First Day of Spring Home Improvement Challenge

Since it’s about 20+ degrees hotter this March than normal, I’ve been busy working out details with my mother and the contractor I’ve hired to replace her 40 year old air conditioning unit. For the past four years, my father paid the guy to fill it with freon every summer so he and my mother could enjoy a cool environment during the hot, sticky, muggy southeastern season.

I called the same contractor last summer to come over ato work his air conditioning magic once again. He had trouble getting the unit to blow any cool air on the first day. After two days of fumbling with the ancient unit, he declared she was on her last leg and would absolutely have to be replaced in Spring 2012.

So here I am, on the first day of Spring, working on my laptop at my mother’s house and managing this home improvement project (translation: trying to keep my mother from interrupting the contractor’s work and telling him how to do his job).

I love my mother with all my heart, but I wouldn’t like having her as a client. At all. I’ve had clients like my mother. They need help. They don’t know how to do X so they hire you. While you work on X, they interject with lots of unnecessary advice. I always want to ask, “If you could do this, why did you hire me?”

When a client makes constant suggestions that would override the result they are hoping to achieve, you can wind up spending extra time explaining your strategy, demographics/psychographics, how marketing messages are received, etc.

So I’ll be spending the rest of this week working remotely from mom's kitchen table while also protecting the contractor from her non-expert interference. How’s your week shaping up so far?

Educating Difficult Clients

A writer friend of mine has been having trouble with a new client. She was hired to write web copy and supporting marketing material (brochures, etc). The client is ready to send over the down payment and signed agreement, but my friend is having trouble getting the client to focus on a target market.

The client doesn’t understand why it’s so important and is annoyed with the writer’s insistence that they focus on this detail first. The client wants her web copy and other materials yesterday. My writer friend is beyond frustrated. “She just doesn’t get it, Kim. I feel like we keep having the same discussion over and over. I can’t get her to understand how important it is to focus her marketing message.”

I think most of us have worked with this type of client before. In my experience this client doesn’t really understand marketing. They just want you to write something amazing that will result in more business. It just doesn’t occur to them that there is a process involved. They over simplify the services and value we provide.

In my experience, getting a client to understand the importance of something like focusing their marketing message on a target audience involves quite a bit of education. In the past the time I spent educating and convincing a client to provide me with necessary information was much more than the time I’d allotted for research and writing.

My friend, however, is much smarter than I am. She asks lots and lots of questions in the very beginning – before she sends out her agreement or accepts down payment. She sends interested prospective clients a questionnaire to complete first, and they discuss it in detail by phone – because one question often leads to another. This gives her a much better idea of what she’s dealing with and she adjusts her contract and payment accordingly.

Thankfully she saw the signs early on that this client would require more time to help her understand the basics of marketing. She very wisely included a certain amount of consultation time and included it in her rate. And just like that I’ve learned something new from this writer that I will apply to my own freelance writing business.

Even though we are writers, we may from time to time be called upon to provide professional consultation. The knowledge we possess is valuable. Do you give it away freely, or offer fee-based consultation in addition to the writing services you provide?

Memorial Day Link Love

I’m finally back in town (again...) and since most of my clients alerted me that they would but not be working today, that means a much needed day of rest for me. I plan to spend the day outside with the kids while hubby fires up the grill. Despite what many of our friends think, vegetarians can put together quite an impressive barbeque spread!

One thing I noticed while I was away – I stayed very busy and even had a couple of old clients suddenly contact me to start work on new projects. I really expected things to be slower than usual with the upcoming holiday. Instead I ended up with three new projects. I need to put forth a more consistent effort to keep in contact with past clients.

As usual, I enjoyed several great posts while I was out of town last week. Hope you enjoy them too.

How to Kill Writer’s Block and Become a Master Copywriter in Only 3 Hours a Day

30 Days of Writing Tips – Day 21 – Use the Phone Book to Find Clients

Cold Calling Tips

Where’s Your Sizzle?

Tools Every Freelance Medical Writer Needs

Parenting and Writing: Five Tips to Help Get More Writing In

Servicing Online Clients vs. Working with Clients in Person

My accountability partner and I are in the midst of a (friendly) debate. She has been running a very successful freelance writing operation in Los Angeles and Santa Barbara, CA for more than 11 years. Her business has flourished over the years. She belongs to a number of small business groups around town which also happens to be where she acquires most of her clients.

