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10 Under $40: Holiday Client Gifts in 2024

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The December holidays are the Number One relationship-building bonanza of the year for the B2B sector. Whether you lead a multi-national enterprise company, operate a small business, or maintain a Freelance consultancy, December is the time to show appreciation for the opportunity to do business with your clients. Nurturing relationships is a crucial element of your strategy to cultivate repeat business by staying on the radar screens of those who can offer still more billable hours.

If you’ve been lax about reaching out to current and lapsed clients, now is the time to redeem yourself. Start by sending a (secular) holiday card to all clients you’ve worked with over the past five years. Current clients, in particular those you’ve billed $1000 or more, deserve a business-appropriate gift. FYI, Christmas falls on the fourth Wednesday of December this year and Hanukkah begins at sunset on the same day and will be observed until sunset on January 2, 2025.

In acknowledgement of inflation, I’ve raised the price threshold this year from $35 to $40, to maintain the quality of gift selections. My goal is to identify modestly priced, business-appropriate gifts that reflect well on your brand. To ensure that your card and/or gift arrives on time, I recommend that you mail or ship no later than December 10. Also, be aware that some offices, particularly in the not-for-profit sector, may close on the Friday before Christmas, to reopen on January 2, while Work From Home employees could be Missing in Action after December 13 until January 2. In no particular order, my list of gift choices is respectfully submitted.

  1. Clippable Card Pouch (Lulu Lemon) Zip, clip, go. Just clip to attach this stylish and durable little pouch onto your key chain, belt loop, or bag to have a hands-free and convenient way to keep IDs, cards and cash handy and secure. The zippered main compartment has interior slots that make it easy to organize and access what you need to carry. $34.00 USD
https://shop.lululemon.com/p/bags/Clippable-Card-Pouch/_/prod11130364?color=64803&sz=ONESIZE

2. Winter Bloom Wreath (Uncommon Goods) Graceful grapevine 6″ diameter mini-wreath will brighten a desk, window, or door. The wreath is hand made and decorated with colorful live succulents, redwood and cedar foliage, sphagnum moss and fresh botanicals. This lovely wreath will stay vibrant throughout the holiday season and well beyond, with no misting needed. $35.00 USD

https://www.uncommongoods.com/product/winter-bloom-live-succulent-cedar-wreath/606280000001

3. ChargeCard (Aquavault Inc.) Featured on Shark Tank (ABC-TV) and backed by Daymond John, ChargeCard’s innovative design includes durable stainless steel construction and fast charging technology, making it a reliable source of power for your devices. ChargeCard comes with built-in cables for both iPhones and Android devices, including USB-C, Lightning and Micro USB. Visit the official website link to obtain more information and click here to order. ChargeCard | Order $39.99 USD

https://theaquavault.com/pages/pre-v1

4. Travel Mug (Zojirushi) Advanced engineering and superior materials result in a streamlined design and superior performance for this 20-ounce stainless steel, easy-to-carry container. Vacuum insulation makes sure that the hot soup or cold beverage you pour in and carry will stay that way. Microwavable inner bowl design ensures convenient use. The mug is crafted from quality 18/8 stainless steel and BPA free plastics and are designed for easy use and cleanup. $34.74 USD

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Zojirushi-SM-SHE60BZ-Matte-Black-Stainless-Steel-20-oz-Steel-Mug-SM-SHE60BZ/315359230


5. Winter Forest Guest Essentials Gift Set (Williams Sonoma) Includes 8-oz. bottles of hand soap and hand lotion, plus a votive candle in a reusable glass holder that features a festive winter fragrance that combines the uplifting aroma of freshly cut pine with subtle notes of cedar wood, citrus and sweet spice. The hand soap contains soothing olive oil, aloe vera and glycerin; the hand lotion nourishes skin with natural shea butter and vitamin-rich botanical oils. The eco-friendly candle is a beeswax and vegetable wax blend and is scented with natural essential oils. All products made without parabens and have not been tested on animals. $34.95 USD

Williams Sonoma Winter Forest Guest Essentials Gift Set | Williams Sonoma

6. Travel Bag/ Personals & Toiletries (L.L. Bean) A lightweight and sturdy hanging travel organizer is designed to hold all of your basic trip essentials. All travel organizers are not equal—this one is made with extra-tough fabric and technical details and has been extensively tested by L.L. Bean to prove it can hold up for the long haul. With over 9,000 5-star reviews, it’s no wonder customers rave about its unmatched quality. $34.95 USD

https://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/130057?csp=f&feat=509870-GNqv&imgt=41&page=ultralight-personal-organizer&bc=509870&itemId=523701&attrValue_1=46399&gnrefine=1Price30%20TO%2050%5E1DEPARTMENTBags%20%26%20Travel&pos=1

7. Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramels Gift Box (Crate & Barrel) Bite-size couture caramel candies are dipped in dark chocolate and sprinkled with sea salt. Ready for gift giving, the tin is tied with a festive bow. Sea salt caramels are a Crate & Barrel exclusive and made by Long Grove Confectionery since 1977. $29.95 USD

Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramels with Gift Box + Reviews | Crate & Barrel

8. Silver Chrome Rollerball Pen (Scriveiner) Beautifully crafted of brass and a silver chrome finish, with 24 karat gold appointments. The quality of craftsmanship and materials is usually found only in pens costing many times more. Scriveiner pens use the Schmidt liquid ink system that is superior to gel ink pens and combines the convenience of a ballpoint with the ink feel of a fountain pen. The client who receives this elegant gift will appreciate its smooth writing style. $32.99 USD

Scriveiner Classic Silver Chrome Rollerball Pen

9. Oh Mega Earband (The North Face) Practical and stylish, this cozy ear band makes a gift that runners, bike riders and anyone who doesn’t love wearing hats during the winter will appreciate. Available in six colors, the earband has a soft fleece lining that keeps those who wear it toasty, plus a recycled polyester body. $35.00 USD

https://www.publiclands.com/p/the-north-face-womens-oh-mega-headband-24tnowwmnshmghdbnacc/24tnowwmnshmghdbnacc?sku=26051887&camp=CSE:PBL_92700079948537142_PLA_pla-297072075353&gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMImPmilYTYiQMVfG9HAR1E8DTgEAQYBiABEgI2WfD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

10. Burt’s Bees Essentials Kit Give your clients a cold weather skin survival solution with this collection of natural essentials. These five travel-size products are designed to gently and thoroughly cleanse, moisturize, soothe and smooth face, lips, body, hands or feet. The Burt’s Bees self-care set is a perfect go-to holiday, birthday, or other special occasion gift.

https://www.burtsbees.com/product/essential-burts-bees-kit/ $9.99 USD

Happy shopping and thanks for reading,

Kim

Image: © Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums Collections, Scotland. Penelope and the Suitors, John William Waterhouse, 1912. 

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Is Your Content Shareable?

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Whatever format you use to create content intended to promote your business, your mission is to communicate the essence of your brand: the solution, purpose, value and benefits that persuade clients and prospects to trust your product or service and motivate them to take a positive action in response—give a like, comment, share or make a purchase. When content viewers demonstrate their approval by taking one or more positive actions, they become brand cheerleaders who amplify its power and influence. Needless to say, instilling a deep connection to your brand is highly desirable and it’s very much in your interest to produce marketing content that generates strong positive responses in your target audience viewers.

Effective marketing content is a carefully calibrated mix of text, still images and/or video, often presented in digital format but occasionally appearing in print, that collectively tell a story about your service or product. Your number one goal is to make the story compelling, memorable and also shareable—you want content that builds enthusiasm for your brand and the story and persuades viewers to become cheerleaders. When viewers feel that the story told in your content is so compelling and memorable that they feel they must send it to others, you’ll know that you’ve done your job. The content might even go viral, or at least greatly exceed the usual number of viewers, likes, comments, or shares. The question is, how can you hit a home run like this a lot more often? Well, like becoming a reliable home run hitter, good results are produced by discovering the right technique and getting lots of practice.

