5 Tips to Keep You Sharp

Constant learning is the foundation of a successful business owner.

written by Scott Halford

It hurts to learn. Yet, learning keeps us mentally agile well into our golden years, and it’s the hallmark of successful entrepreneurs. Keeping up with what you don’t know has the amazing ability to transform what you do know into the next million buck idea. Constant learning is the grease we need to stay competitive.

Many people slow their learning down once they've been labeled an “expert” or reached some degree of success. They may figure their accomplishments are evidence that they know enough--they would be mistaken.

Consider that the half-life of a college education is now three to five years. That means that much of what a student learns during their freshman year will be obsolete by the time they're a junior. Continual learning is the key to keeping you sharp in your market and in your mind.

You need to keep jamming new stuff into your head because your brain feeds on new data and while you’re least paying attention, it makes connections all by itself that appear as insight. Much of this goes on in the background while you sleep and while you reflect on what’s happening in your world.

If you set the conditions right, your brain will sift and sort--even the most seemingly insubstantial factoid--and provide you with your company’s next product or service. You never know what random bit will be incorporated into your old info trove to come up with that blockbuster. The message: Get very curious and be deliberate about learning.

Many of us get so busy running our businesses that all of our learning is on the job and in life. It's not the kind of learning that consistently taxes the brain. Then when we do go back to some formal kind of education, the ramp-up time to remember how to learn again is excruciating and many people give up. There are ways to keep your mind in tip-top shape so that you are always engaged in deep learning.

Here's what the brainiacs do:

1. Read one article a day written by someone with an opposing opinion. Your brain chemistry switches on when you are met with competing knowledge or an opinion that flies in the face of your own experience. Be open to it. Read or listen to it all the way through, no matter how frustrated you become.

2. Learn one radically new thing every day and apply it to your life.Geniuses find unrelated things and put them together to come up with something new. You only do that by adding to your repertoire of experiences and knowledge.

3. Teach someone something that you’re passionate about. The teaching process reveals new learning for you since people have different questions about what you're teaching. It causes you to stretch in your topic area. You have to be open to your knowledge being challenged. Surround yourself with people who don’t think just like you do. Be brave enough to have dissention.

4. Get deep sleep. Entrepreneurs are notorious for claiming to only need two or three hours of sleep each night. Yet, research shows that neural connections are made when you’ve hit the deepest stage of sleep, and that occurs typically over a seven to nine hour period.

5. Practice “awake sleeping” or reflection. This is another way to allow the brain to find the new connections you’re looking for. Find a few times a day when you can turn off anything that electronically gets a hold of you and simply reflect on what your needs are and how things are going. Be open to the ideas that come flooding into the canals of your mind.

By stretching your brain every day, you keep it young and smart. The combination of the wisdom from experiences and your constant new knowledge will be one of the most powerful innovation tools you will possess.

Scott Halford is president of Complete Intelligence, LLC. He’s an internationally known speaker and writer on brain-based success behaviors. Halford is the author of Be a Shortcut: The Secret Fast Track to Business Success. You can reach him at www.CompleteIntelligence.com.

Retrieved on 12 October 2009 from http://www.entrepreneur.com/management/managementcolumnistscotthalford/article203634.html

What Distinguishes You From Your Competitors?

written by Catherine Franz

In marketing, U.S.P. is the acronym for unique selling proposition. The USP process answers the distinct question: "What distinguishes your product or service from similar products or services, even businesses as a whole?" After continually battling my wits using other recommended USP models, I developed my own -- a list of 50 questions -- that gave me the same results, but faster. [For simplicity, allow the word product to mean service as well.]

First, select an equal, or as closely matched as possible, playing competitor. Even if you sell apples, be careful in choosing your comparison. A Granny Smith apple is different from a Winesap. Even though both are a snack, each taste different and cook different. If you think there aren't any equals, be mindfully open, somewhere there is a close match -- guaranteed.

Second, gather whatever product information is available -- print or electronic. Lay the material out in singles for easy viewing. I like to color code, using highlighters, each set of USP characteristics. For instance, yellow for features, blue for the benefits. Later, when I'm ready to compare the apples, I use the abbreviations S and D for similar or different to mine. Poorly written material will produce limited results in your analysis. If this occurs, record their limitations and choose another player. Later, use this error list as a checklist against your own created material.

