Natalia Zudaire

A pesar de que Chrome está ganando terreno a pasos agigantados, según las últimas estadísticas, Firefox sigue siendo el navegador más utilizado a día de hoy.

Una de las funciones que echo de menos en Chrome es la posibilidad de añadir motores de búsqueda al propio navegador. En Firefox, esta función se encuentra en la parte superior derecha, justo al lado de la barra de direcciones y permite ahorrar mucho tiempo.

Su funcionamiento es muy sencillo:

1. Cuando queramos hacer una búsqueda en alguno de los motores que tengamos instalados, en primer lugar debemos asegurarnos de que se encuentra seleccionado aquel que queramos utilizar.
2. A continuación, indicaremos en la caja de texto qué es lo que deseamos buscar.
3. Y con tan solo pulsar Enter, nos aparecerá la web del motor de búsqueda y nos mostrará directamente los resultados.

A primera vista, puede que parezca que no nos ahorra mucho tiempo. Pero si investigamos un poco más, podemos sacarle mucho rendimiento a esta función. Con la expresión “motor de búsqueda”, no solo se hace referencia a páginas como Google o la Wikipedia, también podemos guardar búsquedas predeterminadas en multitud de diccionarios y obras de consulta que los traductores visitamos con mucha frecuencia.

¿A quién no le gustaría ahorrarse tener que escribir “www.rae.es”, “iate.europa.eu” o “wordreference.com” y poder realizar la búsqueda directamente mientras navegamos por otra página? El ahorro de pulsaciones es mucho mayor con páginas en las que debemos seleccionar la combinación de idiomas o algunas opciones más.

En la sección de motores de búsqueda de la página de desarrollo de Mozilla hay infinidad de ellos. Incluso hay un apartado específico para diccionarios y traducción: http://mycroft.mozdev.org/search-engines.html?category=57

Para instalarlos, no hay más que seleccionar el enlace del motor de búsqueda y nos aparecerá una ventana emergente en la que se nos preguntará si queremos añadirlo a nuestro navegador. Un par de clics más tarde, ya tendremos el motor en la lista desplegable y podremos utilizarlo sin problema.

Lo más interesante es que es posible crear nuestros propios motores de búsqueda. Hace poco, hice uno para la combinación EN > ES del portal Mymemory.net.

Aquí os dejo una lista de los que me parecen más interesantes:

1. RAE – Búsqueda directa: http://mycroft.mozdev.org/search-engines.html?name=rae+b%C3%BAsqueda
2. RAE – CREA: http://mycroft.mozdev.org/search-engines.html?name=rae+crea
3. RAE – CORDE: http://mycroft.mozdev.org/search-engines.html?name=rae+corde
4. Diccionario de Dudas de la RAE: http://mycroft.mozdev.org/search-engines.html?name=rae+dudas
5. Ideas afines: http://mycroft.mozdev.org/search-engines.html?name=ideas+afines
6. Sinónimos (varios motores): http://mycroft.mozdev.org/search-engines.html?name=sin%C3%B3nimos
7. Collins EN – ES: http://mycroft.mozdev.org/search-engines.html?name=collins+en-%3Ees
8. Wordreference EN – ES: http://mycroft.mozdev.org/search-engines.html?name=wordreference+en-%3Ees
9. Babylon EN – ES: http://mycroft.mozdev.org/search-engines.html?name=babylon+en-%3Ees
10. IATE EN>ES: http://mycroft.mozdev.org/search-engines.html?name=iate+en+es
11. Microsoft Terminology EN – ES (dos versiones): http://mycroft.mozdev.org/search-engines.html?name=microsoft+terminology+es
12. PROZ – EN <-> ES: http://mycroft.mozdev.org/search-engines.html?name=proz+en%3C-%3Ees
13. Linguee EN – ES: http://mycroft.mozdev.org/search-engines.html?name=linguee+es
14. My Memory EN – ES: http://mycroft.mozdev.org/search-engines.html?name=my+memory+es
15. Merriam Webster (English – Spanish) (dos motores): http://mycroft.mozdev.org/search-engines.html?name=merriam+spanish

Sin entradas similares.

It was during discussions in the breaks at the recent TM Europe conference in Warsaw that I began to think the previously unthinkable. Later, as the son of a conference organizer showed me his Amazon Kindle, shortly before my dog knocked it into a pond and stole the boy's lunch, and others present told me how well the device worked for them, I decided to go against my grain and get the gadget to celebrate the old GDR's Day of the Republic.

