Freelance Tips

For those getting started or those experienced.
Presented at Hub Ottawa's Brown Bag Lunch

Transcript

1. FREELANCING: THE REAL DEAL Hub Ottawa May 2, 2013
2. WHERE ARE WE GOING TODAY • Newbie level - Should I freelance? • Intermediate level - Growing your business • Awesome level - Beyond fully booked
3. SHOULD I FREELANCE?
4. EMPLOYEE VS FREELANCER
   (CONTROL) Employee Freelancer Type of work Your boss You do How much you make Your boss You do When your work Your boss (7.5 hours per day) You do Your pace of work Your boss You do * Can be extremely rewarding
5. EMPLOYEE VS FREELANCER
   (CONTROL) Employee Freelancer Type of work Your boss You do How much you make Your boss You do When your work Your boss (7.5 hours per day) You do Your pace of work Your boss You do Flexibility!!!! * Can be extremely rewarding
6. :( Real downsides: * You have to take control of your business * Not just staying current * Marketing, Networking, Pricing, Accounting/Budgeting, Self-discipline * Emotional stability to handle no work vs. too much work
7. Because there are so many options, it is very overwhelming * Here’s a common freelancer’s career if they keep trying to grow their business * Solo, high rates - Want to stay alone, you’ve developed an “indemand expertise” * Hire other people, pay them a salary and anything left over you keep * Build a product that you build once and sell a bunch. Software, Design, Info product * Something else - Alex Hillman of Indy Hall
8. Because there are so many options, it is very overwhelming * Here’s a common freelancer’s career if they keep trying to grow their business * Solo, high rates - Want to stay alone, you’ve developed an “indemand expertise” * Hire other people, pay them a salary and anything left over you keep * Build a product that you build once and sell a bunch. Software, Design, Info product * Something else - Alex Hillman of Indy Hall
9. Because there are so many options, it is very overwhelming * Here’s a common freelancer’s career if they keep trying to grow their business * Solo, high rates - Want to stay alone, you’ve developed an “indemand expertise” * Hire other people, pay them a salary and anything left over you keep * Build a product that you build once and sell a bunch. Software, Design, Info product * Something else - Alex Hillman of Indy Hall
10. Because there are so many options, it is very overwhelming * Here’s a common freelancer’s career if they keep trying to grow their business * Solo, high rates - Want to stay alone, you’ve developed an “indemand expertise” * Hire other people, pay them a salary and anything left over you keep * Build a product that you build once and sell a bunch. Software, Design, Info product * Something else - Alex Hillman of Indy Hall
11. Because there are so many options, it is very overwhelming * Here’s a common freelancer’s career if they keep trying to grow their business * Solo, high rates - Want to stay alone, you’ve developed an “indemand expertise” * Hire other people, pay them a salary and anything left over you keep * Build a product that you build once and sell a bunch. Software, Design, Info product * Something else - Alex Hillman of Indy Hall
12. Because there are so many options, it is very overwhelming * Here’s a common freelancer’s career if they keep trying to grow their business * Solo, high rates - Want to stay alone, you’ve developed an “indemand expertise” * Hire other people, pay them a salary and anything left over you keep * Build a product that you build once and sell a bunch. Software, Design, Info product * Something else - Alex Hillman of Indy Hall
13. Because there are so many options, it is very overwhelming * Here’s a common freelancer’s career if they keep trying to grow their business * Solo, high rates - Want to stay alone, you’ve developed an “indemand expertise” * Hire other people, pay them a salary and anything left over you keep * Build a product that you build once and sell a bunch. Software, Design, Info product * Something else - Alex Hillman of Indy Hall
14. Because there are so many options, it is very overwhelming * Here’s a common freelancer’s career if they keep trying to grow their business * Solo, high rates - Want to stay alone, you’ve developed an “indemand expertise” * Hire other people, pay them a salary and anything left over you keep * Build a product that you build once and sell a bunch. Software, Design, Info product * Something else - Alex Hillman of Indy Hall
15. VISUALIZE THE FUTURE * As you can see, so many options! How do you know which way to go?
16. VISUALIZE THE FUTURE * As you can see, so many options! How do you know which way to go?
17. VISUALIZE THE FUTURE * As you can see, so many options! How do you know which way to go?
18. VISUALIZE THE FUTURE * As you can see, so many options! How do you know which way to go?
19. VISUALIZE THE FUTURE * As you can see, so many options! How do you know which way to go?
20. VISUALIZE THE FUTURE * As you can see, so many options! How do you know which way to go?
21. VISUALIZE THE FUTURE * As you can see, so many options! How do you know which way to go?
22. WHAT’S YOUR FINISH LINE? Anyone know why they freelance?
23. WHAT’S YOUR FINISH LINE? 1. Think about it. Anyone know why they freelance?
24. WHAT’S YOUR FINISH LINE? 1. Think about it. 2. Write it down. Anyone know why they freelance?
25. WHAT’S YOUR FINISH LINE? 1. Think about it. 2. Write it down. 3. Keep writing until you cry Anyone know why they freelance?
26. WHAT’S YOUR FINISH LINE? 1. Think about it. 2. Write it down. 3. Keep writing until you cry Anyone know why they freelance?
