20 years without a proper job

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WORKING IN PYJAMAS20 YEARS WITHOUT A PROPER JOB...

Y: JACKIE HARRIS


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Jackie Harris. Working in Pyjamas Limited 2014. All RightsReserved.

No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any formwithout the written permission of the author, except for the inclusion

of brief quotations in a review. This work is for personal use only.

Disclaimer

This guide has been written to provide information to help you runyour freelance business. Every effort has been made to make thiswork as complete and accurate as possible. However, there maybe mistakes in typography or content, and some of the sources ofinformation could change or disappear without warning.

The purpose of this work is to educate and share the authorsexperiences in a light hearted way. The author and publisher doesnot warrant that the information contained in this guide is fullycomplete and shall not be responsible for any errors or omissions.The author and publisher shall have neither liability norresponsibility to any person or entity with respect to any loss ordamage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly bythis guide.

Material Connection Disclosure

You should assume that the author and publisher have an afliaterelationship and/or another material connection to the providers ofgoods and services mentioned in this guide and may becompensated when you purchase from a provider. You shouldalways perform due diligence before buying goods or servicesfrom anyone via the Internet or ofine.

DISCLAIMERS & COPYRIGHTS

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FOR MY FELLOWFREELANCERS,WHEREVER YOUARE...I dedicate this little book to the brave and crazysouls all over the world who have given up theday job to take the plunge into self-employment.Were self-motivated, determined and focused;and we take risks every day.

Yet when someone utters the wordentrepreneur, our rst instinct is to think ofRichard Branson or Mark Zuckerberg. I say thatanyone who turns their back on convention andcreates a business, no matter how small, on theirown terms - is a true entrepreneur

WERE A COLLECTIVE FORCE TOBE RECKONED WITH.

Many of us are not rich, powerful or inuentialwhich means our contributions are oftenoverlooked. But collectively were a serious forceto be reckoned with. In the UK alone there areapproximately 1.4 million freelancers. In the USA,

around 26% of the workforce is made up fromfreelance operators. Due to challenges in theeconomy, its predicted that this number will growto 50% by 2020.

20 YEARS OF FREELANCE LIFEAND IM STILL HERE

I started my freelance marketing businessaround 20 years ago. There have been somehighs, and lows along the way, but ultimatelynothing would ever convince me to get a jobagain.

I pulled together some advice and suggestionson all things I think every freelancer needs toknow. I hope you nd something of use for yourown solo business journey.

Best wishes

Jackie

September 2014

PREFACE

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I havent had what my parents would call aproper job for over 20 years...

One day I was a sensible woman working incorporate PR with a posh car, fat salary, powersuits with big shoulder pads (cringe) and a team ofpeople to delegate to. And the next day it was allgone. Nobody red me, or made me redundant; itwas simply a moment of madness that made medecide that I needed my life to be different.

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A MOMENT OF

MADNESS...


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CHANGE WAS THE CATALYST

The PR rm I was working for at the time was

acquired by a much bigger managementconsultancy organisation. The truth was, I wasused to running my own division my way.Suddenly there was a larger corporate entitylaying down new rules and I knew almost rightaway that this was not the kind of working life Iwanted. I hated it and knew that corporatesoldiering was not for me. Fortunately at thetime I had a bit of money in the bank. Not afortune, but just about enough to buy me acomputer, printer, and fax machine (this wasearly 90s remember).

I called in a favour from a graphic designer I hadgiven loads of work to in my PR agency daysand I got some letterhead, business cards,

compliment slips and some natty postcards touse as an introductory mailshot.

Gordon Gekko mobile phones were all the rage

back thenI had to return my company car and boughtmyself an old banger to run around in. A mobilephone was also an important purchase. When Isay mobile phone, Im using the term loosely. Inthose days Apple was still making beige boxes,and mobile phones cost a Kings ransom. Forthose of you who have seen the movie WallStreet, you may remember the iconic scenewhen the lead character Gordon Gekko iswalking on the beach at sunrise, speaking on hismobile phone; which was in effect something thesize of a breeze block. My rst mobile phonewasnt quite as large as that, but it was at least 5times the size of an iPhone and had thisannoying rubber antenna which kept poking mein the eye.

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A LITTLEPERSPECTIVE FORLIFE IN 1991

A desktop computercost around 2500and it had less than a10th of the memoryand functionality of a2014 Dell laptopcosting 300.

There was no internet(not for individuals)and few people had

email. No-one had awebsite.

The economy movedfrom boom to bustand interest ratessoared, reaching16%.

The first Gulf war wasin play.

If youre thinking to taking the plunge and going freelance, then startyour rainy day fund NOW!

I would strongly recommend that anyone considering a freelance life

should have a rainy day fund if possible; particularly nowadays whenclients take so long to pay their bills, cash ow can be dire.

So with my new ofce kitted out, I was ready to take my rst steps as afreelance PR woman.

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Freelancing was a bit of a dirty word...When I first started out, being afreelancer was not considered veryglamorous. It was a euphemism for cantget a proper job.

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MY FAMILY AND

FRIENDS THOUGHTID GONEBARKING MAD


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Id go further and say that someone whod quit their nice cushy positionto choose an independent path was viewed with some suspicion andcynicism. Indeed my parents and many friends thought Id gonebarking mad.

PEOPLE KEPT TRYING TO PERSUADE ME TACCEPT ANOTHER JOB

During my rst year one of the most bizarre and unexpected things tohappen was a constant barrage of calls from recruitment rms trying toconvince me to take another agency role. I had this idea that if I went toa few appointments I might be able to persuade these PR companiesto use me for some freelance projects; maybe a few days a monthwhile I built my own client base. No one was intere sted in that at all; itwas 'join us and make a long-term commitment or forget it'.Interestingly though, a few years later, most of the large PR rms inLondon were using freelance people on a regular basis. Clearly I wasahead of my time.

Youll be pleased do know that I have a business plan now...

If I had to do things again, I would certainly have a proper business

plan. That doesnt mean you have to write some boring, weighty tomethat will never be read. Im talking about sitting down and creating aroadmap for your business so you know where youre headed.

I have a business plan template as part of my Working in Pyjamasmembership ( www.workinginpjs.co.uk ). Its a good one too, if I say somyself. However, you can get a good template from most high streetbanks, your local Chamber of Commerce or organisations like theFederation for Small Business.

I STARTED MYBUSINESSWITHOUT APROPERBUSINESSPLAN.

I CRINGENOW WHENI THINKABOUT IT - I

MEAN, WHOIN THEIRRIGHT MINDWOULD DOSUCH ACRAZYTHING?

HOWEVER, IDO THINK

YOUSHOULD DOONE IF YOUHAVENTDONE SOALREADY.

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CASH FLOWSPREADSHEET (SOUNDSDULL BUT IT WILL MAKESURE YOU SLEEPSOUNDLY AT NIGHT)

I create a month-by-month spreadsheet that shows whatscoming in and whats going out. This also includes any bigpurchases I need to make e.g. Advertising or promotional stuff,

or new equipment such as a new computer or printer.

SHOW ME THEMONEY (AS JERRYMCGUIRE SAID...)

At the beginning of each nancial year, I work out how much Iwant to earn that year, and then work out what I need to do tomeet that target. This may mean introducing new services orpackage deals - or junking ideas from the previous year thatdidnt really work that well. In other words, get rid of thestinkers.

MARKETING PLAN

I work out how to reach the people I want to target against how

much money I need to spend. I then create a tactical marketingcalendar so I know what things I need to do each month tomarket my business.

