What’s Inside a Micromanager’s Head?

Last year, I have encountered a post from Open Forum called, “10 Signs You’re A Micromanager—And How To Reform.” That time, I was involved in a team that’s on the brink of dissolvement and in my efforts to save it, I simply sent this post, together with a straight-forward note, to our micromanaging team leader ( fingers crossed )… I risked my job on the line just to let her know that her habits are breaking us apart. I think she found herself in item#5 of that post and to my relief, she changed her ways gradually.. and thanked me for my daring, as she didn’t have a clue that she was causing a major problem. But here’s the catch. Most micromanagers don’t realize that they are sabotaging the team spirit, that they become victims of this whole new world of stress they create inside their heads.

If you’re working under a supervisor or manager who micromanages, what’s peculiar is that s/he was hired for that job not because of management skills, but because of technical expertise, seniority or even politics ( like, family or close friend ). Micromanagement stems out from fear, insecurity, obsessive need for control, and lack of trust. The last item is a major red flag as working in a virtual team/remotely means you have to work on trust and communication, above everything else. Sometimes, mistrust can be a signal that the client hired the wrong people for the team, or the client doesn’t have confidence with these people, even with the right skills. The most annoying part is when a micromanager steps on people, their work, in order to make themselves look better. Then, there’s the paranoid type who fear that you might get credit for their work and there are those who love the bravado of asserting authority to be called a leader. Should you quit your work then?

How Freelancers Can Manage Up to Micromanagers

When you feel like you want to give up, stop! You love your job and you know how it’s tough to look for a new freelancing gig these days. All you need is a dash of inspiration and a positive attitude in dealing with an awful boss. Don’t beat yourself up. Dig deeper. You can’t change the spots of a leopard, but you can:

Be Proactive

Micromanagers either don’t know that they are or they won’t admit that they are. Still, you can be proactive by setting up meetings or sending a note to tell them how you feel about the problem. Express your concerns and take extra care in writing down/pointing out the subject. Instead of pointing fingers, ask if there’s something you can do to improve your work, your communication with him/her. You have to explain how the situation is stopping you from reaching your fullest potential – in a tactful manner.

Be a Spy

Sometimes, you have to take time to know the root cause of the problem and here’s where you can learn all about your micromanaging boss. Scrutinize and learn. What is s/he looking for? Is there a pattern in his/her behavior? What agitates him/her? Know the game to be in the game.. Pay attention so you can…

Train Your Boss

Yes, not everything is worth arguing over and sometimes, the best way to deal with micromanagers is to train them on good habits. You can simply say, “Thank you for your trust” each time your boss let you be, without micromanaging. It’s an indirect way of rewarding good behavior and this means reinforcing it with the next item…

Commit to Excellence

Most people who micromanage do it because they think that is important to get things done. Are you completing your jobs on time? Are the results of your work stunning? Try making an extra effort to excel in your job so you build that trust in the first place. Learn that the better your client knows how far you are on his/her project, the more competent you will look and the more relaxed s/he will be.

Sometimes, freelancers hit the breaking point and there’s a need to walk away. If you have tried every constructive strategies and you’re not getting anywhere, it’s a sign that you need to seek greener pastures. Reality bites. Whatever your decision will be, don’t let it affect your personal life, your passion for work.. and as always, try to come up with creative ways to work around your boss. And when you feel like working with him/her is killing you, relax.. remind yourself that you are a better person.

Your Thoughts

Have you worked with a micromanager? How did you cope? Is leaving your work the only option?

