Category Archives: Administrative

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The 21st Century Business Card

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I’ve become a lot more selective about who receives my business card.   I never hand over my card unsolicited,  unless I feel that follow-up with the intended receiver is a must and that the feeling appears to be mutual.   I’ve found that the traditionally employed are annoyingly promiscuous with business cards.   They hand them out at a furious pace,  mostly to folks they have no intention to interact with ever again.   Maybe it’s because they don’t pay for their cards?  Or maybe it’s because they are often not deal-makers or sales professionals,  so follow-up and relationship building are not tied to their success at work?

Over the years,  I’ve come to respect my business card.   I now realize that my business card is much more than a 2″ x 3 1/2″ piece of paper.   My card is my most ubiquitous marketing tool.  My card represents my brand when its recipient and I are no longer face to face.   My business card portrays me as a trustworthy and competent professional who will meet and exceed expectations through its text,  font style,  color scheme,   printing process and card stock.

The business card is a communication tool and is therefore part of your marketing plan.  See to it that its message aligns with all other marketing materials,  including the look of your website.  There is room for some creativity in its design,  so be authentic and allow your card to reflect your personality.

You may choose a vertical,  rather than the standard horizontal,  lay-out.  You may have a two-sided card,  or a 4″ x 7″ folded card,  both of which will allow you to include more information.  Real estate professionals have for several years included a photo of themselves on their card and you may choose that option as well.

Whatever style you choose,  take care not to overload your card with text.  Keep it simple and easy to read.  Include your name,  business name,  title,  telephone number,  email address and web address.   Providing your physical address is in many instances no longer necessary.   If you have a company logo,  absolutely include it and if there is space,  you may include social media contact info.

I was excited to learn that my little card can now become a 21st century interactive mobile marketing tool and include a Quick Response  (QR)  code.  Card recipients can scan the QR code with an Android,  iPhone or other camera-enabled smart phones  and be taken to my website,  LinkedIn profile,  or a specially formatted landing page.

Be mindful that whatever data is linked to the QR code must be optimized for smart phones and enable a friction-less experience for the user.   Add value to the mobile marketing experience by creating a special landing page as a one-sheet that describes three or four of your primary services and offers a free 30 minute consultation to prospective clients.  It is possible to get a free QR code through sites like http://delivr.com and http://qrstuff.com and as far as I know,  they work.

There are numerous reasonably priced options available to produce good quality cards for you.   Business card templates are available through companies such as Vista Print.  I hired a Freelance graphic artist friend to design my card.   Sir Speedy did the printing and recommended just the right card stock  (Sir Speedy also has business card templates available).

Your business card is the on-the-ground embodiment of your marketing plan.  It reflects your personal brand and makes as much of an impression as the suits you wear and the brief case you carry.  Design a card that is appropriate for your business,  industry and personal style and communicate to prospects and colleagues that doing business with you is good business.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

Administrative , , 8 Comments

Health Insurance Options for Freelancers in 2014

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There are five months left in the year and it is time to start planning for a successful 2014.  One important element of the business strategy plan for self-employed professionals must be our health insurance.  In 2014,  our options and requirements will change and we must be apprised of those changes and prepare to either make the most of them or minimize impact,  depending on our circumstances.

The individual mandate of the 2010 Affordable Care Act will require Freelance consultants and other self-employed individuals to purchase health insurance as of January 1, 2014,  or pay a penalty of $95.00 or 1%  of income,  whichever is greater.  That penalty will increase to $695.00 or 2.5%  of income,  whichever is greater,   in 2016.  If the revenue your consultancy generates is between 138%  and 400%  of the poverty level,  you may be eligible for a subsidy that will  ( in theory)  make the health insurance premium more affordable for you.

The subsidy for health insurance premiums will be available on the Health Insurance Exchange  (HIX).  Eligibility for a HIX premium subsidy is expected to be on a sliding scale,  but exact income thresholds have not yet been revealed.  It is possible that a single individual who generates about $45,000 annually will be eligible to receive a HIX premium subsidy,  according to information published by the National Association for the Self-Employed  http://www.nase.org .  It is expected that the income upper limit for a four person household to qualify for the HIX subsidy will be about $94,000.00 in annual revenue.

