. No matter how great a freelancer you are or how much you like your clients, sooner or later you may find yourself facing an unhappy client. Fortunately, an unhappy client doesn’t always mean that it’s time to cut ties with them. Many client/freelancer disagreements can be worked out. If you find yourself dealing with an unhappy client, try these seven steps.^[5]
Payment issues. One of the biggest frustrations freelancers face is getting paid in a timely fashion. Sadly, payment issues are fairly common for freelancer. One of the first steps you can take to prevent payment problems is preventative. Make sure that you have a contract in place that clearly outlines your terms. Here’s a complete list of steps you can take to encourage prompt payment ^[6]. If worst comes to worst, you may have to turn to a collections agency.
You’re bored with your work or become burnt out. Let’s face it, over the years you change. Something that you once loved you no longer find to be so enjoyable. It’s unfortunate, but it’s often a fact of life. If this happens to you, there’s some good news–you’re a freelancer. You’re not stuck in a dead end job. You can change your niche ^[7] and rebrand yourself.
You make a mistake or miss a deadline. No matter how careful you are, you may one day find that you’ve made a mistake ^[8] and it’s your fault. What’s a freelancer to do in such a situation? I think the best thing to do in such a situation is to ‘fess up and try to make things right for your client. As a freelancer you’ve got to protect your reputation.
You can’t get along with a client or colleague. Let’s face it, your clients may pay you, but that doesn’t mean that they’re all easy to get along with. In fact, the truth is that your clients may be quite difficult to get along with ^[9], but that doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to fire them. Do everything you can to make them happy customers. Firing a client can be a last resort after you’ve exhausted all other options.
Your equipment breaks or becomes outdated. The tools you use to work with are very important. Outdated tools ^[10] can cause you to spend additional time on a project and ultimately cost you money. Set aside a small amount of money each month to upgrade your equipment. (Note: this should NOT be the same money as your emergency fund.)
A client disappears. Sadly, some clients don’t refuse to pay–they just go away. The best way to deal with this problem is to take preventative measures ^[11]. Your clients are careful to pick a freelancer that they can trust. You need to be careful to pick a client that you can trust.

Your Turn

Have I missed any unforeseen circumstances that are likely to happen to a freelancer? How do you handle problems like these?

Share your answers in the comments.

Image by SK-y Photography ^[12]

References

^{^} View all posts in Lifestyle (freelancefolder.com)
^{^} a draft of a note (freelancefolder.com)
^{^} practical steps (freelancefolder.com)
^{^} Feast or Famine cycle (freelancefolder.com)
^{^} seven steps. (freelancefolder.com)
^{^} encourage prompt payment (freelancefolder.com)
^{^} change your niche (freelancefolder.com)
^{^} mistake (freelancefolder.com)
^{^} difficult to get along with (freelancefolder.com)
^{^} Outdated tools (freelancefolder.com)
^{^} take preventative measures (freelancefolder.com)
^{^} SK-y Photography (www.flickr.com)
^{^} WritingThoughts (www.writingthoughts.com)
^{^} Google+ (plus.google.com)

5 Easy Tips to Increase Your Bottom Line

2011-12-21T23:27:51Z

Do you want a bigger bottom line?

As a freelancer business owner, you probably DO want bigger bottom line–you just may not know how to get one. In case you don’t know, in a nutshell your bottom line is the money left over after you meet your expenses ^[3]. (Who wouldn’t want more of that?)

In this post I share five easy tips to help you increase your freelancing bottom line. Feel free to share your own tips for improving the freelancing bottom line in the comments.