Now I’ve been freelancing full-time since 2007. When I first started I was servicing clients almost almost entirely online(my first two clients were from a craigs list ad). These days I may occasionally deal with clients locally who seem to be more comfortable meeting face-to-face once or twice. It’s not something I encourage as a mother with four kids under 11 because quite frankly time is not always on my side.

My writer friend has recently expressed an interest in working with clients on an exclusively virtual basis reducing the number of times she has to schedule in person meetings. Because she’s such a likable person and really knows her stuff, face-to-face meetings tend to work in her favor. She’s built an impressive business by taking time out for meetings in person, but they can be so time consuming – especially when she has to drive for over an hour into Los Angeles fighting insane traffic to meet with a client only to fight bumper-to-bumper traffic back home to Santa Barbara as well.

The problem as she sees it is the town she lives in is a very close knit community of people who value knowing one another. Entrepreneurs and other businesses prefer doing business with one another face, but they are also good about passing along referrals. She’s not sure of how to transition her business to operating as (mostly) a virtual operation. She recently partnered with a couple of website development firms who send clients to her that are in need of copywriting services from time to time which is a start. I’ve been trying to brainstorm with her to come up with a strategy to make it happen.

I haven’t had a problem with this because it’s how I’ve always operated. I think part of what could be holding her back is apprehension. Sometimes the first steps to doing something different are hardest.

Do you work mainly with local clients in person, exclusively online or have a mix of virtual and local clients?

Anchor Clients: Know Who's a Keeper and Who to Toss Overboard

Last week one of the blogs I frequent stirred up an interesting conversation among the comments. One commenter coined a clever phrased to describe repeat clients – those clients you can expect to receive work from on a daily/weekly/monthly basis. She called them “anchor clients”, which is a clever moniker in my opinion, because sometimes these clients end up doing just as the name implies – They either provide your business with a consistent income, or anchor you in such a way that you can’t operate YOUR freelance writing business as you see fit.

Not all anchor client relationships are negative. When I first started freelancing I was fortunate to acquire three anchor clients that supplied me with enough work for the first year which resulted in my business pulling in more of an income than my previous corporate job. These clients easily accepted my terms of service and allowed me the freedom to complete their projects as long as I adhered to the established deadlines.

Unfortunately I’ve also worked with anchor clients that made me feel as if I’d been tossed overboard in the middle of the ocean with an anchor wrapped around my neck. One client operated under the assumption that his business was my only client. He hired me to interview and write monthly newsletters for his clients. He thought nothing of calling me up to conduct a client interview with sometimes only a couple hours notice – never considering the fact that I might also be working on another client project.

First of all, I’m a freelancer. I make it clear to my clients when scheduling their projects that I typically work on other client projects simultaneously. Like most freelancers taking on multiple projects is pretty much my thing. Second, I used to work as a journalist. Although I became pretty adept at conducting in-depth interviews quickly and efficiently in keeping with the deadline driven environment, in most cases interviewing requires a good bit of preparation to get the information you need. The final straw was when he set up a last minute interview to take place the next day (actually, he had me set it up-with a very busy doctor who was in the middle of seeing patients). I woke up the very next morning only to discover I’d lost my voice (it’s how my body sometimes responds to hay fever) without warning. Expect the unexpected.

Hopefully this client now realizes that two hours, or even one day’s notice to prepare for and conduct interviews, when we’ve been discussing this project for the past month and a half (not to mention the assurance that he would be the one to schedule the interviews ahead of time), might not work for most freelancers. The longer I do this, the more I appreciate the need to know when to just say “no.”

Thankfully I quickly recognized that type of anchor client relationship is lose-lose for each of us, so it was best to quickly, and professionally end things on an amicable note.

Right now I only have one anchor client I’ve been working with for a little over a year now. The relationship is great, and I do like knowing I can expect work from her on a pretty consistent basis. I’m currently negotiating terms with another potential client who needs a reliable web writer to handle several new projects in the pipeline throughout the rest of the year (fingers crossed that this turns out to be a good thing). Ideally I’d like to have three good anchor clients to produce a steady stream of income while I put more time into a couple of personal writing projects – that doesn’t mean I’ll stop marketing my services. We freelancers can’t afford to get THAT comfortable, you know.

Do you embrace anchor clients in your freelance writing business or avoid them? What’s your experience?

Can Your Freelance Writing Clients Depend on You?