The best marketing and branding campaigns have as their foundation an essential human quality that inspires a connection with viewers. That behavior is familiar and relatable; it can be comforting or exciting. Its effect promotes engagement that can lead viewers to take an affirming action, such as responding with a like, share, or comment, and/ or purchasing the service or product. Producing content that contains text and images that reflect your brand promise and perceived value is foundational to motivating viewers to take one or more of those positive actions.

“How do I love thee, let me count the ways”

As poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806-1861) wrote in Sonnet 43, it helps to understand the emotion that fuels your action. When building marketing content, it’s imperative that text and images used work hand in hand to address the client’s point of view—pain point or goal, possible solutions and outcomes. It’s also important to acknowledge the feelings that clients can expect to experience when doing business with you, such as relief and satisfaction, in contrast to doing business with a competitor.

This analysis supports development of a highly persuasive story that references the right behaviors and emotions and ensures that your content convincingly resonates with target viewers. By understanding the brand position occupied by your services and products, you can effectively differentiate from primary competitors by highlighting the strengths and other advantages that are highly valued by your audience. Your story is certain to stand out thanks to its emotional connection with viewers. Effective marketing is all about communicating unique differentiators that leave a meaningful, lasting impression that rises above the noise of a crowded market. Addressing the questions below should give a good start to your content creation:

  • What emotions do prospects experience before they use your product or service? What pain point drives them to consider your service or product?
  • How do clients feel after they’ve used your service or product?
  • How do you want prospects or referrers to feel after experiencing your marketing content?
  • Which values and behaviors most closely correspond with your brand promise and unique selling proposition?
  • How do behaviors associated with your brand compare with competitors’ brand positioning? (expressing differentiation is essential).

End with positive emotions

The final impressions expressed in the text and images of your content must leave viewers with a positive feeling toward your services, products and company.  That your product or service delivers an excellent solution can be considered a given; it’s the human connection that leads viewers to perceive your content as a compelling and memorable experience. When content resonates with the audience on a human level, it taps into feelings, values, or aspirations that often surpass the functional aspects of products and services.  

A truly successful branding campaign needs more than clever text and eye-candy images. Effective marketing is about presenting messages and a story that resonates with viewers and generates an emotional connection with them. While many brands obsess about going viral, sustainable success comes from creating stories that are worth sharing because they tap into human behavior and stir viewer emotions. The best content becomes memorable and inspires the viewer to take action. When you present content that accurately represents human behavior, viewers cannot help but identify with your story. Then, you go beyond merely selling a product or service; you create an experience and a valuable, long-lasting connection.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

Image: © Philadelphia Museum of Art. Mary Cassatt Maternal Caress (1896)

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Freelancers and SMBs Find Flexible Funding

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The year is drawing to a close and signaling forward-thinking Freelancers and small business owners that it’s time to consider goals and strategies that have the potential to advance your entity in 2025 and beyond. Your business goals will be shaped by the plans implemented earlier this year, and previously, but topics that may capture your attention could include workflow automation tools to optimize operational efficiency and a Customer Relations Management platform, to upgrade the performance of your inbound marketing funnel and also improve the customer experience and relationship-building activities your company presents.

Face2Face networking may also become a renewed priority in 2025, prompting you to pay attention to notices of local business association meetings and industry conferences. Creating and nurturing relationships, obtaining actionable information and continually honing your skill set make all the difference for B2B professionals.

It won’t take long to realize that the business building actions you’d like to take come with a price tag; the prospect of financing your SMART goals may be worrisome. If your budget estimate indicates that you could come up short of cash, you’re certain to feel discouraged. You may feel too uncomfortable to ask family or friends to lend money that will allow you to proceed with plans you are so excited to carry out. You may likewise feel uncomfortable, maybe even frightened, by the prospect of using credit cards to finance your business upgrades. Applying for a business loan is an obvious possible solution to a cash-crunch, but you’ve read depressing articles in business publications during the year and the message was clear—banks have pulled back on business lending and tightened eligibility requirements. It takes money to make money and being stuck in financial quicksand is not a condition you care to accept. So, what can you do to move forward?

It takes money to make money

Freelance professionals, SMB owners and start-up entrepreneurs are susceptible to challenges when in need of business capital; unfortunately, many lack the credit rating and other requirements that lending institutions demand, or they cannot rely on family, friends, or personal savings to become their funding source. More than half of SMBs in the US do not have a readily available source of funding to survive a cash flow crisis. A shortage of cash, whether the problem is an unexpected cash-flow glitch or an insufficient financial reserve fund, is a serious impediment to building and sustaining a successful business venture. In fact, almost 62% of businesses with annual revenues below $150,000 lack ready access to financing; a UK study found that 31% of SMBs have had to stop or pause an area of their business due to lack of financing.

Banks, the traditional source of loans for several centuries, continue their control of business funding decisions, when ever they approve or decline a loan application. In 2023, Forbes Magazine Advisor confirmed that banks remain a go-to source of funding, with 27 % of entrepreneurs surveyed citing that business loans are their primary source of financing. Still, it will come as no surprise to even casual observers of the start-up world that financial privilege—affluence—is another enabler of funding access. The 2023 Forbes Magazine Advisor survey also found that 20% of new businesses are funded by borrowing from family and/or friends and 17% are backed by the founder’s personal savings.

So how can modestly funded aspiring entrepreneurs pull themselves up by their bootstraps, as is so often recommended in America, and finance their entrepreneurial plan? As it turns out, exciting new options have arrived by way of fintech start-ups whose mission is to provide business funding solutions. These fintech entities are called neobanks and they proclaim to have greater lending capacities than traditional banks; several have been set up specifically with SMB loans in mind.

Rise of the neobank

A disruptive new presence in the banking and financial services sector is the neobank, a fintech company that provides financial services through a mobile app or website, including checking and savings accounts, budgeting tools and cash advances. Because neobanks don’t carry the costs associated with maintaining branch offices, they can offer lower fees and higher interest rates on savings accounts.

Those looking to do business with neobanks must realize is that fintech lenders are not actually banks and they are not chartered by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. In order to provide certain of their products and services, perhaps most importantly guaranteeing that customer deposits are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), the neobanks must partner with chartered banks.

Found, a U.S neobank launched in 2019, partners with Piermont Bank to offer FDIC-insured business checking accounts that provide services that are attractive to Freelancers, including automatic expense categorization, built-in invoicing and tax calculation, plus the ability to auto-save and set aside money to pay taxes. When Freelancers hire subcontractors, Found enables you to manage their tax forms and pay them with no fees. Chime is the leading fintech neobank and partners with The Bancorp Bank and Stride Bank to provide bank and credit accounts. Chime markets itself as a (mostly) no-fee option for customers—no minimum balance requirement or monthly maintenance fees, no overdraft fees and there’s free ATM access – customers can access over 60,000 in-network ATMs for no fee, which you can locate through the Chime app.

As neo-banks expand their penetration in the under-served and hungry SMB market, their success has encouraged other, much larger, players to enter the fray and now, some of the largest online marketplaces in the world have begun to offer financing to their merchants. Shopify Capital, Shopify’s financing service for its merchants, has lent more than $5 billion to small businesses. Loans have ranged from the low hundreds to $5 million. The Amazon Lending platform for sellers invites US sellers can apply for a loan up to $750,000, while UK merchants can apply for anywhere up to £2 million (around $2.6 million). While Amazon stopped underwriting its own loans in the US and UK earlier this year, it’s outsourced the process to third parties.

Overall, new ways of financing are increasing accessible, with neobanks and other fintech creative financing leading the way to support SMB owners, Freelancers and other small players who need an alternative financing approach to business lending. It is expected that as more Freelancers and other business owners become increasingly comfortable with emerging technologies, spurred on by the need for business capital whose access requirements are less stringent, will be willing to consider and eventually trust start the alternative neobank solutions as their primary business funding source.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

Image: © courtneyk | Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto

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Freelance or Fractional?

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What’s the newest growth niche on the horizon for professionals who work independently? Voices in the echoverse are buzzing about an innovative hiring model that has the potential to offer exciting work opportunities to highly skilled Freelancers and other self-employed professionals. This undeniably practical, and revolutionary, hiring model is called fractional.