Tip #1: Lower Costs

This is the classic way to improve your bottom line and probably the most obvious. If you want to keep more of the money generated by you freelancing business, lower your expenses. Here are just a few freelancing expenses that you may be able to reduce:

Phone systems–Phone prices have been dropping and phone services often run specials. Shop around and you may find that you can find a better deal. Don’t overlook VOIP phone options, which are often quite reasonable.
Subscriptions–Most freelancers subscribe to one or more professional publications and they may also subscribe to professional online services as well. These costs can really add up. Ask yourself which subscriptions you really use and which services you don’t use. Drop anything you aren’t using to cut your costs.
Hosting service–This is another service that is very competitive and therefore it is often possible to find a good deal. Before switching services, however, make sure that you are comparing apples to apples. Read over the service agreement of your current provider and any new provider you are considering carefully.
Software tools–Before you shell out big bucks for an expensive software program, check to see whether there is a free or open source version available. Some of the better open source packages rival their more expensive counterparts.

You can probably think of additional expenses that are specific to your own situation.

One caution: sometimes a lower cost for something also means lower quality. When reducing your freelancing expenses be careful not to cut anything that might compromise the freelancing service and/or products that you provide to your clients.

Tip #2: Increase Efficiency

Another great way to improve the bottom line is to work more efficiently.

Almost all of us get distracted from time to time and distractions can lead to wasted time, which can really cut into your bottom line. Fortunately, distractions can be overcome. Here are a few tips:

Schedule your time. Stick to your schedule. Set an alarm if you need to.
Limit your access to time-wasting sites. One freelancer that I’ve heard of uses a separate PC for the “fun” stuff and another for work.
Use one of the many apps like focus booster ^[4] (free) or Concentrate ^[5] to stay on task. (Those are just two of the many tools available.)

Another efficiency killer is disorganization. Make sure that you are organized, both online and off.

Take a look around your office. Is your physical space neat and pulled together or is it chaos? If your office is a mess, take the time to straighten it up.

Also, make sure that you have an online system for keeping track of important information such as emails, passwords, and client project files. You need to be able to find your information quickly.

Tip #3 Focus on Quality

Quality sells. If you want a healthy bottom line as a freelancer, it’s a good idea to make high quality one of your selling points.

Quality helps your bottom line because freelancers who deliver high quality products or services are able to charge more. Clients are willing to pay more for freelance work when they know that they won’t have to worry about rework or missed deadlines.

Freelancers who focus on quality also tend to have more satisfied customers since they can spend more time with their clients than those who market their services based on price or speed. Satisfied customers lead to more testimonials and referrals–which in turn leads to more business.

Tip #4: Branch Out

Are you maxed out with as much work as you can possibly handle?

You might think that having a full schedule means that your freelancing bottom line profits have hit a ceiling, but it really doesn’t have to be that way. When stores and restaurants want to expand their businesses they branch out, and you can too.

Rather than trying to do everything yourself or regularly turning projects down, consider outsourcing some of your smaller and simpler projects. Find one or two freelancers in your field who you can trust to do a good job and offer them the opportunity to subcontract with you on some of your overflow.

Of course, if you outsource projects, then you will need to take some precautions. Here are some things to be careful about:

Reputation. Your reputation relies on the quality of your work. If you outsource work, that includes the quality of work of your subcontractors. You may want to check over their work (at least at first) to make sure that they have met project specifications.
Cost. Since you want to work with qualified professional freelancers, you will need to pay them a fair rate for the project work that they do for you. You will also need to bill a little bit more to your client to cover the cost of the time that you will spend managing the project.
Time. Outsourcing works best with projects that have a more flexible time schedule. You want to allow yourself enough time so that you can notify your freelancer and check their work when they are done. Of course, if a rush job cpmes up you may wish to charge extra or handle it yourself.

Tip #5: Diversify

My final tip for improving your bottom line is to diversify your freelancing business. Look for additional services or products that you can offer to your clients.

This can be done in one of two ways:

You can add services and products that are related to your field. For example, a writer who offers editing services.
You can add products and services that are complementary to your field. For example, a graphic designer who also provides web content.

If you choose to provide complementary services, you may wish to partner with or come to a reciprocal agreement with a freelancer in another field.

Your Turn

There are many ways to increase your bottom line as a freelancer. These are just a few of the easiest methods.

Can you think of any additional ways to increase your profit?