Yesterday I attended a free webinar courtesy of Copyblogger.com called “Engagement with a Purpose: How to Create Customers for Life - Authority Rules.” It’s part of an on-going series, so check it out if you can. Sonia Simone and Chris Garrett led the discussion. One thing really jumped out at me is when Chris said, " You don’t have to be the best writer, as long as you deliver what you promise –always do what you say because your reputation is your most valuable asset . "

A couple of years ago, after completing an extensive and rather exhausting project for a small business, the client thanked me graciously for my work and sticking with the project, even when it became difficult. He then made what was at the time a startling revelation. He said he was so glad to have found a reliable writer because he had been repeatedly burned in the past by writers not meeting deadlines.

This was surprising news to me, a writer who is always on the lookout for clients and paying projects. I can’t wrap my mind around why a writer would chance missing a deadline and thus getting paid (not to mention an opportunity for future work). I just don’t get it. Yesterday, during the webinar, Sonia and Chris confirmed that this is a big problem all around. They went on to explained that there are quite a few freelancers out there that don’t follow through, but if you can do that then you’re already ahead of the game.

Missing deadlines and not delivering the value that you promise a client is a big no-no in the freelancing world. When you hire someone to do something, you expect them to do it. If they don’t, you probably won’t bother contacting them in the future. You know that old saying: “Past behavior predicts future behavior.”

Sometimes things happen and deadlines can’t be met, or you realize it's best to end a client relationship. There’s a professional way to handle each scenario, starting with letting the client know as soon as possible. This is value your clients have every reason to expect from you. People like to work with people they like and can trust. Become the person your clients automatically turn to when they need top notch, dependable service. Set yourself apart from the freelancers that haven’t grasped this concept.

Local Businesses Need Online Marketing Advice

As I was driving back home this morning after dropping the kids off at school, I noticed the neighborhood dry cleaning service had a new banner stretched across the top of the building that read: “Now on the Internet.”

Most of the clients I serve need help with creating and/or spreading their marketing message to a targeted audience online. I tend to automatically assume that “everyone” is already utilizing the Internet as part of their overall marketing strategy. That banner, however, is proof that this is not so. There are still plenty of small and mid-size local businesses out there in need of guidance when it comes to marketing online.

When I was visiting my hometown last month, I stopped to grab a quick lunch at a very popular mom and pop owned sub sandwich shop. The owner and I struck up a conversation about how they could effectively utilize Facebook or Twitter (they have a huge customer base consisting of college students) to bring in more business.

After a meeting with my father’s lawyer last month, the attorney asked if we could set aside extra time during our next meeting to discuss his website copy and whether or not establishing a blog would be beneficial.

Look around your own community at local businesses that may need help establishing a presence online. Call them up to find out who’s in charge of hiring contract/freelance services and send them a brochure. Then follow up within a couple of weeks to discuss how you may be of service.

Do you regularly market your services to local businesses?

Do You Need Permission to Raise Your Freelance Writing Rates?

Over the weekend a writer acquaintance and I were discussing rates. My writer friend was planning to raise her rates within the next couple of months. She asked whether or not I thought she should send her current clients an email explaining why she was making this decision.

I asked her to think of businesses she regularly patronizes – the local cable provider, grocery store or favorite restaurant. When they raise their rates, do they offer explanations? It’s a given in most businesses that as operation expenses increase, rates must increase as a result. I suggested she take this same stance with her rate increase.

Sending out an explanation for a rate increase can almost seem as if you’re seeking approval for a logical business decision. Your rates have to cover business and living expenses, and there’s absolutely no reason to apologize for that. I suggested sending out notices altering clients of the rate change giving them a chance to schedule projects at the current rate before the price change takes effect.

Do you let your clients know about rate increases?

Why I Choose Freelance Writing Over Employment

Is it just me, or does anyone else break out in a cold sweat (or hives) at the thought of working a “nine to five?” Please don’t think I’m some self-employed snob. I worked in a corporate environment for eight years, and I‘ll admit that I’ve sometimes wondered whether it would be easier to get a guaranteed check every week, employer provided benefits and paid time off for vacations, there’s nothing more satisfying to me than being able to provide those things for myself.

Why am I even discussing this? Well, something interesting happened to me this week. I was doing some marketing late Tuesday evening, contacting prospects by email about my services, when I unexpectedly received a response email from a company’s Human Resource Manager. She asked whether or not I would consider employment status over working for her company as a contract writer.

