4299designs.com: a warning to freelancers.

Kevin Potts recently did a review/critique of wundersite www.99designs.com - which appears to be a simplified spin of other such sites like Elance and what Kevin calls it’s “malignant brethren”. The site, which uses less than ideal techniques to get designers to connect with businesses, requires spec work and encourages horribly low prices. In his article, Kevin removes the usual sales pitch and business jargon and brings out the underlying truth: Continue Reading 99designs.com: a warning to freelancers. »

1Misconception: the freelancer’s #1 enemy.

Something like 75% of businesses bust in the first year of operation. Who knows why? It could be a myriad of things: bad timing, no business plan, improper marketing (or worse–none at all), or maybe what they thought was a good idea really wasn’t. All of these could end a freelancer’s career, too.

But more likely, none of these things will. In my career as a freelancer I’ve watched numerous other freelancers rise and fall, step out and immediately lose their footing, or get off to a bumpy start. I must admit, I’ve made the same mistake a time or two: misconception. Continue Reading Misconception: the freelancer’s #1 enemy. »

1Don’t make me think!

Sure, we all have faults, but that doesn’t mean we can’t learn from them. Like Jim Wideman likes to say, “I never make the same mistake twice, there’s enough different ones I can make every time!”

Sometimes, it takes awhile for a mistake to become a mistake. When the internet was still in it’s infancy, not a lot of people had an email address. The phone book was still pretty popular, and usually, the easiest way to get more information on a particular company was to call them. As a result, there weren’t a lot of contact forms on websites. A simple mailto: link would suffice. As another supporting factor, not too long after email got popular, so did spam. Junk emails flooded our inboxes to the extent that we quit seeing email as a huge step forward in communication and began to see it as a necessary evil.

Thankfully, that’s changed. New steps taken by Google and others in their email services have put spam in it’s place for the most part and made it fun to have email again.

And still, the mailto: link hangs on. It’s everywhere.
Why? It’s outdated and inefficient. When you click on the “contact us” link of some site that is coded with a mailto: link it will open up that user’s local email. Or at least, it will try to. For those of you like me–who keep their email on the internet–it may not respond at all or may even freeze up your browser.

Now you, the business-owner who owns that domain name–what sort of impression do you think you just made on that potential client/customer?

Many of you might think this is just a rant against substandard code and my personal experience on certain websites, but underneath it all lies the single principle that we all need to remember.

Harvey MacKay had an interesting way of showing ties at the mens suit store he worked at: He picked the three that would look the best with that suit and let the customer pick from the three.

Keep it simple, folks. Make every decision as easy as possible for them and their decision to hire or buy from you will be just as easy.

2My Freelancing Rules of Engagement.

Disclaimer: These are my rules, but they don’t have to be yours. Feel free to criticize/suggest your own in the comments.

Though I’ve not been doing it as long as others, there are certain policies in freelancing that I’ve learned the hard way. Aside from the normal TOS that makes it’s way through every gig, there’s this unwritten code that should always be at the back of your mind any time you’re on the phone with a perspective client or handing out your card. These are rules that I refuse break or even bend, because I’ve learned what they cost me the last time I did.

1. Always work for Jesus. As a Christian, I’m obligated to adhere to biblical principles at home, at work and in all areas of life. Jesus is first. Period.
2. Never work for family, friends or neighbors (they know where you live.) This may not apply to you, but I’ve found (and heard) that family, friends and neighbors will often have unrealistic expectations pertaining to what you’ll do for them and how you’ll do it. Think about it: a purely professional relationship is so much simpler. If things don’t work out, you can (sometimes) part ways on good terms. However, if you take a preordained relationship and sour it with a business deal gone wrong, it tends to hang over your head and someone usually walks away with a sense of resentment or bitterness.
3. Never do a job on a handshake. This one may seem strikingly clear, but even in my own experience, I’ve been much too lax in this area. Not surprisingly, every single project that was done without written contractual agreements has failed. For both the sake of your client and your own–get it done right. Get it done in writing.
4. Always get a deposit. I had a client call that needed a rush job and I didn’t ask for a deposit. What’s worse, that client insisted that he’d have to “pay me in a couple of payments”, each one spread out over 60 days. It was a small project that took 34 hours in one week to complete (that’s on top of my full-time job in IT) and because I did it on a handshake, it ultimately failed. I’ve never received payment of any kind nor heard from the client.
5. Promise and deliver. Over-deliver if you can. Notice, I didn’t say under-promise. I’m a firm believer that you should let your yes be yes and your no be no. Find ways to over-deliver that will benefit your client but not leave you under paid.
6. There are always sacrifices. Choose them wisely. Sacrifices come in many forms: you sacrifice time with your family if you take on too much. Sacrifice your own reputation if you cut corners in quality of service. You might sacrifice money by taking on job over another. Not all of them are bad, but trust me, there are always sacrifices. Don’t be hasty.
7. Encourage and pursue loyalty. Statistics say that it cost ten times as much to gain a new customer than to retain an old one. Reward those who have been with you for awhile. If you’ve a designer that saved your neck a couple of times when you were busting at the seams with deadlines, buy them a steak dinner or something (in addition to normal payment, of course). Loyalty is what separates your greatest assets from your greatest liabilities.

