Here’s an income-boosting strategy my dentist taught me.

When I visit his office for my twice-yearly appointment, his dental assistant typically spends about a half-hour scraping and cleaning my teeth. Lots of fun! Then my dentist comes in and does the checkup, which takes about 10 minutes.

After one of these appointments, while signing the insurance form at the front desk, I noticed how the fees were broken down:

$45 for the half-hour cleaning. $105 for the 10-minute checkup.

My dentist obviously knew where he added the most value and made the most money. He focused on the checkups and hired other people to do the rest.

As a freelance professional, you need to think the same way.

Figure out where you add the most value on the project work you do and then hire a virtual assistant or even another freelancer to handle the other aspects of the job. If you do, your income per hour will go up.

Now, I admit, for years I was resistant to bringing in others to help with client projects. Like most freelancers, I did – and in some ways felt I should do – all the work myself.

Then one day, I got a job to write a massive travel website. The deadline was crazy. So I decided, somewhat reluctantly, to hire another freelancer — an experienced travel writer — to help. She wrote all the “travelogue” stuff — “On day 2, you’ll enjoy a delicious breakfast against the breathtaking backdrop of the Kilimanjaro mountains . . .” — and I wrote the sales-oriented messages — “Book today and get 15% off . . .”

I also supervised and edited her work to ensure the overall quality of the website copy was up to my standards.

I got that job done a lot faster, had more fun, and made more money for the time I put in. (Even after factoring in what I paid the travel writer.)

Did the client mind me working with someone else? Not at all. As long as I was directing the overall website copywriting, he was fine with it.

So ask yourself if there are aspects of the project work you do for clients that could be done faster, better, and perhaps more inexpensively by someone else.

If you’re a PR consultant, perhaps a good virtual assistant could make those follow-up calls to trade editors?

If you’re a white paper writer, wouldn’t it make sense to get a freelance editor to proofread your documents rather than you spending hours each month on that tedious chore?

The idea is to focus on your “sweet spots” – those activities clients are really hiring you to do and you do very well — and get others to take care of the rest.

It’s okay to get help with a client project. It really is!

————-

Steve Slaunwhite is the author or co-author of several books including The Wealthy Freelancer. His place on the web is www.SteveSlaunwhite.com.

Well… that’s it people. I think it’s pretty much case closed now.

Economists, academics, thought leaders, bestselling authors… it seems just about everyone has weighed in on the topic of the new economy and the fact that self-employed professionals are taking center stage.

But this month, freelancing or “working independently” or being a “solopreneur” (no one has quite settled on the catch-all phrase to describe us yet) was officially ordained as the way of the future by the mainest of mainstream media…

It’s right there in black and white, on page 42 of the July issue of O Magazine…

“Stop looking for a staff position…” “…package yourself as an independent contractor for hire on a project by project basis.” – Suze Orman O Magazine, July 2010

O My!
Let’s just pause for a second and appreciate the gravity of this… here you have Suze Orman, perhaps the most recognized personal finance expert in America, in one of the nation’s leading magazines, telling millions of readers to eschew the traditional J-O-B and go solo.

Um. That’s HUGE.

You can read the full article online for the proper context, but basically Orman’s advice came in response to a reader (someone with a master’s in HR) who was frustrated with job hunting after 40 applications turned up crickets .

With her advice to look for project-based contract work, Orman adds her voice to the chorus of people like Seth Godin, Dan Pink and countless others who’ve been telling us for years (many years, in Pink’s case) that freelancing, or whatever you want to call it, is increasingly how we roll in North America now. (Seth Godin even refers to himself a freelancer, in this recent video interview.)

Seeing advice like this in the pages of O, from a mega-high profile author like Orman will be a wake-up call for a lot of people. If you thought “going solo” was just a trend, watch what happens now, and in the next few years to come.

Who stands to profit from this? YOU!
If you’re reading this blog, odds are you’re already an indpendent professional, consultant, freelancer, solopreneur, whatever-you-call-yourself or you’re working toward that vision. So… if you’ve been hesitantly dipping your toe in the warm waters of freelancing, now is the time to take the plunge. FULLY. Get ahead of the wave, go all out, and build your solo business. NOW is the time.

*
Pete Savage is co-author of The Wealthy Freelancer and doesn’t quite know how to answer, “Why were you reading Oprah Magazine, anyway?” so don’t ask.