You may have heard the term a couple of times over the past year or so, but never checked out the backstory? Know that talk of recruiting fractional, that is, interim, talent to guide (often start-up) companies in need of specialized expertise is capturing the attention of more decision-makers every month and urging Freelancers, et al. to consider the fractional work sector. For those with the required skill set, there may be interesting and challenging, possibly high-profile, and lucrative assignments for which you would make a good candidate.

What drives fractional?

Fractional work has joined the gig economy, enabling businesses to access C-Suite level talent on a short-term basis when urgent projects require a complex or sophisticated solution. That business leaders are able to eliminate the considerable costs associated with hiring a full-time senior level employee, a process that typically involves a lengthy candidate search and several interviews, followed by salary and benefits package negotiations, aligns with business practices that start-up funders and business lenders prefer.

Business leaders like keeping payrolls lean, a solution that became fashionable in the late 1980s (and shows no signs of abating). Turning to temporary talent sources, i.e., Freelance professionals and fractional executives, allows CEOs to strategically hire for specific projects without incurring burdensome expenses. Fractional employee expert Abby Sugar sums up the prevailing opinion, “You get to have a high-level strategic executive thinker that you might not need on a daily basis.” She continues, “You don’t need to be paying a super-high monthly salary for somebody if you’re not that large yet and so you need a higher-level person to help you strategically execute and bring on a fractional COO (Chief Operating Officer) instead of a lower-level person at a low hourly rate.”

Ms. Sugar’s observation is further demonstrated by the appearance of fractional Chief Marketing Officers who are now an increasing presence in start-up havens like Austin, TX and Silicon Valley, CA. According to Chief Outsiders, a leading company that places fractional CMOs into well-funded start-ups, there’s been a 38% jump in demand for fractional CMOs in the past year; the Association of Professional Executives in Marketing and Sales predicts the demand for fractional CMOs will grow by another 20% in the next five years. Below are comparisons between working as a fractional executive and a Freelance professional.

Typical work projects

  • Fractional: Fractional executives fill a specific business need on an ongoing basis, e,g., six months or more, but as a part-time commitment. Fractional execs are known to take on strategic roles, mission-critical tasks and projects that require working closely with the hiring company team. For example, a fractional CMO may be hired to develop and execute marketing strategy and contracted to work a certain number of hours per week. Unlike Freelancers, fractional workers often become a de-facto part of organization staff and integrated into company culture. 
  • Freelance: Freelancers are hired to complete specific, project-based tasks that are sometimes ongoing, e.g., producing a monthly newsletter or managing social media accounts, and at other times short-term, e.g., designing a website or planning a company meeting or other event. Freelance projects generally top out at mid-level complexity and unlike fractional execs, Freelancers generally do not become immersed in the company’s functioning, culture, or values.

Typical expertise level

  • Fractional: Fractional hires are C-Suite level executives, experienced professionals with a proven track record in their field. They bring considerable knowledge and expertise to the table and can be expected to produce the desired outcomes. In fact, they can be a game-changer for start-ups and companies executing a turn-around. Services like Upwork, the previously mentioned Chief Outsiders and others connect companies, often start-ups or those involved in a scale or turn-around, with seasoned executives who provide specialized skills and leadership experience on a part-time or per-project basis. Fractional execs can be a cost-effective way to access the expertise a CEO needs to achieve specific goals while avoiding the costs of hiring a full-time employee.
  • Freelance: Freelance professionals also may have been C-Suite executives, or they may have reached manager level, and own the skills needed to successfully take on complex work assignments. Others are highly skilled and results-oriented as well, but more suited to less complex, but nevertheless strategic, mission-critical assignments. Freelance professionals may have gained experience in a particular niche, or they may be generalists who expertly perform any number of tasks.

The emergence of companies that welcome Freelance and fractional workers demonstrates the resilience of the gig economy. Now, talented professionals who’ve developed specialized skills at either a senior or junior level, and are hungry to experience working in different industries or environments, can work on a per-project basis and monetize their expertise as they take on important assignments that challenge and excite.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

Image: ©HGTV. Jonathan (L) and Drew Scott, The Property Brothers on season 7 (2020) Brother v. Brother

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What’s Your LinkedIn SSI Score?

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Since its launch in 2003, LinkedIn has become the go-to social media platform for professionals, hosting 900 million members worldwide as of 2024, about half of whom log on at least once a month. Joining and being active on LinkedIn is now a commonplace strategy, used by Freelance and traditionally employed professionals to enhance personal brand and advance business or career ambitions. Establishing connections with peers, potential mentors, prospective clients, or possible employers whom you’ve had the savvy and good fortune to meet and interact with, is the primary benefit of the LinkedIn experience.

Connections are not the only factor that pay dividends to those who actively participate on the platform. Nearly as powerful is the content posted, that usually consists of articles or blog posts you’ve written, announcement of awards you’ve won or professional development seminars you’ve attended, and/or insights you’ve shared when commenting on content posted by others. Content posted on LinkedIn contributes to establishing, and often enhancing, your professional and personal brand and expands your credibility beyond the orbit of first degree and other connections and into the broader LinkedIn community.

So, if you’re not active on LinkedIn, you may risk leaving brand-building and business or career growth opportunities on the table. But beyond receiving likes, the social media equivalent of air kisses, how do you know if your target audience feels your posts and comments are meaningful? Moreover, how do you stack up against industry peers and other connections in your network? Those questions can be answered in a LinkedIn user metric you may not know exists—the Social Selling Index (SSI) Score.

The SSI Score defined

The LinkedIn Social Selling Index Score was developed in 2014, after LinkedIn honchos decided to identify members who seemed to be killing it on the platform and figuring out how they did it. In 2015, SSI became part of LinkedIn Sales Navigator, a paid feature, but SSI is now available to all with a LinkedIn account. The SSI is a formula that evaluates social selling performance and measures mastery of what LinkedIn considers the core competencies of social selling on the platform.

The SSI gauges member success in demonstrating four social selling core competencies: establishing a professional brand, initiating communication with prospective connections and collaborators, engaging in valuable conversations and building high-quality relationships. For each competency, members are awarded between 0 and 25 points; the SSI Score is the sum of the individual scores from each core competency. The sum total of the core competency scores is also compared to the scores of others in your industry—and LinkedIn always assumes you’re in sales. That said, the higher your SSI Score, the more influential your LinkedIn profile becomes.

  • Establishing professional brand. This competency consists of two elements—the completeness of your LinkedIn profile and the quality of your posted content. The more detailed your profile and the more valuable your content, the higher your SSI Score.
    • LinkedIn confirms the presence of a profile photo, detailed job history and educational background, plus the number of recommendations you’ve made and received.
    • LinkedIn calculates the number of posts you publish and how many likes and comments your posts receive.
  • Connecting with the right people. This metric is connected to Sales Navigator and it may be challenging for members of free LinkedIn to obtain a good score in this component. It’s no surprise that LinkedIn prefers members to use the paid tools when searching for new connections.
    • When members connect with or contact the right person—for example, someone with a C-Suite job title that usually indicates a decision-maker—it is assumed that the member is now better positioned to make a sale, win a client, or otherwise make a tangible improvement to one’s business or career.
  • Engaging by sharing insights. Sharing valuable content increases the SSI Score awarded in this category. The more valuable content that’s posted and the more comments and likes that shared content receives, the better the score awarded and the closer a member becomes to earning Thought Leader status.
  • Building relationships. This metric evaluates a member’s motivation to stay in touch with connections. It reflects how often members reach out to connections and other contacts and measures how effective that outreach is—meaning, if the message does not receive a reply, the LinkedIn SSI Score will be negatively impacted.

Benefits of a high SSI Score

The SSI Score is considered to be a comprehensive measure of social selling prowess, meaning that a high score is considered demonstration of a member’s understanding and optimal utilization of the platform. LinkedIn views a high SSI Score in the way airlines view frequent flier miles, as a gateway to desirable perks. A high SSI Score can enhance your online reputation with the gift of increased visibility, a powerful benefit that drives name recognition and brand awareness as it promotes trust and credibility. The halo of credibility can lead to more positive responses to your networking inquiries and, theoretically, result in more and higher-quality opportunities for collaborations or exploring business ventures.