1Get Better.

You know looks matter. Sometimes it doesn’t seem fair, but they do. If they didn’t, super models would be waiting tables. While it may be that “beauty is in the eye of the beholder”, I don’t think it applies to good design. Anyone who has been in this field for a few years can begin to tell the difference in a good design and a bad one. Even the good ones, you might judge with a critical eye and look for things that you would change, given the opportunity.  Great design is what your success depends on a lot of the time and if your design is lacking then your income would probably be directly affected.

Kent Shaffer of Bombay Creative hits the nail on the head:

“That is why it is vital to have great design because those who know nothing about you will judge you by your appearance. Aesthetics are a powerful thing. Whether graphic design or product design, your appearance shapes how others perceive you.”

Are you where you want to be in your career as a freelancer? If not, I encourage you: get better. Get good at what you do. You might be pretty decent at it now, but getting better will never hurt.  This article comes out of my personal desire to become a better designer. I think I’m already pretty good at it, but heaven forbid that I stop learning how to improve. Mark my words: the moment you stop learning to hone your craft is the moment you stop advancing.

0Successful time management.

No, this is not another post about some online time-tracking app. Although they are good to have, and plenty of them to go around, they are not as important as time management. This isn’t a GTD post, either. There are far better qualified folks than me to write about that; I’m talking about the real, down-to-earth disciplining yourself kind of time management.

You may not even know you need better time management. If you work in the creative industry, you probably do. Here are some things to ponder:

1. Do you always seem rushed when nearing a deadline?
2. In an effort to keep the client happy, are you stretching yourself thin and doing plenty of “little things” that you’re not getting paid for?
3. Do you find yourself getting sidetracked, either by other people or other tasks you’ve suddenly remembered?
4. Are you lacking in goals for business and financial success? Are you just rolling with the punches and taking what comes?
5. How often do you find yourself forgetting things and breaking your word because you’d forgotten to do something you said you’d do?

First off, you need to understand something: Time is a non-renewable asset. That is, these minutes that I’m spending typing out this article-I’m not getting them back. The time you spend dealing with that belligerent client or working those “pro-bono” cases-you aren’t getting that back either. “Wasting time” takes on a whole new meaning when you understand this.

Secondly, we freelancers need to realize that our time is our time. Why did we become freelancers in the first place? Tired of working for the man and wanted to be your own boss? Realized you could make more money working for yourself? You just like meeting new people? Great! It amazes me how many freelancers still work like they’re working on someone else’s time. Understanding that your time is your time is both liberating and horrifying. If things bust, you can’t blame your manager. If you can learn to say “no” when you really don’t have time, you’ll get things accomplished and let other people know that your time is valuable. Keep this in mind, though-If you have to say “no”, suggest a later time; time management isn’t about blowing people off and being selfish.

Jim Wideman, one of my mentors on time management, has this to say:

If you can’t manage your time, you’re always stuck reacting to people and situations. You’ll never be effective. You’ll never be a strong leader. But with time management, you’ll amaze even yourself.

He also points out that managing your time isn’t just about getting lots of stuff done. It’s about getting the right things done. If you’re like me, then you might remember things best when you write them down. In this case, I’d highly recommend Remember The Milk, or RTM for short. It’s a fantastic application that integrates well with Gmail, too! Actually looking at your tasks and seeing what you have to do can not only give you a better picture what to say “no” to, but it can increase your productivity by prioritizing as well.

Lastly, I believe every successful freelancer is only as good as their name. I believe that a good name is worth more than money in the bank. If you are constantly saying things and then forgetting to do them or having to do them later than you said, you are indirectly being dishonest. Too many people chalk their tasks up to “I’ll get to it when I get to it” and never take a good hard look at what they’re doing and whether or not it’s effective. I think this is one of the primary causes of burnout-people do so many menial tasks that they lose their sense of self-worth and lose sight of what’s important.

I could go on and on about all the great tools that I use for time management, but I’d like to hear from you: what are you using to get stuff done effectively? Let’s hear it in the comments.

4Little things make a big impact.

I mentioned in a previous article how an airline saved hundreds of thousands of dollars per year by removing a single olive from their salads. It’s a little thing that made a big difference. What little things are you doing to help your clients, your business, your productivity? If you’ve not found out already, it’s small things that can sometimes make the biggest differences. Here’s a list of mine (but they don’t have to be yours).

Screencasts. Most of my clients use a Content Management System for their websites, so I’ve taken the time to create a number of screencasts that would help them out in performing simple to semi-complex tasks involving updating their website. It’s a small thing that I’ve been thanked for over and over again.

Passwords. I make it a point to hang on to passwords that my clients give me, whether it be for ftp access or the CMS or whatever. On more than one occasion have I been requested to retrieve said password because too long had gone by since the client had used it.