HIT LIST (NOT A LIST OFPEOPLE I WANT TO KILL,BUT THEN AGAIN...)

This is a list of companies or individuals that Id like to work with.Then I work out what I need to do to get a meeting with them.For example, I attend a regular networking group. The facilitatorwill happily broker an introduction with anyone Id like to meetthats part of her network of contacts.

MARKET INTELLIGENCE

I make sure I take stock each year on key changes in thebusiness world. Whats the current mood? Are people spendingmoney? What are the trends in marketing spending? What aremy potential customers worried about? This information makessure my sales and marketing messages are right on the money.

THE NUTS & BOLTS OF MY BUSINESSPLAN...This is the approach that works well for me in my business. Its an informal kit really rather than onebig formal plan.

However, if you are looking for business finance from a bank or youre applying for some kind ofgrant funding, youll need something more formal.


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IMAGINE NEVER HAVING TOCOMMUTE AGAIN.I SPENT YEARS OF MY LIFETRAVELING ON THE LONDONUNDERGROUND DURING RUSHHOUR. BELIEVE ME, BEINGCRAMMED INTO A CROWDEDTRAIN WITH YOUR FACE SHOVEDINTO THE SWEATY ARMPIT OF ATOTAL STRANGER IS NO FUN!

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LIVING LIFE ON MY

OWN TERMS


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So what were the attractions of going it alone? I was never a goodcorporate soldier. I was rubbish at ofce politics and loathed the gameplaying and manipulation. There are people who just instinctively knowhow to work the system and make it work to their advantage. Im sureyouve all known someone where you work (or have worked) who just

breezes through the ranks and gets to the top. Well, I wasnt one ofthem.

I was cursed with opinions and an uncontrollable urge to voice them

Early in my career, I was the press ofcer for a large American softwarerm based in Windsor. The big cheese who ran the UK ofce liked acertain pub that was close to the ofce. Almost every night after work,he and his cronies went to the pub and discussed policies shared

ideas and made important decisions. If you werent there at least 4nights a week, you were not considered to be a player. I dont knowabout you, but I cant stand all that. In my view cronyism is dangerousand counterproductive to the creation of a successful company. Itmeans that the wrong people get all the power, and those who areclever and talented, but who choose to go home to their families at theend of a long work day, often dont get the recognition they deserve.Anyway, that whole vibe just wasnt for me and I needed to changethings.

Freelancing doesnt suit everyone

Of course freelance life doesnt suit everyone. You need to be self-disciplined and motivated to get up and at your desk every morning.Ive met numerous freelance people along the way who just cant copewithout the structure of an ofce and a boss. But you do need theability to create some kind of structure for yourself or you will never getanything done.

There are also other realities that need to be faced. Theres no holidaypay, sick pay, no guaranteed income or benets package. In theoryanyone freelancing would know this before they start. But youd beamazed how many budding entrepreneurs dont think this throughproperly and end up going back into full-time employment with their tailbetween their legs.

IF IMBRUTALLYHONEST,I HAVETOWORKFORMYSELF,BECAUSENO-ONEWOULDEVERHIRE MENOW...

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For others its the loss of status they dont like. As a freelancer you dontreally have any. Let me explain what I mean. I went from having a top ofthe range BMW as a company car to driving a rust-bucket ve-year-oldCitron AX. For many people this would be a total deal breaker. I realise

this sounds nuts; but remember I rst started in 1991 when materialacquisitions were more highly prized than they are in 2012.

Some of my old colleagues would look at me with pity in their eyeswhen I turned up in my French roller skate as it became known. But Ididnt care. I gured that an old car that I could pay for in cash wasbetter than blowing all my savings on a status car or getting locked intonance payments.

The freedom and exibility of working for myself far outweighedanything else. I get to choose my working hours and state what I willand wont do. Im not rich or powerful or inuential. But I live a cleanand honest life on my own terms.

FOR ME, THEFREEDOMANDFLEXIBILITYOFWORKINGFOR MYSELFFAROUTWEIGHANY OF THEPITFALLS.

I LIVE ACLEAN ANDHONEST LIFEON MYOWN TERMS.

HOW MANYPEOPLE CANREALLY SAYTHAT?

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NO OFFICEPOLITICS

You get to do all the stuff you love doing and canleave behind all the game playing andmanipulation.

YOU CALL THESHOTS

You can say no to anything you dont want to do.If you decide not to work on Fridays - thenhurrah! Its your business, you can run it howeveryou want.

NO MORERUSH HOUR

I refer to my earlier comment about sweatyarmpits (and dont get me started on thehalitosis).

YOU DONTHAVE TOWEAR SUITSTO WORK

Comfort aside, it was the dry cleaning bills thatkilled me. Obviously I still have to pull out thebest bib & tucker for special meetings, but most

of the time its glorious comfort!

FLEXIBILITYI love that I can work anywhere, anytime. Afreelance graphic designer friend of minespends her days with her children, and thenworks while they are asleep in bed at night.

MY TOP FIVE BENEFITS OF BEINGA SOLO BUSINESS...


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Seriously, dont be tempted towing it. You need to do somebackground work before youjump off that top diving board.

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DO YOUR

HOMEWORK!


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SO, WHAT KIND OF HOMEWORKARE WE TALKING ABOUT?Obviously doing a proper business plan is important:and theres tons of advice and free

templates out there (e.g. Banks, your local Chamber of Commerce etc.)

Looking at things very simply, here are the main questions I think you should ask yourselfbefore you quit your job and put your life savings on the line.

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WHAT ARE YOUTRYING TOACHIEVE?

Is this a lifestyle choice? Or do you want to build a business that could change the

world?

WHATS YOURMOTIVATION?

Do you want to create a company that you can sell? Are you creating a legacy for future generations? Do you just want to do your own thang? Are you passionate about fullling a need in the

marketplace?

DOES ANYONEWANT TO BUY

WHAT YOURESELLING?

This is not as stupid as it sounds. Ive met countless newbusiness owners who have invested thousands of pounds in

a venture just because they think its a good idea and all theirfriends and family tell them its great.

WHY DO YOUTHINK YOURBUSINESS WILLSUCCEED?

I know if I mention the phrase unique selling point youllwant to run screaming into the wilderness. But seriously, whatmakes your business special?

HOW MUCHMONEY DO YOUNEED TO MAKE?

You need a good prot plan and a clear indication on howyoure going to earn a living from this venture.

WHO ARE YOURCOMPETITORS?

Have you considered both direct and indirect competitors toyour venture? How crowded is the market youre planning toenter? In short, is there any room for your offering?

More on the next page...


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WHAT ARE YOURBARRIERS TOSUCCESS?

Is it money or cash ow? Is it time or commitment? Or could itbe lack of support from family or friends? The point is that ifyou know what your barriers are, you can work out a strategyfor coping or managing them.

MARKETINTELLIGENCE

Are you happy that youve really gotten under the skin of yourmarket sector? What are the key issues and how does yourbusiness/product/offering t into that? What plans do youhave in place to make sure you keep your offering currentand in tune with popular opinion?

UNDERSTAND YOURCUSTOMERS

Please dont be tempted to gloss over this.The more you candrill down into your target customer - their life, their work,their needs - the easier it is to sell to them. All markets arecrowded these days - so you have to adapt your offering andkey messages to t you customer.

YOUR BRAND -BUSINESS ORPERSONAL?

As a freelance business, you need to carefully weigh up thepros and cons of creating a personal brand i.e. Using yourname and reputation e.g. Joe Smith Photography. Or whetheryou want to create a business brand e.g. BrightsparkMarketing. It all depends on how you think your customerswill engage with you. Its worth taking time to consider thiscarefully.