But does the SSI Score actually translate into tangible business results? Maybe—you’d expect LinkedIn to claim that a high SSI Score correlates with business success. LinkedIn reports that the higher your SSI Score, the more likely you are to achieve your sales targets, for example. LinkedIn says that an analysis of platform members who’ve received a high SSI Score will on average receive 45% more sales opportunities than those with lower scores and they’ll win 78% more sales deals than peers who are not active on social media. According to a joint study by LinkedIn and Richard Edelman, CEO of the global communications firm Edelman, 58% of business leaders are willing to buy from an industry expert and/or thought leader and they are willing to pay more, as they feel they’ll receive premium service.

  1. Lead generation. Allegedly, those who’ve earned a high SSI Score are 45% more likely to exceed their sales quota because they are adept at identifying and engaging with, the right contacts. The strategy is known to result in more productive leadgen.
  2. Sales. According to LinkedIn, those with an SSI Score above 70 outperform their peers and achieve 45% more sales opportunities than those with low scores.
  3. Brand awareness. A high SSI Score typically results in the reward of increased visibility for your content, leading to increased brand awareness and recognition in your industry.
  4. Trust-building. A high SSI Score enhances credibility, a trust-building factor that can make a difference for B2B professionals, where relationships and reputations play a significant role in decision-making.
  5. Optimized visibility. LinkedIn’s algorithm favors those who utilize its platform effectively. A higher SSI Score usually results in enhanced visibility for your posted content, opening the door to increased engagement with your connections and other contacts.

Monitoring your SSI Score is likely to motivate you to make the most of platform benefits—seeking strategically savvy connection requests as a way to maximize leadgen or business collaborations, positioning yourself as an industry Thought Leader and building your brand and credibility and working to increase your exposure by verifying that your content is relevant to your target audience. To learn your SSI Score, log onto LinkedIn and then click on this link. If you’re part of Sales Navigator, go to “Admin“ and click “User Report.”

While you’re logged onto LinkedIn, review your profile and consider what you might add—do you have a profile picture? Have you earned a professional certificate, or taken a skills-building course, that you never acknowledged in your profile? If so, add that accomplishment to the Licenses & Certifications section of your profile; if you received a certificate, scan and upload. Oh, and if you serve on a board or participate in other volunteer work, include your philanthropic and social responsibility commitments as well. Whether or not boosting your SSI Score is meaningful to you, remember that the purpose of joining LinkedIn is to display your professional bona fides.

Also, when’s the last time you made or received a recommendation? You can get the ball rolling by making a recommendation for a colleague and asking for the favor to be returned with a recommendation for yourself. While we’re on the subject of colleagues, take a tour through the extensive list of LinkedIn groups and figure out if there’s a new one you might join; if you’re already listed in a group or two, scroll through the content to get an update on the threads and see where you might be able to make a relevant comment, or ask a question. Giving a boost to your SSI Score is not labor intensive, but it does require some strategic thinking. It’s time to get busy!

Thanks for reading,

Kim

Image: © Susan Walsh/Associated Press. The co-champions of the 2019 Scripps National Spelling Bee.

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How to Scale Your B2B Services Company

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Independent and ambitious Freelancers, like other business owners, are inclined to brainstorm strategies and tactics that may have the potential to increase their company’s revenue and profit. Central to the entrepreneurial dream is building an entity that attains success as you define it and that often entails making money. But as with all business decisions, it’s necessary to determine which strategy and tactics have the greatest likelihood to reach the pot of gold. As always, the most reliable way to answer that question is to conduct comprehensive marketplace research and examine your company’s key performance indicators.

Grow, scale, or expand?

It is imperative that you recognize which KPIs point to a particular revenue and profit boosting strategy and give you the confidence to follow that solution. To earn more revenue and become more profitable, there are three options—expand, grow, or scale. Each strategy requires certain marketplace conditions and financial and other resources and carries its own kind of risk.

Expansion is a much bigger investment, especially for Freelance professionals, who typically operate a service business, work alone and deliver the service yourself. Launching your operation in a new location typically places a significant demand on financial and logistical capabilities, making growth or scaling, which both entail relatively fewer demands on resources, more accessible to Freelancers.

OK, so how can you recognize which option makes more sense for you? First, let’s know what we’re talking about. Many business owners and Freelancers misunderstand the meanings of growth and scale, so let’s take a sidebar and examine their definitions. Growth means adding more projects, new services and/or signing additional clients as the engine of your strategy to boost revenue and profit—activities that mostly entail more expenses. Scale focuses on increasing revenue and profit without significantly increasing the associated production costs. Essentially, scaling means working smarter, not just harder, and aligns well with the financial and logistical capabilities of the typical Freelance professional.

Nevertheless, scaling a business, particularly a small, service-based company, will require extensive preparation and a well-designed strategy to make it work. To evaluate the possibility of scaling your operation, you’ll dive into company KPIs and conduct an extensive financial analysis, marketplace research and strategic planning. Data-driven decision-making will yield the most trustworthy information and outcomes.

Furthermore, when contemplating your scale, or any other significant business investment, as you study the data, contact your business accountant, who is familiar with your financial situation and is positioned to be your Sherpa and guide you as you climb (scale!) the mountain. There are a couple of obvious questions that you should address before calling the accountant.

  • So, how’s business? Are clients lining up to do business with you? Are you meeting, if not exceeding, your revenue targets? How many clients are on your roster? If business is off the chain, then get your accountant on the phone and share the good news. However, if you’re merely pleased with your performance metrics, set higher goals and observe what happens during the next two or three quarters. if you surpass those metrics by an impressive margin, it may be time to call the accountant and discuss next steps.
  • Client feedback Listening to what clients observe or experience can steer your business toward success and it’s good business to invite them to give their perspective. Invite clients to share their thoughts and suggestions regarding your services. Client insights may open your eyes to add-ons, upgrades and/or new services you can provide and what they tell you could contribute substantially to your scale. Make giving feedback convenient by occasionally including surveys in marketing emails, soliciting online reviews, maintaining an active presence on social media, or making yourself available for in-person conversations. Your objective is to hear and assess what clients say about your services, company and the customer experience you provide. You can use their feedback to better understand what clients like, what you can do better and get early warnings of emerging trends and how your clients feel about what’s on the horizon. With this knowledge, you can tailor your services to meet this demand and strengthen your positioning as a go-to provider in the industry, whether or not you decide to scale.

Use data to evaluate a potential scale

Analyzing and interpreting company performance data will do more than answer the expand, grow, or scale question. KPIs will also spotlight company strengths and weaknesses, help you recognize competitive advantages and call your attention to gaps that limit progress and need fixing. With the help of your accountant, your KPI data analysis will also indicate the overhead expenses, staffing and other resources, so that a realistic budget can be developed.

Moreover, your analytics tools can build reliable data-driven sales forecasts for the proposed scale that will include the number of new clients needed, average billable hours/ hourly rate and sales revenue you must generate within a particular time frame. BTW, if you were wondering when and how to incorporate AI into business operations, evaluating a potential scale could be your motivation.

Find your money-making niche

Turn to marketplace and industry data to point you to a niche you might enter. You might also consider how you to diversify your current service line? In either scenario, consult your data projections to suggest whether client price tolerance will allow you to achieve a profit margin that covers the expense of delivering at scale. Competitive intel is also likely to be useful; for example, there may be few competitors in certain market segments because there’s no money to be made. Once you’ve learned where the opportunities are, you can start making changes to scale successfully.

Upgrade marketing and branding

Build up company visibility and reputation with robust marketing and branding. Sharpen your marketing messages and establish a presence on inbound and outbound marketing channels that are a fit for your services. Search Engine Optimization, social media and content marketing should be especially useful. Nearly half of all clicks on search engines come from organic searches, which suggests that prospects are more likely to trust the results they find naturally.