Image by stopnlook ^[6]

References

^{^} View all posts in How-To (freelancefolder.com)
^{^} View all posts in Productivity (freelancefolder.com)
^{^} your expenses (freelancefolder.com)
^{^} focus booster (www.focusboosterapp.com)
^{^} Concentrate (getconcentrating.com)
^{^} stopnlook (www.flickr.com)
^{^} WritingThoughts (www.writingthoughts.com)
^{^} Google+ (plus.google.com)

5 Unique Benefits That Freelancers Offer to Their Clients

2011-11-27T14:30:00Z

Small businesses (and let’s face it, most freelancers are small businesses) really have it tough when it comes to competing with agencies and other large businesses. For one thing, the larger companies tend to have a much larger marketing budget.

Freelancers, on the other hand, tend to have a very small marketing budget–if they have one at all. Instead, they rely on networking and word of mouth.

But, does a small business or a lone freelancer stand a chance when competing with a larger organization for a client?

I think they do. Bigger isn’t always better. In this post, I ‘ll list five unique benefits that freelancers can offer to their clients.

Benefit #1. Eliminate the Middleman

Miscommunication is a huge problem in many business transactions. Often, miscommunication is caused because the client has to deal with a middleman–a company sales person, a team lead, or even a receptionist–who then conveys the client’s information to the person who actually does the work for the client’s project. In the worst cases (in very large organizations), a client may have to repeat his or her request multiple times to many different people before actually reaching the person who can help.

In contrast, when dealing with a freelancer, the client can often speak directly to the person who does the work. Not only does direct communication reduce the chances of miscommunication, but it also allows the client to answer any questions the freelancer may have directly.

Benefit #2. Consistency

Because large companies often have many different individuals who perform the same type of work, the odds of the client getting the same individual who worked on the client’s last project to work on their next project are slim. He or she may have already been assigned to another project. This inconsistency of workers can lead to inconsistencies of quality and style.

However, when a client deals with a freelancer they can usually expect greater consistency. Unless the freelancer regularly outsources their projects, it’s likely that they themselves will work on all of the client’s projects.

Benefit #3. Agility

Freelancers are often more agile when it comes to getting things done quickly and on short notice. While I’m not a big fan of rush work, the truth is that an agency or larger business is much more likely to have layers of managerial approval that a client must go through before a new project can be started. Getting all those approvals can take time.

In contrast, a freelancer may be able to take on a new project on fairly short notice. A freelancer needs no approval from their management before he or she can start working because they are “the management.”

Benefit #4. Cost Savings

A larger business may have more resources than a freelancer, such as more personnel and a nice office space. But remember that those additional resources add to the organization’s overhead. In the end, additional overhead usually means higher cost to the client.

Many freelancers, on the other hand, work from home. Their overhead is relatively low. Often this means that they can charge less than an agency or other larger business would for doing the same work and still earn a good income. (Note: I’m NOT recommending lowballing here–just making an observation on how overhead costs are usually passed on to the client.)

Benefit #5. Personal Relationships

Working with a freelancer gives a client a true opportunity to develop a one-on-one relationship with the person who will be handling their projects. A strong relationship between freelancer and client is beneficial to both.

From the client’s perspective, developing a personal relationship with a freelancer increases the odds that the freelancer really understands the client’s needs. In fact, the freelancer may actually become sort of an “expert” in providing superior services to the client. Also, because the client is dealing with the same person each time, they will learn to understand what to expect from the freelancer.

From the freelancer’s perspective, having a good client relationship means that the client is much more likely to give them additional business and referrals. Also, dealing with the same client over and over again means that the freelancer will start understand the client’s needs in greater depth, which will actually make the freelancer’s work easier.

Your Turn

It’s easy to become discouraged when competing for work with larger organizations and agencies, but don’t give up. As a freelancer, remember that you can provide some unique benefits to your client that a larger business cannot.

What did I leave out? Can you think of any additional benefits that a freelancer offers over a larger company? Share your feedback in the comments.