Author Archives: freelancetheconsultantsdiary

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How to Hire an Intern

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Perhaps by some miracle business has picked up and you need some help,  maybe for just a few hours each week.  You foresee that your need for help could last for some time and you’re ready to commit to a trial of at least six months.  You don’t have much money to spare,  but see that you’re probably losing money as you spend time performing certain functions that could  be handed over to less expensive labor,  which would allow you to focus on the vital aspects of client projects,  search for more billable hours and engage in other business-building activities.  Bringing on an intern may be the solution to your dilemma.

If you live in a locale with at least one college or university,  then you may have a source of interns to help you with business needs.  Interns can be a valuable resource,  especially for those who cannot afford to hire full-time employees.  With some planning,  a busy Freelancer can devise a win-win situation for both business and intern.

Plan to  offer a paid  internship.   Unpaid internships narrow your candidate pool more than you may realize.  In today’s economy,  many students must generate an income.  College has become wildly expensive and students and/or their parents often go into significant debt to finance their education.  Daddy may not be able to send spending money every month.

Paid internships provide a student with the tangible benefits of relevant work experience,  a reference for future full-time employment or graduate school application and a much-needed paycheck.  Moreover,  unpaid internships may present a legal snafu.  Strict federal and sometime state guidelines limit the hiring of unpaid interns to discourage student exploitation.  If you can find an intern whose financial aid package includes work/study,  the grant will absorb some of the hourly rate cost and save you money.

Start your search by thinking carefully about which tasks can be farmed out to an employee.  Be mindful that internships are not designed to provide businesses with low-level labor performed at low pay,  but rather to provide apprentice-level  learning opportunities.  Be realistic about what you can offer an intern.  Be prepared also to provide adequate instruction and supervision,  because you will be dealing with a young person who will need some guidance.

Next,  contact the school’s career services department or academic department that aligns with your professional needs  (e.g., communications or computer science or business).  Colleges are very eager to help match interns with prospective employers because that makes them look good.  Be ready with a basic job description and qualifications  (like web design or writing skills),  as well as what level of students you will work with  ( seniors, most likely). 

Remember also that students live on the academic calendar.  That means they disappear from about December 15 – January 15 for Christmas break,  they may disappear for a week during the April spring break and they may go home on May 15,  unless they can afford to stay in town for the summer or it’s convenient to commute in.

Plan to interview at least three or four candidates before you make your selection.  When you make an offer,  institute a 30 – 60 day trial period,  at which point you can decide whether the arrangement is working out.  Create the conditions for success by thinking through and communicating expectations clearly.  Discuss with your intern what s/he will be able to learn and be transparent about how performance will be measured.  Expect to spend time supervising your intern and maybe also explaining things twice. 

Empower your intern to show some autonomy and creativity once things get rolling.  Invite your intern to make some suggestions and offer opinions.  You never know,  you might learn something useful and you’ll show the intern that s/he is valuable. 

Always treat your intern with respect.  Assign meaningful work and provide the required training,  tools and follow-up to ensure that tasks are performed satisfactorily.  Offering an internship is your chance to mentor a young person and the rewards can be personal as well as professional for both parties. 

In the ideal circumstance,  your intern will give you the time to expand billable hours to such a level that you can offer to hire him/her full-time,  the ultimate win-win situation.  Good luck!

Thanks for reading,

Kim

Professional Development , Leave a comment

How You Say What You Say

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If you want to get your way,  then you must be persuasive.  To make friends is to persuade,  to receive help is to persuade,  to get a date is to persuade.  To sign a client is to persuade,  to negotiate is to persuade.  To sell any idea,  product or service is to persuade others of its relevance,  quality and value.

The ability to communicate ones’ needs,  thoughts and opinions is a cornerstone of a successful life.  It is vitally important to know what to say and how to say it as you expertly customize the message for its recipient.