I'm glad I did. I used to be quite a gadget freak in my younger days, an early adopter of generations of electronic organizers before the Sharp Wizard was a twinkle in a corporate marketer's eye. But the volumes of electronic junk to be disposed of in my various moves, as well as the grinding pace of 'e-progress', has made me deeply skeptical of the value of most technology.

The Kindle has made reading easy again for me. I was very surprised to find that no one was deluded in telling me that the screen contrast and reflectivity are much like paper, and with my little leather case and its integrated reading light, I can even enjoy a quiet read in the dark of night up in my loft. I can adjust the size of the fonts to read comfortably with or without my glasses. On my most recent excursion to escape intrusive neighbors and veterinary horrors to get a bit of recuperative quiet and perhaps accomplish some work, I carried a small library of dozens of classic literary works, some familiar, some not, my favorite newspapers, dictionaries, a few blogs and a vampire novel all in my half-pound Kindle, and I enjoyed more relaxed reading than I have in the past six months. It's a godsend.

I've found a few freeware tools for converting documents to readable formats for the Kindle, and I plan to convert some of my important translation glossaries for reference purposes. I have a notion that this little piece of technology might assist me in taking more of certain kinds of translation work off the technology grid to savor it like a fine wine in a more traditionally influenced but integrated working mode. I'm quite a late adopter in this case; when I ask, it seems that quite a few translating colleagues have such devices. But do they use them in some way professionally? Do you?

No matter how meticulous you are about a) your translations and b) your business practices, you can’t work as a freelancer without dealing with disgruntled clients from time to time. First, let’s say this: unless you love interpersonal conflict, dealing with unhappy clients is awful. Running your own business means caring very deeply about your work and putting your reputation behind every translation that you do, and it can be a truly horrible experience to have a client question your competence, integrity, whatever. But since this situation is bound to occur, let’s look at what you can/should do after you receive that angry phone call or e-mail from a client.

For the purposes of this post, let’s assume that the client’s complaint has at least some basis in fact. Maybe you don’t see the problem as being as serious as the client does, but you agree that there’s some shred of an issue to be dealt with. Baseless client complaints are another issue altogether, and one that I’ll save for another post (or better yet, another translation blogger can take that one on!). I think that resolving legitimate disputes boils down to three basic steps:

• Admit to the mistake;
• Apologize;
• Try to make it better.

Admittedly, I’m a pretty conflict-averse person, and I’m also very committed to maintaining a good reputation in the translation industry. Therefore, I probably go a little further with these steps than some translators do. For example, if I make a legitimate error, I nearly always offer the client some sort of compensation: I once e-mailed a client the wrong file for a (thankfully) very small project the night before I was leaving for a vacation. When I returned from vacation and realized what had happened, I told the client that of course I didn’t expect to be paid for that project, but that I also wanted to do a small job for them for free in the future. I think that this type of gesture shows the client that I get it: that freelancing can be a “one strike and you’re out” type of business, and that I am very committed to client satisfaction.

A few other dispute resolution tips that I’ve gleaned over the years:

• When you receive an angry e-mail from a client, first, do nothing. Don’t respond when you are angry too. Wait until you’ve cooled off a bit, then compose your response. Or compose your response and let it sit for an hour, then read it over before you send it.
• Always ask for specific examples of quality issues. It’s really hard to know how to make it better with a client who says “The tone isn’t what we wanted,” “The terminology wasn’t right for our audience,” etc. Always ask for an edited version of your translation, or for a few specific examples of the kind of issues the client is talking about.
• Resist the urge to write a lengthy explanation in response to a client complaint. When you respond, be concise, be kind and admit what happened. “I really apologize for neglecting to fully comply with your style sheet; I agree with the changes that you made to the document and I want to assure you that I will be more meticulous about this in the future” is enough. Save the venting and ranting for your trusted circle of friends and colleagues!
• Don’t complain about the client’s requirements after the fact. If the client sends you a 12 page style guide for a 1,500 word project, or expects you to go through an arduous QA process with no increase in your rate, the time to lodge your objection is before the project starts.
• Don’t take it personally. Clearly, this is easy to say and very, very hard to do. But when you’re dealing with a business issue, try to keep it businesslike. Stay calm, stay polite and try to see things from the client’s point of view.
• After the complaint is resolved, decide whether this client is a good fit for you. Sometimes the client’s complaint reflects the fact that their work style and yours are not a good fit. And really, that’s OK. There is enough other work out there for you, and there are enough other translators out there for them.