ROUTES TOMARKET

How are you going to get your product or service to yourtarget customers? In general terms (and obviouslydepending on what kind of business youre running) typicalroutes to market include: Direct - from you direct to a customer. Online - via an ecommerce website

Through a third party e.g. Retail outlet, distributors etc. Via joint ventures and partnerships - e.g. If youre a

wedding photographer, you could chum up with say, awedding planner or caterer and offer package deals.


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MAKE THETIME ANDDONT CUTCORNERSTheres a lot of work involved in this and I wouldurge you to make the time to consider thesepoints carefully.

A CAUTIONARY TALE

I recently met a potential client who spent over100,000 developing a product for the babymarket. He took almost four years developing,testing and working out the manufacturingprocess. He spent no time whatsoeverconsidering how he was going to get the product

to market. His only market research was among24 mothers with babies. And of that group, 60%reacted favourably to his product. Theassumption was that all he had to do wascontact buyers of the leading supermarketchains and they would bite his hand off to get hisproduct onto their shelves.

THERE WAS NO PLAN B

Guess what? That didnt happen. The buyersacross all major retail outlets said: Were nottaking any more products in the baby market forthe next 24 months. Needless to say this cameas a considerable shock to the inventor. He had

no back-up plan. No website, no contacts withdistributors, and no budget to market andpromote the product. He had a further shockwhen I told him hed need a minimum of around

100k to launch a brand new mainstreamconsumer product onto the already crowded andhighly competitive mother and baby sector. I alsotold him that the market leaders spent in excessof 1m a year on marketing.

CONSIDER YOUR ROUTES TOMARKET CAREFULLY

My key point here is to highlight that thiscompany owner should have considered hisroute to market options long before he foundhimself with a warehouse crammed full ofproduct he couldnt sell.

At the time of writing this, our inventor wasfrantically trying to raise grant and investmentmoney to allow him to get his product launched. I

wish him well.

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Last year I was doing a workshop for small business owners atmy local university business school. I asked the group how manyallocated time to keeping up with what their competitors weredoing. Not surprisingly, less than 10% said they felt it was

something they allocated planned time for. Then one womanpiped up from the back that she took it very seriously indeed. Iasked her if she would mind sharing with the group how shewent about her competitor analysis. She told us how she noticedthat one of her main competitors was looking for new staff. Soshe decided to apply for a job there. The competitor companywas so impressed by her knowledge of the market sector andher enthusiastic questions about their upcoming marketing plansand product development, that they offered her the job on the

spot.

As you can imagine the entire class was howling with laughterand completely aghast at her nerve. Its probably one of the mostextreme stories of competitor analysis Ive heard, and it wasclearly effective. Not sure if I would recommend going that far,but I loved her spirit and the very idea of it.

AT WHAT POINTDOES A KEENINTEREST IN

YOURCOMPETITORSBECOMESTALKING?

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When it comes to business, the

people closest to you are notalways your best allies.

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FAMILY ANDFRIENDS DONTALWAYS KNOWBEST...


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A LITTLEOBJECTIVITYGOES ALONG WAY...

Ive met countless small business owners andfreelancers who tell me that they onlyconsulted family and friends whendeveloping their business idea.In my case, many members of my family and friends all told me I wasinsane to give up a well-paid job to go it alone, and offered almost nosupport at all. This meant I had to rely on my own steely resolve to getme going.

At the other end of the scale, many people starting businesses have

families and friends who tell them exactly what they want to hear; whichis just as bad. (Think of the X-Factor TV show where parents convincetheir tuneless, tone-deaf offspring that they have what it takes to be thenext Adele.) You need some objectivity in your game plan, so makesure you do some road-testing of your product or service with peoplewho can give you some realistic feedback.Theres lots of easy and lowcost ways to do this.

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1. Attend some local business networking groupsAsk for volunteers to test and try your product or service. Networkinggroups have boomed over the past few years and youll nd them allover the UK and USA. They love having guests, so its fairly easy to getyourself an invite.

2. Run a series of small focus groupsThis can be done cheaply and the results can be very useful. Everytime Ive helped a client run one of these sessions they have beenamazed at how much useful feedback and information theyveacquired. Ive put a guide on how to run cheap focus groups at the endof this section.

3. Social media and technology toolsIf youve got a Facebook page you can ask your followers to commentor vote on any new ideas you have, designs you have created, or gainfeedback on your prices. Facebook and Linked-in groups can alsoyield excellent results. Just pick a group thats made up from the kind ofpeople you want to target. Ive also had some great comments fromTwitter.

4. VOX POP surveysThis is where you prepare say, 10 questions and go out on the street to

canvass opinion. Ive used this technique to great effect at tradeshows. You can get some excellent sound bites from people whenasking open-ended questions, which is in essence qualitative data.Plus you can get good quality data by asking multiple-choice or simpleyes or no questions.

5. SurveyMonkeyIf you want something more scientic, I like www.surveymonkey.com -its quick, cheap and easy to use. Plus it does all the analysis for you. I

remember when I was a junior account executive in an advertisingagency, all survey questionnaires had to be analysed manually. I spenthours going through piles of papers, making tally marks and thenhaving to work out percentages. SurveyMonkey does it all for you.There are of course other survey tools out there, this is just the one Ilike.

YOU CANINCREASE

YOURCHANCES OFBUSINESSSUCCESS BYTAKINGSOME TIMETO ROADTEST YOUROFFERING

ANDMAKINGSURE YOUGET SOMEOBJECTIVEFEEDBACK.

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THINGS TO

REMEMBER LISTEN TO FAMILY AND FRIENDS, BUT MAKE

SURE YOU SEEK OTHER POINTS OF VIEW TOO.

DONT BE HURT OR UPSET IF YOU GET SOMENEGATIVE COMMENTS. ALL FEEDBACK ISVALUABLE - MAKE THAT YOUR NEW MANTRA

DO TRY THE MINI FOCUS GROUP IDEA ON THENEXT DAY - IT REALLY WORKS A TREAT.

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A focus group is where you pull togethera group of people that you believe couldbe your target audience. The goal is tolet them touch, sniff, taste, experience,discuss and query your offering.

Ask around for volunteers - invite people totake part in a two-hour session at a nice local

caf, or borrow someones ofce board room (Idont recommend doing it in your home). Youcan do this by social media platforms, a smalladvertisement in your local paper or posters inshop windows. Parish magazines andnoticeboards can work well too.

Offer an incentive to come this could be agoodie bag lled with locally made produce, or

20.00 voucher for a well-known retailer. In somecases cash can work I once went to a focusgroup run by a local radio station who gaveeveryone who came a crisp 20.00 note as soonas they arrived.

Offer some refreshments - Pizza and beerworks well. Tea and cakes also works well. Themore pleasant and relaxing you can make thesetting, the more likely people will be to open upand be honest.

Prepare a list of questions in advance workout what you want to know from people.

Let the conversation ow if people get chatty,let it ow. Ive picked up some valuableinformation by sitting back and listening.

Get people involved in the experience of yourproduct or service if they can touch, feel,taste, see or hear the product/service then letthem experience it.

Record the session if youre a dab hand witha video camera, then that always works.Personally I always just do audio. If neither ofthose options appeals, then co-opt a good friendto take notes for you. Its important that you getinvolved in leading the discussion.

Write a thank you note a card or letter toeveryone after the event.

This sounds a bit rough and ready and it is.Large market research firms would laugh at it.

If you dont have around 100,000 to spendwith a big research firm, this can yield somegood results and can make a big contribution tohow to develop your offering.