I do not advocate manipulative behaviour,  however.  The idea is to get what you want in a way that creates a positive outcome,  with all parties feeling good about the exchange and no one feeling bullied,  resentful or exploited.  Persuasion is about how we frame and deliver our desires,  proposals or assertions and we must be respectful of others.

Tone of voice,  that is delivery,  is a big factor in persuasive communication.  Anger,  sarcasm and condescension are unlikely to facilitate persuasion.  Delivery that is perceived as hostile causes those on the receiving end to become defensive and mired in reacting to your style,  losing sight of your content in the process.  You’ll be treated as if you are wrong even if you are right  and you will lose.

To inspire you to pay attention to certain aspects of your communication style,  I offer here a few suggestions that will lead you to improve your powers of persuasion:

Avoid  “always”  and  “never”

Substitute  “often”  and  “rarely”  instead.  There are many people who will reject a reasonable assertion out of hand,  without taking its full measure,  when you frame and present opinions in dogmatic,  absolutist terms.

Lead with the positive

When disagreeing with another’s point of view,  it is natural for many of us to immediately,  perhaps vociferously,  take exception to that opinion or interpretation of fact.  Whenever possible,  promote persuasion by finding some common ground,  some point upon which parties can agree.  Soften your rejoinder and offer up a soupcon of validation,  maybe like this  “I know some people feel that way,  yet based on my knowledge and experience,  I’ve come to view the matter in this light…”  Call it smoothly handling an objection.

Don’t complain,  but do explain

Rather than criticize and complain that someone is wrong,  tell that person what behaviour or action is preferred or necessary and why that is so.  Reframe your complaint or criticism as a request,  delivered respectfully,  perhaps in this way  “When you arrive late to our meetings,  it makes others feel that our sharing of information is unimportant to you,  that you do not value the process.  Is the time frame inconvenient for you?  What can be done to get you here on time so that all parties can be present to address important agenda items?”

Thanks for reading and Happy Thanksgiving,

Kim

Administrative , , Leave a comment

2011 Year-End Tax Planning

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It’s about that time,  folks.  2011 ends in 7 weeks and it’s time to plan how to handle your taxes.  We all have to pay something  (except if you’re a multimillionaire or billionaire, in which case you pay nearly nothing!),  so before December 31 it’s important to enact a strategy that will work well for you.

Tax planning boils down to either accelerating or deferring income or deductions.  In other words,  do you want to report and pay taxes on more money or less in 2011 and do you want more or fewer write-offs?  The road you follow will depend on many factors,  including what you did last year,  how much money you will make this year,  whether you expect to make rather more in 2012 because a big project will start then,  or you expect to make rather less next year because an important project will soon conclude and you have nothing big on the horizon.

Take a look at your 2010 tax forms and 3rd quarter 2011 P & L statement to see what your financials say about your options.  What do fixed and variable expenses look like?  That will impact your decisions about deductions.  What does net profit look like?  That will impact whether you choose to accelerate or defer income.

If you want to accelerate income,  start by collecting outstanding receivables.  Pick up the phone or send an email and ask clients to pay ASAP,  or at least before December 31.  Tell them it’s a tax-planning matter (it sounds so much more dignified than telling clients that you plain old need the money!).  If you’ve got a contract in the works,  ask for a bigger retainer.

If you opt to defer income,  perhaps because 2011 has been a good year and you’re not sure what 2012 will bring,  then wait until January to collect receivables and ask for a smaller retainer fee.  BTW,  it’s possible to defer up to 25% of your income through your Solo 401K and it’s tax-deductible.

If you need write-offs,  scout for year-end deals on office furniture,  computers,  iPads,  office supplies,  software and whatever else you need to do business,  including enrolling in a course or attending a conference.  Office furniture,  computers,  company vehicles and other big-ticket items can be written off in a lump sum,  or depreciated over a period of years  (which is in reality deferring the deduction since it’s being spread out).