Si creíais que estaba muerto, tengo buenas noticias (¡o no!), y es que en realidad estoy más vivo que nunca y por eso no he publicado desde antes del verano. No pensaba que iba a tener tanto trabajo tras la pausa veraniega, y la verdad es que me siento muy afortunado de los proyectos que estoy sacando adelante ahora mismo, pues jamás habría imaginado que estaría traduciendo dos juegazos desde casa aparte de tener otros proyectos más que interesantes por otros lados. Creedme que tengo un montón de temas sobre los que escribir, pero no he encontrado el tiempo (ni la voluntad) que necesitaba para ponerme a ello con tantas cosas a mis espaldas.

Pero pasando ya a algo más interesante para vosotros y menos narcisista, mi experiencia estos meses me ha permitido valorar que, por mucho que creamos que nunca nos va a pasar cuando empezamos, llega un momento en la vida de un autónomo donde nos vemos auténticamente desbordados de trabajo y no podemos con todo. No me refiero ya a picos de trabajo en los que nos toca trabajar algún fin de semana o echar algunas horas más de la cuenta al día, sino a picos que nunca descienden y que cada vez son más altos. Lo más normal es agradecer este continuo flujo de trabajo y matarnos a trabajar, porque más palabras traducidas = a más dinero, lo cual nunca nos viene mal, ¿verdad?

Sin embargo… ¿y si resulta que estás ganando mucho pero no tienes vida? ¿Y si resulta que llevas levantándote diez días seguidos a las ocho de la mañana muy cansado por no dormir lo suficiente porque no paras de trabajar? ¿Y si te das cuentas de que todos tus amigos están de cervezas y tú estás solo en casa dándole a la tecla sin parar? Pues entonces resulta que, a cambio de dinero, estás renunciando a muchas cosas que te hacen feliz. Tuvo que ocurrir que hiciera un viaje a Bilbao con mis amigos Metaveros, del que tenía muchas ganas, y no poder aprovecharlo al máximo debido al cansancio acumulado de haber trabajado diez horas como mínimo durante diez días seguidos, incluido el fin de semana. Fue entonces cuando decidí que era momento de hacer algo muy recomendable que había oído pero que nunca había puesto en práctica: pasar trabajo a otra persona.

Así pues, tras esa agridulce experiencia, me fijé como objetivo renunciar a trabajos si ya estaba al completo y pedir ayuda para pasarlo a otros compañeros. Nada más llegar de Bilbao me llegó una oferta para traducir un videojuego para móviles de 4500 palabras y entonces fue cuando lo vi claro: era el momento de buscarme un aliado.

Rodéate de gente inteligente (más que tú, incluso) y alíate

Mi primera opción es siempre Elizabeth Sánchez León, de El taller del traductor, ya que tengo una gran amistad con ella y hemos trabajado juntos para otros proyectos. Sin embargo, ella estaba ocupada con otras cosas y no tenía demasiado tiempo para colaborar en este proyecto, y fue entonces cuando decidí poner en práctica algo a lo que le había dado vueltas desde hacía un tiempo: ¿por qué no darle una oportunidad a una joven promesa en lugar de recurrir a alguien con experiencia pero que ya sé que tiene mucho trabajo?

Así pues, ni corto ni perezoso, le escribí a Álvaro García, de [Sé lo que] traducistes, y le propuse participar en un proyecto de localización de videojuegos (sí, fui yo el que le pasó el trabajo que cuenta en su última entrada; y no decir que fui yo es otra señal de su gran profesionalidad como ya le dije por chat, pues demuestra su prudencia). En persona apenas nos conocimos en el congreso de videojuegos de la UAB de diciembre de 2010 y no es que hablemos mucho por Twitter o Facebook, pero las palabras y sabiduría que plasma en su blog me impulsaban a darle un voto de confianza. Esa misma confianza que Begoña Martínez depositó en mí cuando tenía 22 años para recomendarme para el Servicio de Traducción Universitario de la Universidad de Granada. Porque para que alguien os dé vuestro primer trabajo, alguien tiene que confiar en ti.