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Six Reasons Why Clients Don’t Buy

Think of any freelancing opportunity as juggling five balls at once.  You need to forge ties with the client, work though his/her issues, come up with a solution, draft a proposal and negotiate the project.  You can’t read minds and reading your client’s decision-making process often takes you to a mysterious journey into the unknown.  You may apply all the new rules of marketing yourself as an expert and yet, it amazes you how a client may back out in the last minute.  So, what kept them from taking another step?  It might surprise you that…

You’re Unbelievable

Well-drafted proposals from trustworthy freelancers can still get rejections because the clients don’t believe the person’s claims.  Whether credentials are overstated or understated, there’s just a failure to meet client’s expectations, that you are capable of doing the task.  Here’s where case studies, references and stories can help… and if you’ve got bad reviews, now is the time to work on cleaning it.

They Can’t Afford Your Services

Watch out for the words ‘budget’ and ‘too expensive’.. and how your clients use it when talking to you about new projects.  They may like what you have to offer, if only you can lower your rate.  By the time you’re told that there’s a budget issue, you’ll be facing an uphill battle on how to negotiate the value of the project.  You can always clarify your offer, just don’t be too pushy about it.

They Don’t Know What They Really Want

Most of the time, your potential client don’t know what skills they want and who they need to hire for the project.  They may have thought that they did; but, they still struggle with understanding just how things will be accomplished.  Here’s where you can guide them by listening to their needs and proposing a solution.

You Speak a Different Lingo

Or simply, your clients don’t understand the benefits of what you have to offer.  If you’re into content marketing and someone approached you for help, this person may not understand why there’s a need for you to include blogging in your list of proposed tasks.  It is your duty to educate your clients, minus the jargon speak that often comes with the technical aspect of the work.  Though you may think you can dazzle your clients with your knowledge, you may just lose their interest as well ( and they may end up scratching their heads after the meeting.. or look for help elsewhere ).

You’re Running in a Turtle Pace

There’s a reason why you should answer email queries within the 24-hour time frame; Your competitors may just beat you to a big, fat, juicy freelance project.  You simply took so long to respond.  Keeping someone waiting is a big No! in a world where freelancers are easily replaced.

They Simply Changed Minds

When your clients talked to you, they are willing to pay you to fix their problems and now, for some reasons, they just won’t.  Though this is something that’s out of your control, you can always be a mentalist by driving their decisions to your favor – by delivering results ( not just some half-ass solutions ).

Of course, building a mutual relationship based on trust must come both ways, and clients have the duty to brief you properly on the task ( and you can always ask to fill in the gaps ).  Expectations must be set clear and realistic, where cost is set in black and white.  Clients need to respect your expertise, experience and time… and they must pay you what they promised.. on time.

For freelancers who are still in the dark when it comes to getting inside your clients’ heads so you can earn their trust, just think of what Peter Senge has said, “People don’t resist change. They resist being changed!”  and if all else fails, learn from the experience and walk away.. to a better opportunity that’s waiting.

Something Interesting:

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12 Breeds of Clients and How to Work with Them

Freelancing Options:  Making a Smart Choice

There’s no really right or wrong answer here, and the choice you make will depend on your priorities.  Having done freelancing full time for more than three years, I’d say it’s not an easy road to take either.  There have been many predictions what freelancing will look like this year and beyond, and yet, nothing is ever certain in a competitive world where everyone is bidding on a project.  No wonder, a freelancer has to face the toughest decision of them all, of plunging into full-time or part-time work.  Freelancing is being your own entrepreneur and it’s a major move to make.  Just how can you ever choose?

1.  Know that freelancing full-time takes a great deal of commitment, where you need to find that ‘joy’ in what you do.  This means tackling road blocks like freelancing rut. You have to dedicate yourself to continuous improvement and constant search for gigs to ensure you of a steady income.  Can you commit 100%?

2.  Think of freelancing as buying a home.  It’s a big decision.  You have to do your research and ask yourself if this is really what you want.  Why do you want to freelance?  Can you do so without leaving your current job?  Do you want to have flexibility when it comes to work?  Do you hate your boss right now?  There are 20 reasons why you shouldn’t be a freelancer so take all the time to think..