HIX enrollment is scheduled to begin on October 1, 2013,  for coverage that will commence on January 1, 2014.   Federal,  state and private health insurance plan options will be available for purchase through an online marketplace ,  where one can compare product features and prices.  One’s income tax data will be part of the enrollment application,  so that any subsidies applicable to enrollees will automatically be deducted as a tax credit.  Eligibility for Medicaid,  Medicare,  veteran’s benefits or HIX subsidy will be automatically calculated.  Be mindful that income of the self-employed tends to fluctuate and eligibility will fluctuate along with annual revenue.  It will be possible to renew with your present insurer,  but why not shop around and find out what else is available at your price point?

Unfortunately,  health insurance costs are expected to rise 10% – 13% in 2014,  in response to additional coverage that all plans must provide,  in accordance with Affordable Care Act regulations.  You may recall that in my April 2, 2013 post ,  I noted that when the Freelancers Union surveyed its members,  it was revealed that 58%  earn less than $50,000.00 / year and 29% earn less than $25,000.00 /year.  The majority of the groups’ members are in the New York City area,  a location that pays higher wages than many areas of the country.

That means many Freelancers will not qualify for the subsidy,  but will be required by law to pay large monthly health insurance premiums that will strain the already scarce cash flow.  As a result,  some will be forced to forgo health insurance,  because it is much less expense to pay the penalty,  even when it increases in 2016.

The penalty for avoiding health insurance in 2016 will be $1250.00 for those who earn $50,000.00 / year and annual health insurance premiums even for a healthy single person will far exceed that amount.  It’s a risky gamble that no one wants to take,  but for many it will be the only alternative.  When funds are both limited and unpredictable,  uncomfortable decisions must be made.

The rising cost of living and diminishing opportunities to generate adequate cash flow make it imperative that Freelance consultants must be savvy and diligent about marketing,  networking,  obtaining referrals and creating a good business model.  Responsible financial management is also necessary,  but first one needs to have money available  to manage.  Slacking off will not be an option,  at least not for those who are single or the primary breadwinner of their household.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

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Taxes: The Home Office Deduction

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Are you about to do your taxes,  Freelancer friend?  Read this post first and find out if you are able to deduct expenses for your home office.  The IRS sets a high bar for this deduction,  but if you pass the qualifiers,  it’s all yours.  Tele-commuters and outside sales reps might also deduct home office expenses.

1.   The space must be used exclusively and regularly for business purposes only and not for your personal life.  The space must be used regularly for business  and not just a few times a year.   Those who live in small apartments are at a disadvantage because no room can be consigned to business only.   However  if you use the space regularly for business,   it is not necessary to partition it off to demonstrate that you have established a separate workstation.   A desk in a corner of a room qualifies as a workstation,  along with a  “border”  of a few square feet.  Outside sales reps who must store product samples and marketing collateral at home can also include storage space square footage in the home office deduction.

2.   Does your home office exist primarily for your convenience,  or for the convenience of your employer or clients?  If your employer or clients have provided a location at which you may regularly conduct business,  then you are not allowed to deduct home office expenses.  To take the deduction,  you must have no other work space available  (you and your computer at Starbucks is not a disqualification).  Employees and independent contractors may have to give documentation to the IRS.  A letter from the employer stating that there is no office space provided for you and/or receipts for un-reimbursed business expenses and supplies will suffice.

3.  If you have more than one home-based business,  all businesses must meet the first two tests:  you cannot have any office space made available to you by a client or employer and you must devote that space  exclusively and regularly to business.  If any entity for whom you work provides regular office space for you,  then you are not allowed to claim the home office deduction and it’s an all or nothing proposition.   However,  disqualification from the home office deduction does not mean you cannot deduct other business expenses.  You are still eligible to file Schedule C  (Freelancers/Independent contractors)  or Form 2106  (outside sales reps and other employees)  to deduct other un-reimbursed expenses incurred while doing business.

Are you ready to complete Form 8829 Expenses for Business Use of Your Home?  To get started,  measure the number of square feet used at home exclusively for business purposes  (maybe measuring storage closets and the area of your desk,  plus a  “reasonable”  border,  instead of an entire room)  and divide that number by the total square feet in your home.  If your office is 12′ x 12′,  you have 144 square feet of office space.  Let’s say your apartment has 750 square feet of space.  Divide the area of your office by the area of your apartment: 144/750 equals 0.192,  or 19.2%.