No hablaré ahora de su gran actitud y profesionalidad porque tengo mucho (y bueno) que decir sobre él y sería extenderse demasiado, pero no os preocupéis, que espero poder contároslo la semana que viene. No me refiero a escribir bondades sobre una persona en concreto, sino para que veáis qué podéis hacer vosotros ante un primer encargo, porque os puedo asegurar que, si tuviera que hacer una lista de comprobación de “cosas que le gustan a un cliente o gestor de proyecto”, él las cumple todas e incluso añade nuevas no previstas.

El placer de salir con los amigos mientras tu traducción se hace por otro lado

Llegamos al meollo del asunto, y es que poder darle esta traducción a Álvaro me permitió hacer mi trabajo mejor y también tener vida de la buena (quien me conoce ya sabe que me gusta divertirme) sin preocuparme tanto del trabajo. Y así fue: ahí estaba yo, un miércoles cualquiera, pasando un buen rato con mis compañeros de piso en una cervecería de al lado de mi casa con la tranquilidad de que aquella traducción de 4500 palabras se estaba haciendo “sola”.

Esto puede sonar a esclavitud, así que para que quede claro, el cliente me pagaba a 0,09 $ la palabra (era una agencia) y acordé con Álvaro que yo le pagaba a él 0,07 $ y yo me quedaba con 0,02 $ por gestionar y hacer una revisión rápida. Tenía la certeza de que apenas tendría que revisar y así fue, así que todos contentos. Me diréis que es una miseria, pero la alternativa era perder una oportunidad muy chula para los dos donde ganábamos los dos. En unas tres horas en total yo me saqué 90 $ y él mucho más, claro. Hay que tener en cuenta que al ser la primera vez me llevó mucho más tiempo, pero hace poco le he pasado otro proyecto y yo he tocado a unos 40 $ la hora. Estamos hablando de que cuento con la habilidad de alguien en quien confío como si fuera yo, así que no es que revise a 0,02 $, sino que en realidad reviso a 0,04 $ (casi unos 0,03 €) en términos de productividad, porque apenas toco nada (de lo contrario, no me merecería la pena). Y hay que recordar que el trabajo me lo pasa una agencia, no un trabajo directo.

Podría matizar mucho más la historia, pero de nuevo, tampoco quiero extenderme demasiado más. Simplemente quería contaros que, aunque ahora algunos soñéis con que el trabajo os sobre por las orejas y ganéis mucho dinero, llega un momento en el que tienes que replantearte qué es lo que quieres de verdad en la vida, y yo tengo claro que mientras tenga unos ahorros y no tenga necesidad imperiosa, prefiero ganar menos y disfrutar de tiempo libre en lugar de matarme a trabajar si me mandan mucho trabajo. Además, no es “no ganar”, sino ganar “no tanto”, porque si buscamos ayuda en otros colaboradores y tenemos tarifas dignas, seguiremos ganando dinero y conservaremos el cliente (evidentemente, tienes que rodearte de buenos colaboradores, porque la responsabilidad final es tuya).

Y a lo mejor mañana de repente ya no tengo proyectos y tengo que trabajar como un loco en lo que salga, pero mientras tanto, me alegraré de haber tenido tiempo para mí.

Nota: Aunque ya lo he matizado en los comentarios, me gustaría recalcar que claro que respeto la confidencialidad de los proyectos cuando la hay y que informo al cliente en la medida de lo posible. Justo en este caso que comento no había problema. No vayáis a pensar ahora que voy pasando por ahí documento de armas nucleares o que venda algo como mío cuando yo ni lo he mirado.

Bio: Judith Carrera es traductora autónoma y profesora asociada en la Universidad de Valladolid. Licenciada en Traducción e Investigación por esta misma universidad en 2005 y tras trabajar como profesional en el sector lingüístico, consiguió una beca de investigación de la Junta de Castilla y León. Desde entonces, ha ejercido su actividad principalmente en la Universidad de Valladolid en Soria. En el momento en que se realizó esta entrevista, su tesis estaba pendiente de lectura.

¿Puedes contarnos como es un día normal de trabajo?