3.  Do you have a business plan in place?  When you freelance, you become your own boss running your freelancing biz.  How do you see yourself in six months? In one year?  Do you have the resources to put up a website?  Where and how will you market your skills online?

Taking a Peek at Freelancing Part-Time

In these days when the job market is tumultuous and people are facing financial uncertainty, working independently is a risk and freelancing part-time can help minimize it – especially for starters.  One of the downsides of freelancing full-time is not enjoying employee benefits like health insurance, sick/vacation leaves, retirement benefits and so on.  Those who take on part-time gigs are doing so to have an extra income.   While the perks can be great, there are downsides as well.  Those who hold a day job while freelancing part-time can run up against time crunches.  A part-time freelancer can experience stress when it comes to managing what limited time s/he has for the day.  Most have been ranting about not having a social life and not having a chance to land bigger projects that demand more hours.  When you’re doing freelancing on the side, it’s just tough to pitch in your skills and sell the idea that you’re committed to the cause.  Clients also tend to label part-time freelancers as high-risk, where they can contribute to issues like missed deadlines and delays.

Freelancing Full-Time: The Other Side of the Story

If you’re tempted with the get-rich schemes that stories tell about freelancing, you need to know that success isn’t guaranteed overnight.  One of the things I like about full-time freelancing is having the freedom to spend my time, whenever and however I wish.  This meant I get a chance to have a work-life balance and spend quality time with my family, while I choose my own work hours.  Plus, you don’t have to deal with daily commute and 1001 urban legends you hear about working in an office.  You get to work in your pajamas without ever worrying about violating a dress code too.  Freelancing full-time helps you learn about managing yourself, your finances and your business.  What’s great is that you can show the world your expertise without having to spend lots in Ivy League colleges.  As for the minus side, I’ll raise my glass ( or my pen ) to Mike Smith and agree with him on these 15 drawbacks on freelancing full-time.

It’s Really Up to You!

There’s always two sides to a story and no one has lived happily ever after in the freelancing world, but you can make things work!  Whatever your decision will be, strive to do your best and be rational.  There are pros and cons, for sure.  Don’t let your excitement get you rushing head first into a wall.  Take time to think about the reason why you want to freelance in the first place… and take baby steps from there.

Have you made up your mind yet?

p.s.  For those who freelance full-time or part-time, what advice can you give to those who are planning to join our world?

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Six Strategies for Building a Community Around Your Freelancing Brand

Freelancers are no different from small business owners  who are looking for ways to save on cost while expanding their reach for their products/services online.  You know that the internet is changing drastically in how consumers interact and they are smarter than ever.  You have to be flexible with your plans, where you have to think quickly on how to create that online presence that will establish trust among your potential clients.  Here’s how you can do just that:

Find Your Uniqueness

Some may call it your unique value proposition or competitive advantage.  What is it that you do better than anybody else?  No amount of online marketing can help you if you look like a copycat.  Do you have retainers who keep coming back for your services?  It’s time that you flaunt the reasons why they stick to your brand.  Identify what’s stopping them from jumping ship and use that as your selling point.

Be an Expert

Blogging isn’t dead; On the contrary, it offers a great opportunity for you to cold call prospects on the internet.  One of the best ways you can attract your target market is by establishing yourself as an authority in your field.  To do this, you can share valuable posts through your blog and insert call-to-action forms where they can subscribe to you, in exchange of their names and email addresses.  You can also…

Participate in Forums

That is, forums that are related to your skills and services, or freelancing forums on the Web.  Just make sure that you review the user guidelines, create an authentic user profile and read through posts before writing your first reply.  Be careful about spamming and sending unsolicited messages as it can get your account banned.  If you’re new, introduce yourself first and participate in discussions consistently.  Some forums have designated places or discussion threads where you can show your expertise through writing a sound advice.  Sites like Focus.com and Quora lets you answer questions related to your industry. You may also…

Get Social

In this age of the citizen influencer, utilizing social networking sites to build your online community makes perfect sense.  Major names like Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter, Google+ are just a few of the choices.  The key here is NOT to be everywhere, but to stick to sites where your target clients are most likely to hang out – so you can connect with them.  Be mindful of your social etiquette when you do so.  What’s great about these sites is that it helps you identify your audience and engage those who matter to your freelancing business.