If you elect for fewer write-offs,  hold off on shopping until the calendar turns.  Alternatively,  if you are presented with office or business equipment deals that you cannot refuse,  then choose the depreciation method and spread out your deductions.

Speaking of deductions,  remember your retirement plan.  Solo 401K and SEP-IRA are funded with pre-tax dollars and are tax-deductible up to $16, 500.00  If you’re 50+,  the catch-up contribution feature raises the maximum to $22,000.00.  Remember the tax-deductible income deferral feature if you’ve had a very good 2011,  but expect to have a less lucrative 2012.

Further,  you might want to make an appointment with your accountant or business attorney and confirm that you are enrolled in the best legal entity for you.  Your exit strategy can impact  the legal entity you use.   For example,  if you want to take on a partner and eventually sell out,  or pass the business to offspring,   niece or nephew,  a different legal entity may be preferable.

Finally,  the end of the year is the time to assess what’s happened this year for you,  professionally and personally. Review your successes and challenges.  What will you do differently in 2012 and what will you continue to do?  Did you meet your financial goal?  Did you manage to sign a dream client or get a wonderful proposal approved?  What should you reach for in 2012?

Thanks for reading,

Kim

Business Strategy , Leave a comment

Protect Your Intellectual Property

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Suppose you decide to do what I recently did and contact the managing partner of a consulting firm and propose that the two entities agree to explore the possibility of  forming a business alliance that just might become very profitable? Business is all about deal-making and every once in a while a Freelancer has to pitch a good proposal to the right prospect.  After all,  nothing ventured,  nothing gained.

But there is risk involved,  usually for the smaller entity.  Freelancers typically offer intangible services,  better known as intellectual property.  We trade on our expertise and judgment,  our brand and reputation,  that which distinguishes us from the pack and allows us to make a  living.

Engaging in a business alliance or joint venture usually involves the sharing of intellectual property by one or both of the parties  (in this case,  it would be me).  How can you protect yourself from unscrupulous operators who might decide to appropriate your valuable IP,  when you’re out there trying to be proactive and proposing potential business deals to parties that might be interested,  without getting ripped off  for the fruits of your ingenuity?

Denver attorney Susan F. Fisher defines intellectual property or trade secrets as  “any formula,  method,  or information that gives you a competitive advantage…anything that takes time,  money or effort to develop and that you don’t want potential competitors to know about.”  Most business alliances,  including licensing arrangements,  require a Freelancer or business owner to reveal trade secrets and other IP.

Protecting the coin of your realm is a top priority.  Surprisingly,  that can mostly be achieved by taking just a few simple steps that cost no money at all.  Step one is to identify your intellectual property or trade secrets as restricted material and therefore not available for general distribution.  Mark the material “Confidential” in big bold typescript.  Step two is to require a special password to access the document file,  to provide yet another level of security.

A third IP security measure is to unambiguously state in a letter,  or in the email to which the file of IP information is attached,  that said information is proprietary and confidential and that it is being provided as part of a business proposition in which you would like to be paid,  should the proposal come to fruition.

Instituting such safeguards not only protects IP,  but also demonstrates to lawyers,  judges and juries that you identified your IP as confidential and not for general distribution,  that you made it known that the information you shared was sensitive and that you intended and attempted to protect your IP,  should a dispute ever lead to litigation.

The ultimate level of security is to require that the party with whom you share IP sign a nondisclosure agreement.  The NDA provides formal legal protection of  your IP and trade secrets.  Furthermore,   the NDA specifies what information is considered proprietary and what is not and will also describe limits as to how the IP may be used and for how long the information must remain confidential.  In the NDA,  your attorney should request that all copies of confidential information that detail the ingredients of your  “secret sauce”  be returned to you at the end of that term.