Her question caught me off guard for a moment. On the one hand I was being offered the promise of reliable pay and work, but at what cost? I know we’re still dealing with financially troubled times right now, and some might be reading this wondering what kind of idiot stands around questioning a steady pay check? Well I’ll tell you what kind.

My background is in the newspaper industry. Although I left my job before the industry truly crumbled, my position provided a front row seat to the unpredictability of working for someone else. Some of my coworkers had worked for this publication for 20+ years. This publication had a well-earned reputation as a place where employees stuck around until retirement. Then came the Internet, and around 2000, it’s presence was felt as print’s biggest revenue source was threatened – advertising. I could see the writing on the wall as I left. Unfortunately, many of my coworkers continued to be lulled into a false sense of security and the mass layoffs caught them off guard. My inability to pay child care for my soon to be newborn twins and two year old was the catalyst that led me to resign, otherwise I may have ignored the signs and continued working along with everyone else hoping for the best.

I have a family, so naturally the idea of security appeals to me; but my life also requires a great deal of flexibility. Even though this Human Resource Manager was offering me an opportunity to work from home, a flexible work schedule wasn’t part of the deal. And maybe I’m spoiled now, but I don’t want to be obligated to work on projects that don’t work for me.

So in the end I politely explained to the HR manager that I prefer to maintain a freelance status, and am always open to other opportunities. She seemed okay with my response and offered to pass my name along to the person in charge of hiring freelancers and other vendors.

I’ve been freelancing for five years now. I’ve seen my share of financially tight months, but I’ve managed to stick with it and find a groove that provides a contentment and security my old job could not. Working for several clients feels more financially secure to me than relying on one job, so sticking to my freelance writer status works best for me.

What would you do? Would you choose a full-time or part-time position over freelancing?

It's Okay to Just Say "No"

The first time I turned down a project, it felt really weird. I’ve written about this experience in a previous entry. Long story short: the client was extremely demanding, didn’t want to deal with service agreements and was constantly trying to nickel and dime me at every turn.

Fast forward to today; I’ve worked with enough clients to know that I most definitely made the right decision that day. Now I understand that the relationship between freelancers and client is just as complex as any other relationship. Sometimes there’s chemistry. Sometimes there’s not. Sometimes your personalities and approaches to working on a project are complementary. Sometimes they’re not.

In the past when I’d find myself in a difficult working situation (not too often, thankfully), I would resign myself to just grin and bear it thinking that’s just good customer service. Besides, who was I to turn away a paying gig?

It took another more seasoned freelancer to help me see the light. She explained that just because I’m a freelancer doesn’t mean every client, or project, is going to be a perfect fit. Freelancing means you have the freedom to do things like decide who you work with and who’s best to be avoided like bubonic plague. She assured me that with time I’d learn to recognize the signs of projects I should avoid early on – and she was right.

It chose to freelance because I wanted freedom and control over the way I worked. It wouldn’t make much sense for me to spend my career working on projects that make me miserable.
So how do I know when to turn down a project?

• When a prospect keeps trying to convince me to lower my rate.
• When there are too many decision makers working on the project.
• When it’s too difficult to get the information I need to do my job.
• When the scope of a project keeps changing.
• When a client has a problem signing an agreement.
• When there’s a personality conflict.
• When I have so much on my plate that I know that I won't be able to give a project 100%.

What would make you turn down a potential project?

Should You Be Offering Your Clients a Money Back Guarantee?

Today is April 1st – we are entering a new month and a new quarter. Can you believe it? Time to review the first quarter to see where you are in your business. Did you meet any short-term goals? Are you still on track with marketing and other objectives? Do you need to make any corrective changes to your plan (it’s okay if you do; I do it quite often)?

Earlier this week I was reading a post at Freelance Folder by Lexi Rodrigo about whether or not it’s good business to offer freelance clients guarantee. I think she did an excellent job of ultimately arguing the case against doing this.

As freelance writers, time is our most valuable commodity. When you spend x hours working on a project, you can never get that time back. And since every project is specific to the client being serviced, it’s not like you can just turn around and sell what you’ve done to someone else because the client doesn’t like the end result.

I do know some writers who offer a guarantee of project completion – meaning they offer clients money back if the project is not completed by the projected deadline. I’m assuming the occurrence of extenuating circumstances is somehow outlined in their agreements.