Chocolates. I distinctly recall reading an article while in college about an Art Director in charge of hiring a junior designer but coming up with no real contenders. He remarked something to the effect of: “I know it’s nothing to do with talent, but the hopeful-designer that brought me cookies would at least be remembered.” Being the sponge (and fountain) of useless knowledge that I am, I hung on to that tidbit and remembered it the next time I was applying for a job. You never know. That brings me to my next point…

Details. I spent several years in a large volunteer youth ministry. Amidst the thousands of kids there, there were a handful that I saw each and every week. I cannot tell you the look in their eyes when you call them by name. If you can sneak it out of them, catch your client’s birthday, or one of their kid’s names. If you go through the trouble to remember (or jot down) little details about the client, they’ll be more helpful, advertise you more, and be more likely to forgive you if you screw up.

So those are a few of my little things that make a big impact. What are yours? Let’s hear ‘em in the comments.

0Make excellence a priority.

There’s a story of a company that makes lawn mowers. Good, sturdy, reliable lawn mowers at affordable prices. They became so popular that the nation’s largest retailer noticed them and offered to carry them - effectively extending the company’s potential audience to unprecedented numbers. The retailer then became convinced that it could sell the mowers even cheaper if the company would buy cheaper parts. The lawn mower company chose to remove their mowers from the retailer and drop the retailer altogether. Their large potential customer base was now gone, and doom seemed inevitable.

Sadly enough, I don’t know how that story ends. I didn’t tell it to leave you dangling with suspense either, but instead to tell you how much I believe in that story and how much I respect what those guys did. Why? They lost their customer base. They may have lost millions. But they gained the respect of me and others, I’m sure. How? Because they chose to have a commitment to excellence. Executing with excellence should be one of your biggest priorities, no matter what you do. Here’s how:

If you screw up, handle it gracefully. You know how the back of your car insurance card tells you never to admit fault in an automobile accident? Doesn’t work in the business world, buddy. If you know you goofed, so do they. Handle it in a humble way and you may be able to salvage it, all because you were willing to admit you were wrong and did what you could to fix it.

Evaluate and revise broken processes. I know an airline that saved hundreds of thousands of dollars a year by simply removing a single olive from their salads. Who noticed? The one who made the decision, that’s who. They saw an area that could help the company that wouldn’t hurt the customers. Evaluate every process you have and make sure it’s the most efficient and effective way of doing it. Never, ever do things just because “that’s the way we’ve always done things”. If you think that way, you’ll never grow. Remember: If you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve always had.

Reward loyalty and faithfulness. You might be providing a service, but the customers, clients and staff that stick with you are the ones you’re indebted to. Be sure to let them know how invaluable they are to you. One of the best ways? A simple hand-written note.

1The caveat of a happy client.

Okay first, a bit of honesty: I didn’t come up with the idea for this post on my own. It came as the result of a conversation with a good friend of mine (and fellow web guy) Brandon Richards. There, I said it. Now let’s get on with it.

Any freelancer worth their salt will tell you that word-of-mouth is an important form of advertising. I don’t know the statistics, but I’ve talked to numerous business owners who say that word-of-mouth is their main source of advertising. They might put an ad in the paper or the phone book and maybe even have a TV spot, but I’ll bet you money that the majority of their business comes about because someone told someone. Continue Reading The caveat of a happy client. »

0Quit Dreaming of Success.

I forget who said it, but someone once imparted some great advice to me that was all about moving on, pressing forward, and staying fresh: “Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.” I think this is a large issue for a majority of us in the Freelancing industry. We’ll push push push for that gig or that networking relationship, and once things calm down, it’s all too easy to kind of mellow out and relax and lose that steam. We begin to roll with the punches, and pretty soon, we’ll have to find the motivation to get pushing again.

I think it would be much easier if we quit dreaming of success. That right, I said stop dreaming of success. There’s nothing so unproductive and depressing than “dreaming of success.” You’ll spend so much time thinking about how things would be so much different or how much happier you’d be “if only”. Baloney! Pardon me for sounding like an episode of Dr. Phil, but it’s true - the only one standing in the way of your success is you. Quit dreaming of success and be successful. Be successful on a regular, constant basis. Have goals. Meet those goals and celebrate in your own way. If you’re consistently successful, staying successful becomes easy. Notice, I said “consistently” not “constantly”. The worst way to get your success is to do it 24/7. Don’t take yourself too seriously. Pick your nose up off the grindstone every once in awhile and enjoy life. You’ll find being successful is a lot more enjoyable that way.

07 ways to make 2008 great

I love it when we get to go into a new year. It seems to be a refreshing chance to redo all the stuff that we messed up on last year. While the consequences of yesteryear may or may not really go away, it’s important to see the opportunity we have in starting anew. Will this year be the one where you finally step out into freelancing full time? Will it be the one that has a dramatic impact on your finances or your social life? Here are eight tips to helping you make the year 2008 your best year yet. Continue Reading 7 ways to make 2008 great »