So by all means,  be an enterprising Freelancer and pitch a good idea to the right decision-maker.  Just be sure to start the venture off on the right foot by taking a couple of no-cost steps to protect your interests.  I’ll let you know how things turn out with my idea.   I was invited to call the managing partner in early December to find out if he and his colleagues feel that we have something to discuss.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

Marketing , , Leave a comment

Make the Most of Prospect Meetings

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Lucky you!  You networked your way into a meeting with a prospective client.  Now make sure you don’t blow the sale.  Here’s a sales meeting checklist that will help you prevail:

1.     Do your homework.  Beyond the information about the prospect’s needs and priorities that you learned in early conversations,  be sure to supplement client info with a visit to the company website.  Familiarize yourself with products and services,  identify benefits that your services are positioned to bring and formulate the value proposition you will articulate in the meeting.  While on the website,  check out the CEO and other top officers.  If it’s a not-for-profit group,  check out who’s on the board. Perhaps you know or have done business with a VIP?  Finally,  do an internet search and read any articles that have been written about the organization in the last 12 – 18 months.

2.     Set realistic objectives for your meeting.  At the minimum,  verify your understanding of the prospect’s need for your services and learn if there is an upcoming project for which you may be considered.  If a project has been scheduled,  inquire about the timetable and what you must do to obtain the contract (like submit a proposal).  Further,  it’s also wise to  inquire as to whether others will be invited to submit proposals,  so you’ll know the competitive landscape and know how hard you’ll have to work to land the assignment.

3.     Have the right presentation materials.  Have color-coordinated,  good quality printed collaterals that communicate not only the necessary information that a client will need to evaluate your products and services but also a professional image that will reinforce your brand and sell for you after the meeting ends.  If you’ll present a Power Point,  make sure your slides are easy to read,  clear,  concise and relevant.

4.     Rehearse your presentation.  If possible,  videotape yourself as you practice using your printed materials and/or Power Points,  to perfect your pacing and make sure your tone is appropriately upbeat.  Moreover,  be sure to anticipate questions and/or objections and practice answers that will reassure your prospect.

5.     Notice your surroundings.  Are there golf or tennis trophies in the office,  or good art on the walls?  If you can comfortably weave in an element or two,  it will be a good way to personalize your presentation and acknowledge and validate accomplishments or items of which your prospect is obviously proud.

6.     Notice your prospect.  Does your prospect appear to be paying attention to you?  Are there smiles and nods of agreement,  or a bored look,  or even a scowl on the face?  If it’s the latter two,  then you must stop and ask your prospect to tell what he/she finds troubling,  because you clearly have an objection to resolve and you’re nowhere until you do that satisfactorily.

7.     Ask qualifying questions.  Make your presentation a conversation and not a monologue.  Ask questions along the way to discover and confirm your prospect’s needs and listen to the answers.  Incorporate those answers into the rest of your presentation.  Remember to confirm that your prospect is the real decision-maker:  “Are you the person who will make the final decision?”

8.     Present case studies.  Case studies demonstrate the ways in which you can successfully meet client needs.  Prepare two or three that you can discuss and in the process,  build confidence in your capabilities.  Case studies are also a wonderful way to position yourself against competitors.

9.     Summarize your key points.  Place special emphasis on issues that are dear to your prospect,  as revealed in the answers to the qualifying questions you asked earlier on.

10.    Take action.  Ask for the business!  “I’d like to work with you.  Have I answered all your questions and put any reservations you might have to rest?  Do you feel ready to move forward?  When can we get started?”

Thanks for reading,

Kim

Technology / Office Leave a comment

Office Space Solutions

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Freelancers can work productively anytime,  anywhere.  That flexibility and control is perhaps our greatest advantage.  We are not tethered to a particular place for a specific time.  The many amazing technological advances that have occurred over the past 20 or so years have allowed us to be mobile.

But sometimes,  conducting business from the kitchen table,  coffee shop or library is neither practical nor sufficient.  We may need access to certain technical equipment or we may need appropriate meeting space.  We may need to demonstrate to a certain prospective client that we are not only capable,  but also  “real”   and occupancy in the right office space may be part of the sales pitch.  Temporary shared office space is the solution.   Shared offices give Freelancers access to workspaces that look,  feel and function like traditional office space.