Ive used this approach many times and it hasnever disappointed. You could get some fantasticfeedback for under 100.00.

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TOP TIPS FOR A CHEAP AND QUICKFOCUS GROUP...


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You need some serious resolveto be a solo business owner.

You have to stay focused andkeep the faith that youre doingthe right thing and havesomething fabulous to offer.

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BELIEVE IN

YOURSELF


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Have the courage of yourconvictionsYou need to believe in your project, venture orbusiness. If you dont, you cant reasonably

expect anyone else to either. In short if youre notsure, dont jump off the cliff until you are. This iswhere the bit about making a plan comes intoplay. The clearer your vision, the more you canbelieve in yourself.

My navety gave me the self-belief I needed toget started

For me it was navety that gave me theconviction it never occurred to me for a secondthat it wouldnt succeed. Theres a lot to be saidfor that kind of blind faith and the folly of youth.Look at Mark Zukerberg and the wholeFacebook phenomenon. Whod have thought?But older and wiser, I can see how important it isto really have the courage of your convictionsand get behind your idea, concept or product.

Dont let the naysayers get you down.

Sadly Ive met many people on my freelancejourney who took the opportunity to crush myideas and give me all the reasons why I wasdoing something ridiculous. The main one,particularly during the 90s was who do you thinkyou are? Ive met several disgruntled employees

in marketing departments who resented mypresence as a freelance specialist working withtheir team, and there have been a few instancesof sabotage and using me as the scapegoat. Itgoes with the territory and you just have to shakeit off and move on.

As time has gone on, becoming a freelancer hasbecome more mainstream and its no longer abarrier to working with some big rms. In fact ifyou are a freelance electrician, plumber, ITspecialist, graphic designer or photographer,

you can offer great value for money by undercutting larger rms. You can be a lot moreexible in your work and what you offer to theclient. (Apologies if you are reading this as theowner of a large rm and nd yourself beingundercut by damn freelancers - but we all haveto play to our strengths.)

Anyway, my point here is this : Give yourself

permission to be condent about yourself, yourabilities and your experience. And tell theprophets of doom around you to shut up andget out the way and let you get on with it.

Sometimes, when going through a dark andgloomy patch, I look at people in safe jobs and,and for a eeting moment I think I need to getout of this and get a job. Fortunately these

moments dont last long and I quickly get back inthe saddle.

Theres a couple of points Id like to make here.

Nowadays almost no job is safe. I think thereare a lot of nervous and vulnerable people outthere right now.

People who do work in nice safe jobs have no

idea how brave and courageous you have tobe to go it alone.

So...be brave and if youve not started yet havea go, and if youre already going, dont give up.

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THINGS TO

REMEMBER... IF YOU DONT BELIEVE IN YOUR PROJECT, NO

ONE ELSE WILL EITHER.

TELL THE NAYSAYERS AND PROPHETS OF DOOTO BUGGER-OFF AND LEAVE YOU TO GET ONWITH IT.

SURROUND YOURSELF WITH FIENDS ANDCOLLEAGUES WHO ARE SUPPORTIVE.

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Striving for perfection is great,but sometimes you just need topush the button.

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JUST GET IT DONE


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ALL BUSINESSES ARE AWORK IN PROGRESSA long time ago I was at a marketing conference and one of the keyspeakers said something that has stayed with me ever since; Makingthe wrong decision on a Monday, is better than the right decision on theFriday At the time, my initial response was probably a bit like yours;what on earth are you talking about?

Think about it. The decision made on a Monday is a decision made. Itsaction. Its getting something done. That rst decision will almostcertainly lead to further decisions along the way. So by the time Friday

comes, its irrelevant whether that rst decision was right or wrong.

When I was in my early twenties, I worked on the PR team of a largemarket leading software company (yes that one). A product was duefor launch, but there were some bugs that just wouldnt be solved. Sothe question was, should we postpone the launch? The CEO said: No,F*** it. Ship it. Well do a free x later.

Im not saying its a good idea to launch a bad product, but sometimestheres a strong case for pressing the button, or turning the sign on thedoor to open. All businesses are a work in progress they will neverbe nished. Theres nothing wrong with striving for perfection, butsometimes youve just got to say: F*** it. Ship it, and get it done.

THE DIGITAL AGEMEANS THINGSCAN BE CHANGEDAND EDITED ATANY TIME.

PROCRASTINATIONIS THE THIEF OFTIME (IVE NO IDEAWHO SAID THAT).

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They want your undividedattention and dont want toknow that you have otherclients to deal with.

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CLIENTS ARE LIKE

JEALOUS LOVERS


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CLIENTS WANT TO FEEL THEY ARETHE MOST IMPORTANT PERSONIN YOUR LIFE AT THEIR EXACTMOMENT OF NEED

It doesnt matter if you are running a restaurant, ashop or professional services business. Clientsknow that you have other customers; they justdont want to know about them. They want theirneeds dealt with rst and they want to feel thatthey are the most important person in your life atthat moment.

So I never say to a client, sorry, cant make thatappointment because Im busy with anotherclient that day I just point out that Imunavailable, and suggest other dates when I cansee them. They know Ill be with another client.And I know they know. But they just dont want tohave their nose rubbed in it.

Say youre at the hairdresser getting a haircutand the stylist whos supposed to be cutting yourhair has abandoned you (hair dripping wet withone of those nasty towel turbans on your head)while they fawn over another client. How do youfeel? In that situation all the stylist has to say isIm so sorry to keep you waiting. Ill be with youas soon as I can. Showing a little love to yourclients, customers, patients (whatever you callthem), goes a long way.

If you can make every customer or client feelimportant, loved and appreciated, theyll comeback time and time again.

Management gurus often talk about theimportance of building relationships with clientsand that nding new customers costs around 10times more than continued selling to those you

already have. This is actually true. Once peoplelike what you offer theyll keep coming back.

Every customer is precious (except the horribleones obviously which are mercifully rare). Most

of my work comes via word of mouth and I thinkthats probably the best any of us can hope for.

This is obvious right?

Well Id like to think so. Sadly however it simplyisnt true. It seems to me that the world is full ofrubbish service and establishments that dontvalue my custom or recognise that I have

choices. Interestingly Ive noticed that its manyof the online brands that really seem to begetting this right, while many traditional retailoutlets are getting worse and worse.

Customers vote with their feet and fingers.

Online reviews, sites like Trip Adviser and theworld of social media means that stories of bad

service can go viral in minutes. This means thatwe all have to pull our socks up and make surewe take nothing for granted.

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SHOP ASSISTANTS ON THEIR MOBILE PHONE, CHATTING TTHEIR FRIENDS WHILE IM WAITING.

PLUMBERS, ELECTRICIANS AND OTHER TRADESPEOPLE WPROMISE TO COME ROUND AND DONT SHOW UP.

SUPERMARKETS WHO MAKE YOU USE A 1 COIN BEFORE YOU CAN GET A TROLLEY (WHY NOT JUST PUT A SIGN UPSAYING: WE THINK ALL OUR CUSTOMERS ARE LOW-LIFETHIEVING SCUM).

BRITISH AIRWAYS - DONT GET ME STARTED! HIGH PRICEAND LOW SERVICE IS NOT A GREAT COMBINATION.

BANKS - WELL THEYRE JUST ALL BASTARDS.

AND FINALLY (DRUM ROLL PLEASE), THE RESTAURANT WSTARTED VACUUMING WHILE MY HUSBAND AND I WERESTILL EATING (YES REALLY!).