Empower.. Don’t Interrupt

Along the way, it’s just tempting to promote yourself because it’s easier to do so with just a click.  Don’t be tempted to do so!  People still hate spam and if you’re not adding value to the discussion,  you better leave these sites alone.  In time, you will likely rub shoulders with influentials or thought leaders in your industry.  Be proactive and participate in their cause.  Did you know that a simple retweet is empowering?  Appreciation is the most powerful tool of them all.  If an influencer has replied to your tweet, thank him/her.  You’ll be glad that you did!

Make Room for Feedback

I often encountered blogs that are written so well and I would have shown my appreciation to the writer, if only there’s a way for me to write a comment on the post.  Community building is all about openness and sharing.  Allow room for feedback, be it positive or negative.  The more you restrict, the more backlash you will get.  You can’t please everybody and the only way to deal with negative feedback is to give that person a permanent fix or simply, face it.  By allowing people to express their thoughts, you allow your community to organically grow – which feels more authentic.

And why should you build an online community? Think of it as building an army of loyal fans who will spread the word about you on the Web.

Still, keep in mind that Rome wasn’t built in a day.. and community building takes time and dedication to flourish.  The challenge now is: How can you keep your people engaged with your brand?  I would love to hear your suggestions.

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Online Reputation Management 101 for Freelancers

Did you know that consumer reviews are 12 times more trusted than all the branding efforts you make?  Yes, your clients care about what others are saying about you and it helps them decide whether to hire you or not.  Improving your social influence can simply start at cleaning your own backyard, your name.  While you can’t please everyone with your service, you can do damage control if you:

Take Your Online Presence Seriously

Yes, we really mean it!  Have you made an assessment lately?  Google is the easiest way for you to find out and all you have to do is type in your name.  Scroll down the pages and check for details.  Someone may have left a negative remark about you in public forums, in blogs, or posts made public on social networking sites.  If your name is common, the more you need to check as you can be mistaken for someone else… with a bad feedback.

Commit to Customer Service, Not Lip Service

We all know that the Web is dynamic and consumer-created content makes up majority of what we read these days.  Treat every client as someone who has the power to build or destroy your online reputation.  Everyone is a publisher these days and we all know that content marketing is a powerful tool.  If you stick to delivering what you promise, with your client’s satisfaction in mind, the less the chances of you getting the final cut that can scar you for the rest of your freelancing lifetime.

Take Fight, Not Flight

We’ve seen big brands whose reputations were damaged beyond repair simply because they chose to ignore the issue.  No one is a ‘nobody’ these days and one simple complaint can spread like a plague. What do you do when it happens?  No matter how unfair you think the feedback is, don’t ever reply in anger.  Calm your mind and face the issue with tact and maturity.  You can always contact the unhappy party to resolve the conflict, or you may ask the third party site for a petition to remove offending content if it violated their TOS.  Some sites, like Ripoff Report, don’t do that – but you can respond to complaints posted about your business.  After the offensive content is removed, you may use Google’s URL Removal Tool so the cached copy won’t appear on their search engine.

Learn to Optimize

What if the negative content is posted on a high-traffic site?  While the chance of competing for search results may be tough on this case, you can still push down the content by posting more positive information about your freelancing business.  If you can’t take that review off a site, the slimmer the chance to take it off Google.  But all hope is not lost!  You can still get a second chance through reducing the visibility of that link on the search results.  For you to achieve this, you can create search engine friendly content like blogs, articles, and so on.  Sometimes, the best defense is good offense, so long as you do it the white-hat way, coupled with the next step:

Build Relationships on the Social Web

Never underestimate the power of word-of-mouth marketing and there’s power in numbers, no doubt.  Take your digital influence to the next level by engaging like minds and influencers who can be your strongest allies in creating a powerful, positive story about your brand.  You may not have all the time in the world to do this and you may argue that your social skills are lacking.  Think of it this way:  Anyone you meet on social networking sites can be your potential client, mentor or business partner.  That should motivate you , for starters.