That figure represents the percentage of your home that is devoted to business,  the percentage of the year’s home expenses you may charge off to the business and deduct.  There are direct expenses and indirect expenses to calculate.  The fraction applies to indirect expenses,  i.e. the total year’s utilities,  rent/mortgage,  taxes,  home insurance,  etc.  For example,  if you spent $800.00 on last year’s electricity,  you may deduct 19.2 %  x  $800.00 or $153.60 for that category.  Expenses incurred solely for the benefit of your workstation are the direct expenses.  Office supplies,  postage and office furniture are direct expenses.  Add your direct and indirect expenses.

The final test is,  does your home office deduction exceed the revenue generated/income?  Your home office deduction cannot exceed the money generated.  So if your business earned $1000.00 and your home office deduction adds up to $1200.00,  you may only claim $1000.00 for your home office deduction.  But that extra expense does not get wasted.  You may carry it forward to add to a future home office deduction in a year when revenue exceeds expenses.

The bottom line Form 8829 number is recorded on Schedule C  (Freelancers /Independent contractors)  or Form 2106 and Schedule A  (outside sales reps and other employees).  Employees must itemize deductions  (hence Schedule A),  to which the home office deduction is added to other un-reimbursed business expenses and all other Schedule A deductions.  Those deductions must exceed 2% of your adjusted gross income.  For more detailed information specific to your situation,  speak with an accountant or tax attorney.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

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Got Help?

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Freelance consultants usually work solo,  building a client base gradually over time,  developing and refining our personal brand and deriving great satisfaction from operating our boutique enterprise.  We take pride in keeping the show on the road all by our lonesome,  whether we’re making a killing or bumping along.  Especially in a troubled economy,  fear of an inconsistent paycheck causes the majority of us to avoid hiring help.   However,  an unbiased examination of reality may show that this practice could depress one’s earning potential.  To test the premise,  I invite you to ask yourself four questions.  Do any of these conditions exist  in your business?

  • You neglect following up on leads because you’re too busy working,  servicing clients or doing administrative duties such as billing and bookkeeping.
  • You’ve turned down business,  because you don’t have time to take on another client.
  • Revenue is no longer growing because you are not meeting prospects that you can persuade to become new clients.
  • You have only one client (although perhaps a good one).

Hiring help may resolve those problems,  but the process can be scary.  Who can you trust to enter your business,  advance its goals and not make you look bad? Can you be certain that there will be sufficient cash flow to make payroll?  Which duties should you hand over to an outsider?

The decision to hire begins when you let yourself recognize when it’s time to hire.  To ease your fear,  re-frame the scenario and think of an employee not as an interloper and a drain on your expenses,  but as a potential revenue enhancer who will give you time to apply to activities that will grow your business.

You’ll need a job description,  so decide what it is you dislike doing and what functions can be taken from your plate.  For example,  if you dislike billing,  bookkeeping,  answering the telephone and/or making Power Point presentation slides,  you’d hire an administrative assistant.  A call to Katharine Gibbs or other secretarial schools will give you a source of applicants who are vetted through the school and likely to be qualified and trustworthy.

If prospecting and account executive duties are not your favorite,  then you need someone who will help fill your sales pipeline,  follow-up on potential speaking and teaching engagements,  write press releases and assist with certain client needs.   Vetted candidates with marketing and sales skills can be accessed through university MBA programs.

Next,  make a quantitative assessment by doing a 12 month revenue projection,  to demonstrate that you can comfortably expect to meet all fixed and variable expenses,  including your owner’s draw,  and also fund an employee.   Search Craig’s List to determine the going hourly rate in your geography for the skill set you need.  Following that,  check with your accountant or tax attorney and get the latest info on tax breaks for hiring within special categories,  such as the long-term unemployed,  and how that can help subsidize your employee.  Your tax attorney or accountant will also advise you on payroll withholding and may do payroll for you  (or recommend a bookkeeper or payroll service).  All those expenses will be included in your hiring process financial projections.

Interview three or four candidates.  Check references.  Start small and hire someone for a three month trial for maybe 8 – 10 hours/week,  to see how things work.  Once you get your new hire trained and operating at full capacity,  you may be pleasantly surprised by how much more revenue-generating work is taking place!  If for some reason your new hire isn’t working out,   make sure that you are communicating expectations appropriately.  If you can assure yourself that you are doing so,  then hire another candidate.