We’re doing an exciting promotion this week for our new book, The Wealthy Freelancer. So in keeping with the spirit of things, I decided to make today’s post an excerpt from the book. Enjoy!

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Take Time To Incubate

Before I sat down to write this chapter, I made some notes about the topics I wanted to cover. I planned out the stories and examples I wanted to use to reinforce the points I was going to make and mapped out my general approach to the subject matter. This is typical planning stuff. And you probably do something similar for the types of projects you handle as a freelancer. But then I did something you may not do. I stuck my notes in the project file folder and didn’t look at them again for a couple days. Why didn’t I just get started on the next step in the process — writing the darned thing — right away? Because I knew I would get this chapter done a lot faster if I gave it time to incubate.

I know what you’re thinking. “Take time off from a project to get it done sooner?” But giving a project some incubation time — especially between natural steps in the process such as planning and writing or writing and polishing — makes the work go much smoother and faster.

Of course, you know this already. Think of the last time you got stuck on a project. You’re working on a new computer program for a client and, no matter how much you rack your brain, you just can’t seem to make any progress. So you take a break, perhaps out of frustration, and go work on something else. Or take a walk. Or sleep on it. Then, when you return to the project again, what happens? Voilà! Things just seem to flow again. That’s incubation at work.

Marketing consultant Marcia Yudkin is a master of using incubation to work more productively. In her booklet, No More Writer’s Block! she describes being able to write a press release in about 45 minutes when most other professionals take at least two hours or more. “I gather all the information I need,” she says, “then wait a day or two [incubation] until I feel like the press release is itching to come out of me. And that’s when I write it, quickly and easily.”

I’m not going to get into the science of how incubation works here. (As if I understood it!) Just know that when you take a physical break from a project, some part of your brain is still working on it. Your subconscious is churning away: generating new ideas, trying out different approaches to the problem, asking new questions, dreaming up inventive new approaches.

Do I hear someone balking, “I don’t have time to stick a project in a drawer for a couple days. I have tight deadlines to meet!” Well, if you have tight deadlines to meet, you need incubation more than ever. Think about it. Which would you rather do? Struggle with a project for six hours straight until you stumble, exhausted, to the finish line? Or spend a couple hours reviewing and absorbing the information, then taking a break for a few hours, then finishing the piece in another hour or two, feeling refreshed and energized? Ah …. I’d choose number two.

And by the way, incubation doesn’t have to take days or even hours. Sometimes all that’s required is a walk around the block.

–Steve Slaunwhite is the co-author of The Wealthy Freelancer. Grab your copy this week from Amazon.com and get up to $321 in free instructional materials. Details here >>

Photo Courtesy planetschwa on Flickr

If you follow the advice in this blog and our upcoming book, and if you craft and consistently execute a smart marketing plan, it won’t be long before you have more work than you can handle.

I realize this may sound like a pipe dream. It seemed like an impossible goal when I was starting out and was desperately looking for work. And a couple of times since then, when I lost big clients, I wondered if I’d ever be super-busy again.

But I’ve seen too many freelancers turn their businesses completely around in a matter of weeks to know that being booked solid is very achievable. And I’ve done it myself more than once.

So the issue is NOT whether or not it’s possible. The issue is what the heck you’re going to do once you have more work than you can take on.

Here are some ideas on how you can do that effectively.

1. See if client can wait. Sounds obvious, but sometimes we’re afraid to ask. You don’t want to upset the client, especially if you have a great relationship with them. However, it’s surprising how many clients will be OK with waiting a few weeks for the needed deliverables. They understand that most of us are a company of one, and if you’re good and they really like you, many will be willing to wait a bit.

 

2. Take it on…and just figure it out. If you’re starting out and maybe even moonlighting as a freelancer, your schedule is already going to be pretty tight. But when you’re trying to build a business, you’re going to have to make some sacrifices and say “yes,” even if it means pulling in a couple of late nights or working through the weekend. Just make sure you’re doing it for the right reasons and for the right clients.

 

3. Outsource some of the mechanics. Can you outsource certain elements of the project? For instance, if you’re a writer, you can often hire someone to help you with research, editing and proofreading for a reasonable fee. Don’t get hung up on the costs. If it means the difference between bringing on a great new client and passing on the opportunity, it may be well worth it.