MY LIST OFCUSTOMERSERVICEHATES...

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9

DONT ASSUMETHE LOVE YOUGIVE YOURCUSTOMERS WILLBE RETURNED...


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CLIENTS CAN BEFICKLE, SO DONT

ASSUME A HAPPYEVER AFTERENDINGWhen you work with the same client regularly fora long time, the relationship can often take onsome very rewarding dimensions. You canbecome a condante, a trusted adviser, and asounding board for key decisions and newideas. This is a wonderful place to be and leadsto all sorts of possibilities for selling moreprojects, services or products. Once you gainthe clients trust, its natural that they shouldcome to you when they need further assistance.

In addition, you may nd yourself invited tosocial and business events run by your client. I

work for a business consulting rm who kindlyinclude me in all their events, corporate dinnersand seminars. Its very nice when a client treatsyou as one of their guests.

Sometimes things change and theres nothing you cando about it

However, no matter how friendly and close thatworking relationship becomes, never forget thatit can change within a blink of an eye. We arejust suppliers at the end of the day. There arelines that should never be crossed (you knowwhat Im saying right?)

No matter how close your working relationshipwith your customers, you need to bear in mindthat nothing remains the same forever.

Customers and clients can be ckle. They ndalternative suppliers, or prefer the taste of a newbrand. The trick is to watch trends in purchasingif youre selling products, or trends in behaviourif youre selling services.

Heres a list of things that could signal change ison the horizon;

A new senior manager or director - peopletaking up new senior positions will often wantto bring in their own people. So if you are inprofessional services, you could be usurpedthrough no fault of your own.

Disharmony among the clients directors -this has happened to me a couple of times.Medium sized businesses where two or moreof the directors have a massive difference ofopinion about the companys direction. If yourenot careful you can end up being expected totake sides. You could become what I callcollateral damage.'

Mergers and acquisitions - this can go eitherway. You get dramatically more business, oryou lose it all.

The client suddenly loses a major customer - the knee-jerk reaction will always be to cutcosts right away. This could mean you.

A line is crossed - I refer to the infamous storyof the PR man who went to visit his clientsheadquarters in Germany. He and the clientwent out for dinner and then on to a nightclub.Well, to cut a long story short, too much alcohol

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was consumed and there were rumours of apair of missing trousers. Our PR man oversleptand missed the scheduled meeting. Shortlyafterwards, the agency was given notice. ItsOK to have a good time with your client, but no

matter how much you drink, or how much badbehaviour goes on, you still need to make it tothe meeting and do your job without missing abeat.

I guess what Im trying to say, is that as supplierswe are disposable. Ive fallen down on this pointa few times - Ive felt I was on the inside track,and then something happens and I discover I

dont even have a ticket to the stadium.

DONT TAKE THINGS FORGRANTED. WHOEVER SAID, NO-ONE IS INDISPENSABLE WASRIGHT.

REMEMBER:

KNOW THE DIFFERENCEBETWEEN A FRIENDLYRELATIONSHIP ANDTREATING YOUR CLIENTSAS FRIENDS.

WERE NOT ALWAYS ASIMPORTANT TO OURCLIENTS AS WE THINK WEARE.

IF IT ALL GOES WRONG, JUST SHRUG IT OFF ANDMOVE ON.

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If you dont know what yourcustomers want, how can you

give it to them?

10

UNDERSTANDWHAT MAKES YOUR CUSTOMERSTICK


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How well do you really understand yourcustomers and their needs? Who are thesepeople? Where are they? What do they like, whatdont they like? What do they eat, drink, anddrive? How old are they? Where do they go on

holiday? What do they worry about?

Before you think Ive gone mad, the simple factis, the more detail you can have about yourtarget customer, the better chance you have ofselling to them. An exercise I often do with myclients is to get an empty chair brought into themeeting room and I ask them to imagine theirideal customer sat in that chair. I ask them to

describe them in detail.

Create client characters that you can really get toknow...

When I worked for a large PR agency we used tocreate composite characters for each clientsideal customer. We gave them names, workedout where they lived, how many children they

had, where they worked, how much money theyearned etc. From here we could work outmarketing messages and creative ideas thatwere very effective. It helps you understand whatyour potential customers want from you. In shortits a neat method for understanding yourcustomers problems and then working out howyou are going to solve them.

By the way, you dont have to have just onecharacter. You may have several to t differentproducts and services in your business.

The point here is simple. You are trying to workout where things hurt. Wheres the pain? Wheresthe problem? When you can answer that, you

come in on your white steed and with thesolution to that problem.

My business sells marketing services. I rarely selldirectly to consumers, it's all B2B. I can prole

my target customers as follows:

Age : Between 35-55.

Gender : Normally male, sometimes female.

Personality : Driven, A-type personalities thatthrive on stress.

Business : Normally professional services, or amanufacturer.

Sectors : IT, professional services (legal,accountancy), engineering or renewableenergy.

Size : fewer than 20 employees.

Pain: Some game-changing technology orlegislative change is about to make a massiveimpact on their business and they have no ideahow to leverage it.

Barriers : Lack of time, small budgets. Oftenthey have been ripped off or have been givenbad marketing advice in the past.

Need : They are looking for a way to get newcustomers without having to sell their rstbornchild.

So when Im at a conference, network event orother place where I meet business people, Iknow exactly what Im looking for. Thisknowledge and understanding gives me a highconversation rate on any proposal I put forward.

If you dont take the time to understand yourcustomer, your marketing will be generic and

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ineffective and youll attract the wrong kind ofpeople. For example a company with a luxuryproduct or service nds they are only attractingpeople with no money.

In recent times services like Groupon havestarted to appear. Special discount campaignsused by say, 4-star hotels to keep bedrooms fullduring the low-season often nd that the personthat books with the discount voucher almostnever converts to a full price customer during thehigh season. The reason for this is simple; theGroupon campaign will almost always target the

wrong kind of customer for your business.

The best advice I can give on this matter is asfollows:

Stop thinking like you and start thinking likeyour ideal customer.

Speak their language not yours.

Focus on their needs and desires not yours.

When you know what people want from you make sure you give it to them.

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11

DONT TRY TO BEALL THINGS TO ALPEOPLE


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The more specific youcan be, the moremoney you can make.

I meet many small businesses who tell me: We can do large, but wecan also do small. We can sell worldwide but were also local... Doesthat sound like you? For some reason many freelancers and microbusiness owners believe that broadening out their offering is better.

They think the more all-encompassing they can be, the better.

Lets think about this for a minute. Manufacturers of FMCG products(fast moving consumer goods) can get away with mass marketing onekey message to everyone. We are all potential customers for HeinzKetchup, or peanut butter, or chocolate. But, within those mass brands,there will always be some degree of segmentation. Cereal companiestarget kids. Persil targets mothers. Car brands target men - eventhough we are all potential customers for cars, cereal and soap

powder.It all boils down to targeted messaging.

The more specic your message, the better results you get. And if youhave a limited budget, it does help make it go further. It doesnt meanyou have to limit yourself to one particular niche, Im just saying tinybusinesses will struggle to get decent results from a small budget byusing an all things to all people approach.

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Even now I do my bestto stay focused oncertain areas. Forexample I know that

Im better suited toBusiness-to-Business(B2B) projects.

In my proper job I had experience of working with large corporate ITrms. So when I went freelance, I chose to focus on the IT industry,targeting smaller IT rms who could be interested in working withsomeone who knew how the big players were doing their marketing.

Ive moved on to other sectors since, but focusing on a very specicmarket at the beginning gave me leverage and allowed me to developa good client base and track record.