Establishing a profitable business requires the effective  management of all resources and that includes staffing.  Freelance consultants must be especially aware of resource management,  because we go it alone and the  list of what it takes to run a viable business continues to grow.   We love what we do,  but keeping the bases covered is time-consuming and can be  exhausting.  Before you dismiss the idea of hiring help,  realize that doing so may limit business growth and revenue.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

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The Freelancer’s Dilemma : W2 or 1099

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So we continue with the get-your-house-in-order year-end organization.  This week,  you can think about your tax status in an even more elemental way:  are you a Freelance consultant who is on a very long assignment,  or are you an employee?  The federal government continues its focus on the proper classification of employees and contract workers.  Businesses are cutting back on hiring workers who must be paid benefits and the feds are snooping around.  Improper classification of workers violates the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

As you know,   Freelance consultants are not covered by federal or state wage or hour laws;  are ineligible for employee benefits such as health insurance and retirement plans; and cannot form or join a union.   Our employers are not required to make any withholding whatsoever and so we do not receive unemployment benefits and no one pays into our social security or medicare accounts,  no one deducts federal and state taxes for us.

The good thing is that we have 100%  of our money in hand when the check arrives and that has probably saved you more than once!  The downside is that we are left with a tax bill,  including self-employment  tax,  every quarter.

Businesses may be totally flummoxed about how to classify workers.  For example,  the Internal Revenue Service may classify a worker as an employee and determine that he/she is entitled to participate in the company retirement plan under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA).  State government officials may classify that same worker as an independent contractor when determining whether or not that worker is entitled to unemployment benefits.

There are different tests for distinguishing independent contractors from employees.  A big factor is whether the worker or the company controls the manner in which the work is performed.  The more the Freelancer,  as opposed to the employer/client,  controls where,  when and how the work is performed,  the more likely that an independent contractor arrangement exists.   To further clarify,  individuals who are free to provide services to other clients and are able to sub-contract their work are more likely to be classified as independent contractors.

Other considerations include:

  • Whether the worker uses his/her own supplies and equipment to perform the work wherever it is convenient  (like on a computer in a library,  or a cell phone in a coffee shop).
  • Whether the worker can reject an assignment without  fearing termination of the work arrangement.
  • Whether the worker pays his/her own business and travel expenses.

The above conditions would incline that worker toward classification as an independent contractor.  Whether or not a worker has independent contractor or employee status has huge economic implications for both the employer/client and the W2/1099 worker.  Unfortunately,  in today’s job market,  workers are in a vulnerable position,  regardless of the government’s heightened scrutiny of possible mis-classification.

Very few Freelancers who ought to be classified as employees will turn in an employer who is offering steady work,  particularly if the hourly rate is considered acceptable.   We will put up with a few things to get a reliable check.  If you suspect that you are really a W2 who is treated as a 1099 by a business that wants  (or maybe really needs)  to save money,  look at the big picture.

Are you happy working there?  Is the money good?  Is the work good for your CV and the name good for your client list? Are you able to squeeze in work for other clients  (with or without that employer’s knowledge)?

Without exactly letting on that you know the employer is breaking the law,  you might be able to bargain for a few perks,  such as less face time in the office,  or perhaps a shot at working on better projects.  It’s a touchy situation and you don’t want to kill the golden goose.  I’d probably speak with an employment attorney to figure out a strategy.  You don’t want to lose either a regular revenue stream or a reference.  Chalk it up to what one does to remain in business.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

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2012 Year End Tax Planning

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OK folks,  it’s time to think about what  to do before December 31,  so that you can reduce your tax burden.  If you retain an accountant or a business and tax attorney,  make an appointment to discuss year-end tax planning.  You will have a few of the following issues in mind:

Full deduction vs. Depreciation

Depending on how much money you’re on track to make this year and your ability to reasonably project earnings for next year,  you will either make purchases before December 31,  or wait until after January 1.   Further,  you will either take the full up-front deduction on business equipment,  or depreciate business-related purchases and spread the deductions out over several years,  to soften the tax bite on future earnings.

If you did well financially this year,  you’ll probably take the full deduction on business equipment such as your new computer,  printer,  scanner and/or smart phone this year,  to add more expenses to charge off against gross earnings.   But if subsequent years appear more financially rosy,  then use the depreciation method and spread those deductions forward.