Aunque tienes un tutor que supervisa tu trabajo, es un trabajo bastante independiente. Puedo planificar como quiera mis jornadas laborales, salvo que tenga que impartir clase. Este año doy clase de Lengua española y Traducción directa de inglés. Normalmente voy a la facultad por las mañanas y allí trabajo en el despacho de becarios hasta mediodía. De ese modo, puedo consultar libros del departamento y de la biblioteca. Por las tardes suelo trabajar en casa al menos un par de horas, por ejemplo, paso notas, leo documentación relacionada con mi tesis, etc.

¿Puedes hablarnos sobre la situación de la investigación? ¿Desde un punto de vista laboral, se trata de un trabajo bien remunerado o es algo vocacional?

Es algo muy vocacional, aunque el sueldo de casi cualquier recién licenciado en la empresa privada no suele ser mucho más alto (ronda los mil euros). Sin embargo, en los últimos años se está intentando regular los inicios de la carrera investigadora. De hecho, ahora cotizamos dos años y tenemos derecho a paro. Últimamente he leído en algunos periódicos que quieren mejorar la situación del personal investigador principiante ofreciéndoles contratos desde el primer año que empiezan a hacer el doctorado.

En resumen, los primeros años pueden resultar algo precarios, aunque se supone que esto es una carrera de fondo. Una vez que logras terminar la tesis, puedes acceder a plazas mejores, bien sea en la universidad, bien sea en algún organismo dedicado a la investigación (CSIC, por ejemplo).

¿La investigación es compatible con el mercado laboral? ¿se puede investigar y trabajar?

Depende del tipo de contrato que tengas y del campo en que investigues. Empezaré por explicar que en nuestro campo, la investigación no debería estar reñida con el mundo laboral. Desde mi punto de vista, investigar en Traducción e Interpretación no es en absoluto incompatible con poder ejercer otra profesión diferente en el mercado privado. Cuando investigas, desarrollas una serie de destrezas que siempre vienen bien, tales como el pensamiento crítico, gestión de proyectos a largo plazo, búsqueda documental, organización de documentación, etc. Son habilidades que nunca están de más para un traductor.

Además, si en algún momento tienes la oportunidad de presentar tu trabajo en un congreso, puedes aprovechar para aprender a hacer presentaciones en público. De hecho, las universidades a menudo ofrecen cursos sobre estos aspectos.

En mi caso concreto, mi contrato me impide realizar otros trabajos remunerados. Sin embargo, existen otros tipos de contratos que no ponen ninguna traba a la hora de realizar otras actividades laborales fuera del ámbito académico. En nuestra disciplina existen casos de profesores universitarios que también ejercen la profesión de traductor, intérprete u otras profesiones afines.

¿Qué camino hay que seguir para dedicarse a la investigación a tiempo completo?

La salida más directa es solicitar una beca o contrato de investigación dependiente de un organismo como puede ser el Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, de los gobiernos autonómicos, de las universidades o de entidades privadas. Cada año suele haber al menos una convocatoria, especialmente en aquellos centros que tienen proyectos de investigación de gran calado, en las que se ofrecen plazas para Personal Investigador en Formación (P. I. F.).

Actualmente están reformando toda la normativa y se dice que en septiembre habrá una nueva ley que regule mejor la carrera investigadora.

No obstante, también conozco personas que han realizado el doctorado al mismo tiempo que se dedicaban a otro trabajo y finalmente han terminado en la universidad.

Por lo general, la investigación trae aparejada la enseñanza en la universidad. ¿Docencia e investigación son compañeras inseparables?

Sí, a no ser que se trabaje en alguna institución en la que no haya docencia. De todos modos, el investigador también debería saber divulgar, pues siempre hay algún momento en que tiene que exponer públicamente su trabajo, ya sea en una conferencia o ya sea en una revista científica.

¿Cualidades imprescindibles para trabajar como investigador?

Disciplina, curiosidad, autocrítica, creatividad, paciencia, constancia, tenacidad, saber trabajar de manera autónoma y también en equipo.

¿Puedes hablarnos sobre algunos campos interesantes de investigación en el campo de la TI?

Personalmente, me atrae mucho la traducción y la localización de productos audiovisuales (películas, videojuegos, etc.), pero también hay proyectos interesantísimos sobre terminología, tecnologías aplicadas a la traducción, historia de la traducción (no solo literaria), enseñanza de la traducción y la interpretación, mediación intercultural… Hay tantos campos interesantes que resulta difícil decir solamente uno.