The phenomenon of sharing office space,  called coworking,  reportedly was born 10+ years ago in San Francisco.  Coworking spaces are now available in many locales,  but finding the kind of space you need when you need it may not be easy.  You can always search Craig’s List,  but now there is a website that specializes in connecting Freelancers to the coworking spaces we need and at affordable prices.

Loosecubes http://loosecubes.com calls itself a community marketplace for workspace.  Loosecubes has office spaces available around the globe,  from St. Louis to Sao Paulo to South Africa.  You must join the  (free)  service and then you can browse and sign up for office space that fits your needs.  It’s also possible to offer workspaces for rent on Loosecubes.  Anyone with available space can post a listing on the site.  Interested Freelancers can contact the space owner and negotiate a rental timeframe and payment.

Workspaces can be categorized in any number of ways to reflect the types of businesses they would best serve,  e.g. architects,  photographers,  web designers,  writers,  etc.  Amenities provided is anther way to filter:  printing and scanning,  parking and access to public transit,  Power Point LCD and screen,  coffee and tea.  Loosecubes is linked to social media and members can obtain recommendations for workspaces based on their needs and preferences on Twitter,  Tumblr,  Meetup and Facebook.

To evaluate the service,  I searched Boston and found workspaces listed for $200 – $600/month,  both in the city and near suburbs.  Per diem listings ranged from $0 – $50.  Nearly all listings were accompanied by a photo.

Loosecubes promotes also the intangible benefits of their service.  Through coworking,  Freelancers will meet and interact with peers and have opportunities to build relationships,  expand professional networks,   create referral arrangements and  even team up to work together on projects.

Every once in a while I need a good space to meet a client and a restaurant or coffee shop just won’t do,  much less my home office.  I just may check out  Loosecubes to see what’s available.  It sounds like an excellent resource for us Freelancers  (BTW,  I’m not on their payroll).

Thanks for reading,

Kim

Survival Strategies , , , Leave a comment

No More Self-Sabotage

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You’ve got the expertise and the enthusiasm.  You may have a few key relationships.  But for some annoying and worrisome reason,  your Freelance consulting practice is not realizing its financial potential.  No doubt a sluggish economy is a factor,  but might there be another factor as well? Could a fear of failure —or success— be keeping you from laying claim to your just rewards and causing you to subtly and persistently sabotage your business?  Take a look at these items and see if you recognize your behavior:

I.     Fear of selling

Many people fear and loathe selling.  Selling oneself can be overwhelming and may even seem impolite,  like bragging.  I spent many years in sales and yet confess I get sick of it myself.  But the fact is that if one is in business,  then one is in sales,  so you’d better get used to it.  Sales takes self-confidence and the right message.

Realize that friends and family want to know what you do so they can refer you to prospects.  Prospective clients want to know if you have the expertise to help them to achieve their organization’s objectives.  You must create a clear and simple message to facilitate that process.

Make a list of 2-3 competencies for which you are typically hired,  or would like to be known for.  Attach a compelling benefit to each one,  to emphasize the reason that you should be hired to perform that service.  Next,  describe 2-3 clients who typically hire you,  or for whom you feel your services are especially well-suited.  Your task is to create a 1 minute maximum elevator pitch that communicates what you do,  for whom you do it and the benefits derived.

Write it up and express your sales message in language that is comfortable for you and will be understood by those who can hire you.  Learn also to ask for the business:  “Do you have use for this type of service”?  “Do you have a project in mind? Would you like to set up a time to talk specifics”?  “Is there a budget for this project? Are you ready to move forward”?  “I would like to work with you.  Do you feel ready to  talk about how we can get started?”