Even now I do my best to stay focused on certain areas. For example Iknow that Im better suited to Business-to-Business (B2B) projects. Ilive in an area where there are tons of hotels, guest houses and touristattractions. But I dont go near them. There are so many hospitality-marketing specialists in the area so it doesnt make sense for me to go

after that market.

Instead, Ive set out my store as the B2B gal. Technology, engineering,construction, commercial law - terric I love it. And that B2B focus iswhat my reputation is based on. The other bonus is that all theconsumer-marketing folks are happy to pass any B2B leads to me, andI do the same for them. Everyones a winner, happy days.

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NO FREELANCER CAN BE AN ISLAND

12

DEVELOP ANETWORK OF LIKEMINDED PEOPLE


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Starting out on your own can be a lonelybusiness. Even the most driven individuals havedays when its hard to keep going. So Idrecommend developing a network of like-mindedindividuals that offer complementary products

and services. This is an approach that hasworked well for me.

I never had ambitions of setting up my ownmarketing agency. I couldnt see the point oftrying to re-create a format that Id made thedecision to leave behind me. However, I am justa one-person band, and there are situationswhere I need to involve people with

complementary skills to add value to my clients.

The easiest thing to do is chum up with peopleyou like, and more importantly, know you canwork with as part of a virtual team. Its a questionof getting things organised when you aresupplying services to the client. Theres two mainways of looking at this.

One point of contact for the client - sometimes, inmy experience, the client says I only want onepoint of contact - its up to you how you get itdone. In this situation I will act as the lead. Allcontractors bill me, and I bill the client. This canbe risky, all your small contractors will wantpaying promptly, and if the client takes a longtime to pay (which is becoming more of aproblem these days), it can cause a great deal ofstress. I try to avoid this one. Even if I make amark up of say 20% on all the other services, itsoften not worth it when you have to manage thewhole thing.

Multiple points of contact for the client - I tend tofavour this approach these days. I organise allthe suppliers - in my case it will be printers,designers, web people, photographers etc., and

then get them all to bill the client direct. I thencharge a management fee to the client forpulling it all together. It means I dont have therisk involved in carrying large supplier bills, andthe client feels they are getting a good deal

because they see the supplier invoices directlywithout any markups. In reality, I nd that themanagement fee I agree with clients is oftenmore than I would make going down the mark-uproute. Its also clean, and offers the client totaltransparency.

So what about when you act as thesubcontractor for someone else? This happens

to me when say, a designer or web companyasks me to provide copywriting services. I bill thedesign or web agency, and they bill the client.

Just a word to the wise here. Unless I agree inadvance with the design agency (in writing) thatthey pay me when the client pays them; mycontract is with the agency, not their client. Soeven if the client doesnt pay them, the design

agency is still liable to pay me. Ive seen a fewfreelancers get themselves into a mess over this- which is why I always prefer direct billing wherepossible.

Your network is also a great social base. In mygang as well as referring work to each other, weregularly meet up for a drink and chat toexchange stories, commiserate, celebrate, andsometimes just have a good bitch. It helps keepyou sane, and stops you feeling isolated. As asolo operator you dont get an ofce Christmasparty - so its nice to have some like-minded folksto pull a cracker with over a festive lunch.

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IF YOU NEED A DUVET DAY, TAKE

13

GIVE YOURSELFPERMISSION TOHAVE OFF DAYS


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Inevitably there will be days where you nd youjust cant motivate yourself to get going. Thereare all kinds of tricks and tips people have tostop procrastinating and get things done. Thats

not what Im talking about here. This is when youjust need some time to breathe, regroup andrecharge your batteries.

Youre the boss so its OK

If you want to spend an afternoon going to themovies, then do it. If you need a long walk in thesunshine, go for it. Remember, one of the perksof working for yourself is that you set the rules.

I recall once in my rst year as a freelancer, afriend called me one morning saying she hadsome last minute tickets for Wimbledon that dayand would I go with her. I was too scared to goout in case a client called and I wasnt there.

And of course, I just waited in, and no oneimportant called

A bit of time for yourself, guilt free, is liberating

and energising. So if you need it, do it.

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LIFE IS SO MUCH BETTER WHEN YOU LIKE WHAT YOU DO.

14

DONT TAKE ON JOBS THAT YOUDONT REALLYWANT TO DO.


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I wish I had cottoned on to this one earlier. I likewhat I do, but there are things across the gamutof marketing and PR that I loathe. In the earlyyears of freelancing there was always the fearthat if I said no to a client, they would nd

someone else who would say yes.

Theres more than one way to skin a cat.

For example; I loathe exhibitions and events.Wild horses couldnt get me to commit to gettingbums on seats for an event. Yet in those earlyyears, I would soldier on and run a competentand good event. But my heart was never in it.

This is where your network of like-mindedprofessionals comes into play. These days, ifsomeone wants a kick-ass event doing, Idrecommend to the client that we work with acolleague who loves events, and does afantastic job. This way, Im still in the driving seat,the client gets what they want, and I get to focuson the work I like.

I know this sounds obvious, but it took me awhile to gure this one out. In short, youve got tolike what you do. Theres a swathe of modernbusiness books out there at the moment who alltalk about this. Lets not forget that one of theperks of working for yourself is that you can sayno. If you need the money and decide to do itanyway, it was still your decision.

I was recently in this situation when I was I askedto pitch for a piece of work that included helpingthe client with a rebrand. I was a bit broke thatmonth, so I thought Id chum up with a goodgraphic designer and between us we could offera pretty good package.

But there was a little niggle in the back of mymind that told me this project would be a bit of anightmare, and branding is not an area ofspecialism for me. So I wrote a polite email to theclient, thanking them for thinking of me but

declining the invitation to pitch. Instead I gavesome recommendations on who could do the jobbetter than me, and left it at that.

A few days later I got a note back thanking mefor my honesty and that they would love to workwith me in another capacity very soon. I gotbrownie points for my honesty and a new clientwho were keen to involve me in work I like doing,

and a local design agency got a job they werentexpecting. Good news all round.

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A LITTLE MARKET INTELLIGENCGOES A LONG WAY.

15

KEEP UP WITHTRENDS IN YOURMARKET SECTOR


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This one is a no-brainer for me. How can you work in any sector ofbusiness and not show an interest in keeping up with the latest trendsand developments? If you dont keep up, read, engage and nd outabout your own market, how can you continue to be competitive andoffer the best products or services to your customers?

The poster boy for keeping up with industry trends is my lovelyhusband Darren. He has a sports injuries and Rolng practice andpermanently has a waiting list of people desperate to get anappointment with him.

Whenever I meet his patients, they all say the same thing. No-one elsecan explain whats going on in my body like Darren can. Hes soknowledgeable. The reason for this is because he reads all thejournals, blogs and websites related to the bodywork world. When wewere on holiday in Colorado, he made email contact with Rolng gurusin Boulder and drove to see them just to chat, share experiences andlearn more about how they ran their practices in the USA. He even wentto Brazil to study with a renowned teacher. It pays off. Even during therecession, his appointment book was always full when other therapistswere very quiet.

As for me, If I hadnt made a conscious effort to keep up with myindustry and continually renew my own skills, my business would be inthe toilet.

That said, Im continually amazed at how many small business owners Imeet that dont read trade journals or blogs about their market sector. Ifyoure not keeping up-to-date you could miss something important thatcould mean you lose customers overnight. If youre not doing it, yourcompetitors will be.