 

4. Outsource some of your administrative duties. Can you find someone to do your billing and/or bookkeeping? Trips to the post office or office-supply store? Lawn maintenance or housecleaning? I know, I know. Some of you find enjoyment in these activities. If you do, fine. But if you hate them—and if you can find a pro who can do them faster and better (and help free up some of your time)…well, you know my answer.

 

5. Find and train a potential partner. Consider partnering up with a junior-level practitioner in your field. Someone you can train in your processes, systems, approaches, formulas. This takes time, energy and patience. But in the long-run, you may be able to scale your business and add to your income by marking-up someone else’s efforts. And when you want to go on vacation, this individual can help keep your business humming.

 

6. Refer the business to a trusted colleague. Why not create a network of trusted colleagues whom you can send work to? You can either form a reciprocal arrangement (where they in turn send work your way when they’re slammed). Or you can agree on a finder’s fee to be paid out upon final payment.

 

7. Form a small freelancer group. I’ve talked with freelancers who have successfully created small, informal groups of pros with complementary skills. The idea is to work as a team on projects for a select group of clients. Each member of the team takes on a different part of the project. Or in some cases, only one or two of the team members work on the entire project (depending on the availability of the team members). If structured properly, such an arrangement can give your business a little more diversity. And it can help you channel work to others that you can’t take on by yourself.

 

8. Revisit your “ideal client” description. I’ve written before about the importance of having a detailed description of your “ideal client.” Such a description allows you to make better decisions—especially when you have too much work. If you find yourself in this situation, make sure to revisit your ideal client profile. And when an opportunity comes up, ask yourself, “How closely does this client and project match my ideal profile?” The answer to that question will very likely help you make the right decision.

—————–
Ed Gandia is the co-founder of TheWealthyFreelancer.com and co-creator of The “Launch Email” Technique: The Fastest Way to Attract Good-Paying Clients as a New Freelancer.

Photo, Squirrel Heaven,  courtesy Dawn on Flickr

On Monday I had a phone conversation with Ed Gandia and I asked him for a favour.

There’s something I’ve been meaning to do for the past couple weeks and, as of last Monday, I still hadn’t done it.

It’s a daily habit – a good one – which, for a number of reasons (laziness being one of them) I’ve let slide.

So this past Monday morning, while looking at the week ahead, I decided that getting back on track with this habit was a MUST. That’s when I reached out to Ed and asked him to be my accountability partner.

“Ed, I’ve got a goal I want to accomplish, something very small, but important, and I need your help with it. I’d like you to hold me accountable. When we talk again next Monday, I’d like you to ask me if I accomplished this task?” Of course, Ed agreed to help me.

That was three days ago and guess what? It’s working. Here it is Thursday morning and so far I’ve done what I set out to do, every single day. I’ve reintegrated this positive habit back into my daily routine.

So why am I suddenly making progress on this task after weeks of slacking off? What’s my motivation?

Maybe it’s got something to do with pride. Or maybe ego, or fear of embarrassment, or maybe just an unwillingness on my part to waste a colleague’s time. Whatever the reason, on some level, I know I would experience a certain amount of discomfort if next Monday rolled around (the day when I have to face the music) and all I had to offer Ed was a sheepish, “Uhhh…. no…” when he asks me if I did what I set out to do. Instead, I plan on saying, “Yes!”

What about you? Have you ever used an accountability partner? Someone who’s going to call you on the things you say you’re going to do, in the time frame you’ve set out for yourself? What has been your experience? Did your partner help you make progress toward your goals, or no?

And if you’ve never used an accountability partner before… are you willing to give it a try?

*
Pete Savage is a co-founder of TheWealthyFreelancer.com and a co-creator of The “Launch Email” Technique: The Fastest Way to Attract Good-Paying Clients as a New Freelancer.

Flickr photo courtesy of sean.koo

Gotta stay productive. In my opinion, productivity is an essential part of every freelancer’s toolkit.

I’m kind of a productivity junkie. Over the years, I’ve read all kinds of books on the subject, adopted and discarded all kinds of “systems”, and run the gambit of productivity tools from BlackBerries to iPhones to pushpins on a cork board.