What do you think about offering client’s a money back guarantee?

Once again I enjoyed quite a few blog posts this week. I’ll leave you with a few of my favorites. Enjoy your weekend!

Why Your Own Blog is a Better Marketing Tool Than Cheap Client Content
Copyright Primer
5 Reasons to Write for Underrated Trades
How to Figure Out Which Editor to Query
Does Your Business Blog Need CPR?

Are You a Freelance Writer or Business Owner?

I’m so behind on administrative tasks that it’s scary. I thought about posting a picture of what my desk is looking like right now, but I’m just too embarrassed. I have a tendency to be a little messy (much to my much tidier better half’s chagrin), but the disorder going on over here has seriously reached another level.

Part of the problem is that in the midst of working on client projects, I’ve been traveling/working in another state two weeks out of every month for the past six months, and I’m also in charge of making sure my lovely family of six stays on schedule with packing up the house for the Big Move in June. Gah! Regardless of these challenges, I still have a business to run, and my clients expect a certain level of service.

I’ve notice that when I’m asked for advice about getting started with freelance writing for commercial clients, some inquirers seem surprised to find out just how much administrative tasks are a part of “living the dream.”

For those who think that all freelancers do is put up an “open for business” sign (or website), sit back and watch the projects/checks roll in, this is a bubble I must immediately burst. Whether you freelance for print publications, online publications, resume companies, or other private clients, it’s important to approach the services you provide as a business; and in any business administrative duties are part of the operation process. There are quite a few daily tasks that can negatively affect productivity and the quality of your work if you fail to stay on top of things. Every writer’s business operation is different so this is by no means a comprehensive list. I thought I’d share some common administrative tasks that typically require regular attention:

Email Management

I maintain four email accounts and I can’t allow my inboxes to become clogged with unread emails. Now, I’ve admitted to you about how unorganized I can be, so as you can imagine it’s really easy for me to let read and unread messages pile up.

I remain organized by creating folders in each of my accounts and dealing with emails immediately as they come in. I also utilize my smartphone to manage my email madness while I’m in the car waiting to pick my kids up from school or out running errands.

Marketing

If you’ve spent any time reading this or any other freelance writing blog, you already know that the best way to keep busy with projects is by constantly marketing your services. There are so many online and offline marketing methods to utilize that I couldn’t possibly name them all: email queries, cold calling, direct mail/post card mailings, attending networking events, blogging, participating on forums, etc. Make marketing a daily habit.

Following up with Clients and Project Inquiries

Sometimes communicating with clients while working on projects can be time consuming. Some projects are easier than others. I deal with clients who have preferred methods of maintaining communication: email, Skype messaging and phone calls are most common. I prefer email, but defer my own preferences to those of my clients. Sometimes communication via email and Skype is unclear and a phone call is the best way to cut through the confusion.

Communicating with clients is a necessity, but it can become dangerously time consuming if you don’t maintain control over the time you spend doing so. Depending on my work load, I may return non-urgent emails/calls in the morning, or I may wait and respond toward the end of the day. I work this around my writing schedule for the day. I respond to client emails as soon as I can within my designated work hours. On my website I state that I respond to all (new) email inquiries within 24 hours.

Social Media

Social media can fit into the marketing category of administrative tasks. I have gotten work from both Twitter and LinkedIn. These platforms provide writers with an excellent opportunity to form valuable networking relationships with other writers (the community is incredible), and make possible client contacts within a specific industry/niche. I haven’t been very consistent during the past few months, but I’m putting forth an effort now to show up at least once a day.

Maintaining Client Files

I’m transitioning from paper to electronic files for my clients. My goal is to eventually go paperless, and it’s a process…

It’s important to keep files up to date with vital information like contact information, contract agreements, NDAs, research information, etc. Client files make it easier to follow up periodically to remind them that you’re available for any projects that may come available.

Are there any administrative tasks you regularly tackle that weren’t included on my list?

Is an Online Portfolio Of Business Writing Samples Necessary?

I still belong to a couple of freelance writer email groups. They continue to be a good source of information. Recently a writer posted a question asking whether or not business writing samples need to be posted on a website. This is an issue I wrestled around with a lot when I first started freelancing. I’ve done both: I’ve posted samples for public viewing, but currently do not have an online portfolio for public viewing.