If you are a new player, select a player with fewer than two years in business or with the same number of selling products, otherwise, you will be working under "measurement stress." Measurement stress pleases the inner critic but will challenge your focus, energy, and your commitment.

Third, answer the following questions to create a list of their unique selling points:

1. How long have they been in business?

2. Where is the product on the maturity line? Is it a new product, old, or somewhere in-between?

3. Are there any business stories they tell? What type of story is it and how do they use it?

4. What is the size of their business? What are the advantages or disadvantages to their size?

5. Highlight all the product¡on benefits.

6. What product stories do they use? How and when do they use them?

7. Identify and list the features the product offers.

8. What features are least important to the buyer?

9. What features may be assumed to be there but are not stated?

10. How is each feature used by the buyer?

11. Why would buyers see the feature as desirable? Examine one by one.

12. What is their price?

13. Where is this price in line with other similar products in the marketplace?

14. What emotional needs/desires does the product meet?

15. What customer physical needs or desires does their product meet? Even services meet some needs and desires.

16. Does the product sell better at different times of the year? If so, when, where, and why?

17. Does the competitor have an office? Any advantages to that location? How about their website location or domain name advantages? Disadvantages?

18. Where are they advertising the product? Find and keep copies on file.

19. Do they have a media kit? Obtain a copy.

20. What are the product¡on demographics?

21. What type of customer care services do they offer?

22. Do they offer any special type of advice?

23. What is the guarantee or warranty for the product?

24. How does the product get into their customers hands?

25. How fast do they fulfill their orders?

26. What type of questions and answers do they offer to consumers about the product?

27. How long does it take for them to answer "contact us" type of questions? Submit a few to find out.

28. What are their payment options? Is there room for expansion?

29. What is their customer service policy?

30. List the number of ways their customers can contact them? Test and track each one.

31. What are their "available" (contact/support) hours? Their time zone?

32. Do they offer product discounts? What must a buyer do to earn them?

33. How do they ship? What are the advantages and disadvantages of each method?

34. Do they offer any value-added incentives seen from the customers point of view (freebies, documentation, support, newsletters, ebooks, or other items)?

35. Do they offer purchasing gifts? Are they one-of-a-kind type or generic? What needs to occur to receive one? How often do they change and why?

36. Brainstorm a list of unique, customer-valued gifts,that they don't offer.

37. What special qualities do their employees contribute to the product?

38. Do they offer any type of training?

39. What would make you excited about selling their product?

40. What do their customers say about the uniqueness of that product?

41. What statistics do they have on the product that shows, not tells, its uniqueness?

42. Do they have any celebrity endorsements?

43. In what ways does the product change buyers life style or shift their mindset?

44. How long does their product last with consumer use?

45. Where is the product in the economic trend line? Is it at the beginning or end?

46. How frequent does the company change a feature on the product and remarket it as an update? Examine the product¡on history and look for patterns.

47. How fast can consumers obtain the product?

48. Were they the first to develop this product? When was it developed and first marketed?

49. What are the advantages and disadvantages the product holds in the marketplace now? How is that different then when it first appeared?

50. Where are the product distribution locations? What are the advantages and disadvantages for each?

Always remember, people are attracted to restaurants with full parking lots. The perception is...if lots of people are eating there, it must be good. This is why all restaurant employees are encouraged to park out front. A good USP process will provide the support you need to gather the information needed to fill your parking lot.

Catherine Franz, a veteran entrepreneur and CEO of Eagle Communications, resides in Virginia and is a syndicated columnist, radio host, International speaker, and master life and business coach. A form, titled FAB, for available in the forms section at: www.abundancecenter.com.

Retrieved on 30^th September 2009 from http://www.ehomemakers.net/en/article.php?id=2139

20 Quick Tips For Aspiring Freelancers

written by Ollie Judge

The last two years have been the most exciting of my life.

I made the jump to freelance work, which has given me the freedom to work when and however much I want.

The transition from a regular job to freelancing was not easy, but I managed it.

This post is meant to help you bypass difficulties and maximize your productivity as you start your own freelancing career.

That being said, here are 20 tips to help you become a successful freelancer.