The next time you see an unflattering mention of you and your services on the Web, take that one shot to set things right – make it count.  Hiring managers are using the internet to source information about new hires.  Search engines can’t recognize truth from a smear campaign.. and the simplest way to put your best face forward is through telling your side of the story, the honest way.

What About You?

Have you found yourself confronted with bad reviews?  How did you face it?

How Your Online Reputation Can Cost You a Job

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p.s.  we don’t want to sound like your mom.  Think of us as your friend who cheers you up so you can be at your best

Daily Dose of Inspiration:  What to Read…

1. If You’re Feeling Lazy

“Many great ideas go unexecuted, and many great executioners are without ideas. One without the other is worthless.” – Tim Blixseth

“The world is more malleable than you think and it’s waiting for you to hammer it into shape.” – Bono

“No great man ever complains of want of opportunities.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act but a habit.” –  Aristotle

“Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

“You’ve got to seize the opportunity if it is presented to you.” – Clive Davis

“Action may not always bring happiness, but there is no happiness without action.” – Benjamin Disraeli

“You’ve got to love what you do to really make things happen.” – Philip Green

“Success seems to be connected with action. Successful people keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don’t quit.” – Conrad Hilton

“Action will destroy your procrastination.” – Og Mandino

2.  If You’re Stuck in a Rut ( creative rut, that is )

“There’s no good idea that can’t be improved on.” – Michael Eisner

“The only limit to your impact is your imagination and commitment.” – Anthony Robbins

“You don’t need to have a 100-person company to develop that idea.” – Larry Page

“A major stimulant to creative thinking is focused questions. There is something about a well-worded question that often penetrates to the heart of the matter and triggers new ideas and insights.” – Brian Tracy

“In the realm of ideas everything depends on enthusiasm.. in the real world all rests on perseverance.” – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

“The only way of finding the limits of the possible is by going beyond them into the impossible.” –  Arthur C. Clarke

“Seek the lofty by reading, hearing and seeing great work at some moment every day.” – Thornton Wilder

“When inspiration does not come to me, I go halfway to meet it.” – Sigmund Freud

“Well, when you’re trying to create things that are new, you have to be prepared to be on the edge of risk.” – Michael Eisner

“Clean out a corner of your mind and creativity will instantly fill it.” – Dee Hock

3.  If You Feel Like Quitting

“If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. Then quit. There’s no use being a damn fool about it.” –  W.C. Fields

“Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude.” – Thomas Jefferson

“What we think determines what happens to us, so if we want to change our lives, we need to stretch our minds.” – Wayne Dyer

“I’ve always worked very, very hard, and the harder I worked, the luckier I got.” – Alan Bond

“Long shots do come in and hard work, dedication and perseverance will overcome almost any prejudice and open almost any door.” – John H. Johnson

“Think not of yourself as the architect of your career but as the sculptor. Expect to have to do a lot of hard hammering and chiseling and scraping and polishing.” – BC Forbes

“You have to put in many, many, many tiny efforts that nobody sees or appreciates before you achieve anything worthwhile.” – Brian Tracy

“The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.” – Walt Disney

“Success seems to be connected with action. Successful people keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don’t quit.” – Conrad Hilton

“Persistence is what makes the impossible possible, the possible likely, and the likely definite.” –  Robert Half

4.  If You Need to Find Your Strength and Passion

“They can because they think they can.” – Virgil

“…by stretching yourself beyond your perceived level of confidence you accelerate your development of competence.” – Tony Buzan