How can you work inany sector of businessand not show aninterest in keeping upwith the latest trends

and developments? Ifyou dont keep up,read, engage and findout about your ownmarket, how can youcontinue to becompetitive and offerthe best products orservices to yourcustomers?

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Lorem ipsum dolor sitamet, consecteturadipisicing elit, sed dotempor incididunt ut

labore et doloremagna aliqua.

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THINK ABOUT HOW CUSTOMERSPERCEIVE YOU. THERE ARE LOTSOF WAYS TO SAVE MONEY WHENRUNNING A BUSINESS, BUTWHEN IT COMES TO YOURCUSTOMER FACING PERSONA,DONT BE CHEAP.

16

DO THINGS RIGHT


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Obviously being a marketing and PR business, Im slightly biased onthis point. But it does make a difference to how people perceive you.Heres my list of the essentials:

1. Your own domain name. Im always suspicious of businesses usingyahoo or gmail as their business email address.

2. A website. I made mine using www.squarespace.com . It costs me$18.00 per month. Anyone who can use a computer can create asite.company name in a typeface and colour that you like, and use

it consistently throughout your marketing.3. A simple logo. If you have an Apple computer, theres a great little

app called Logoist with which you can create a decent logo thatwill tide you over until you can afford a graphic designer. If yourenot on Mac, then you can create something nice using GoogleFonts.

4. A business card. I get mine from www.moo.com Its low cost, muchbetter quality than VisaPrint (in my opinion), and you can get small

quantities.

To be honest, thats all you really need these days to get you started.For my Brightspark Marketing business I have a website and somegood quality business cards. I also have one of those pop-up bannersand some postcards with a few simple messages. I get asked to dosome guest lectures from time to time; my pop-up banner andpostcards are a sort of instant kit that presents my business in aprofessional light.

Little things like nothaving a website or aproper domain nameon your email sends amessage that youre a

small entity and notprofessional.

I dont know about you,but Im always a littlebit suspicious ofbusinesses that useGmail or Yahoo emailaddresses.

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LEARN TO READ A BALANCESHEET AND MANAGE CASH FLOW

MONEY MATTERS, PARTICULARLYWHEN THE TAX AND VAT MANCOME CALLING.

17

SORT OUT YOURMONEY


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Learn to manage cash ow and read a balancesheet

You can quickly get yourself in a whole heap oftrouble if you dont get a grip on some goodbasic accounting things. Im not saying you needto be a qualied chartered accountant, I justrecommend that you make it a priority tounderstand all the nances in your business.

I must confess that numbers are a real weaknessin my brain. I tried every accounting softwarepackage there is, and put up with an accountantwho spoke gobbledegook for years. As timewent on it became clear that this situation wasnot a good one. If you run your own businessyouve got to get a handle on whats happeningand learn to understand a basic balance sheet.

These days the big one to deal with is cash ow.I used to issue invoices at the end of everymonth. But now I send them immediately the job

is complete. Also, when I start working with anew client, I always introduce myself to theperson in charge of accounting. I ask what theirpreferred method of receiving invoices is; somelike email, some prefer hard copies. I also ask ifthere is a cutoff point to get into payment runs.For example, for one client, I know I have to getmy month-end invoices in before the 5th of thefollowing month - then I get paid in 14 days. If

my invoice gets there on say, the 6th of themonth, Id have to wait 44 days for payment.Little things like this make a difference.

TIPS FOR GETTING A GRIPON YOUR MONEY

1. If your accountant speaks gibberish, ndone who can speak to you in plain English. Iwent through three to get to one I like. Itsimportant you understand whats going on.Its not against the law to changeaccountant!

2. Find an accounts package you get on with. I

know many people use Quick Books. E venthat one was too much for my feeble b rain. Iuse www.freeagentcentral.com . It costsaround 18.00 per month and its a doddleto use. Plus you get an up to date state-of-play on everything to do with your money.Plus it saves me tons of time.

3. Go on a training course. HMRC does

workshops around the UK. I went to one afew years ago and it was actually very good.Chambers of Commerce also run seminarsand workshops. You can also get someuseful infor mation from the Federation ofSmall Business. www.fsb.org.uk

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http://www.fsb.org.uk/http://www.fsb.org.uk/http://www.freeagentcentral.com/http://www.fsb.org.uk/http://www.fsb.org.uk/http://www.freeagentcentral.com/http://www.freeagentcentral.com/


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YOURE NEVER TOO OLD OR TOOCLEVER TO LEARN SOMETHINGNEW.

18

LEARN NEW SKILL


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It doesnt matter what market sector youre in,theres always something new you can learn. Itcould be learning to master a software packageby means of an online learning programme, orupdating your professional skills.

Its up to us to make these decisions and choosewhat to learn.

Some business sectors have compulsorycontinuing development schemes. For example:physiotherapists, dentists, lawyers, accountantsetc. Knowing that your licence to practice can betaken away from you if you dont keep your skills

up to date is a great motivator to keep on top ofyour development. But for the rest of us, its up tous to make these decisions and choose what tolearn.

Try to put some budget aside for your education.

I always try to set some budget aside for my owneducation. It might be attendance at aconference, some books. e-learning or asubscription to an information service.

It keeps your brain fresh.

If you commit to something like this, it keeps yourbrain fresh and chances are youll be informedand up-to-date than most of your competitors.Oh, and its tax deductible too! Just a thought.

TIPS FOR EDUCATION THATDONT BREAK THE BANK

1

2

3

4

5

ONLINECOURSES

Theres some fabulousonline stuff for learningnew skills. Recently Ivedone some courses onwww.udemy.com

ADULTEDUCATIONCENTRES

Most towns have someadult education coursesavailable. They aregreat, low cost ways tolearn things like Excel.

UNIVERSITYSHORTCOURSES

Most universities haveshort courses available -many result in creditswhich can be usedtowards a degree.

CHAMBERSOFCOMMERCE

There are Chambers allover the UK who offercourses - many are free.Ive taught classes formy local chamber - so Iknow theyre good!

SKILLSEXCHANGES

You can organise yourcontact network and doswapsies. For example,you teach someoneHTML, and they can

teach you how to writepress releases.

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THE ONLY PERSON WHO GETS TODECIDE WHAT SUCCESS REALLYMEANS IS YOU.

20

DEFINE SUCCESS

ON YOUR OWNTERMS.


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This is a bit of a soapbox issue for me. So here goes. First, going italone is a brave and courageous thing to do. Dont let anyone tell youotherwise. Second, theres only one person who gets to decide whetheryour venture is a success or failure. And thats you.

It all boils to one simple question. What does success mean to you?Success can be dened in so many different ways.

For some it will be money, wealth and everything that goes withthat. Creating nancial freedom or having something to leave yourchildren.

For others it will be about doing something important andmeaningful. I know someone who has started a natural green

household cleaning products company. She is motivated by theidea of eliminating nasty chemicals from daily household products.I know another very driven woman who runs a small charity. Sheearns practically nothing, but her venture is an extraordinarysuccess.

There are artists who feel that freedom of artistic expression is themost important factor in their success. Not having to compromise.

What about living life on your own terms? This is my thing. Ill neverbe wealthy, but I have a freedom and exibility in my life that I dontthink I could ever put a price on.

DONT LET ANYONE ELSE BELITTLE YOU BECA YOUR RESULTS DONT FIT INTO THEIR OWNIDEALS.

The important issue here is not to lose sight of what YOU think is

important. Dont let anyone else belittle you because your results dontt into their own ideals. I normally nd its people in nice safe corporatejobs who scoff at my little business. Occasionally, when one of thescoffers has found themselves with a redundancy letter in their hands,its my brain they want to pick on how to set themselves up as afreelance consultant.