1. Don’t give up your day job!

Your day job is your most important asset when switching from regular work to freelancing.

You need to be able to support yourself on this new career path, so start off slowly and work in the evenings or on your lunch breaks.

If you are a student, working around your studies can be quite lucrative; you can fill in those free periods with money-making design work!

2. Put an amazing portfolio together

In the freelance business, having a solid portfolio is important.

While many employers will accept your résumé, your portfolio is the bit of you that stands out. It shows employers what you can do and what you have done. Make it as creative as possible.

Many people worry that they have no work to show potential clients. If that is the case, try redesigning your favorite website or rebrand your favorite company and mark it as a case study.

While this work has not been commissioned, it does show off your skill, which will inspire much more confidence in your client if they find out they are your first client.

3. Do not buy any new gear

This is a common pitfall for many freelancers.

They think they need the best equipment to do the best job. Yes, tools help, but how you use them is what matters.

As tempting as it is, you do not need the latest Macbook Pro; you can do the job just as well on your four-year-old PC.

Why spend money when you want to make it? Of course, some things are essential, such as Photoshop, but try to get a student version or a discount.

You do not want to let money slip through your fingers when you don’t have to.

4. Build your website

Building your website before looking for work is also important.

The first thing potential clients will do is look at your website. Your website conveys your attitude towards your work and your personality, so make sure it reflects how you want to be seen.

Choose the words on your website carefully: do you want to be seen as formal or lighthearted? Also, do you want to emphasize form over function? All of this has to be conveyed in your design.

5. Set up a new bank account

Keep your personal and work accounts separate.

You do not want to give out your personal bank details, nor do you want to attach a PayPal business account to your personal account.

While you may be able to get by at first using your personal account, you will run into problems down the road with taxes and client payments. In any case, at least you’ll be able to keep your personal PayPal account, for which you won’t be taxed for transactions!

6. Don’t be afraid to ask for help

As with all things, starting off freelancing can be tough, but the freelance community is very friendly.

While no one will build your website for you, people may help you with a snippet of code or give you feedback on your design.

By asking for advice, you also make friends, which in time could lead to work.

7. Go back to school

While you may think you know everything, you certainly don’t.

Spend some time on tutorial websites or invest in taking a course to extend your knowledge. Any skill you can add to your toolkit will be valuable later in life.

Learning a completely new skill, such as video editing and conversion, might also be a good idea.

The web has become much more video-centric, so having skill in the field will enable you to offer more to clients, creating more profit for you.

8. Set up a home office

Make sure you are able to concentrate on work and work alone.

A space dedicated to work will help you get it done more quickly. The office does not have to be a room in your home; it could be outdoors or your local coffee shop: any place that does not have too many distractions and is well lit and inspires you to work.

Working outside in the fresh air can help keep you alert and sustain your concentration.

9. Get an online Skype number

One of my biggest problems starting out was the huge phone bills I racked up talking to clients and team members.

If you face the same problem, you could either swallow the higher phone bills or get an online Skype number. Skype works through your computer, so working while talking on the phone is easy.

But you can also get a landline number with Skype, and clients might be reassured by the stability that this landline brings. Subscribing to a Skype plan can be especially helpful with international clients.

10. Blitz social media and promote your brand

Knowing how to market yourself is your first step towards full-time freelancing.

Keep updating your Twitter account and to regularly interact with online communities:clients can be found anywhere.

Remember, though, anything you put online is not private, so make sure you show the face that you want other people to see. Be sure to share anything you find interesting, and re-tweet anything you find relevant.

Clients may find you through a recommendation or piece of content of yours on a social media website, so keep updating and become a “sharer.”

11. Be patient

Now that everything is set up, your number one rule is to be patient.

Work will not come flooding in immediately. Take it slow, and take on jobs as they come in.

Learning to be patient with clients also helps you communicate with them.

Some will be rather aggravating to work with, and you have to learn how to remain calm and communicate with them at a level that satisfies both of you.

12. Promote your services with content

The entire Internet is driven by content. Valuable free content goes a long way.

Whether a free WordPress theme or a well-recorded screencast, publishing content is a great way to get your name out there.

It will also promote your status as an expert and give potential clients something to play with and a chance to see how you work.

