I asked if any of you knew of a web development company that could assist me in taking Hellopeter.com into the future. Your response was overwhelming. I received responses from Vereeniging to Viet Nam (really)…

My request was quite specific, so I didn’t look at all the CVs submitted, and I eliminated applications where links didn’t work… I also rejected emails where Hellopeter was spelt hUllo, hAllo, etc…

This sifting process still left me with too many applications to process properly, so… and here’s a tip for anyone looking for new business… I filtered out the companies telling me only how wonderful they were. I focused on companies who told me what they could do for Hellopeter.com.

It’s simple. We’re not really interested in what our suppliers can do: we’re only interested in what they can do for us.

Surround yourself with brilliance, expertise and experience, but if you don’t like the people, keep away. It’s critical to surround yourself with nice people.

… I’m in the final stages of sifting through the development companies that responded to my email, but I can assure you that – in addition to the company being brilliant – it’ll also be full of helluva nice people, from the top down.

People like YOU… Thank you for being just so…nice.

Whenever I talk to some intrepid entrepreneur about finding clients…they assure me they don’t need to do any marketing because all of their clients arrive by word-of-mouth.

This is a prime example of a problem known as confirmation bias.

Of course all of their clients arrive by word-of-mouth. That’s because they’re not doing any other marketing, so there is no other way for clients to arrive.

Just in case this isn’t obvious, it is very unlikely that a person will call in response to the ad my intrepid friend did not arrange, or the magazine advert he didn’t place, or the flyer at the traffic light he did not hand out, or the website he doesn’t have.

That’s not the way he sees it. Rather, he interprets the results to mean that he is so darn good that his past clients are referring him.

It is easy to make this mistake. After all, 100% of his new clients are indeed the result of word-of-mouth, even if there are not enough of them to cover the watery soup and gruel he has come to enjoy.

Relying on word-of-mouth is, I think, a dreadful way to sell your services and products. Especially at a time when the world economy is tightening, and the competitors are getting a lot hungrier.

I think this is the universe telling us to bring our First Team to the market…

- Peter Carruthers, PetesWeekly.Com

***

They ask for it often: A quick paragraph. A small logo. Some web design ideas. A photo or two. On spec, so they can decide if you’re the right creative for them. And if you’re desperate enough for the work, or to “get in” with that client, you’ll do it. But if you’re not, here’s my answer.

Dear [Prospective Client],

Thank you for making contact with me, and for asking me to work on your copy. I’d love to. However, even though you asked nicely, I’m not able to write up some spec copy for you, as a sample, so you can decide whether or not you want to use me.

I completely understand that, as we’ve never collaborated before, you want to be 100% sure I understand your brand language and corporate ID, as well as your needs, before committing to use me as your service provider. I also understand that you want some guarantee of what I can do before you approve my quotation.

But I don’t work on “spec”.

And here are six reasons:

• Good copy is informed copy. And informed copy can only emerge from client input, because you know your audience best. I need to understand your objectives, criteria for success, brand personality, competitors and many other things in order to produce the right content for you. And this is a process.
• Good copy comes from partnership. It’s not about a copywriter having a moment of inspiration and producing a quick masterpiece. If I work in isolation I can’t hope to write the right copy – because it will only tell half the story.
• Good copy takes time. Intelligent, relevant, appropriate copy needs to emerge from a sound understanding of your target market. Until I can interact and empathise with your users, or until I can learn everything there is to know about them via you, I can produce nothing more than a superficial content solution.
• Spec copy is a pretty picture, not a meaningful conversation. A “best guess”, created upfront as a sales tactic, is never going to be good copy. Yes, it may “wow” you. It may impress. But will it express what you need it to? Unlikely.
• Web copy, in particular, is more technical than you think. The writing of web copy starts quite far down the line; after I’ve had a chance to get to know you, your business, your users and your competition. And after several hours of Google tools, research, reading, review and SEO analysis. It’s not something that can be done right at the start of a project, before I’ve been awarded the job.
• Spec work makes other work more costly. If I took on spec work, I’d have to charge higher fees to cover work I produced but didn’t win. You’d be paying for failed pitches, as well as the one piece of work you were interested in. And for that kind of money, you may as well use an agency, not cost-effective little me.

Because I am a freelancer and not a big advertising agency, I’m not in the business of acquiring as many retainers as I can. I’m in the business of writing clean and high-quality copy that hits all of the clients’ important notes and that I can be proud of.

I’ve spent 10 years in the business, so I know my stuff. But more than that, I love my work and I’m proud of the diversity of projects I’ve worked on. Every copy deck has been crafted with thought and research, and with respect for the client.

Finally, I put all of my resources into every client that engages me because I don’t need to save my best ideas to sell myself to potential new clients, on a spec basis.