I have plenty of samples available, and when a client requires one I choose one that seems most appropriate and send it. Now I’ll be completely honest – the reason I no longer have samples on my website is because when I made cosmetic changes to my site last year I just never bothered posting them.

The writer’s question caused me to really consider whether not having writing samples on my site has affected my business. Actually it really doesn’t seem to have made much difference. Several other writers in the group seemed to agree saying that they only provide samples of previous work upon client request.

In the end I suppose it’s a matter of opinion. Do you think posting an online portfolio is necessary?

Tips for Working While Traveling

Until we make the big move in June, I’ll be splitting my time between two states two weeks out of each month. The things I do for my mother (I sure hope my daughter is paying attention.).

I spent yesterday morning traveling and the rest of my afternoon working on client projects. I find that as long as I have a plan and work it, the transition each month goes pretty smoothly; my clients have no idea. However, this week I had to inform a couple of regular clients I handle weekly projects for that I would not be available Thursday and Friday in order to handle some personal business. The client got a little panicked. I assured him that I would have everything for the week completed before I left (after all I was already preparing for the trip). It took turning in the project early as promised to ease his concerns.

I find that it’s best not to worry my client’s pretty little heads unnecessarily; I don’t bother telling them when I travel. I figure as long as I’m completing projects and meeting their quality standards, it’s best. I do make a few adjustments while traveling to reduce the chances of problems cropping up unexpectedly.

I Bought a New Laptop

I now work exclusively from my laptop. I invested in a new laptop last month and passed my beloved, but slower, desktop on to my children. Working from two different computers could get a little confusing for me. I installed and transferred everything I need to my laptop to keep things simple.

I Started Using Google Docs

I was initially introduced to Google Docs three years ago by a client. At the time he kept me quite busy with projects. In order to keep things organized (we’d often work on two to three projects at once) he gave me a crash course in Google Docs.

Google Docs is a very flexible online tool. You can create documents as you would in Microsoft Word or Open Office, spreadsheets, create pdf formats and PowerPoint presentations.
It’s also great when you’re collaborating with clients and other contract workers like web developers. It’s easy to share documents with others.

My favorite feature is the database. I can store store all of my documents so that I can access them from any computer. It’s the epitome of doing business in the cloud.

I Work Ahead

I work on a couple of personal projects in addition to handling client work. I try to work ahead on regular projects like blogs as much as possible. I also try to plan deadlines with enough cushion to handle any unexpected surprises.

I Don’t Overdo It

I don’t schedule an excessive amount of deadlines while traveling. I prefer to keep things as simple as possible, so the majority of the work I do while out of town consists of research and writing. I seem to handle deadlines better on my own turf - or maybe it’s just the security I get from being in my own home office with all my files and resource material.

I Use a Cell Phone for Business

I don’t do a lot of business by phone, but there are certainly times when it’s necessary. Sometimes people call after coming across my website, or a past client will contact me to discuss a project. A cell phone is just easier for me to manage and it goes where I go.
Do you have any tips for working while traveling to share?

Don’t Give Away the Milk for Free

I work with a lot of small businesses. Every now and then a start-up, or existing business that’s just starting to create a presence online, will contact me about my services. It’s been a tricky balancing act for me learning to give enough information to get them interested without giving away all the goods.

I used to talk too much. I’d get so excited about sharing what I knew. I was pretty much an open book for anyone looking to pick my brain for ideas.

Maybe you’ve experienced this too. Most client inquiries are legitimate, but every so often a client supposedly looking for help will consider you a free consultant. Don’t fall for it – the information and experience you’ve acquired is valuable. Give just enough information so that your clients understand the objectives and feel confident in your ability.

Have you ever had a client contact you just to pick your brain for information? How did you handle it?

The Power of Good Customer Service

This morning was unseasonably cold for an early December morning in the southeast. Although I work from home, I still had to brave the freezing temps to get my little ones off to school. I absolutely abhor the cold so when I noticed my neighborhood Krispy Kreme sign alight with promises of hot coffee and hot, freshly baked doughnuts, I could think of no place I’d rather be in that moment.

The drive through line was long, but I had my heart (and taste buds) set on enjoying a steaming cup of coffee with a hot, sugary, melt-in-my-mouth doughnut. When I finally got to the window, the young lady working the window was so pleasant and effervescent, it blew me away. She seemed genuinely happy making sure each drive through customer was happily satisfied and I left the window happy and completely impressed with her friendly service.

