Going Freelance… A workshop by Frankie Thompson

Traverse - Brighton, April 2013

Welcome! To the rest of your working life…

Let’s make it *n, free, fl,ible & fearless!

By freelancing?

Ten *n facts about Frankie •  I have no appendix or tonsils. •  When I was born I weighed 10lb 10oz (4.8kg). •  I know all the words to the songs from The Little Mermaid. •  I helped create the #bushw12 hashtag for Shepherd’s Bush on Twitter. •  My favourite food in the world is the Vesuvio pizza served in a restaurant called Gran Fausto on Lake Garda. •  I once bumped into Boris Johnson in a fish & chips shop in Brook Green, West London. •  I make money as a freelance corporate researcher and copywriter. •  I began freelancing eighteen months ago. •  My boyfriend made me do it. •  I self-published my first short story last month.

What is freelancing? A freelancer is “a person who sells services to employers without a long-term commitment to any of them.” (www.thefreedictionary.com)

A freelancer is a “…medieval mercenary warrior,” (www.etymonline)

Freelancing is “…working on a contract (and/or temporary) basis for a variety of companies, as opposed to working as an employee for a single company. Freelancers are often considered to be self-employed, and have the freedom to pick and choose their projects and the companies they would like to be associated with.”(www.businessdictionary.com)

(I like the third definition best.)

Why freelance? •  Because you can work when you want. Or not. •  Because you can work where you want – in Thailand or in bed. •  Because you can earn more money. •  Because you can reduce your outgoings. •  Because underwear is optional. •  Because it improves your life and enhances your lifestyle - don’t do it if it makes your life harder.

Can you freelance?

Yes.

Exercise One: Should you freelance? Freelancing isn’t for everyone and that’s okay. How would you answer the following questions? Yes or No? •  Do you enjoy working? •  Are you prepared to sacrifice a chunk of your income in exchange for lie-ins, no commuting and getting rid of the Sunday night blues? •  Do you like spreadsheets? •  Do you have savings? •  Do you think you’re a pretty cool guy? •  Are you prepared to prioritise job alerts over Facebook notifications? •  Are you ready to wave goodbye to paid time off, sick leave & job security? •  Are you looking to make this change in order to enhance your life?

Did you answer Yes more than No? Then read on!

Frankie’s *n* facts about Freelancing •  In my first 12 months of freelancing I earned just over 50% of what I earned in my full-time job three years ago. •  …but I travelled and lived in 15+ countries and I began work on my first book. •  45% of my income is from research, 45% from copywriting and 10% from “other”, including my blog. •  Approximately 65% of my clients came from online job/outsourcing websites. •  Over 50% of them became regular clients or repeat business. •  For 20% of the work I do, I charge below my preferred rate. But it used to be over 80%. •  Out of 30+ new clients I have only met six in person. •  Most of my clients don’t know that I travel full time. •  The ones who do know, don’t care.

*Some of these facts aren’t fun. But none of these facts came close to what I feared from freelancing.

Exercise Two: Clients only want freelancers with great skills Figuring out what you want to do and what you can do as a freelancer may be two different things. On a piece of paper write “What do I want to do” in one circle and then “What can I do” in another. Brainstorm what skills fall under these categories based on what you enjoy doing as a job, as well as your current and previous work experience.

Do any of the skills you’ve listed fall in both categories? Additionally, highlight the skills that are transferable (i.e. skills related to communication, organisation, management). These are the skills to focus on selling.

Exercise Three: Bloggers be cr4y!

Bloggers have great skills too… What are yours? Open up your blog and have a look through your latest posts and about page. Then give your url to the person next to you. Look through their blog and based on your quick reviews of both, write a list of all the different skills or types of work you see being demonstrated in creating, maintaining and publishing these blogs.

How many of these skills are sellable?* * Answer: Most, if not, all of them.  

I’ve got skills. What n,t? •  Build an online portfolio/professional web presence showcasing your great skills. You’ve built a blog, so this will be easy. (123reg, Tumblr or Wordpress)

•  Keep it simple and ensure you can update it regularly. •  Make it interesting and make it personal. •  Fill with relevant and brilliant ,amples of your work. •  Be proud of it. •  Think about what you like in websites and invest in achieving these – good design and relevant content. •  Work your SEO magic too and get your networking on.

Exercise Four: Where the jo6 at? You’ve thought about what you want to do and what you can do.

But will someone pay you to do it? Go to http://www.peopleperhour.com/freelance-jobs and enter some of the great skills you listed as search terms, prioritising those that fall under both want and can categories.

How many jobs did you find?

Freelance Websites: 7nding Mr Right

Elance  US based with lots of opportunities for virtually any skill set. Elance WTM freelancers with portfolio ready to upload and will let you get started for free. You can apply for a maximum of 40 jobs per month. Elance is an easy-going kind of guy and you can get to know him pretty well in just a little time. Elance buyers often invite freelancers to apply for jobs and there are a wide range of rates available. Feedback is King.

Peopleperhour Mr Peopleperhour is from the UK and has undergone a number of personality changes in the last year, changing how you manage jobs and how much % PPH take, which comes out of the proposal amount you submit. PPH can be a little rough with first timers, but rates are normally slightly higher than competitor websites and I’ve discovered that some impressive clients are regular users. Again feedback goes a long way.