So, where does that leave you? Well, I’ve worked on copy for [180 clients over the last 10 years] – many of them, in your industry or in similar environments to yours. Why not have a look at the client list on my website, and let me know whose copy you’d be interested in reviewing… If I need their permission, I’ll get it. How’s that?

Thank you.

Best regards,

[Your Hopeful Freelancer]

***

[Note from Tiffany: This letter, tongue-in-cheek as it is, is not intended to be a blanket condemnation of spec work and anyone who takes it on. It's merely an explanation of why I choose not to. Having said that, if I were a beginner writer without a piece to my name, I'd consider writing on spec if the prospective client a) seemed serious, b) had a clear idea of brief and c) appeared to have a solid reputation; if I could use the work elsewhere if they turned it down; and if the spec work seemed likely to lead to other assignments and writing opportunities.]

***

The scenario

So, you’re newish to freelancing. You’re about to start, or you’ve started and you’re finding it hard. You have a million questions, based on the thoughts that swirl around your head at 2am or real issues with which you’re confronted. And you want guidance, tips, tricks or even specific insight…

But how to get it?

Disclaimer: Established freelancers (FLs) are usually delighted to guide newbies. There’s enough work for everyone, and the more good FLs there are in the industry, doing good work and charging fair rates, the better for all. But these seven tips intend to smooth the path a bit. Take with a pinch of salt.

1. Be sensitive

The kind of freelancer you’d ask for advice is a busy one. One who gets tons of emails and is always swamped. One who is basically a small business owner, responsible for HR, finance, advertising, admin and ops, and who has less disposable time than an ‘employed’ person. So be aware that any attention she dedicates to you comes out of partner, kid, gym, nap or TV time.

2. Be flexible

With this in mind, mention early on that you’d appreciate the FL’s input when he’s able to provide it. Not asap. Not urgently. When and if he has a chance.

3. Be succinct

Give a short bio on yourself, your skills and your experience. By short, I mean 150 words. Not a CV. Not a comprehensive tome of what you’ve done, where you come from, who you’ve worked for. Keep it simple, clear and relevant.

4. Be prepared

Spend time online before you make contact, so that you know what’s out there and can ask for clarity on specific issues, like quoting, invoicing, terms and conditions, templates, negotiating discounts, tax, handling clients, etc.

Also, google the FL first so that a) you know exactly what she does and which niches she works in and b) if she already has a website or blog with freelancing posts or info on it, make sure that you’ve read those beforehand.

5. Be specific

Don’t say things like, ‘Generally, what is the upside of freelancing? And what is the downside to it?’ Don’t ask ‘How does one design a contract? Can you download one for me?’ Do the research yourself, and ask for guidance.

What’s better is to prepare a list of questions in different areas – say, admin, marketing, client handling and networking – and find three or four different FLs that you can ask a total of four or five questions each.

6. Be generous

If you’d like more access than you’ll get via e-mail, and distance isn’t a factor, offer to buy the FL a delicious breakfast or lunch, during which you can pick his brain for an hour or so and take notes. To clarify: the entire meal is on you (even if you’re a struggling artist), and at a time and venue that suits the FL.

7. Be appreciative

Always respond with a big ‘Thank you’, even if the FL took her sweet time coming back to you, or answered only a few of your questions, or referred you to a website. (I can’t tell you how many times I’ve penned encouraging, supportive responses to requests for advice, and had no response at all.)

This is useful not only because it’s good manners, obviously, but also because a politely thanked FL will keep you in mind when useful info crops up, or for overflow work if you seem capable, trustworthy and up to the task.

This piece originally appeared on Freelancentral as ‘The Stable Door: Issue 5: Getting and giving advice about freelancing.‘

A couple of months ago, you briefed me to write you some website copy. Optimised, for Google, but still charismatic. We had a blast working together, because you’re fun and your company does cool stuff and you knew what you wanted – and what you didn’t want. And when you weren’t sure of either, we worked it out together.

Your copy came out beautifully. There were a few tweaks here and there. And some extra changes. No charge for those. You’d given me a juicy job, and there’d be more. Your programmers placed the copy onto a test site, so we could look at it in situ. It looked amazing. But between my Version 5 and the test site upload, you guys made some changes on your side. A word here. A phrase there. A paragraph somewhere.

So I came in for a couple of hours to run through it all with you, online, and proof it. No charge. This was a goodwill visit. And anyway, I’d enjoyed the work so much. Aside from which, the copy felt like ‘mine’, and I wanted it to be 100% perfect.

Today you e-mailed me. You thanked me profusely for the copy, raved about the feedback you’d had and urged me to check it out, live, on the web. Which I did.