Remember all selling expenses

With the passage of time,  it is easy to allow a few expenses associated with generating revenue to get lost in the shuffle.  Did you attend a professional development conference this year,  or take a course?  Did you buy business books?  Pay to attend networking meetings?  Pay dues to join the chamber of commerce or Rotary club? 

You may deduct these expenses.  Proper labeling and immediate filing of receipts and posting of expenses into QuickBooks,  Excel or even an old-school ledger ensures that you will take all legal deductions in the quarter where they should be documented.  Make it easy for yourself to take advantage of every allowable deduction.  If you have not been on top of this stuff,  start looking for receipts now,  before you get tied up with Chanukkah and Christmas,  and record the transactions,  so you’ll be all set for the January 15 quarterly tax filing.

Retirement plan contribution

Especially if you had a good year,  make the maximum retirement fund contribution.  If you are 50+ years old,  or will celebrate your fiftieth birthday on or before December 31,   you are eligible to make the catch-up contribution of $5, 500.00 maximum.  If revenues generated were not stellar,  try to make the largest retirement fund contribution you can manage  (if you can manage). 

It’s not always possible to set money aside for retirement,  unfortunately.  Making money is often difficult,  slow paying clients ruin cash flow and living  expenses are rising.  It’s been reported that 40%  of the self-employed have no retirement funds available.   Many drew down to stay afloat while re-engineering  professionally,  following a lay-off.  Others used retirement money to launch their business enterprise.   As a result,  the retirement fund deduction is much underutilized,  according to the IRS.

Home office expenses

If your fancy smart phone or land line with bells and whistles are dedicated to business,  then you may fully deduct their purchase and monthly billing charges.  Ditto for your office supplies,  internet connection and other office expenses.  You may also deduct a portion of your heating and electricity expenses  (based on the square footage of your office space as a percentage of your living space).

Create boundaries

The fail-safe way to keep track of business expenses is to open up a separate business checking account and maintain a business-only credit card and thus separate your business and personal spending.  Automatically,  there will be a record of all business expenses.  Most business credit cards will provide a year-end summary of charges,  to help you along  (AmEx does this regardless).

Before the year ends,  get your arms around your business expenses,   allowable deductions and the impact on your tax burden.  As millionaires know,  it’s not just what you make,  but also what you keep.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

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Ace the Thank You Letter

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The month of August seems to have put me on a business etiquette soapbox,  so I’ve decided to conclude the month with a few pointers on how to write a thank you letter.  In business,  one cannot underestimate the importance of expressing thoughts in writing.  It is important for a Freelance consultant to know when and how to properly thank a client or colleague.

Unfortunately,  many people get a little flummoxed by thank you letters.  We know we want to express our thanks,  but we don’t always know what to say.  We don’t want to sound too impersonal and neither do we want to gush.  Keep things in perspective by approaching thank you letters as acknowledgements and understand that they are not entirely different from the email that you write to a client to verify what was discussed and agreed upon in an important meeting.  Best of all,  thank you letters are a lot easier to write.

It is likely that a meeting precipitated the occasion to thank someone and it is best to send your thank you card or letter no later than 48 hours after that meeting.  Rather than sending an email,  show your business etiquette bona fides by using quality stationary or a business note card  (your own personalized stationary or cards have the most cachet) and sending your thank you via the postal service.   A thank you card will be hand written by the sender and a thank you letter will be typed and signed by the sender.  The tone will be friendly,  yet professional.

Begin you note or letter by expressing your gratitude for the meeting  “Thank you for meeting with me on_____”   or “I appreciate that you were willing to meet with me on_____”.   Next,  reference a key point or two that surfaced during the meeting,  such as the usefulness of information shared,  appreciation for a client referral or introduction made,  assistance or advice given,  etc.   I like to send thank you letters to clients when a project has concluded and thank them for awarding me the contract and letting them know how much I enjoyed working with them.  It’s all about relationship building and creating repeat business.

Thank you notes and letters are typically brief.   After you’ve stated the reasons for expressing your thanks,  move toward the close by thanking the recipient again  “Once again,  thank you for meeting with me…”  Set the stage for future contact with  “I look forward to working with you again…”;  “I look forward to seeing you at the _________Conference…”;  or whatever fits the context and your relationship.