You wait and see. If you havent experienced this already, you probablywill.

WHAT DOESSUCCESSLOOK LIKETO YOU?

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THE ONLY REAL FAILURE INBUSINESS IS NEVER TRYINGANYTHING NEW.

21

SOME THINGS YOU TRY WILL FAI- AND ITS OK.


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Not everything you do in your business will be asuccess. You will have some product or serviceideas that just turn out to be duffers.

Even world famous entrepreneurs make

mistakes. Who remembers Virgin Cola? Or VirginPersonal Computers? Both sank without trace.

What about Lord Sugar? Whatever happened tohis horrible email phone contraption? Many ofthe largest and most successful brands get ithorribly wrong. I bet every major company youcan name has a ling cabinet crammed full ofideas that never got off the ground or productsthat just pained tanked.

Not every idea you have will be a rip-roaringsuccess.

In 2004, I launched an e-commerce projectcalled Rhubarb & Custard. The idea was to sellBritish Foods to expatriates living overseas. It gotgoing and we got orders - but I made severalmistakes based on some bum advice from

people I thought were experts. By 2006, itbecame obvious that the business wasnt reallyviable in the long term, and I felt that the bestcourse of action was to cut my losses and moveon.

At rst I was embarrassed and a little bitashamed, particularly as so many of my regularclients had taken a keen interest in my progress.

But actually, the experience turned out to bevaluable. I could say to my clients venturing intoe-commerce: Dont make the same mistakes Imade. People were keen to hear myexperiences on this and I could prevent some ofmy clients make costly errors. Every cloud has asilver lining as they say.

In my view, the real failure is not trying newthings. If it all goes pear-shaped think of whatyouve learned. Keep innovating. If it doesntwork, move on and try something else.

THE IMPORTANCE OFINNOVATION

Innovation is an important part of running anybusiness. One of the most basic marketingconcepts is understanding that every product orservice has a life cycle that will, at some point,go into decline.

Short life-cyclesFor technology rms for example, the life cycle isoften very short. At one point in my PR career, Iworked for a division of Sony that made CD ROMdrives. It was in the days when they werentincluded in the build of a PC (how many of youremember that?). Anyway, part of my job as anaccount executive was to secure product

reviews in mainstream consumer technicalmedia. Editorial lead times for consumermagazines can be up to 6 months - thinkChristmas in July. This meant that wed pitch theproducts for review in say the May, and the storywouldnt appear in the press until aroundNovember. By which time, the products wereoften already obsolete.

Long life-cyclesOther products or services have a long life cycle- think of Mars Bars. The important thing is toknow and understand your market, and whatyour customer wants, then you can start topredict the optimum length of you product/ service life cycle and introduce upgrades/newavours/new service offerings.

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LIFE IS TOO SHORT TO ALLOW YOURSELF TO BE BADLY TREATEBY A CLIENT.

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SOMETIMES THEONLY OPTION ISTO FIRE THECLIENT.


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I like to think of myself as a fairly even-temperedperson. I normally nd a way to muddle throughdifcult situations with good grace.

However, there have been a small handful of

situations over the years where I was pushed tothe edge and felt I had no option but to the sackthe client.

The rst was an odious character who was adirector of his familys rm. And quite honestly hehad to work for his father because no-one elsewould employ him. He was a spoilt brat whotreated every supplier like dirt. I tolerated threemonths of his nonsense before I could take nomore.

I could only wish that his work ethic extended tothe prompt payment of invoices.

The second was a fast paced entrepreneur typewho expected everyone around him to be on call24/7. It wasnt unusual to be woken at 7am on a

Sunday morning or after midnight during theweek to discuss trivial matters. I could only wishthat his work ethic extended to the promptpayment of invoices. He was taking longer andlonger to pay while his phone calls became moreintrusive. Enough is enough.

Sometimes youve just got to dump them andmove on.

The point is, lifes too short to work with badclients. Im sure you will have dumped aboyfriend or girlfriend at some point because therelationship just wasnt right. Well the same istrue of clients. Sometimes youve just got todump them and move on.

When its your business you are in the drivingseat ...

And then theres the whole thing about making

the most of the advantages of working foryourself. A boss can insist that you take on atask or a client that you loathe. When its yourbusiness you are in the driving seat, so you getto make the nal decision about who you will orwont work with.

Learning to let it all go.

Ive had many lengthy conversations withprofessional colleagues on this subject. The keypoint that everyones stories had in common wasthat once they let go they invariably found newprojects to replace lost revenue in a very shorttime.

YOU KNOW ITS TIME TO FIRETHE CLIENT WHEN...

1. You have to beg, plead or threaten to getevery invoice paid.

2. The client behaves in an offensive orinappropriate way.

3. You feel your expertise or skills are not valuedor appreciated.

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THE LIFE OF THE SMALL BUSINEOWNER CAN BE A BIT OF A

ROLLER COASTER. SO HANG ONTIGHT AND ENJOY THE RIDE.

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THERES ALWAYSLIGHT AT THE ENDOF THE TUNNEL.


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MANAGING THE

FREELANCE FEASTS ANDFAMINES

1

2

3

4

5

BE HONESTABOUT WHAT

YOU CAN AND

CANT DO.

Make it clear to your clients about when you can deliver their work.Theres no point in saying Ill try if you know full well that its not going tohappen. Youre just setting everyone up for disappointment. If you are

maxed out and busy - be honest about it.

USE A PROJECTMANAGEMENTSYSTEM.

It could a bit of paper with a grid drawn on it, or a spreadsheet. You coulduse one of the many great cloud tools such as Basecamp or Wrike.Seeing everything in black and white really helps. I like the mind mapapproach and love this little tool: www.mindjet.com

USE YOUR FREETIME TODEVELOP NEWIDEAS.

I realise this is easier said than done - because you will be worried aboutpaying your bills next month. But, I had a lean patch around 18 monthsago, which is how Working in Pyjamas came about. So try to use your

down time well.

CALL ROUND YOURNETWORK.

Dont be embarrassed to tell people that you have some spare capacity.its easy to get caught up in the Im so busy charade. Youd be amazedhow many people lie about this. All you have to say is that Im justcoming to the end of a project, and have some capacity from XXonwards. Ive used this many times and it works a treat.

DONT STOPMARKETING.When you are really busy, its tempting to stop marketing. And its what

people tend to do. Then when the feast is nished and you are movinginto famine, youll wish youd continued with your marketing strategy.

(P.S: DONT BE TEMPTED TO SPEND YOUR TAX OR VAT MONEY. JUSSAYIN)

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THATS ALL IVE GOT FOR YOURIGHT AT THE MOMENT. I HOPE

YOU FOUND SOME INTERESTINGTHINGS HERE THAT RESONATEWITH YOU.

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THATS IT FOLKS!


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Trust your own instinctsand enjoy the journey.

So thats my freelance journey. Yours will be different to mine, but I daresaythere will be some similarities along the way.

The world is full of experts, gurus, and people who want to give you a

plethora of get rich quick schemes that invariably never deliver. The truth isthere are no short cuts.

DO THINGS RIGHT, AND TRUST YOUR GUTS.REMEMBER:

Enjoy working for yourself. Live life on your terms. Keep trying new things. Dont let anyone put you down. Learn to understand your finances. Understand your customers. Make sure youre getting the rewards you deserve.

Jackie Harris 2014: Working in Pyjamas | www.workinginpjs.co.uk

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http://www.workinginpjs.co.uk/http://www.workinginpjs.co.uk/


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20 years without a proper job

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