“It is unwise to be too sure of one’s own wisdom. It is healthy to be reminded that the strongest might weaken and the wisest might err.” – Mahatma Gandhi

“It doesn’t matter who you are, where you come from. The ability to triumph begins with you. Always.” – Oprah Winfrey

“We are the creative force of our life, and through our own decisions rather than our conditions, if we carefully learn to do certain things, we can accomplish those goals.” – Stephen Covey

“Wallowing in the past may be good literature. As wisdom, it’s hopeless.” – Aldous Huxley

“Everybody has talent, it’s just a matter of moving around until you’ve discovered what it is.” – George Lucas

“I was just pursuing what I enjoyed doing. I mean, I was pursuing my passion.” – Pierre Omidyar

“If you want more, you have to require more from yourself.” – Dr Phil

“What is it that you like doing? If you don’t like it, get out of it, because you’ll be lousy at it. You don’t have to stay with a job for the rest of your life, because if you don’t like it you’ll never be successful in it.” – Lee Iacocca

5.  If You’re Feeling Stressed

“It makes no sense to worry about things you have no control over because there’s nothing you can do about them, and why worry about things you do control? The activity of worrying keeps you immobilized.” – Wayne Dyer

“We create stress for ourselves because you feel like you have to do it. You have to. I don’t feel that anymore.” – Oprah Winfrey

“If we agree that the bottom line of life is happiness, not success, then it makes perfect sense to say that it is the journey that counts, not reaching the destination.” – Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

“Action may not always bring happiness, but there is no happiness without action.” – Benjamin Disraeli

“Doing what you love is the cornerstone of having abundance in your life.” – Wayne Dyer

“It’s all about quality of life and finding a happy balance between work and friends and family.” –  Philip Green

“Even a happy life cannot be without a measure of darkness, and the word happy would lose its meaning if it were not balanced by sadness.” – Carl Jung

“To me every hour of the day and night is an unspeakably perfect miracle.” – Walter Chrysler

“Positive things happen to positive people.” – Sarah Beeny

“Cheerfulness is what greases the axles of the world.  Don’t go through life creaking.” – H.W. Byles

As J.K. Rowling said, “Anything’s possible if you’ve got enough nerve…” so when the sea of freelancing gets rough, take a pause and find your inspiration.

What inspires you today?

If you have inspirational blogs, inspirational quotes or motivational brand pages that you wish to share with fellow freelancers, please feel free to post in the comment section below.

Something Interesting:

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Life is Like a Cup of Coffee

To Freelancers & Businesses Across the Globe:

May you celebrate this Easter filled with hope for a beautiful spring and summer ahead.  Good wishes and may your life be filled with positivity, success and joy.

Have a Happy Easter!

Shaleen Shah
CEO/Founder
www.ajeva.com

( and from the rest of the Ajeva Team )

The Mindset of a Successful Freelancer Revealed

Getting there is tough and any seasoned freelancers can share a story about their struggles.  You may hear them talk about success in an intellectual context, in monetary gains, or numbers of completed projects.  Through countless convo with freelancers who have reached varying degrees of success, I’ve come to classify them as:

Go-Getters

Successful freelancers are fierce, no doubt.  They are decisive in ensuring that their business is sustainable through the years – whether it’s the business of making each customer happy, the business of continuous improvement of their craft, or the business of chasing their clients for overdue payments.  In short, they’re committed to keeping their freelancing biz going for years to come and they’re in for the long run.

Go-Givers

You might have encountered this term from this business book by Bob Burg and David Mann.  Successful freelancers know that karma is digital these days and they thrive to nurture not only their business, but also their clients and fellow freelancers.  That’s why building relationships and getting social comes naturally to them, like air.  They simply value trust above anything else and they are willing to help people – minus criticisms, grudges, rants.. and whatever you name it.