It looks glorious. Really. But I’m a bit choked up, to be honest. Because there are still errors in it. Somewhere in between the last set of on-screen changes I oversaw and this morning, someone added stuff in. Without Title Case to match the rest. With US spelling, when I’d used SA. With a couple of typos, spelling errors and poor grammar. It’s 90% mine, but it’s 10% wonky. Probably throughout; I can’t say…

And, I’m going to level with you here, I don’t have the energy to go through the 30-odd pages of your site to octuple-check it and list them all for you. Again. Because, like Garfield’s never-ending lasagne, there’s no resolution here. You know and love your business and you’ll be adding things forever. And I don’t want to be the evil writer-Nazi from hell who can’t enthuse about anything without pointing out its flaws.

I’m sorry, client. I’ll gladly work with you again, but my gimlet eye is watering. In an ideal world, you’d send me the changes/additions as you think of them, I’d run a time sheet in five- or ten-minute increments and, at the end of the month, I’d invoice for the hour or so of work require to keep things perfect. Or, I’d write off the hour or so of ad hoc changes on the back of other, regular, ongoing, juicy work in that month.

But the world isn’t ideal… So I’m writing this letter to make myself feel better. I’m taking a risk. I’m lowering my cards onto the table, with hordes of perfectionist freelance creatives at my shoulder (nodding sagely), and I’m hoping that the clients who are reading this have a look at them and hedge their bets a bit better next time.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Your Freelancer

This piece originally appeared on the Freelancentral website as ‘ Client, my gimlet eye is watering -  A letter from your Freelancer’.

Tiffany, the bossyboots

I can be a bit of a brass. I’ve been freelancing a long time (well, for a full-time freelancer). I have my rules. I love my processes. And I’m known to be pretty inflexible about changing them, amending them or putting them to one side.

There are procedures to follow. Briefs to be given. Quotes to be approved. Deposits to be paid. And then, only then, there is good, solid work to be done.

And when I’m doing the work, I’m doing it in my lovely peaceful office, with my heater on, peppermint tea at the ready. In my comfort zone. No coffee shops. No outdoors. No hot-desking. No working – gasp! – in a client’s office. No scenery.

That’s the way I’ve always done it, and that’s the way I like it. My way.

Then, something happened

But, after six years in the industry, 180-odd clients and a lot of rules, I recently did something that shocked even me. So out of character was it that it more or less rocked my world. And it gave me pause to think about what good can come from abandoning your strictures occasionally and producing amazing stuff.

You see, I’d been on holiday. A working holiday, yes, but still: a beachside vacation.  It had come to an end and my husband and I were driving back to Johannesburg from the Garden Route. It’s a 12-hour drive. Which is long. But we had about 20 hours of Harry Potter to listen to, so all was well in our world.

Except that a client of mine, for whom I had created some ad copy, had been absolutely unable to review it until that very morning, and needed to get it to the publishers the following day. He wanted a few extra headline options, a couple of lines re-phrased, a few things tweaked. Nothing major if I’d been at home. Nothing major if we’d still been on solid ground, back at the beach. But I was in the car, sharing 12 hours of driving, and I was busily mastering cruise control.

I abandoned my rules

Under normal circumstances I’d apologise profusely, explain that the day was an out-of-office for me and leave the tweaks up to the client, in his own wisdom.

But not this time. This time I figured, Bugger it. Let’s help the guy. He’s nice. I did a good job on the copy and I’d hate it to get messed up now, at the last minute.

I put the client on speaker-phone and over 20 or 30 kilometres and several short phone conversations, we got the job done. No pens, no paper. No comfort zone. And a completely weird copywriting experience for rules-crazed little me. I may even, should the situation and potential outcome dictate, consider doing it again.

Moral: Most of the time, rules are great. They keep things neat and tidy, garner you client respect (albeit occasionally grudging) and ensure that your back (and the bit just below it) is mostly covered. But sometimes, when the situation warrants it, you can do great work in an off-the-wall way, space, place or vehicle.

This piece originally appeared on the Freelancentral website as ‘Part 4 – The Stable Door: Why breaking the rules sometimes works’. For the full text of that contribution, click here.

Overhead expenses

Accounting fees

Advertising

Bank charges

Books (research-related)

Casual wages

Cell phone

Client gifts (year-end/referrals)

Computer costs
Hardware
Software
Internet
IT/computer support
Website hosting

Consulting fees

Depreciation
Car
Computer
Cell phone
Printer
Etc.

Entertainment

Insurance
Motor vehicle
Home office
Laptop

Interest paid

Landline telephone

Maintenance, appls & repairs

Motor vehicle expenses
Fuel & oil
Repairs
Parking
Annual license

Newspapers/journals/mags

Office equipment

Printing, copying & stationery

Rental paid

Small items written off (under R7k)

Subscriptions

Training

Travel

Other

End note: Please be aware that I am not a financial services provider and that you should contact an accountant or book-keeper who specialises in freelance/small business tax if you need more guidance.