So, there you are, working away on a project, and oh, is it a good one. You’re having fun, the client’s loving your work, and then…

…the whole thing comes to a screeching halt.

A quick glance through my Projectus Interruptus file shows the following:

1. A university department’s website redesign gets scuttled because the college’s website redesign is going on at the same time, and guess what? As part of this effort, each department gets a new site too. That sure was news to the department head I’d been working with. What’s worse, he liked my new design a lot better than the college’s.
2. The company’s two head honchos can’t agree on what they want their product logos to look like, so they kill the entire logo design project.
3. Another university department’s brochure design has to be approved by the college. And the college dean’s office informs the department head that their ad agency is already working on a brochure. He was just as surprised as the department head mentioned in the first item.

Whether it’s disagreements among your clients, out-of-the-blue budget cuts, or simultaneous design efforts that your client didn’t know about, the end result is the same: You’re out of work. Continue Reading

In my previous article, I offered tips on how to read business books — and profit from them. At the end of that article, I mentioned the 12-part action plan that I’d just created. It follows the 12 chapters from Steve Slaunwhite, Pete Savage, and Ed Gandia’s new book, The Wealthy Freelancer. (Not read it? Read our book review.)

Since my plan’s rather lengthy, I’ll summarize it here. Each of the book’s chapters offer a Wealthy Freelancer secret, and here are the three that really got my attention: Continue Reading

Business slumps. Sometimes they come on suddenly. Like when your biggest client decides to stop using your services, and you’re left high and dry.

Or they sneak up on you through a series of unfortunate events. For example, you just submitted a big proposal, but you didn’t get the job. Then there’s that project you were hoping to promote so you could gain more business. Well, it ends up taking forever, and, once you’ve handed your completed files over to the client, it doesn’t get launched. What’s worse, you’re finding that many of your clients are taking their sweet old time about paying you, and you’re draining your savings in the meantime.

Whether it came on suddenly or sneakily, the end result is that your freelancing business is in a slump. Continue Reading

If you’ve been to a bookstore or library lately, you’re quite aware that there’s no shortage of business books. However, you probably have a shortage of time for reading them. As an avid reader and freelancer, I’m going to give you some tips on how to read books about business — everything from small business books to advice from Fortune 500 CEOs.

1. My first tip will probably seem like it’s brain-dead obvious, but here it is: Be Selective. There aren’t enough years in your career for reading all of the “important” business books. So, be ruthless about what you add to your shopping basket at the bookstore or online, or even as you browse through the shelves at your local library.

In addition to being ruthless, decide if you want to be a generalist or a specialist in your reading. You may decide, like I just did, that you need to get up to speed on finance in a hurry. Time to become a specialist.

However, this doesn’t rule out becoming a generalist at a later date. After all, there are only so many worthwhile books on any business topic. Continue Reading

You’ve probably heard the super-successful people say that they didn’t get there all by themselves. And you’re probably thinking that the words “super-successful” don’t apply to you, so why read this article? Because even you, a diligent climber of “Success Mountain,” have received the benefits of mentoring. And not always in the places where you think you’d find them. Continue Reading

You’ve probably met those people who say that they get all of their business through referrals and word of mouth. And, admit it, when you encounter someone from this nirvana, don’t you feel a bit jealous? Not to mention annoyed? Continue Reading

Permit me to introduce you to my mouth, the black hole from which no elevator speech can escape.

For some reason, which is probably embedded in my DNA, I’ve never been very good devising short, catchy descriptions of what I do for and how people will benefit from it. It’s to the point where, if someone asks, I’ll say, “I mangle elevator speeches!” Or words to that effect.

This is a common affliction, and one that isn’t just limited to creative freelancers. A few years ago, I was listening to a radio comedy show that is famous (or infamous) for the host’s penchant for wandering around the theater and mingling with audience members. During one broadcast, the host encountered a dentist. When asked what he did for a living, the dentist said, “I’m a smile designer.”

I could have sworn that I heard that man grimacing over the radio. He was obviously uncomfortable using such clever marketing-speak to describe his profession.

What’s worse, the host and the rest of the audience found the concept of “smile designer” to be hilariously funny. I’m willing to bet that the dentist went back to using the D-word to describe himself.

Okay, so you’re not a dentist. And you don’t play one on the radio. But you’re still going to be faced with situations when catchy self-introductions are called for. How can you make them work for you? Here are three solutions: Continue Reading

There’s much to be said about building your business through referrals. For one thing, it’s a lot cheaper than advertising and less time-consuming than cold calling. And there’s nothing like having clients who think enough of your services that they’re willing to recommend you to others.

If you’re thinking about starting a referral fee program, this article is for you. Let’s look at the pros and cons. Continue Reading

When dealing with clients and potential clients, it’s important to understand that what they’re saying is not the same as what they mean, and how to react. Let’s look at these five examples:

“I’ll keep you in mind.”

You’ll often hear this when you’re prospecting for new business. It’s a nice-sounding sentence that may put you in a hopeful frame of mind. But don’t be fooled. People have lots of other things to think about beside you and your business. It’s your job to stay top-of-mind with them. So, with their permission, add them to your e-mail newsletter list or RSS feed. Ask them to follow you on Twitter or join your social network. Arrange to meet with them in person. Stay in touch with periodic phone calls. Learn other methods of staying in touch. Continue Reading

If you’ve spent any time in the creative field, you’ve probably received quite a few calls for entries. Maybe you’ve even entered a few industry awards competitions. Or maybe you’re still thinking about it.

You might be wondering if taking the considerable amount of time to prepare an entry, in addition to paying what can sometimes be a hefty entry fee, is it feasible. Is it worth the effort?
Continue Reading

The people who bring you these FreelanceSwitch articles work in a wide range of fields, and we hail from all over the world. But we do have something in common, and that is that we’ve found ways to squeeze writing about the business side of creativity into our busy schedules.

Finding time to write seems to be the Holy Grail for many would-be scribes. Well, I’m here to tell you that we all have the same amount of time: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. And you might be pleasantly surprised to find that you’re already doing quite a bit of writing during your waking hours. For example:

Continue Reading

Much of the talk about public relations focuses on how you can get the news media to cover your business. If it’s good coverage, then it may have a positive effect on your sales.

However, getting good coverage can burn up a lot of time and energy that might be put to better use. Instead of courting the media, you could be courting potential clients.

However, this is not to say that public relations is best left to big companies with deep rosters of established clients and the ample cash needed for hiring outside firms to manage PR campaigns. There are simple PR steps that your freelance business can take. Here are five: Continue Reading