Your marketing and branding strategies will also be more impactful when guided by data. By analyzing metrics such as website traffic, conversion rates and client engagement, you’ll be likely to discover actionable insights that may shape marketing strategies and campaigns that produce the results you need.

Standardize service delivery, invest in automation

Scaling a service-based business requires being able to deliver those services in the same way, every time. A strategy that will both save time and ensure that your profit margin is sufficient to cover the expense of delivering at scale is to package your services as a menu of products and eliminate the need for you to customize every order. Next, create standard operating procedures to ensure quality, efficiency and consistency in how your services are delivered. Map the step-by-step workflow, provide written or video instructions for clients and if applicable, ensure that your team is trained on best practices, so that clients will receive the same excellent results every time.

With a service-based business it is you, Freelancer friend, perhaps assisted by a team member, who will provide your services. In order to scale, you must develop and perfect turn-key, streamlined processes that allow you to work with the number of clients necessary to realize the scale. From your client onboarding procedure to billing and invoicing, automation will make your organization more efficient, appear more professional, inspire trust and build your brand at every touch point. Not only that, you’ll have more time to focus on improving your business and optimizing the scale.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

Image: Jack’s First Beanstalk, illustration from Jack and the Beanstalk, a circa 1734 English fairy tale. Author and illustrator unknown.

Administrative , , Leave a comment

States Pass New Laws to Help Freelancers

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According to the 10th annual Upwork survey Freelance Forward, 64 million Americans worked as Freelance professionals in 2023, labor that contributed $1.27 trillion to our national economy. It’s a ringing testament to our talented and ambitious community but unfortunately, 71% of the 3000 survey respondents also reported that they’ve struggled with the frustrating problem of late payment or even non-payment for their work.

The persistent occurrence of payment gaps that Freelancers and other gig workers endure exacts a terrible toll on the ability to live and work. Late payments and, worse still, nonpayment, wreaks havoc on cash-flow and may threaten the maintenance of normal business operations and the ability to plan for the future. When payment for services rendered doesn’t arrive within 30 days after the invoice is sent, the ability to pay bills can be undermined and the problem is exacerbated as the price of everything continues to increase. But for those of you working with clients based in California, Illinois, or the State of New York, things will soon get better.

New state laws protect Freelancers

It is said in legal circles that a contract is only as good as one’s ability to enforce it and that sometimes puts Freelance professionals at risk for exploitation. You seldom have the leverage to adequately defend yourself against unscrupulous clients who ignore their contractual responsibility, written or verbal, and decline to pay on time and in full for appropriately provided services rendered. But in NY State, IL and CA, a new day has dawned. Freelance professionals and gig workers, who are often in a comparatively vulnerable position when entering into work agreements with clients, are celebrating the passage of legislation that puts the force of law into contracts between the independently employed and their clients. The driving force behind the legislative victories was the Freelancers Union, a New York City-based advocacy group that has championed the rights of independent workers since its founding in 1995.

On August 4, 2023, Illinois became the first state in the country to adopt protections for an estimated 1.2 million Freelance workers when Governor J.B. Pritzker signed the Freelance Worker Protection Act, which took effect on July 1, 2024. The Act applies to work agreements between Freelance professionals and “contracting entities,” i.e., clients, in exchange for the Freelance worker’s services valued at $500 or more over a 120-day period. The Illinois Act excludes from the definition of “Freelance worker” any workers performing construction services, or those defined as an employee.

On November 22, 2023, New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed into law the Freelance Isn’t Free Act, groundbreaking legislation intended to shield Freelance consultants and other 1099-NEC workers from the financial damage done by non-paying or slow-paying clients. The Act was created to guarantee that Freelance workers retained as independent contractors who work with clients based in NY state receive timely compensation for all services rendered. The NY law went into effect on August 28, 2024 and some 2 million Freelance workers are expected to benefit from its much-needed legal protections.

In CA, the Freelance Worker Protection Act was signed by Governor Gavin Newsom on September 28th, 2024. As does the IL and NY legislation, the Freelance Worker Protection Act ratified in CA provides legal protection to Freelance professionals and the independently employed who work for clients located in CA. The CA law takes effect on January 1, 2025 and an estimated 2.2 million Freelancers (11.6% of the workforce as of 2022) are expected to benefit. The CA Freelance Worker Protection Act requires written contracts for Freelance services valued at $250 or more when working with clients based in CA. It is now mandated that contracts must outline the scope of work, payment method, deadlines and other important details that ensure transparency and fairness.

Written Contract
Per the Freelance Isn’t Free Act, all contracts pertaining to NY state clients and worth $800 or more must be in writing. This includes all agreements between the Freelancer and the hiring party (client) that total $800 in any 120-day period. The written contract must specify the work the Freelancer is expected to perform; the amount the Freelancer will be paid as compensation for the work; and the date the Freelancer will be paid for the work performed. Both Freelancer and client must keep a copy of the written contract. The NY Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) created a model contract [English] that includes the terms required under the law and optional terms that may apply to different work types and arrangements. 

The Illinois Freelance Worker Protection Act requires that contracts for products or services must be in writing, and that the client provide a physical or electronic copy of the contract to the Freelance worker. Contracts must include certain information, such as the name and contact information of both parties (including the client’s mailing address), an itemized list of all products and services to be provided and their value, the rate and method of compensation and the payment date or mechanism by which such date will be determined. The client must retain a copy of the contract for a two-year period.

California’s Freelance Worker Protection Act likewise requires written contracts for Freelance services, when the value of services provided is $250 or more. Contracts must outline the scope of work, payment method, deadlines and other important details, to ensure transparency and fairness.

Timely Payment
In CA, IL and NY, your client is required to pay you for all completed work and you are entitled to receive payment on or before the date that is specified in the contract. If the contract does not specify a payment date, the client must pay you within 30 days after you complete the work.

No Retaliation
In all three states, it is illegal for a hiring party (the client) to penalize, threaten, blacklist, or otherwise deter Freelance workers from exercising their rights under the Freelance Isn’t Free Act or the Freelance Worker Protection Act. Denying an independently employed worker from obtaining future assignments and threatening to take unwarranted legal action against that worker is likewise now illegal. Freelancers who feel they have been targeted for retaliation as a result of pursuing a claim against a nonpaying or slow-paying client can file a complaint with DCWP (NY), or the IL Department of Labor, or in CA at the Labor Commissioner’s Office.

What is Freelance Isn’t Free (NY)?

  • 30-Day Payment Terms. Unless otherwise specified in a contract, clients must pay Freelancers within 30 days of work completion.
  • Mandatory Contracts. Clients must use a contract when hiring a Freelancer for over $800 of work and they can face fines if they refuse to provide one.
  • Payment Agreement Protections. Clients cannot require that Freelancers accept less than they’re owed in exchange for timely payment.
  • Anti-Retaliation. Clients cannot retaliate against a Freelancer for pursuing payment.
  • Legal Assistance. A city agency will investigate, may try to collect on the Freelancer’s behalf and will provide court navigation services if needed.
  • Double Damages. Freelancers can collect double damages and attorney fees in court and repeat offenders can face penalties of up to $25,000.

What is the Freelance Worker Protection Act (IL)?

  • Written Contract Required. A written contract outlining the products and services to be provided, the dates by which services are to be performed, and the rate and method of compensation (sample available online, and free Union contract templates available) 
  • 30-Day Payment. 30-day payment terms, unless otherwise specified in the contract.
  • Payment Agreement Protection. Protection against coercion for faster payment.
  • No Retaliation. Anti-retaliation measures against Freelancers pursuing payment.
  • Enforcement and Legal Remedies. Double damages for non-payment, covering costs and attorney’s fees.

What is the Freelance Worker Protection Act (CA)?

  • Written Contract Requirement. Freelancers must have a written agreement in place for work totaling $250 or more over a 120-day period. The contract must clearly outline the scope of services, deadlines, compensation rates and payment methods.
  • 30-Day Payment Terms. Freelancers are entitled to payment within 30 days of completing their work, unless the contract specifies otherwise. This provision eliminates the uncertainty many Freelancers face when waiting for payment.
  • Anti-Retaliation Protections. Freelancers are protected from any retaliation by hiring entities if they assert their right to fair payment under the law.
  • Enforcement and Legal Remedies. If a client fails to pay, Freelancers can seek legal recourse, including double damages and the recovery of attorney’s fees. Both Freelancers and public prosecutors can file claims to ensure compliance with the law.