II.    Fear of charging fees that reflect your value

Particularly in this economy,  many Freelancers feel too intimidated by the fear of rejection to ask for the money they deserve.  Many clients are,  unfortunately,  prone to minimize the price they will pay for your services,  even if they have the budget.  It is a buyer’s market.  Admittedly,  compromises may need to be made when it comes to setting your fee.  Nevertheless,  you must not undermine your sense of the value that your expertise brings and do what is necessary to obtain your just financial reward.  See my October 11 post for more tips on pricing.

III.   Performing too much pro bono work

Especially when starting out as a Freelance consultant,  the temptation is to throw oneself into either deeply discounted or pro bono projects as a way to gain experience,  create referrals and build a client list.  Judicious use of those methods may apply at any time in a Freelance career,  but be sure that you’re getting something of value in return.  Promises of future paid work are mostly empty,  I’m sorry to say.  Once such  “clients”  have learned that they can get your talents for free,  they will be reluctant to pay you for work.  They’ll just look for another hungry Freelancer to sucker.

IV.    Failure to get press

Are you speaking on a panel,  teaching a course or presenting a workshop? Are you taking a leadership role in a local business association,  chamber of commerce or charity event?  If so,  you must write up a press release and send it to the business editors of local newspapers and blogs.  Follow up by telephone to make sure that the notice was received and answer any questions.

Offer to take the reporter to lunch or coffee,  to start building relationships with the press.  If an article is written,  first thank the reporter and then post the link on your website,  Facebook page,  LinkedIn page and/or Twitter feed.  Good publicity enhances your bona fides and often translates into increased business and additional requests to speak or teach.  Publicity enhances your reputation and helps you to obtain the fees that you know you deserve.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

Business Strategy , , Leave a comment

Raise Prices? In This Economy?

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An effective pricing strategy is essential to every business,  because one goes into business to make money.  Freelancers and business owners deserve to be paid just as every worker expects payment for services or labor performed.  Determining how to price products is fairly straightforward  (what is the cost of materials? what is the price of labor?),  but pricing services,  especially intangibles,  can be daunting.  Many Freelancers operate in the knowledge economy  (e.g., providing leadership training)  and it’s not always possible to benchmark your prices against that of competitors’.

Add to the mix that clients are well aware that they have the upper hand in nearly all fee negotiations.  Exploitation is alive and well and there can be shameless manipulation to obtain your top-drawer services at bargain-basement prices.  The smug assumption is that if you refuse to work dirt cheap,  then it will be easy enough to find someone else who will.

Then there are the  “clients”  who request free services in exchange for  “opportunities for exposure”  or  “future paid work”  that I strongly suspect never materializes.  (Why would it?  Once you’ve built their website for free,  they no longer need you.)   In my experience,  nonprofits are the worse offenders and they do it with a clear conscience.  They rationalize their disrespectful behavior because their budgets are thinly stretched and their organization is all about doing good.  Ha!

Yes,  there is risk to raising prices in this climate of hyper cost-consciousness,  but every once in a while one must raise prices and there may be compelling reasons to do so now.  Your price increase may be in response to any number of factors,  not the least of which is to synchronize the value you bring with the fees you charge.  Or maybe you just plain old need more money to maintain your preferred standard of living as you hand over more money than you should for groceries and gasoline.

The art of pricing is to charge a fee that simultaneously reflects your perceived value to clients and allows you to achieve your desired bottom line.  To that end,  you can discover useful competitive intelligence at http://gsa.gov/mobis and learn what others in your specialty charge the US government for consulting services rendered.

To access,  see the search box at top right and enter a professional category  (e.g. project management).  Scroll through the businesses listed until you find one based in your geography.  Look to the right,  click  “terms and conditions”  and view the services and prices revealed.

If you learn that your prices are rather low by comparison,  then it might be time for a price increase.  Additionally,  if clients remark that your services are a wonderful bargain,  then it’s definitely time to give yourself a raise.