Odesk The brainchild of some Greek Gods, well, University graduates, Odesk is now US based and is a huge job market. Odesk’s job listings were originally for IT sector, however, most other industries are now covered too including many blogging/online content related roles. Popular with overseas freelancers, rates can be woefully low, but turnaround of jobs is quick and you can complete tests for free to boost your profile and ego.

Because I’m worth it… How much should you charge clients?

http://freelanceswitch.com/rates/

Take the following additional c8ts into consideration: time spent on correspondence, set up costs & up front outgoings on equipment (hardware & software), taxes and other contributions you pay, % of your rent and utilities if you work from home. And don’t forget profit because “a girl’s gotta eat!”

Pitch like a… really good freelancer! Tips for job proposals* (based on my experience as a buyer and seller…) •  The early bird catches the buyer’s attention. •  Read the job description. Twice, if necessary. •  Be friendly and personable. •  Get to the point quickly (within the first few sentences). •  Show relevant examples but never do the work. •  Answer ALL the buyer’s questions. •  Provide all the crucial information: money, timeframe and… •  Why are you so good? (Show, don’t tell.) •  Check before you send. Twice, if necessary.

*“60% of the time, this works every time…”

Money’s too tight to mention…

Should I work for free? If you answer yes to all of the following questions then yes, consider it. If not, then keep the connection but not the work.

•  Will I enjoy it? •  Can I use it as part of my portfolio? •  Will I gain a reference from it? •  Can I afford to sacrifice my time to do it? •  Can I pay the rent this month? •  Do I have enough tea to drink? Maybe some biscuits too?

Networking v. Notworking Are your social networks helping or hindering you from getting & keeping work? Make your blog, social networks and online presence work for you. •  Does your blog showcase the skills and services you sell? •  Do your bios explain what you do? •  Is it easy to contact you? •  Are you being political, opinionated or impolite? •  How much do you swear on Twitter? •  How many drunk photos are there of you on Facebook? •  How private are your privacy settings? •  Are you proud of everything you do or share online?

Start to think “like a BOSS!”

If you’re going to be your own boss then think about what you would expect from your staff and ask yourself if you are delivering…

•  Productivity •  Time Management •  Profitability •  Staff Morale

Productivity •  No-one else is going to do the work for you. •  SelfControl – The friend you love to hate. •  Evernote – Your searchable/syncable lifeline. •  Skype – Be ready & contactable. •  Dropbox – For sharing & storing online. •  Gmail – Use as a to-do list. Archive & empty. •  AbstractSpoon/Teux Deux/Wunderlist – G.T.D. •  CloudMagic – Search multiple accounts. •  Turn off push notifications on your phone.

:me Management •  Keep it simple and cost-effective. •  Findmyshift – Designed to manage staff but use to manage ongoing work, factor in future projects & see live updates of earnings. You can also give clients access. •  Online Stopwatch – Track the time you’re spending on tasks. •  iCal/Google Calendar – Plan your future days. Block out days and time off.

Profitability Google’s definition of profit “A financial gain, esp. the difference between the amount earned and the amount spent in buying, operating, or producing something different.”

Frankie’s definition of profit as a freelancer “A lifestyle gain, esp. the difference between the amount of time, energy and stress spent on work as full-time employee and the amount spent as a freelancer.”

Profiting from a freelance career is not just about the money you make, it’s about your quality of life. As with financial profit, this should be assessed over extended periods of time, not after a bad day or week.

“Staff” Morale •  Have a happy & healthy working environment •  Take regular breaks •  Stay inspired •  Indulge your hobbies and passions •  Meet and socialise with other freelancers •  Encourage physical activity •  Celebrate success

:ps from an old timer… NewMan (my partner in life & travel) has been freelancing for nearly ten years. I asked him for his top tips to share with you:

•  Use your time wisely. Learning to do so is an investment. •  There will be feast and famine. Prepare for it so you can enjoy the famine! •  Understand your tax situation and any benefits available to you. •  Keep on top of your money and accounts from the outset. •  Understand the impact of freelancing on your credit history and future. •  There are many advantages to registering as a Limited Company (in UK), but be aware that your accounts become public. •  Don’t undersell yourself. If you’re good at what you do, people will pay good money. •  Watch Pawn Stars to understand the art and importance of negotiating right price. And because the Old Man is funny.

Exercise Five: What are you afraid of?

Write a list of all your fears – BIG & small – about freelancing. Then consider each “fear” in turn. Will any of them, should they become a reality, kill you? If yes, send me an email. We need to talk. If no, well, what else is there to fear?  

Freelancing will not kill you. Everything else can be undone.

On fear and freelancing… “Life means change, that’s the way it goes,” Jill Scott

“If you’re not prepared to be wrong, you’ll never come up with anything original.” Ken Robinson – Schools are killing creativity.

“Vulnerability is our most accurate measurement of courage.” Brené Brow – =e Power of Vulnerability

“The secret to happiness is low expectations.” Barry Schwar> – =e Parad? of Choice.

Any questions? For all resources mentioned in this workshop: http://www.asthebirdfliesblog.com/p/resources-for.html For more information, advice and group support: http://facebook/groups/goingfreelance For a laugh at your freelancing future: http://theoatmeal.com/comics/making_things

Frankie Thompson bird@asthebirdfliesblog.com

Blog - http://asthebirdfliesblog.com We6ite - http://fmthompson.com

Books - http://fmthompson.com/books Social - @bushbirdie & http://facebook.com/asthebirdflies