Neo-Psychics

Because s/he has experienced many ups and downs in the freelancing business, s/he is smart enough to know when his or her advice is wanted or not.  S/he knows the real value of a freelancer and will not compromise his or her worth for the sake of a one-time deal.  This sensitivity is a gift learned from careful planning and listening to what clients and prospects want.. and s/he is also smart to say ‘no’ and wastes no time in saying ‘yes’ to projects that will boost his/her brand.

True Survivors

If freelancing were the ‘Hunger Games’, those who are successful know how to look out for him/herself, rather than depend on third parties or agencies to help along the way.  S/he will not fear opportunities to source work or pick up bits of work from loyal clients over the years.  The word ‘Quit’ is totally non-existent in his/her vocabulary and if something goes wrong, s/he will always find ways to fix the issue before moving on.

Curious Explorers

What differs great freelancers from good ones is that they don’t pretend to know everything and instead, they learned the art of asking questions and decoding complex answers to make sure that they will deliver what they say they’ll do.  Misunderstandings can be a serious time burner and by clarifying what the clients want, they get work done faster than their counterparts.  These great ones know that mind reading will never be a skill.

Quick Thinkers

Those who succeed at freelancing are flexible enough to think and act quickly, especially when confronted with dire situations.  They are patient and persistent in making things work, in an organized manner.  S/he is self-motivated and open to adapting to different conditions, technologies and culture.  There are more than a thousand ways to accomplish a goal and they are relentless in pursuing the path to excellence ( with each work they do ).

And the true measure of success when it comes to freelancing is not really about how much you have earned at the end of the day, but how people talk about you and your work.  Having a good reputation is the trophy for all the hard work and we all know that good news becomes great with word-of-mouth.  There are many self-proclaimed freelancing gurus, no doubt.. but those who are truly successful don’t even have to talk about themselves; they just simply do what they do best.

How About You?

Have you reached your goals as a freelancer?  How do you define success?

The Happy Secret to Better Work

Something Interesting:

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How Freelancers Can Win Back Projects They Have Lost

Last time, we’ve shared some light on how being different can make a whole new world of difference in your freelancing world.  Reality bites back with a vengeance this time when you realize that clients aren’t always coming back with more projects, and it all takes a little nudge to win their hearts back.  Did you know that 60% of clients leave because they feel unappreciated and unimportant?  Just as freelancers need that pat on the back, your clients do as well.  Have you been communicating that gratitude to your clients lately?  It never hurts to start now and it’s never late to win them back by:

Quitting the Blame Game

Perhaps, it’s you.. and 1001 reasons why your clients left.  Unless you ask, you can never know really and mostly, the reason can catch you off guard.  So before you assume you know what exactly happened, get some quality talk time with your client and discover the real reason.  The truth may hurt, but knowing what didn’t work will help you get one step closer to rebuilding that bond.  Do you have a sincere desire to learn and improve?

Understanding Your Client’s Goals

Perhaps, your client thought that your services are not needed anymore so they decided to stop working with you.  If you have been working for the longest time with them, you have a clearer picture of their business goals.  Instead of accepting the inevitable, think of complementary services that you can offer, aside from the ones you’re doing right now.  Do you have other skills that can be useful to your client?  Can you offer a package deal that will help them achieve their goals faster?

Fixing What’s Broke

Sometimes, a client-freelancer relationship turns sour because one or both parties don’t want to accept that there is a real problem that needs to be fixed.  If your freelancing service sucks, just deal with it, accept that there’s a problem and figure out ways on how to resolve the issue.  There is always a better option and that doesn’t have to mean your client hiring a new freelancer to kick you out of your gig.

Thinking Out of the Box

In the freelancing world, we have always wanted to beat the discount mindset and the appalling rates that many are charging for the sake of getting more work.  This doesn’t mean that you can’t offer a discount, especially to your long term clients who can’t seem to afford your rate increase.  They would love to keep you if your services are affordable.  Depending on your living expense, you can offer all sorts of promotional discounts, service bundles or even become a business partner earning commissions.  It’s all about your creativity on how to make things work longer.