Confirm milestones, invoicing, payment format

On your end, Freelancer friend, remember that the importance of providing a pleasantly efficient and smoothly delivered experience for your B2B clients cannot be overstated. Working together is a partnership and the dance is much more enjoyable when each partner understands his/her role. The contract between your company and the client describes and confirms your mutual agreement in a written document, specifying the responsibilities, terms and requirements and payments associated with the working relationship.

Once your hire has been confirmed, schedule a project kick-off meeting and review with your client the scope and timing of project deliverables, plus the associated payments or other payments. Also, include in the kick-off meeting agenda a discussion of the project or product performance goals, client expectations for the product or service you’ll provide and the ideal outcomes expected to be achieved when using your product or implementing your service. You and the client can then discuss how you’ll work together to make the client’s goals and expectations actionable and attainable. If an electronic invoice payment system will be used, ensure that your client sends the payment registration form to you, to promote a timely first payment.

  • Review and confirm project milestones
  • Review and confirm payments triggered when milestones are achieved
  • Review and confirm the invoicing schedule, if milestones are not used
  • Confirm the accepted payment methods—digital, credit/ debit card, check (electronic or physical)
  • Integrate info with your Client Relationship Management software (if applicable) to capture client data
  • Allow clients to view, comment on and sign e-documents

Thanks for reading,

Kim

Image: The Signing of the Treaty of Mortefontaine 30th September 1800 depicts the signing of the agreement that ratified the sale of Louisiana to the U.S. by France. The treaty was signed by Joseph Bonaparte, a diplomat and former ambassador, on behalf of France and Oliver Ellsworth, a framer of the Constitution and Senator from CT, on behalf of the US. Artist: Charles Etienne Pierre Motte

Marketing , , , , , Leave a comment

Help Customers Trust Subscription Pricing

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The mere thought of guaranteed revenue arriving each month like clockwork will bring a smile to the face of every business owner. Recurring revenue is a dream come true; now you’ve got the cash-flow to pay expenses on time and in full. You can replace or upgrade business equipment when necessary. You can invest in professional development that makes you more knowledgeable, and therefore more useful to customers, and more respected in your professional community as well. Recurring revenue enables you to plan for the future of your business with confidence—and sleep well at night.

The leading way to generate recurring revenue is by introducing a subscription payment option to your business. Savvy Freelancers and SMBs are reviewing the buying habits of their best customers to determine if converting certain of their products or services to the subscription model can be successful. In the B2B sector, subscription pricing is a payment option where customers pay a recurring fee, typically monthly or annually, to receive access to a product or service, most often cloud-based software or storage, i.e., software as a service (SaaS). Freelancers and SMBs might offer subscription pricing for coaching, marketing, network and website management, or bookkeeping services.  

Thoughts of a subscription payment plan may make business owners salivate, but the process requires careful thought and planning. You’ve got to get things right from Day One and that is especially true for service-based businesses where value is not always immediately recognized. SaaS subscriptions, network and/or website management and bookkeeping services, on the other hand, have a readily apparent value that customers and prospects can picture themselves needing on a regular basis. For this reason, non-IT related service-based subscriptions may face challenges.

  • Value perception: To establish trust in a subscription payment plan, the business must demonstrate unambiguous value to prospective customers. If the customer begins to feel that s/he is not getting their money’s worth, there will be a risk of service cancellation. 
  • Service enhancements: There’s an ongoing customer expectation to continually sweeten the pot with (free) service upgrades. Global enterprise companies (like credit card companies and banks) can afford this strategy and the expectation has been set. SMBs and Freelancers may struggle to fulfill this wish, however.

Talk up value

Your subscription pricing model and everything related to it must align with the perceived value of what customers get in return. Customers must be able to see and/or believe the value of your product or service, consistently and at every touch point. Your job, Freelancer or SMB owner, is to continuously communicate that value, so customers will understand the benefits they’ll receive when opting-in to the subscription. Only when that is achieved will customer concerns fade and trust in your subscription grow.

Communicating value begins at the introduction of the subscription model sales process; the offer of a free trial will play a pivotal role in building the value you want to demonstrate. A short free trial invites prospective subscription customers to test the product or service, if it is new to them, or experience how subscription pricing can work to their benefit. Businesses acquired 50.0% of subscribers through trials, making it one of the most effective customer acquisition strategies. Additionally, as customization has become a growing preference, add-ons have become an essential part of personalized offers and 28.1% of customers offered add-on options to allow customers to tailor the subscription to their needs.

Prioritize quality control

The engine of a successful subscription-based payment model is customers who feel confident and happy to use and pay for your service or product. Your quality control procedures will play an integral part of making that possible. You must be forever vigilant and closely monitor the quality of your product or service performance and delivery, customer service/customer experience and the payment process.

Embed quality control into your workflow by making it part of someone’s job description (yours, Freelancer friend!) to confirm that customer expectations are met, respond to and document glitches and monitor the turnaround time for resolving issues. BTW, attentive quality control will make you quickly aware of brewing customer concerns, knowledge that can, for example, reveal service enhancements that customers may appreciate. You may discover another way to instill trust and value in your company. 

Expectations and the customer experience

Begin setting expectations when prospective customers first interact with your subscription sales funnel. Life is about managing expectations and it’s in your interest that every customer understands what is (and is not) included in the subscription you want them to buy—e.g., accessible services, products, tools, supporting technologies, change orders and how to reach customer service on the phone. In order to make an informed decision, subscription prospects must understand and accept what the service offers, channels for contact and the level of support offered by your organization.

Be advised that available payment methods are now an essential part of the customer experience. Economic uncertainty has made customers exceptionally price-sensitive and potentially influenced by their satisfaction, or disappointment, with the payment options you make available, along with the add-ons or upgrade options and other customization features. Debit cards remain the most popular payment method (68.6%), but the desire for access to alternative payment methods is now undeniable. Including subscription payment methods that were once seldom available can address the growing preference for a convenient, seamless payment experience that recognizes customer needs.  Alternative payment methods have been proven to generate more revenue (5.0% renewal invoice decline rate) and help prevent fraud (0.9% of failed fraud transactions). 

Customer retention

The smartest business owners will implement customer retention strategies designed to discourage customer churn and grow the subscriber base. The customer experience presents numerous opportunities to appeal to customers by offering potent sweeteners that may include loyalty rewards, product or service bundling, hybrid models, subscription pausing options, or other special offers designed to promote customer satisfaction and loyalty. In 2023, the average consumer churn rate was 4.1%, staying consistent year-over-year. As customers become more particular with spending, their purchases become more intentional, making them less likely to churn once a decision to buy has been made.

BTW, subscription pauses are a convenient alternative to sidestep cancellation when a customer needs relief from monthly payments or product deliveries. 39.7% of merchant sites enabled the pause functionality and prevented over 400,000 plan cancellations.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

Image: © Lucy Lambriex /Getty Images 2015

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Artificial Intelligence–Where Do You Begin?

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I haven’t used AI much, other than inviting this platform to do a free AI review of the posts I write for you, to make sure that the information is reasonably complete, for example, and my vocabulary choices clearly communicate what I want to share. Sometime soon, though, incorporating AI tools into my modest Freelance operation will be inevitable and as a Freelancer who fares best when operating expenses are reined in, thinking strategically about the business functions that will inaugurate my AI roll-out is a must. So as I work through this decision, I’ve decided to take you with me, because you’ll also need to figure out AI for your business needs in the near future. An AI tool is not an impulse buy. To obtain the results you want, big-picture thinking is needed.