13. How to deal with job boards

I would advise that you stay away from job boards.

They seem to be overridden these days with people offering services for negligible compensation.

You have to make a profit. But if you decide to look for work on job boards, make sure the job comes with a steady salary and not a one-time payment.

Local jobs are better because developing a healthy relationship with local clients is easier and can lead to more work.

14. Finding jobs elsewhere

To find jobs elsewhere, you must network. I found this to be the hardest part: you have to get out and pitch to businesses.

Offering your services to friends and family may get you by for a while, but they will likely start asking for favorable treatment or rates, and when you are starting off, you cannot afford to be doing work for a steal.

Upscale bars and city lunch spots are great places to meet people. Start talking to people while standing in queues, or go to social events in big cities. People love to show off what they do, so why shouldn’t you do the same?

15. Find your niche

Most of my work came from finding a niche market and exploiting it.

For example, if you have made a website for a soon-to-be-released novel, the project could serve as a template for websites that promote novels.

If the website is efficient and profitable, you could ask other authors or publishing companies if they would like to invest in your tried and true method.

16. Creating steady work and revenue

The problem with freelancing is that you have no job security whatsoever. So you need to create security.

Instead of quoting a set price to a new client, try proposing a manageable monthly rate that includes website promotion, constant SEO monitoring and website maintenance.

Not only will this generate revenue over time, the client may ask you for more services if they see it is working out well, at which point you can increase the rate. This supplementary revenue is less likely to materialize if you stick to one-time payments.

17. Dealing with bad clients

You will inevitably come across bad clients.

Bad clients either want to control too much of what you do or communicate poorly.

If you land one, you have to step back and think whether the client is worth the troubleand whether they will give you repeat business. If not, then cut them loose.

You will feel bad when you let a bad client go the first time, but remember that you have freed up your time to take on another better client.

18. Referrals and testimonials

Once you have worked with some happy clients, ask them how they felt about the process and whether you handled it well and what you could have done better.

While the responses may be useful as testimonials, you will also be showing clients that you are trying to improve your services, which may encourage them to tell others about their experience, leading to yet more clients for you.

19. Invest in invoicing and client management software

As you gain more clients over time, you will need to know how to manage them.

Signing up for invoicing software to automate recurring monthly invoices will be helpful.

Also consider subscribing to something like 37 Signals’ Highrise software, or at least record in a document who your customers are, what work you have done for them and any details about them you may need to refer to in future.

This will save you from administrative work down the road and also serve as a good trigger for your memory.

20. Quit your day job and have fun!

If you have followed these steps, you should have sustainable income and be doing what you love as a profession.

The purpose of freelancing is to have time to go where you want to go and do what you want to do. Make sure you enjoy your new lifestyle by traveling and getting out a bit more.

You can work from anywhere in the world, so take advantage of that!

Bonus tip: Never race to the bottom

Once you have given a quote to a prospective client, avoid getting into a degrading fight for the job.

Do not devalue your work. You may choose to offer a discount in certain situations, but if you do it repeatedly, employers might think you were overcharging the first time and assume your rates are flexible.

Once you give a quote, stick to it!

This article was written by Ollie Judge exclusively for Webdesigner Depot. Ollie is CEO and founder of Ether Corporation, a unique freelance agency launching next month. Be sure to follow him in Twitter and on his personal blog at olliejudge.com

Retrieved on 11^th November 2009 from http://www.webdesignerdepot.com/2009/08/20-quick-tips-for-aspiring-freelancers/

5 Choices You Will Face When Freelancing (And What You Should Choose)

One thing freelancers can never get rid of are dilemmas.

Work from home or work at starbucks? Take a much needed rest day, or keep working hard? Take on a new client or pass on the offer? The list goes on and on.

Out of the hundreds of decisions that we freelancers make on a regular basis, I think there are five major choices that matter the most. These are dilemmas that every freelancer faces at one time or another, and knowing what you’re up against can help you make the right decision. If you haven’t faced any of these dilemmas yet, trust me, you’ll face them soon enough.

Let’s take a look at these five dilemmas and what the best options are.

1. Work for Money vs. Work for Exposure

This is a really tough choice for a lot of people. As you already know, free marketing can really do wonders for your business in the long run, and working for good exposure can definitely provide that.