Be aware that billing practices can either help or hinder the introduction and acceptance of a price increase.  It’s easier to bill by the hour and for small jobs that may suffice.  But hourly billing can expose you to haggling over your hourly rate,  making a price increase unpalatable for those who’ve worked with you before.

A flat project fee holds many advantages and typically benefits both Freelancer and client.  A project fee also makes it easier to institute your price increase.  To make sure that you don’t lose money on a job,  obtain written project specifications  (to avoid  “mission creep”)  and calculate the number of hours/week it should take to successfully complete the job.

Be sure to add in at least 2 – 3 hours extra per week to accommodate unexpected delays.  You may even choose to discount your  (discreetly increased)  fee somewhat,  in exchange for the stability of working on a long-term project  (because those extra hours allotted may not all be used).  Furthermore,  you should also specify a weekly cap for hours worked and set an hourly rate for time worked in excess of the cap.

Your mission,  should you decide to accept,  is to get paid what you’re worth.  Investigate MOBIS to learn how your prices compare to competitors’.  Whatever your pricing,  if you feel that an increase is in order,  be strategic about your approach.

Billing a flat project fee whenever possible is likely to be helpful to you and your clients  (they’ll know the project cost up front).  A modest price increase may be best,  or perhaps increase only the prices of selected services.  Most of all,  as discussed in previous posts,  you must work with the right clients and sell the value of your services.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

Technology / Office , , Leave a comment

Mine Your Search Engine Data

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What are interested parties interested in when they visit your website?  That very critical marketing intelligence is often not quite obvious when we plan and contract to build our website. We know to include a description of the products and/or services we sell.  Those who sell products on their site know to include an e-commerce function.  Those who schedule on-line appointments know to include a booking function and perhaps also a pay online feature.

But what information,  surveys,  videos,  white papers or whatever grab attention and keep visitors on a certain website page and convey details that prospective customers need to make a decision about doing business with you,  helping to convert prospects into customers?  Well,  you have to build the thing before you figure out the nuances of what information and features best serve your prospects and business,  but once you’ve done that Google Analytics can help in a big way and as of September 29,  even more than before.  Let’s take a look at Site Search Analysis (SSA) and two new Google offerings,  Real-Time Analytics and Analytics Premium.

SSA functions as  Search Engine Optimization  (SEO)  for your website,  extracting  and reporting valuable data about  site visitors that will provide clues on how to effectively fine-tune the sales tool that is your website.  This is not inbound lead generation  (nor is it actual SEO).  SSA analyzes data generated by your website’s own search engine.  Analytics Premium and Real-Time Analytics will make the information more timely and comprehensive.

The big advantage of Real-Time Analytics is that it will produce a set of reports that show what’s happening on your website as it happens.  You will receive instant insight into the visit count and much other valuable information about what resonates with visitors directly from the search engine of your website.  Real-Time will also measure the activity of social media linked to your website and it will allow you to monitor the impact of new content and marketing campaigns.  Once you’re registered with Google Analytics,  you must enable the Real-Time feature by clicking “new version.”

The more traffic your website receives and the more search queries occur,  the more extensive and revealing the story.  The data from this internal search process will identify what prospective customers want from your website and your business.  What are they curious about?  What information do they seek?  SSA internal search data lets you know the ways your website does and does not deliver information and answer visitor’s questions.

You will be able to evaluate website content—do you provide enough of the right information,  do you tell the right story in the way that prospective customers can understand?  Or you may have the right content,  but analyzing search data can tell you if visitors to your site somehow become frustrated and wind up exiting the site,  perhaps because the desired information is hard to find because it’s buried somewhere that prospects don’t expect to find it,  meaning you need to re-arrange and re-configure pages.  Maybe your information needs to be presented in a more eye-catching fashion or the text and terms used should be clarified,  expressed in language that your clients use and will better understand?

Analytics Premium is a paid service that reportedly will produce more specific website traffic data than the free service.  Premium will offer more customizable variables and downloadable reports.   There will also be guaranteed service level agreements for data collection,  processing and reporting,  plus  24/7  customer service reps available to assist with installing the program.