  • Assess your current operations: Before spending money and implementing AI technology, review your business processes and identify where an upgrade would make a difference. For example, how might your productivity benefit if you could generate more extensive and specific data insights, or improve the effectiveness of marketing campaigns, or expedite content generation —blog, newsletter, marketing emails? Where might AI create the most value for your organization?
  • Start small: Choose one or two areas to implement AI tools and learn how to produce the results you want. A website chatbot programmed to answer inbound marketing FAQs might be a good place to start.
  • Let AI provide inspiration: In particular when using AI for content creation, remember that AI gives you a draft, such as suggesting good topics, or personalizing marketing messages for diverse audiences. Avoid directly posting AI-generated content on your website or social media accounts as your final version. Check AI suggested sources for accuracy.

Which AI tools are suitable for Freelancers and SMB?

As we head into 2025, it is understood that AI will become an essential resource to promote business growth, identify how to improve competitive positioning and overall move an organization forward. Whether you use AI to generate data analyses, conduct market research, create a revenue forecasting model, or manage customer relationships, these tools are designed to support companies of every size. Whether you’re a Freelance writer, wedding planner, or bookkeeper, there are AI tools that will improve your business operations in many ways, from project management to image creation, search engine optimization to financial projections. One or more of the four AI tools below may get you off to a good start.

Canva

Canva Magic Design makes it easier to design graphics that reflect your brand when you must create presentations, proposals, marketing emails, or other documents. Magic Design (with a complementary feature called Magic Write) is part of all Canva plans, including the free version. Jumpstart your design with either a text query or photo and Magic Design will auto-generate relevant templates that fit your description. With plain text commands and just a few clicks, you can create customized graphic designs. Just describe your preferred image or upload your media and Magic Design will create social media posts, presentations and even videos. No coding and advance design skills required. Subscription is either free, or from $9.99/month for Magic Design Pro.

  • Ask Canva to produce social media graphics for your marketing campaigns.
  • Update webpage template colors and fonts to match your brand color scheme.
  • Turn AI-generated content into a presentation slide deck.
  • Transform Instagram posts into a series of swipeable images known as a LinkedIn carousel post.
  • Upgrade your Canva plan with Magic Design for Presentations or Magic Design for Video.

Asana Intelligence

Asana Intelligence is an add-on to the Asana project management platform and is especially well-suited for IT, marketing and operations needs. Website developers and others who work with multiple clients might use Asana Intelligence to track client projects and write status updates that keep clients informed. Teams may use Asana Intelligence to aid in making shared project management faster and easier. Customer service virtual assistants can speed up client workflows when the Intelligence feature is activated. Users can also ask questions on any work in Asana to receive insights, identify challenges and set up next steps.‍, keeping the client in the loop. This versatility makes Asana Intelligence a nice choice for those responsible for both creative and administrative work. Premium and Business tier Asana plans include the Intelligence feature at no additional cost. Plans start at $10.99 per user, per month.

  • Create automated workflows that activate when someone new joins your Asana team or project.
  • Sort and label projects with auto-generated fields.
  • Generate summaries and action items for projects.
  • Edit project summaries and team messages for voice, tone and clarity.
  • Find data points and information in a project within an Asana workspace.

ChatGPT

ChatGPT is a generative AI chatbot that users can interact with through conversation threads, making it an excellent tool for projects that require lots of Q & A to drill down into specific market challenges, customer pain points, or competitor strengths, for example. Its conversational interface makes ChatGPT great for narrowing down discussions that help you discover the nuances—that might mean an exploration of your customer journey or understanding your customer’s end-user workflows. ChatGPT can also help build a more powerful go-to-market strategy for new product launches by identifying influential players in your target market and revealing relationships and interactions between those influential players that can influence both product or service sales and the customer experience. This step is very helpful to find people to interview and build relationships with to improve your go-to-market strategy. Buy a Plus subscription is $20/month to access what you’ll probably need.

  • Data collection for market research.
  • Discover and explore untapped market opportunities.
  • Write drafts for project proposals.
  •  Identify growth strategies, find ways to reach new audiences and discover insights that position you as an industry thought leader.
  • Create a revenue forecasting model to assist in predicting future financial performance based on historical data and assumptions. Conduct scenario analysis, a financial model that allows users to test different possibilities and assess their impact on financial outcomes.

Lumen5

Lumen5 is an AI video generation platform for marketers. The platform enables those without training or experience to easily create video content by simplifying the process of converting text into engaging visual content. Its user-friendly drag-and-drop interface and automatic text transformation capabilities make video creation much easier, saving time and effort. Storyboarding and video editing are two key advantages. You can use the service to create two kinds of videos:

  • Auto-captioned talking head videos using footage that you upload.
  • Marketing videos based on written presentations, documents, or blog posts.

When creating marketing videos based on a document, the text is all you need. You don’t have to film any footage yourself—Lumen5 will generate visual content that pairs with your words. Lumen5 plans start at $19 per month and allow you to create both videos and AI-generated voice-overs for your clients.

  • Marketers can use the tool to create content for client marketing campaigns.
  • Sales managers can turn presentations into personalized videos for prospects.
  • Freelancers can turn to Lumen5 for help creating their own social media content.

Disadvantages of AI

While AI has numerous highly valuable benefits, the technology also carries potential downsides. Being circumspect about the big picture consequences of implementing AI is important for you, your customers and your community. Think corporate social responsibility.

  • Job displacement–AI’s abilities to automate processes, generate rapid content and work for long periods of time can mean job displacement for human workers.
  • Data quality–AI models are only as good as the data they are trained with. The model will produce unreliable results if the data is incomplete or inaccurate. If you’ve previously used SAAS tools, always double-check the result of AI generated info.
  • Hallucinations–AI systems may inadvertently “hallucinate” or produce inaccurate outputs when trained on insufficient or biased data, leading to the generation of false information. 
  • Ethical concerns–AI systems may be developed in a manner that isn’t transparent, inclusive or sustainable, resulting in a lack of explanation for potentially harmful AI decisions as well as a negative impact on users and businesses.
  • Privacy concerns–The data collected and stored by AI systems may be done so without user consent or knowledge and may even be accessed by unauthorized individuals in the case of a data breach.
  • Environmental costs–Large-scale AI systems can require a substantial amount of energy to operate and process data, which increases carbon emissions and water consumption.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

Image: © Marciobnws for Shutterstock. The Creation of Artificial Intelligence by Man, an image inspired by The Creation of Adam (1508-1512) by Michelangelo.

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Making It As A Freelancer 2024-2025

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Whatever your motivation for entering the Freelance workforce, whether you saw a pathway to more money and/or autonomy or maybe you couldn’t get hired at a W2 job, you should be aware that the number of Freelance professionals and gig workers is growing at a fast clip and market saturation could be on the horizon. In 2023, there were 64 million Americans working independently and we are on track to become the largest share of the workforce, with a 2027 projected number a staggering 50%.

Freelancers who look to marketplaces such as Fiverr and Upwork have already seen evidence of competitors flooding the market and bidding (or under-bidding) as everyone competes for projects. It’s an uncomfortable thought, but you’ll fare better if you start taking steps now to stand out from the crowd. Intensifying competition increases the necessity to identify and promote your unique voice and personal brand. How can you differentiate?

You already know the answer—keep up your inbound marketing and focus on the services you provide and the results you deliver. Focus on your ability to give clients what they value most and communicate your value proposition and make it clear at every touchpoint. Optimize your website and LinkedIn profile to establish your online presence and digital footprint to attract clients. Furthermore, position yourself as a thought leader in your field by using Google’s algorithm guidelines as your recipe—Expertise, Experience, Authoritativeness and Trustworthiness (EEAT).

Remember also the value of outbound marketing and identify useful tactics to source (and retain) clients and give yourself viable alternatives to the increasingly competitive, and sometimes frustrating, Freelance marketplaces. It will never hurt you to get some face time with potential prospects and those who might be able to refer you. Networking can be effective in any number of settings, business and personal, but be sensitive to pushing yourself onto people, which is a turn-off. If you can figure out where decision-makers for your skill set can be found, then that’s where you set your sights. It’s not only who you know, but who knows you, and that’s how you get contracts.