I also like to follow blogs dedicated to the subject (My favourite: http://www.jasonwomackblog.com/)

And after experimenting with many different ways to be more productive, I’m finally happy – actually thrilled – with the system I use today. Along the way, however, I kept encountering “speed reading” as a must learn skill for anyone who wants to be uber-productive…

Before I go any further I must disclose that I have myself experimented with speed reading on a few occasions. (But it was when I was younger, and I only indulged at parties where lots of other people were doing it.)

What kind of feeling did it leave me with? Well, to paraphrase a famous politician, “I did try it… but I did not like it.”

Am I missing something?

I’ve never been impressed by the idea that I could consume 100 books in a year. Why in heaven’s name would I want to do that? Why would anyone? When I read a book for business or self development purposes, the whole point, in my opinion, is to be able to understand and apply what I am reading.

Take a book, any book, off my bookshelf and you’re likely to find the pages filled with my own handwritten notes, stars, check marks, boxes drawn around paragraphs, exclamation points, even sticky tabs. I often read with a notebook beside me, so I can make notes about the concepts presented, and how I can apply the techniques I discover.

And if I’m really diggin’ the material, I’ll pick up the audio version of the book too, so I can listen to the material in the car or on a run.

This kind of focused, intense study lets me really get into not a hundred but a handful of outstanding books each year. By applying some of the teachings I’ve discovered in the pages of great books, I’ve made tremendous improvements in my life and in my freelance business.

Is it time consuming to take such a deep dive approach with the books I’ve chosen to read? I’m not going to lie to you… of course it is. My belief, based on my experience, is that speeding up the intake of new material ultimately lessons understanding and retention.

But am I wrong?

What about you? Does the idea of speed reading appeal to you? Why or Why not?

And if you ARE a speed reader… please enlighten me. Is it really a productivity skill that we freelancers should invest in and practice? Can one speed read AND fully absorb and understand the content of the material?

~

Pete Savage is co-founder of The Wealthy Freelancer. He’ll be presenting at this year’s Copywriting Summit … at an easy-to-follow pace so you can understand and apply what he’ll be teaching.

Well, summer’s officially here. In our area, most kids are out of school. The neighborhood pools are open. And is seems like everyone’s on vacation or mentally checked out.

For many freelancers, summers can be tough. With so many clients on vacation, projects often get put on hold. Tracking down prospects can be tough. And it seems like no one wants to make a decision because “Pam is out for two weeks, and once she gets back it will take her another 2 weeks to catch up!”

So, what’s a freelancer to do with the idle time? Here are 8 ideas to consider as we enter the dog days of summer.

#1: Clean your office. Throw away old files, purge old magazines and newsletters, reorganize desk drawers and clean up your email inbox. Don’t know about you, but my office is a disaster right now. Getting it organized has become a top priority.

#2: Catch up on your reading. If you love to read as much as I do, you probably struggle with too many books and not enough time to read them. If your workload is a bit light right now, use the extra time to catch up on your reading.

#3: Re-evaluate your technology. How’s your computer holding up? Do some of your software applications need updating? Now is a great time to install and learn new software or migrate to a new system.

#4: Strategic planning. With 2009 nearly halfway over (can you believe it?!), this is a good time to evaluate your progress toward the goals you set back in January. Which goals need further attention? If you’re behind on some of them, draft a realistic (but aggressive) action plan for the next 6 months.

#5: Create an information product. If you’ve been thinking about putting together an e-book, audio product or other information product, now is the time to get it done. I created my first e-book over a 3-week period last year when workload was light.

#6: Meet friends and colleagues for lunch. This is a wonderful time to reconnect with people you haven’t talked to in awhile. Call your friends and colleagues. Meet them for lunch or coffee. Share ideas, insights and plans.

#7: Volunteer your time. The economic downturn has had a dramatic impact on charitable and religious organizations. Donations are way down while the needs of many have increased sharply. So, if you find yourself with idle time, why not do some volunteering? Sure, a cash donation is always welcome, but your time and talents are just as (if not more) important.

#8: Spend undivided time with your family. Make it a point to spend more time with your kids, spouse and loved ones. Go on a family vacation. Head out to the pool, the beach, the park. Take the kids fishing. Work on some puzzles. Relax. Turn off the TV (yes, it actually has an “Off” button) and have a few sit-down dinners as a family. Show them how much you love and care for them.