¿Algún consejo para quien quiera dedicarse a este sector?

Si tienes la posibilidad, elige bien al director de tu tesis, pues tendrás que trabajar muy estrechamente con esa persona. ¡Serás de los pocos trabajadores que pueden elegir a su jefe!

Internet and the English language brought people with common interests together from all around the globe, and blogging earned its big slice in launching individuals’ careers as freelance writers. What a great option to hone writing skills, learn how to interact with a readership, and build quality clips?

While the majority of these blogs are well written, no matter the author’s nationality, a number of non-natives’ blogs show poor English skills. Causes are diverse and not always a consequence of the author’s negligence: poor teaching, lack of feedback, and little opportunities to put language skills in practice.

The result, however, is the same: compromised readability turns off readers, and writers can have a tough time breaking into the writing market. Language skills are crucial to landing a job, along with an eye for storytelling and proofreading.

Don’t let this discourage you. If you are a non-native English writer with (still) unripe English skills, you can work on perfecting your writing for the English-speaking market, and advance your career.

How Can The Non-Native English Writer Put a Period After The Word “Struggle”?

I’m a non-native English speaking blogger and freelance writer, and I have dealt with the word “struggle” since the very beginning of my career. It’s a (sad) truth: not every reader of your blog is going to provide the feedback you need to improve your skills.

Improving takes the guts to look for and accept constructive criticism, courage to draft, edit and rewrite, time and patience to pick up grammar books once more, and master both grammar, spelling, and your voice in another language.

The following seven language skill-perfecting tips come from three years of experience as a blogger first and later as a freelance writer. Oh, I still blog! But nowadays blogging has a little bonus: quality.

7 Tips To Improve Your English Skills

1. Read, read, read. Not only blogs. Read books, magazines, brochures, reports and what else you feel appropriate for your niche. You should read not just to learn new topics and about discoveries of your favorite discipline, but even to improve your understanding of grammar, sentence structure and technical jargon. I suggest underlining terms, verbs and idiomatic sentences you encounter for the first time, so you can look them up in your dictionary or grammar reference later.

2. Build a personalized dictionary from your reading. All you need is a notepad and a pen. Write down idiomatic expressions, niche jargon, irregular verbs and writing style notes to revise later. My experience teaches that a personalized dictionary, which you write during your reading sessions, is much more effective as a learning aid than a printed or online dictionary you consult passively.

3. Engage in forum and chat conversations. This is crucial. You can’t hope to perfect your English writing skills until you learn to think in English. Forums and chat rooms can make the difference: you are forced into a dynamic environment, which requires speedy action on your part. Once you hone your English thinking, along with your writing, you can work on improving your pronunciation — to be able to conduct interviews.

4. Start a personal blog. Readers take niche blogs pretty seriously: bad grammar and spelling are seen as unprofessional and they are by all means a turn-off. On the contrary, a personal blog makes a perfect home to write about your favorite niche, while you work to perfect your skills: you can share personal opinions and experience, use newly learned jargon fear-free. No one is going to regard you as incompetent because of your English flaws on your personal blog.

5. Edit and rewrite… with the help of a dictionary! I encourage you to keep a dictionary at hand for the editing/rewriting stage. A thesaurus is another good companion to keep handy, too. Editing and rewriting require competencies and vocabulary most non-natives haven’t mastered well yet, so make sure you have good reference material on your desk.

6. Ask a native English speaker to review your work. The best criticism you can get is a native English speaker’s. Figuring out how to use certain slang, verbs and idiomatic expressions can be a tricky job for a non-native speaker. An English speaker can help you correct grammar, spelling, tone and style. So much in so little time!

7. Keep a humble attitude towards constructive criticism. Learning involves being ready to discuss your own work. You can’t learn new things when you remain rigid on your position. Also, be humble and thankful to people who spend their time to review your work and give you constructive feedback; their advice can be the turning point in your writing career.

English Learning Resources

Following is a small list of FREE, quality resources you can use as reference material for your learning. Most of them include a user forum, which I encourage you to use actively in order to get the feedback you need to improve your skills.

• UsingEnglish.com
• WordReference.com
• Write-Better-English.com
• English-Daily.com
• EnglishPronunciationPod.com

Photo credit: Some rights reserved by THP.

Having a strong brand can be a game-changer for your freelance business.