In closing,  I offer you a caveat:  SSA provides much intriguing data about how prospective customers respond to your website,  but you have to interpret the meaning of it all and decide what smart thing to do with the information.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

Survival Strategies , , 6 Comments

Pick the Right Clients

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As a coda to last week’s post about understanding,  communicating and being rewarded with money and respect for your value, I add thoughts about how to recognize good and bad prospective clients so that you will be positioned to sell on value and avoid being treated as a mere commodity.

As mentioned last week,  it’s important to develop the confidence to understand and accept that your services are not meant for every possible prospect.  Those who intend to exploit and devalue Freelancers will get us nothing but a knot in the stomach and lousy pay.

I know all too well,  however,  that sometimes it’s about paying the rent and keeping the phone on.  Who among us has not worked with a client who was a complete jerk early in the game,  but we kept telling ourselves that we’re pros,  we’ll make it work,  just get the frigging money and pay the g-d bills?

Other times,  it’s about getting the right name on the client list and catapulting yourself to the next level.  So you roll with the punches and vow never to work with the SOB ever again.  Even billionaires wind up doing business with those they’d rather not, so they can stay billionaires.  Business is like that.

Yet we do have some measure of control over the clients we work with,  no matter how dismal the economy.  It starts with our very own business model and whom we envision as our target clients: Fortune 1000s and large not-for-profits,  arts or social service organizations,  medical device and biotech.  Perhaps you decline to pursue chemical companies that create seeds for genetically engineered crops,  or tobacco companies,  or start-ups of any kind.

Whoever your target clients,  you must avoid like the plague those who display disrespectful or unethical behavior.  The sorting process takes place in the initial meetings.  First,  pay attention to how the particulars of the project and its scope are presented.  There should be attainable goals,  specific deliverables,  a clear idea of what your role will be and a reasonable project time-table.

The client should probably do 70% of the talking in your first meeting,  but there should be space for you to add your insights to the discussion as well.  Your second clue is,  have you been invited to add your thoughts about possible solutions and strategies,  or is your prospective client the supreme expert who casts you in the role of supplicant?

Several months ago,  I spoke with a prospect who had one set of goals during a phone meeting and our first face to face and a rather different set of goals in our second meeting.  Our first meeting was great,  our second meeting was revealing.  The prospect did all the talking and blocked a true dialogue.  Goals had changed and they seemed unattainable to me.  My perspective was not sought and my value seemed unappreciated.  Further talks were postponed as the prospect decided to take a vacation.  Eventually,  she opted to shelve the project. I was furious at the time but  now realize that she did me a favor.

As you get to know your prospective client do not ignore how he/she speaks in reference to other Freelancers with whom he/she may have worked.  Very early in Freelancing,  I met a prospect who was oh,  so charming in meeting #1.  But in the second meeting,  he showed his true colors by making frequent references to how he was reliably able to hire Freelancers to work  “cheap”.  Also,  as he described the project,  my role and the deliverable,  he stipulated ridiculously scant hours and short time frame for project completion.

Definitely,  I should have walked right out of that clown’s office after politely suggesting that it might be best if he contacted one of his  “cheap”  Freelancers for that assignment  (I wanted to, believe me).  But I was needy and desperate for both money and a better client list,  so I meekly sat there and sucked up the attack on my professional value,  signed the contract and began work.

The whole impossible task was going nowhere and I was not even close to producing the deliverable as scheduled when lucky for me,  a ranking staff member realized the whole thing was untenable and stepped in to work with me.  That staff member understood my value and appreciated the contributions that I made to setting the stage for the project’s eventual successful completion (and also ensured that I was paid on time).

So what is the moral of this story?  As always,  learn to appreciate and communicate your value as a competent professional and insist that all who aspire to work with you do so as well.  It’s the only way to be a successful Freelancer.

Thanks for reading,

Kim