View your spare time this summer as a gift. Use it wisely. If you’re doing the right things, you’ll soon be busy again…and you’ll wish you would have used that time better.

What about you? What are you planning to do with some of your idle time this summer?

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Ed Gandia is the co-editor of The Wealthy Freelancer and author of the popular report “7 Steps to Landing More Lucrative Freelance Projects.” You can get a free copy (a $29 value) by subscribing to his biweekly newsletter, The Profitable Freelancer at www.TheProfitableFreelancer.com.

Whenever I came cross biographies or anecdotes about people who achieved great things, I was left with burning questions like, How did this person accomplish so much? And, How did he or she find the time?

Well…I think I’ve figured it out. 

That’s not to say I’ve discovered something totally new, but rather that I’ve woken up to a simple truth that I should have recognized long ago. Today I’m able to make it work for me, with great results. (Namely, I get more done and I experience far less stress.) 

I’ve put some visual imagery to this truth, so that it continues to serve me well. I call it my Jigsaw Puzzle Visual™ approach to time management. And it’s pretty simple.

To illustrate it, picture a completed jigsaw puzzle. The number of pieces does not matter, for now. 

Let’s say this jigsaw puzzle represents your work life. Each piece of the puzzle represents one of the “projects” you currently have on your plate. By “projects” I mean the major categories into which your individual tasks or “to dos” are grouped. 

For simplicity, say there are five projects in total, labeled as follows:

1. Direct mail campaign for new clients

2. Blog: Launch it this month

3. Ongoing client copywriting jobs

4. Book proposal: Write and submit to publishers

5. Commercial real estate business opportunity with John

So, five projects on your plate equals five pieces in your jigsaw puzzle.

Now, here’s how my discovery came to be…

The list above is fictional, but items #4 and #5 were real puzzle pieces in my own jigsaw puzzle a couple months ago. 

Then one day, about a month back, I actually landed a book deal with a publisher! 

Suddenly, my puzzle piece #4 swelled in size because I instantly found myself committed to co-authoring a book (with Steve Slaunwhite and Ed Gandia as it happens.) 

Pre-book deal, my puzzle piece #4 required no more than a few hours of my time each week. But actually writing the book will now require several hours of focused work every day.  

This means puzzle piece #4 must now take up more space on my jigsaw puzzle.

Prior to using this jigsaw puzzle visual, I would have just updated item #4 on my list to read “Write the book!” and left it at that. I would have tried to “work smarter” or “dig deep” believing (naively) that I could somehow manage to write the book with no impact to the other commitments (“projects”) on the list. 

Using the Jigsaw Puzzle Visual, however, it’s clear to see that in order for item #4 to expand in size, another puzzle piece must shrink, or disappear altogether. 

That realization has made all the difference for me. 

As a result of getting the book deal, I’ve bumped the commercial real estate opportunity off of list of commitments. Is my colleague in this project disappointed? Perhaps.

But he’s a good friend and he understands how important this book deal is. And, even if he didn’t understand, it would not be fair to him, nor to me, to move forward with that puzzle piece still holding a spot in my jigsaw puzzle. 

Now he’s free to go it alone, or find another interested party and I’m free of the anxiety over when and how I would be able to fit that project item into my schedule.