Good brands command respect and establish a reputation. They establish your presence in the marketplace. When questions arise like “where can I find a good freelance writer” or “where do I go to get my website redesigned” … strong brands immediately come to mind.

So how do you build your brand? What rules of branding should you follow?

It takes time and effort, of course, but here are 5 often overlooked rules to remember when branding your freelance business…

1. Brands need boundaries.

It’s tempting to claim that you can handle any client.

“We have a solution for everyone.”

“Whatever you need, we can make it work.”

But in reality, it’s better to set boundaries for your brand. Saying what you won’t do is just as important as saying what you will do because it gives people a reason to remember you.

For example, a new freelancer came to me the other day with a few questions because he wanted to start a photography business. He wanted to do wedding and engagement photos, but not in the traditional way. His idea was to do fun geeky/tech sort of photos. Like where the bride and groom want their engagement photos to have a Star Wars theme or a zombie theme or something of that sort.

Now, that’s not my style, but it is a killer brand. That’s a photographer that you’re going to remember. And if you have friends that are getting engaged and love Harry Potter or LOST or Twilight, you might mention that guy to them.

His brand isn’t for everyone and that’s why you remember it.

2. Actions reinforce branding.

You can claim that your brand is x, y, or z … but if you don’t back it up with actions, then your image is just words and pictures.

Brands come to life when they are supported by the actions of the business.

Brands come to life when they are supported by the actions of the business. If you want a brand that clients believe in, then you need to back it up with the way you go about your business.

You can’t claim to have incredible customer service if you don’t give clients the time of day. You can’t claim to strive for perfection if you just ship over your first draft. You can’t claim to always deliver if you send the final version over two days late.

Brand are either reinforced by actions or destroyed by them. Make sure your actions are sending the right signal.

3. Brands evolve.

You might think that your brand is set in stone, but it’s actually quite flexible.

It’s easy to think, “This is what I’ve always been. I can’t change now.” But that’s not true. Even large businesses — Apple, for example — reinvent themselves over and over again as time goes on.

As a freelancer, you need to do the same to make sure that you stay relevant. Improve your skills by staying up to date on the necessary technology. Revise your portfolio to ensure that you’re always highlighting your best work.

Brands stay relevant by evolving over time. Make sure that you’re doing the same.

4. Your brand exists for the customer, not for you.

It can be a lot of fun to build your brand and carve out your own space in the freelance world. In the beginning, it feels like you’re creating your own mini-empire.

But don’t stay wrapped up in your own world for too long.

The purpose of a brand is to support your customers, not your ego.

The purpose of a brand is to support your customers, not your ego. You job is to make your clients look good. If your brand doesn’t support that cause, then you’re business is going to struggle to support you.

Don’t be afraid to jump in and do what needs to be done. That won’t always make you look glamorous (and maybe it isn’t the glorified role that you had in mind), but it will make you useful.

Check your ego at the door and become a problem solver for your clients. That strategy will help any brand.

5. You are your brand.

It can be hard to “live your business” all the time, but it comes with the freelancing territory.

If you’re in a bad mood and meet someone for the first time (out to eat or at a party, for example), then you’re not putting on a good show for your business.

Everyone is a potential client, and while none of us are perfect, it’s your responsibility to put your best foot forward as often as possible.

If your attitude is inconsistent, then your brand image will be inconsistent as well. That’s the life of freelancers and solopreneurs. You are your brand, whether you like it or not.

What steps have you taken to build your brand? Leave a comment and tell us.

Photo credit: Some rights reserved by PixelsAway.

What makes you the freelancer you are? (Hint: it’s NOT what you think it is.)

While it may be tempting to look for a simple, single factor that always leads to freelancing success, the real truth is that all freelance success is due to the sum of many parts.

There’s no single path to freelancing success (and this can be frustrating). As I’ve said before, what works well for one freelancer may totally bomb when another freelancer tries it. That’s because every single freelancer brings something different to the job. Who you are, as a whole, contributes to the freelancer you become.

Holistic means looking at the parts that make up the whole and that’s just what I’ll do in this post. I’ll take a look at the whole freelancer and examine how who you are impacts your freelancing business overall. Here are some of the factors that we freelancers bring with us into our freelancing businesses:

Factor #1. Freelancing Field

What type of freelancer are you?