As I drove back home I got to wondering why I was so affected by something as simple as receiving good customer service. Isn’t that something I should automatically expect when I spend good money on a product or service? Maybe so, but the fact is that’s seldom what you get these days. The phrase “customer service is dead” gets tossed around a lot, but I’m happy to say that it’s not and hopefully will never completely die away. There are certain businesses I am completely loyal to simply because of the service I receive. I’ve been fortunate enough to have clients complement the service I provide saying that they've had experiences working with writers who do not prioritize friendly, reliable service (Really? In THIS economy??).

Customer service is one area of your business that allows you to tip the scales in your favor. Statistics reveal that repeat customers spend 33% more than new customers, so clearly building solid relationships with existing clients is essential. Businesses that ignore the customer’s need to feel appreciated pay in the end.

Do you place emphasis on customer service when working with your clients?

Refocusing My Efforts

It’s hard to believe that there are only about 60 days left in 2010. Where did the year go?? This year has been an especially challenging one for me. I’ve been dealing with my father’s battle with cancer, and then last month my family buried our very dearly beloved matriarch – my 96 year old grandmother. The pressures of my real life have done a lot to stir up my recent bout of burnout. Although I’ve been very busy marketing my services and catering to new and existing clients, I’ve been very distracted and sometimes have difficulty concentrating on certain tasks (leftover remnants of said burnout no doubt).

I’m recovering slowly but surely, but my down time has caused me to reassess my business. I do this at the end of the year anyway, but recently I’ve become clearer about certain changes I’d like to make regarding the services I provide – renovation if you will. My goal: to spend less time working, but earn a comfortable living. As the pieces to this puzzle come together, I’ll be sharing this journey with you. Some of the changes I’m considering will affect the way I market new services so I need to revamp my business plan and establish a strategy that will help me get from point A to point B.

How about you - are you sticking to your current business model or are you planning to make changes (adding or removing a service(s)) in 2011?

How to Avoid Burnout

I’m slowly but surely recovering from a nasty case of burnout. Challenges in my real life are the true catalyst. Unfortunately the effects have spilled over into the business side of things affecting my productivity. Although I have managed to stay pretty busy with current client projects, and even acquire a few new ones, staying focused hasn't been so easy. Operating my business in the midst of personal challenges has resulted in my dropping the ball in other areas of what I do for a living (i.e. personal writing projects). This blog and my social media networking relationships have suffered as a result of these distractions.

Whether burnout is the result of an overwhelming work schedule filled to the brim with client projects, or trying desperately to balance real life, personal challenges with non-stop business obligations, the results end up being pretty much the same: you feel like you’ve reached your limit and can’t possibly do one more thing. Burnout affects productivity which of course affects your bottom line. Prevention is most definitely the best cure in this case:

Try Setting Regular Office Hours

Before I decided to set regular office hours and established a daily work schedule, I felt like I was practically tethered to my computer 24/7 and quickly began resenting working from home. It was my own fault – since I wasn’t regulating my time, I spent a lot of it socializing on forums, and surfing the net while working here and there – it only FELT like I was working around the clock. Not very productive at all.

Everyone is different of course; but what works for me is setting aside a certain amount of time each day that’s strictly for work and setting aside specific times during the day for things like participating in social networking/commenting on blogs/forums and updates with my accountability partner. Personal errands and personal phone calls/visits occur at the end of my designated work day. I’m very easily distracted so I need these parameters in order to get the most out of my day, and these limits help keep me from feeling overwhelmed and becoming burned out.

Take at least One Day Off a Week

I highly suggest taking at least two days off away from work each week, but I know that when you first start building a business, long hours come with the territory. Still, you need to take time to do something you enjoy that’s completely unrelated to your work. Balance will keep you sane and help you avoid burn out. It’s important to have something fun to look forward to when you work hard.

Variety is the Spice of Life

It’s cliché, but true. I enjoy working on various projects – everything from web content, ebooks, resumes, professional bios, magazine articles, print marketing material, etc. The variety keeps things interesting and it’s much easier to come up with fresh ideas.