27. NOW THAT YOU KNOW... • What are the hard numbers? • How much $$$ do you need to make every month? • How many hours per week? • What is the best way to achieve that? • Do you want to hire other people?
28. GROWING YOUR BUSINESS Getting Serious
30. Difference between top and mediocre freelancers
32. only one key thing..
34. ready?
36. They are running a business
38. They don’t build a website and hope people will find it
39. They don’t build a website and hope people will find it They give away high value products to show expertise
40. They don’t build a website and hope people will find it They give away high value products to show expertise They constantly are learning about marketing, accounting
41. They don’t build a website and hope people will find it They give away high value products to show expertise They constantly are learning about marketing, accounting They know their ideal client, how they are different than other freelancers
42. CAN YOU ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS?
43. WHO’S YOUR IDEAL CLIENT? - Is it a non-profit with no money that is making a difference? - A monolithic corporation that can pay high rates? - Me? This guy. I work with progressive departments who are open to new technology
44. WHO’S YOUR IDEAL CLIENT? - Is it a non-profit with no money that is making a difference? - A monolithic corporation that can pay high rates? - Me? This guy. I work with progressive departments who are open to new technology
45. WHERE DO YOUR IDEAL CLIENTS HANG OUT? * For me it’s staffing agencies. Large corps and gov always are building applications and call staffing agencies to help fill it.
46. WHERE DO YOUR IDEAL CLIENTS HANG OUT? * For me it’s staffing agencies. Large corps and gov always are building applications and call staffing agencies to help fill it.
47. WHERE DO YOUR IDEAL CLIENTS HANG OUT? * For me it’s staffing agencies. Large corps and gov always are building applications and call staffing agencies to help fill it.
48. WHERE DO YOUR IDEAL CLIENTS HANG OUT? * For me it’s staffing agencies. Large corps and gov always are building applications and call staffing agencies to help fill it.
49. WHERE DO YOUR IDEAL CLIENTS HANG OUT? * For me it’s staffing agencies. Large corps and gov always are building applications and call staffing agencies to help fill it.
50. WHERE DO YOUR IDEAL CLIENTS HANG OUT? * For me it’s staffing agencies. Large corps and gov always are building applications and call staffing agencies to help fill it.
51. HOW ARE YOU DIFFERENT? $10/hr vs $150/hr
52. HOW ARE YOU DIFFERENT? $10/hr vs $150/hr
53. HOW ARE YOU DIFFERENT? $10/hr vs $150/hr For me: - First iteration out in 2 weeks - Strong track record - I spend the time understanding the business
54. How many hearts just broke?
55. You’re without power if you can’t answer those questions http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R55e-uHQna0
56. Seriously.. you have far more power in your sales and marketing ! You now know how to chase those clients down
57. COMMON QUESTIONS
58. FINDING CLIENTS • Your ideal client precisely. • Where they hang out. • Their motivators for hiring. You need to know:
59. WHAT SHOULD I CHARGE? This is really, really hard to always get right * Patrick MacKenzie example raising prices of a 5M revenue company by 2% ($100k). Charges $5k/day
60. WHAT SHOULD I CHARGE? This is really, really hard to always get right • What value do you provide? (A piece of paper vs. raising conversions 2%) * Patrick MacKenzie example raising prices of a 5M revenue company by 2% ($100k). Charges $5k/day
61. WHAT SHOULD I CHARGE? This is really, really hard to always get right • What value do you provide? (A piece of paper vs. raising conversions 2%) • What does your competition charge? * Patrick MacKenzie example raising prices of a 5M revenue company by 2% ($100k). Charges $5k/day
62. WHAT SHOULD I CHARGE? This is really, really hard to always get right • What value do you provide? (A piece of paper vs. raising conversions 2%) • What does your competition charge? • What’s can your reputation and marketing sustain? * Patrick MacKenzie example raising prices of a 5M revenue company by 2% ($100k). Charges $5k/day
63. WHAT SHOULD I CHARGE? This is really, really hard to always get right • What value do you provide? (A piece of paper vs. raising conversions 2%) • What does your competition charge? • What’s can your reputation and marketing sustain? •What can your ideal client sustain? (Startups vs large corps) * Patrick MacKenzie example raising prices of a 5M revenue company by 2% ($100k). Charges $5k/day
64. BEYOND FULLY BOOKED
68. SOFTWARE PRODUCTS * Started as a design and web application company in 1999 * In 2004, started focusing on building their own web products. Crazy successful * Creator of Ruby on Rails. Now he does this
69. SOFTWARE PRODUCTS * Started as a design and web application company in 1999 * In 2004, started focusing on building their own web products. Crazy successful * Creator of Ruby on Rails. Now he does this
70. INFO PRODUCTS http://macournoyer.com/ * Guy I know in Montreal * Quit his job, sucked at freelancing * Now teaches courses and sells books to geeks
71. INFO PRODUCTS http://macournoyer.com/ $250,000 in two years * Guy I know in Montreal * Quit his job, sucked at freelancing * Now teaches courses and sells books to geeks
72. HIGH SOLO RATES Brennan Dunn ($200+/hr)
73. HIGH SOLO RATES $150/hr to $300/hr (sometimes)
74. SOMETHING ELSE? Alex Hillman founder of Indy Hall coworking space
75. SOMETHING ELSE? Alex Hillman founder of Indy Hall coworking space
76. THANKS YO @jevy jevin@quicjack.ca http://www.nextlevelfreelance.com
77. CREATING FREE TIME • Hire a subcontractor •Take on less work by raising rates • Get up earlier. Go to bed later