Complete your note or letter with a salutation that suits you and the relationship you have with the letter’s recipient:

Best regards

Kind regards

Warm regards

Yours truly

Thank you letters are an important step in relationship building and maintenance and an important building block of your brand,  that is what you are known for and the image you project to others.  I suspect that many in business do not take the time to write thank you letters.  They may think about doing so,  but find the process intimidating.  They procrastinate and then decide that too much time has passed.  Now that the process has been deconstructed,  you’ll be ready to confidently and expertly write a thank you letter to someone who has come through for you.  It’s a small effort and it will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

Administrative , , 2 Comments

Power Lunch Etiquette

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When establishing a relationship with a new or prospective client,  or sorting through a big and important project,  stepping away from electronic forms of communication and choosing to arrange an old-school  face to face meeting is the the most practical route.  So many vibes and nuances require that the parties be in the room together.   Inviting a client to leave the office for an hour or so,  away from various distractions,  is a smart move that will pay many dividends.  Lunch with a current or prospective client,  or with a colleague you’d like to know better  is invariably more productive and pleasurable than an office meeting.

I use here the example of  lunch,  but your client’s schedule may indicate that a breakfast meeting or afternoon coffee will be preferable.  If getting the client out of the office proves impossible,  offer to bring breakfast or lunch to the office.  It ‘s not ideal,  but I’ve found that a little food makes for a more relaxed meeting that sets the stage for candid conversations and relationship building.

Power lunch etiquette begins before the two of you sit down to eat.  It starts with the invitation.  When it is extended,  suggest two or three restaurants with good reputations that are convenient to the client’s office.  Welcome suggestions from your guest.  You’ll select the client’s choice of restaurant,  of course,  and remember to compliment his/her choice.  Visit the website,  peruse the menu and make a reservation if required.

Be sensitive to your client’s dietary requirements and preferences.  Whether or not there is a medical reason,  many people  (especially in the Northeast and the West Coast)  are following vegetarian,  gluten-free, vegan,  raw, etc. diets.  “As the host,  it is your responsibility to ensure that your client’s experience is pleasurable”, says etiquette expert Tina Hayes.  “Pay attention to details”.

Confirm the meeting time and place with your client/guest and the reservation with the restaurant the day before.  Exchange cell phone numbers in case one of you is delayed.  You will arrive at the restaurant 10-15 minutes early and give your credit card info to the host and request a quiet table that is suitable for talking business. Then wait in the reception area.  When your guest arrives, turn off your phone so that you won’t be interrupted.

As a general rule,  it is inadvisable to immediately plunge into a business discussion as soon as your guest arrives.  Be prepared to make small-talk and have a couple of non-business topic sready,  to allow both of you to relax and get to know each other in a different context  (avoid politics or any other potentially controversial topics).  Let your guest know that it’s OK to order a drink if he/she likes and if you’re meeting on a Friday,  that just may happen.  If your guest orders a drink,  you may also order one.  If your guest abstains,  you do the same.

Wait until the meal has been ordered and beverages have been served before easing into the business talk.  Focus the conversation around your guest and give him/her a chance to open up.  Do that by asking about business,  projects that are in progress,  what’s on the drawingboard for the future.  then inquire as to how you can help and what needs must be urgently met.

Be mindful that you must pace the discussion and be respectful of your guest’s time.  Plan on 75-90 minutes for the average business lunch and 45-60 minutes for breakfast or coffee meetings.  When finished, express your appreciation for the client’s time.  Send a written thank you note (not an email).

Thanks for reading,

Kim

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Tame the Technology

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Nonstop information crashing into our consciousness via the 24 hour news cycle,  added to the waves of pings from our social media entourage, has caused a whole bunch of us who live in the internet-connected world to feel pummeled.  Stir in the no-end-in-sight economic bad news to the mix and you’ll understand why Freelancers are feeling unacceptably anxious and overwhelmed.  Our colleagues and clients in the corporate and not-for-profit worlds are feeling that way,  too  (maybe that’s why our emails sometimes go unanswered?).

Freelance consultants are nervous about staying current with market trends and selling cycles as we strive to anticipate fluctuating client priorities and keep contracts in-house.  We fear missing out on something important and that causes us to fear not being on-call nearly 24/7.   The mental fatigue and resulting stress take a toll on peace of mind.