Generally freelancers should not work for free, but there are some exceptions to that rule, especially if you are just diving into the freelancing world. If you are a writer, designer or a freelancer on any other field, it’s a good idea to contact some popular bloggers and see if they will let you write guest posts. Of course, you won’t make any money now but in the long run it can be the best thing you do as far as growing your blog and getting exposure goes. Once you get that initial boost from these platforms you are ready to roll. Besides, the people you wrote guest posts for might ask you to contribute regularly as a paid writer.

Solution: Choose exposure over money if you are new to freelancing. If you have been freelancing for a while, choose money over exposure (assuming that you have built up a enough business and exposure already).

2. Get Personal vs. Keep It Professional

Some of us end up building quite a personal relationship with our clients — after working together for a while it’s easy to become friends. The client starts talking about how there eighteen year old ran away and you sit there wondering what you should say. Well, as long as the client isn’t your other half (the 18 year old in this case would be your child as well), simply tell the client you are sorry and avoid asking too many questions. Trust me, I am all for having a friendly relationship with clients, but getting too close and personal can make things worse in the long run. The worst part is, when the client starts to see you as a personal connection rather than professional connection, their expectations will increase and they’ll want more for less. You want to be friendly with your clients, but avoid getting too personal.

Solution: A client and freelancer relationship should always be professional. What if the client is family or friend? Definitely keep it professional. You get the idea.

3. Signed Contract vs. Email Record

“I don’t need a contract. Just send me a quick email outlining everything so we both have a record.” If you ever get this kind of email or get temped to send one out, stop yourself. First and foremost, you want your client to know that you are good at what you do. You want to create a good impression and let them know that you are a professional. Contracts will certainly help you do that.

A good contract tells the client that you know what you are doing, and what you’re worth. If you ever find yourself tempted to just send an email, or you find a client who says so to do that, definitely don’t go that route. Draw up a contract and email it to your client for his signature, if he has to scan it and send it back, so be it. I know it’s more work for your client and you, but professionalism and saving your butt has a cost and this is the least you can do to achieve both.

Solution: Always, always draw a contract. Better yet, have a few made and save it for different services that you provide. When a client gets hold of you, simply attach and send.

4. Full Payment vs. Partial Deposit

Another tough question. Some clients can be trusted and others really can’t — it’s your responsibility to figure out which you’re dealing with. I recommend taking full payments upfront. Most of my work comes to me as referrals, so my clients are happy to pay me upfront and I have never had a problem delivering what I promised.

However, it really depends. If you know the client very well it can be okay to take a partial payment upfront. The best strategy is to make your decision on “per client” basis depending on how they found you, the value of the project, and how trustworthy you think they are. This is unfortunately a dilemma where you are on your own.

Solution : It’s your call. Depending on what the project is and how well you or the client know each other is the key.

5. Money vs. Sanity

One of the best aspects of freelancing is choosing your own hours and being able to work from home — however, there are a few downsides. One of them is not being able to say “No” when you are approached for work. You might have a plate full of work, but you still want to take on more. This again is one of those choices that should be made based on your situation.

It’s easy to take multiple projects, and sometimes what’s on your plate will be enough to drive you crazy. You might get an offer from a potential client and feel like you need to take it because it means more money in the bank — but it’s imperative to think before you take on any more work. If your plate is already crowded, and your current work is causing you to sleep less and spend less with your friends and family, choose sanity over money.

Solution : If you have your plate full and are doing well financially, go ahead and choose sanity. Not going crazy over work and a relaxed mentality will help you land more in the future rather than going crazy for a few more dimes and nickles.

Name Your Biggest Decisions

These are some of the most common freelancing dilemmas, but there are many others out there. Let us know what your biggest or most troubling choices have been and what you recommend for other freelancers when they find themselves in that situation.

Ritu is a freelance writer who has been involved in social media for several years. At the moment he is working on a variety of projects, but is always open to new ideas. Contact him at email(at)ritubpant(dot)com or follow @ritubpant on twitter.

Retrieved on 13^th October 2009 from http://freelancefolder.com/5-choices-you-will-face-when-freelancing-and-what-you-should-choose/