Don’t Spend Time on Clients/Projects You Don’t Enjoy

Yes, I’m advocating turning down work. Every job won’t be right for you; some clients aren’t on the up and up; as you become more experienced, you’ll find that some clients will no longer be able to afford your services. When I first started freelancing I took any and every job offer that came my way. That wasn’t always a smart move and there have been quite a few instances when the shrewdest business move would have been to politely and confidently decline the offer. When you work for yourself, you have the freedom and the right to work on what you want and work with who you want. Don’t feel guilty about it – I’d say it’s a fair trade for the work you put into becoming profitable.

Know When to Stick to Your Guns

Recently I made a big mistake with a new client. It’s one I used to make a lot when I first started freelancing and I’m sharing my experience hoping that you’ll be able to avoid making the same mistake with your own clients. I compromised one of my business policies even thought I knew in my gut I was making a mistake and of course I paid for it in the end.

It all started when a local company contacted me about doing some freelance writing for them. We spoke over the phone a couple of times, I sent them a proposal and a couple of weeks later they asked me to draw up a contract for the project. Things were going great until we started talking payment terms (big surprise).

My terms require full payment upfront for projects under a certain dollar amount, and a 50% down payment for projects over that rate plus scheduled payments thereafter depending on the duration of the project. Naturally that was going to be a problem for this client because they only invoice monthly. I’ve dealt with mid-size businesses that invoice monthly before and that wasn’t a problem per se. I told him that he could pay the down payment and I’d be happy to invoice the remaining balance at the end of the month. Another problem: since the company invoices monthly, they are unable to make an advance payment (Yes, it just kept getting better).

I honestly didn’t feel comfortable with the arrangement, but stupidly agreed to it anyway. The next day the situation still didn’t sit right with me so I discussed it with my accountability partner. She gave it to me straight with her most charming, lilting, Irish accent saying, “Oh, you shouldn’t have done that. You’ve worked in a corporate environment before. You know as well as I do that if a company needs to cut a check for something important they can do so the same day. You should not compromise your own policies so easily assuming that they wouldn’t want to do business with you." (The Irish are so wise)

I ended up getting paid, but it took much longer than the 30 days outlined in the signed agreement. In the past I’ve offered discounts and made special payment arrangements with returning customers; but it sets a bad precedence to dismiss your own policies too often, too easily or too soon. Policies are put in place for a reason – usually to protect you and your business, and anyone who’s hiring your services will respect that if you insist. Clients will test your resolve, but you don’t have to automatically give in, especially when it’s not in your best interest. That’s just business.

Jennifer Mattern approached a similar issue and discussed it on her blog recently. I agree with her stance on this topic and encourage you to check it out for yourself.

Learning Something New

A couple of weeks ago a prospective client contacted me to find out if I had experience doing a certain type of writing I’d never tried before. Most writers have had this experience (or will) at one time or another. Your confidence in your writing ability will usually determine whether or not you decide to take on such an assignment. Is it dishonest to allude to the fact that you can handle a project you’ve never done before?

If it weren’t for pushing myself beyond the limiting force field of my comfort zone I would never have had the pleasure of taking on many of the writing projects I’ve received. I can remember the first time I was asked to create web content for someone’s website, blog posts, magazine/newspaper articles, sales letters, brochures, whitepapers, email marketing campaigns, resumes, etc. In some cases it never even occurred to me that I couldn’t write what my client needed. The confidence in my ability to give them what they wanted was automatic. But there have also been times where I’ve felt something along the lines of stage fright when asked to take on something that was completely new to me.

For me honestly is the best policy. If a client asks me about a project outside of the realm of work I’ve normally produced, I carefully assess the situation before agreeing to move forward. I’m trying to learn all that I can as a writer and the best way for me to learn something is to jump in and just do it. If a client asks whether or not I can handle it, I tell them “yes” with confidence and do the necessary research required to deliver what they expect.

Now, If they ask me whether or not I have actual experience doing a specific type of writing, I keep it honest. Depending on other factors (i.e. how much work is piled up on my desk or my own confidence in my abilities) I admit my inexperience in that area, but explain how I plan to approach the project in question to deliver the desired result. This usually provides both the client and myself with enough confidence to allow me to confidently explore a new writing opportunity.

I’ve learned that being open to accepting different writing projects has given me a much better sense of what I like and what I don’t like as far as writing projects go. I can put more effort into finding the kinds of projects I enjoy. This type of exploration has also revealed my writing strengths and weaknesses, giving me an opportunity to make improvements where necessary.

Have you ever agreed to take on writing projects you’ve never done before? How did it work out for you and your client?