Sherry Turkle,  professor of the Social Studies of Science and Technology at Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, MA and founder of the MIT Initiative on Technology and Self,  says  “We are struggling with the always-on feeling of connection that the internet can provide,  but we still need to figure out how to limit its influence on our lives.  We sometimes need to get a grip and separate ourselves from the iPhone”.  (New York Times April 17, 2011)

William Powers,  author of  “Hamlet’s Blackberry” (2010),  a book about taking control of your digital life,  appeared on a panel at the 2011 South x Southwest conference in Austin, TX and noted that he witnessed  “…a gigantic competition to see who could be more absent from the people and conversations happening right around them.   Everyone…was gazing into their little devices—a bit desperately,  too,  as if their lives depended on not missing the next tweet”.  (New York Times April 17, 2011)

I hereby suggest that you turn off your toys for a few minutes and let me help you learn how to manage your connections,  rather than be managed by them.  There is a time to  “just say no”  and we can figure that out here and regain control of our schedules,  handle our responsibilities with fewer distractions and increase opportunities for rest and regeneration.

Freelancers fear that if we are not constantly available,  our clients will become upset and lose confidence in us.  We’re afraid that competitors will obtain information that we don’t possess and use it to gain an advantage.  We’re terrified of being perceived as not being on top of things.  Maybe we’ll miss out on a good assignment,  an opportunity to shine and bring in some good billables?  Yet those who study the effects of stress and fatigue on productivity and creativity recommend that we find some downtime,  to recharge the batteries and calm the mind.  It is wise to set boundaries and unplug.

Try this strategy on for size: unless you’re on a big project,  Monday – Friday,  turn your phone off at 6:00 PM and check email and phone messages just once during the evening.   Start your day with a check-in by 7:00 AM.  On weekends,  check for business-related messages just twice a day,  in mid-morning and late afternoon.   Draw a definitive boundary between your working hours and personal time.

Revisit the practice of off-line communication.   Because there is such an intense focus on online social media as a basis for networking,  the value of face-to-face interaction,  or even live telephone conversation,  becomes increasingly valuable in cementing our relationships.   When working with a client,  pick up the phone every once in a while to discuss an issue that you’d like to clarify.  If you’ll be near a client’s office,  extend an invitation to come out and meet for coffee.  It will go a long way in building the relationship and will make working together more effective and pleasant.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

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Evaluate Your Network

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Effective networking is a cornerstone of any flourishing business enterprise.  Who you know and who knows you makes all the difference in business success.  It’s a good idea to periodically evaluate the quality of our professional network.  The first step in this process is actually strategy planning.  What do you want your business to look like in 18-24 months?  What do you need to do,  who do you need to know and who needs to know you so that you will achieve your goals?

Next,  think about your professional network.  Does it appear that tapping into existing relationships will help you realize business goals?  Take stock also of your personal relationships.  Which are deserving of your time and energy and which should be put out to pasture? Might it make sense to add a business dimension to a social or family relationship,  or add a social dimension to a business relationship that no longer pays professional dividends,  but you feel is worth maintaining nonetheless?  You may find that some pruning, reconfiguring and strategic additions are in order.  Read on and get some inspiration to start the process:

What have they done before and what are they doing now?  What is the person’s record of achievements? Is that person continuing to move forward?  If one is not growing,  then one is falling behind.  The value of  a given relationship will  depend upon your resources,  industry and goals.  Look to strengthen and develop relationships with those who can open doors and share relevant information.  Because relationships are a two-way street,  think also of the value that you bring to relationships.  Do you come through when you should?

What is the reach?  When possible,  cultivate relationships with those who have an understanding of and influence in your industry or field of expertise,  or with potential clients who can be referred.  Someone who can refer you to teaching and speaking engagements that will build you CV and bank account will also be very helpful.

Do they have a positive and progressive attitude?  Surround yourself with smart,  positive,  forward-thinking people,  socially and professionally.  Divest your network of haters and slackers.

Do they like to collaborate?  If you see an opportunity to team up and set in motion a mutual win-win,   you’ll need to take the idea to someone who will be open to exploring reasonable options.  We all need to have in our networks savvy and creative people who see the big picture and are willing to keep ego in check in order to accomplish something bigger than either could do alone.

Are they responsive?  Folks must be willing to return calls and emails within a couple of days or so,   barring an emergency,  deadline or  vacation.  When you invest the time and energy to build a relationship,  you want to know that efforts at communication will be respected.   No matter how awesome someone is,  they are of no use to you if they ignore you when you reach out.  If they don’t get back,  then you know you’re not valued.

Thanks for reading,

Kim