Top 10 Freelance jobs 2024

The trend toward Freelancing is impactful for all professionals, self-employed Freelancers and traditionally employed, and our reconfigured workforce has already disrupted the workplace we once knew. Freelancers especially need to know what is happening within this new workplace environment, so that you can respond in a way that makes sense—upgrading your skills or adjusting your services and marketing strategies and tactics, for example. Below is a review of the typical hourly billable rate you can expect to earn in one of the top 10 Freelance jobs, as reported on Salary.com, ZipRecruiter and Payscale:

  1. Freelance writer—$23.27/hour
  2. Editor—$32/hour
  3. Photographer—$37/hour
  4. Producer—$39.71/hour
  5. Freelance Director—$55/hour
  6. Translator—$20/hour
  7. Copywriter—$29/hour
  8. Graphic designer—$32.64/hour
  9. Creative director—$62.18/hour
  10. Camera operator—$36/hour

Emerging Freelance jobs 2024-2025

Impacted by mass layoffs, ghost job postings and the corrosive effect of inflation, the 2024-2025 job market is expected to remain challenging, a condition that’s predicted to lead increasing numbers of employers to hire Freelancers and workers to resort to Freelancing. Below are skill sets poised to dominate the Freelance marketplace in 2024 and beyond.

1. Virtual Assistant

The global virtual assistant market is growing fast and is expected to reach $15.7 billion by 2028.  VAs have become an important resource to drive business growth. The strategic use of VAs can produce heightened levels of efficiency and innovation for businesses, from streamlining operations to enhancing the customer experience. Furthermore, hiring VAs is significantly less expensive than hiring full or part-time employees.

The vast majority of Freelance VAs work from home, performing tasks such as coordinating calendars, responding to emails on behalf of clients, and/or performing other administrative work that enables the client to focus on work that only s/he can do. VAs often work with small businesses and even Freelance colleagues who need assistance handling administrative work, social media posting, or invoicing, for example.

Tech-savvy VAs are also in high demand and those skilled in technology and automation can earn $50-$75 per hour. Many businesses, schools or other organizations host online groups for customers or students and need VAs to keep these communities active, relevant and helpful. Businesses need help setting up and managing their digital tools and community management has become a growing niche.

2. AI Prompt Engineers

AI prompt engineering will continue to be a fast-growing specialty in 2024-2025 and as AI is further integrated into business processes, the skills of prompt engineers will become increasingly valuable. This emerging opportunity entails both technical expertise and creativity. Prompt engineers write instructions that guide AI systems to generate accurate and useful outputs. The job is about designing and refining input for text generators like ChatGPT, Bing, or Notion and text-to-image generators like DALLE-E, Designer’s Image Creator, or DreamStudio. Freelancers who’d like to enter the field must understand how these AI models work and how to communicate with them effectively.

Prompt engineering plays a critical role in guiding AI models, like Large Language Models, to produce desired outcomes based on specific inputs or requests. These professionals facilitate effective communication between the user and AI technology and the prompt engineer must develop the art of crafting targeted questions or instructions that direct AI to find and share the top on-point responses in real-time conversations. Companies are aggressively seeking prompt engineers to help perfect the functioning of their AI systems and they are offering high salaries, with some positions paying six figures.

To succeed as an AI prompt engineer, you’ll need excellent communication skills and a good grasp of natural language processing. Knowledge of programming can be helpful, but is not always required. Because the technology is new, to get started, you can take courses in AI prompt engineering to gain familiarity with and proficiency in the different AI tools. Building a portfolio of successful prompts is a great way to showcase your skills for potential clients.

3. AI Ethics Consultants

Artificial Intelligence Ethics specialists are in quite high demand as more companies use AI systems. Companies need experts to guide them through ethical challenges and the AI Ethics Consultant role is to promote the responsible use of AI and ensure that AI systems comply with established ethical policies and guidelines. You’ll conduct ethical impact assessments to identify potential bias and evaluate AI systems for fairness, transparency and potential harm. The AI Ethics Consultant also advises other team members on ethical implications and works with the legal department to guarantee that laws and regulations are followed. Furthermore, the AI Ethics Consultant develops guidelines for AI use, assists with company policy development and trains teams on ethical AI practices.

AI ethics is gaining attention and creating a positive employment outlook for AI Ethics Consultants. This specialty requires both technical expertise and ethical knowledge. You should understand AI systems and be able to recognize and remedy potential issues. To succeed in the field, stay updated on AI trends and ethical debates. Develop a strong network in the tech and ethics communities. Opportunities are available in consulting firms, research organizations, technology companies, government agencies and enterprise companies.

This role requires a bachelor’s degree in computer science, ethics, or philosophy and most employers will prefer a graduate degree. It is recommended that you obtain certifications in AI ethics to boost your credibility. Showcase your knowledge and status as a thought leader by writing articles or scheduling speaking engagements. The pay for this role can be substantial and AI Ethics Consultants typically charge premium hourly rates for their expertise.

4. Sustainability Engineers

Sustainability engineering will offer numerous opportunities to Freelancers in 2024 – 2025 and Freelance sustainability experts are in high demand in many industries. As businesses face pressure to become more eco-friendly, sustainability engineering skills will become increasingly valuable.

Companies are looking for experts to help them reduce their environmental impact and meet new regulations. This could include designing energy-efficient systems, developing waste reduction plans, or creating sustainable supply chains. Green building Freelance projects are available at architecture and construction firms and projects that help manufacturers switch to renewable energy sources are also expected to be plentiful. The services you provide will likely include carbon footprint assessments, environmental impact studies and sustainability strategy development.

To succeed in this field, a background in engineering and environmental science is required and being up-to-date on cutting-edge green technologies and sustainability practices is a must. Certifications in areas like LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) will help you market yourself to potential clients and earn a respectable hourly rate. Up-to-date familiarity of environmental regulations and reporting standards is also valuable.

5. Online Course Creators

Education is becoming increasingly important in the Freelance industry and online is the preferred format, making online course creation a promising niche for Freelance work in 2024- 2025 and beyond. Freelancers need the skills and knowledge necessary to compete in a rapidly changing workplace that makes them feel compelled to update skill sets or learn new skills altogether. Experts are needed to create the courses they’ll enroll in.

Online course creators design educational content that typically includes videos, slide presentations, quizzes and other interactive materials and activities that make online learning more engaging. It is not required for online course creators to also be teachers; if you have expertise in a subject, consider leveraging your knowledge and developing a course. Popular topics include business, digital marketing and wellness. Maybe you could create a course on stress management or becoming more creative?

Many course platforms offer user-friendly tools to build courses. You’ll need strong writing skills to simplify complex ideas and make them understandable. To succeed, stay up-to-date with learning trends and technology. Networking with other course creators can help you discover where and how to find work opportunities. Payment for online course creation services can be per course or hourly and it may be possible for creators to also earn ongoing royalties from their courses. Still, it may make sense to use this opportunity as your Freelance side hustle.

6. Cybersecurity

Today, we share more information digitally than ever before and in ways that continue to evolve. Moreover the arrival of new technologies can open the door to cyber attacks and snafus reminiscent of the Crowdstrike incident. Remote and hybrid work are becoming the new standard in the U.S., as employees rebel against coming into the office. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 11.1% of companies offer a fully remote work environment and 27.5% of companies offer a hybrid work environment. With so many employees who WFH for some portion of the work week, the chance of a data breach increases and that means cybersecurity must be a priority. As a Freelance cybersecurity consultant, your primary responsibility will be to provide expert advice and solutions to clients in order to secure their digital assets from cyber threats.

Becoming a successful Freelance cybersecurity consultant requires that you gain work experience in a variety of cybersecurity roles such as network security, incident response and systems analysis to become exceptionally proficient in analyzing and managing serious security threats that may include threat hunting, compliance and cybersecurity architecture. Obtaining credentials such as Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) or Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) is essential, as these qualifications confirm your knowledge and increase your credibility in the cybersecurity industry. In addition to earning the right qualifications, accumulating practical experience and building a strong professional network are also must-dos.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

Image: © Photo by Megan Jamerson/KCRW March 15, 2024. Remote workers use Open Market in Koreatown as a shared office space during an event hosted by LA in Common. https://www.laincommon.com/