By keeping the Jigsaw Puzzle Visual in mind, now I no longer need to ask how high achievers accomplish so many impressive feats. They find the time to do worthwhile and exciting things not by constantly adding to their list of commitments, but by constantly examining their own personal jigsaw puzzles, and re-sizing or re-structuring the puzzle pieces according to the changing circumstances and opportunities that show up in their lives. 

~~~

Pete Savage is co-editor of this blog and grew up, he just now realizes, with a mild phobia of 1000+ piece  jigsaw puzzles, which he regularly saw in various states of incomplete upon the kitchen table in his childhood home. Also, he has a free newsletter just for freelancers at http://www.savagemarketing.com/ 

After a few years of freelance experience, you develop a sixth sense about the people who approach you with freelance work. However, this skill is hard-won. To help save you time and aggravation, I’d like to introduce you to 6 time-sucking clients to steer clear of.

The Freeloader — Outwardly lovable and friendly, this sorry soul has big dreams but no intention of hiring you. The Freeloader will call you again and again asking for advice, but the projects never materialize. Your own pity will drive you to indulge the Freeloader far longer than is reasonable.

The Hustler — Slick, fast-talking, and assured, the Hustler will dangle the promise of vast sums of cash IF you become a “partner” in the venture, meaning he wants YOU to take the financial risk so he doesn’t have to. If you ask for your normal fee, the Hustler will talk about risk and reward and try to make you feel small for not grasping this “opportunity.”

The Vampire — This is a strange and mysterious beast that thrives on bleeding you dry of samples. It could be that the Vampire is a cheapskate plagiarizing your work or another freelancer checking out the competition or looking for clients to steal.

The Novice — Enthusiastic and likable, the Novice knows nothing. The Novice is likely to hire you, but will give you vague instructions and forget important details. It’s up to you to get the job done right. But look out! Your expertise is threatening, so if things go well, the Novice will take the credit. If things go bad, the Novice will blame you.

The Underling — Frustrating is the only way to describe the Underling. This time sucker may be experienced, professional, and serious about working with you, but simply lacks hiring authority. Sometimes it’s because of dictatorial leadership in the company or interdepartmental conflicts.

The Faker – A cousin to the Freeloader, the Faker has work that needs done, but no money to hire you, or has the money and simply won’t spend it. The Faker likes to appear important and has an inflated ego. You’ll get call after call asking for estimates, but never a call to start a paying project.

What is your defense against these creatures? In most cases, you need only walk away. These are predatory beasts, but lazy. They lose interest quickly if you keep moving.

Dean Rieck is a leading direct marketing copywriter, designer, and consultant who has worked with more than 200 clients in the U.S. and abroad.. For more copywriting, selling, and freelance success tips, sign up for Dean’s FREE direct response newsletter or visit the Direct Creative Blog.

What do you do when a client hands you a great project but with a daunting deadline? As a freelance professional, you may not want to turn down good paying work. After all, if you do, you risk losing the client to another freelancer.

Your first step: negotiate.

When a client says something like, “We need to see three concepts by Friday this week”, ask why that particular date is so important.

In my experience, most deadlines are arbitrary. Clients basically pick a date that is most convenient to them.

This is understandable. Busy business owners, marketing managers and agency creative directors naturally want to get their hands on your freelance work as early as possible. It makes things a lot less stressful — for them! — because that’s one less component of the project they have to worry about.

In these cases, you can often negotiate a more realistic deadline that fits both your schedule and that of your client’s. For example, you could say: “I’m booked solid early this week, but I can dive into your project with both feet on Thursday. What would happen if I delivered the three concepts to you by next Tuesday at noon?”

More often than not, the client will agree. And you can breathe a sigh of relief!

Sometimes, however, a client has a very good reason for a given deadline. Perhaps a trade show is looming and the salespeople need a new brochure to hand out to visitors. Or a seminar date is coming up and the web page promoting the event needs to be online next week.

When a deadline is carved in stone, you can still negotiate — a little. If your client wants the job done by Friday, you may be able to ask for an extension to Monday, but probably not much more.

So what do you do if a deadline is just that: the deadline.

Unless you’re willing to say no to your client and accept the consequences, your only choice is the Nike way. Just do it!

Here are some tips that will make working under impossible — well, nearly impossible — deadlines a lot easier.

1. Clear The Decks. Put everything you can on the backburner. Free up as much time as possible to devote exclusively to the project.

2. Add An Hour. Start an hour earlier, or work an hour later, each day. An extra hour of work is relatively painless, yet you’ll be surprised by how much more you’ll accomplish.

3. Close The Door. Ask your friends, colleagues, and family (especially the kids) to limit interruptions.

4. Plan Your Work. Decide, in advance, how much you’ll need to accomplish each day. Then stick to that schedule.

5. Start Now. Don’t procrastinate a few days and then pull an all-nighter. (Not fun.)

6. Avoid Perfection. You don’t have the time for that luxury! Create the piece as quickly as possible, no matter how terrible it is. Then clean it up. Revise it. And revise it again until it’s done. Aim for excellence, not perfection.

7. Do Your Best. Ultimately, that’s all you can do. Your best work, given the time you have available.

Surprisingly, creative work done under pressure — even when the timelines seem impossible and a detriment to quality — is often very good. Go figure.

——————–

Steve Slaunwhite is co-editor of The Wealthy Freelancer and the author of Pricing Your Writing Services.