Keeping Your Relationship Alive ( and Kickin’)

Just because you’ve lost a customer doesn’t mean you can’t revisit them.  Keeping your clients in your social loop may be the first step in rebuilding that trust.  Just don’t spam them with junk emails and instead, keep them updated with what you’re working on.  When people see your honest effort to improve, they will certainly give you a second chance.

And when all else fails, there has to be a good reason, even if it’s still unclear now.  Just learn from your mistakes and move on.  The next time you come along a new client, build that trust by starting with the most basic step of them all:  Do what you say you will do.

What Do You Think?

Should freelancers make an effort to win back the clients they have lost..or, should they just move on?

Frank Eliason on Customer Service

Something Interesting:

12 Customer Dos & Don’ts
101 Ideas to Get More Freelance Work and Generate New Client Leads

Pinterest Etiquette for the Social Freelancer

Last time, we’ve brought you basic freelancing netiquette you might have missed when connecting with potential clients online.  We’re on a roll!  This time, we help you start on a clean slate right, whether you do it to boost your freelancing business or for trend’s sake.  Learn that just because you can treat Pinterest as your virtual pinboard doesn’t mean you can skip:

Giving Credit Where It’s Due

If you check out the list of Pinterest etiquette, you’ll see that they remind you to link back to the original source.  If you’re using the image search on Google to choose your pins, you may find it useful and yet, you may carelessly link back to Google and not the original source.  Instead, always pin from the source and if you’re unsure, just skip it altogether.  The last thing you want is having to deal with copyright issues simply because you want to share something good.  Think of it this way – designers, photographers, writers are all doing business online and by sharing their content minus the credit, it’s like stealing business from them.

Making Sure that Links Go to the Right Address

If you’re building your freelancing brand through Pinterest, authenticity is called for and by editing the links of pins to redirect images to a different URL, you’re defeating the very purpose of sharing pins.  Yes, it may drive traffic to whichever site you intend it for, but this is simply a shady practice.  After all, honesty is the best policy up to this date.

Sharing the Things You Love

Like we said over and over, the social web is not about you and just because you’re free to post anything doesn’t mean it’s your personal billboard to use either.  Pinterest is all about sharing the things you love, something you’re proud to share.  Of course, if you’re into design, you can share your projects.  The key here is striking balance, after all, you are in a community of people and conversation matters more.

Posting Original Content

Pinterest is great for content creation, so long as you don’t copy and paste what’s already out there – most especially, copyrighted content.  If you feel lazy about writing descriptions to your pins, you can simply attribute the author or artist to where these images belonged.  This also means that if you’re wanting to take a pin for posting to your blog, make sure that you check out if its’ properly credited to the original source.. or else, just don’t do it!

Doing Your Due Diligence

Like many new social networks, Pinterest is working hard on defining its policies, especially in the matter of privacy.  For now, practice due diligence by reporting content that violates the site’s Terms of Service to make the experience truly pinteresting.

Many businesses have been riding the Pinterest wave and as such, it doesn’t hurt to mind your manners. Like any other sites, there’s the good, the bad and the ugly.  One major drawback for freelancers is that they have to request for an invite and user profiles are limited to a few lines.  Pinterest may be much better suited for sharing content than meeting people… but that’s too soon to tell.  So for now,  let’s just get our etiquette in check while we discover this visually-oriented site.

Your Turn

Any other Pinteresting tips to add on top of our list?  How do you find the site so far?  Is it useful for your personal branding efforts?

Pinterest Challenge

Something Interesting:

Seven Ways to Use Pinterest to Boost Your Personal Brand
What Freelancers and Small Businesses Should Know About Pinterest
Will You Be Jumping on the Pinterest Craze?