Your experience as a freelancer will be different, depending upon what type of freelancing you do.

For example, the web is content-hungry. Because of the constant need for content, I’m convinced that freelance writers have an easier time getting repeat business than other freelancers whose clients might only need their services once in a great while.

Also, is your field broad, or are you in a narrow niche? Your answer makes a difference. Being a niche freelancer can be beneficial, but watch out! If your niche is too narrow, you’ll have trouble finding work.

Factor #2. Education

While formal education can help you as a freelancer, it’s not always necessary. At Freelance Folder, we also support those who are self-taught.

Check out these posts to learn more about how to teach yourself about some select fields:

• Can You Teach Yourself Web Design?
• Can You Really Teach Yourself to Be a Freelance Writer?

Another aspect of education and learning that impacts who you are as a freelancer is whether you are continuously learning. I definitely recommend that you view learning as a lifelong process.

Factor #3. Past Work Experience

The jobs you’ve held in the past definitely play a part in your present freelancing success.

Oddly enough, you can get skills to take with you into freelancing from nearly any work that you do–not just those jobs in your chosen field.

Check out these real life stories from freelancers with varied backgrounds:

• From a former private investigator–5 Lessons Being a Private Investigator Taught Me About Freelancing
• From a former belly dance instructor–Freelance Lessons Learned–Make Your Own Music
• From a former fast food worker–5 Freelance Lessons I Learned from Working in the Fast Food Industry

As you can see, your work history plays a big role in who you ultimately become as a freelancer.

Factor #4. Personality

Is there an ideal freelancing personality?

Many, would say “yes.” In fact, the internet is full of courses and ebooks that recommend a “cookie cutter” approach to running your small business. It can be tempting to think that we are all the same with the same personality, needs, and goals. But personally, I don’t think there is just one ideal freelancing personality (although obviously some personality types may struggle with certain aspects of freelancing more than others).

If you really want to freelance, you can adapt it and make it work for you. So, whether you’re naturally shy, outgoing, messy, neat, whatever your personality type–there’s usually a way to make your freelancing fit you.

Factor #5. Values

Another aspect of yourself that you bring into freelancing is your values.

Are you the type of person who takes pride in what they do, or do you like to just do enough to get by? Can you be counted on to meet a deadline, or do you believe deadlines are just guidelines? Do you like people, or find them annoying?

Whatever your values are, they’ll come right along with you into your freelancing business.

Related to values is the question of what drives you (in other words, what is important to you). Are you seeking after life balance? Power? Money?

How you, as an individual freelancer, feel about these questions affects your freelancing business. In the end, that is why your freelancing business will look different from mine, which will look different than Lexi’s freelancing business, which will look different from… Well, you get the picture.

Your Turn

In this post, I attempted to examine the whole freelancer. The key thing is to understand the various aspects of your background and personality and how they affect your freelancing business.

What aspects of yourself have you brought into your freelancing business that are uniquely yours?

Image by noii’s

Related posts:

1. How Experimenting Can Help You Become a Better Freelancer
2. How to Become a Successful Freelancer When You’re “Different”
3. What Type of Freelancer Are You?

No matter what your freelancing specialty is, odds are that you can benefit from the use of an office productivity suite. In fact, you may already be using one.

What is an office productivity software suite? Simply put, it is a group of business-oriented software packages that are bundled together for distribution. The most common bundles include word processing and spreadsheet software, but other bundle configurations exist as well.

Office productivity suites used to cost businesses hundreds of dollars, but freelancers should be aware that many low cost and even free options are now available. In this list, I’ve included 13 of the most popular office productivity software suites.

13 Office Productivity Suites

In no particular order here are thirteen choices for office productivity software:

1. Google Apps for Business. Google’s office suite includes a selection of office productivity tools including enhanced-for-business versions of Gmail, Google Talk, Google Calendar, Google Docs, Google Sites, and Google Video. Several pricing options are available, based on the size of your business, and limited-time free trial is also available.
2. LibreOffice Productivity Suite. This free office productivity suite comes from the not-for-profit organization, The Document Foundation. Applications include Writer, Calc, Impress, Draw, Base, and Math. Because it’s free, support comes primarily from the community of users and the developers. The license for this suite is LGPL, meaning it can be customized as needed.
3. OpenOffice. Another free office productivity suite. The following are included in this suite: Writer, Calc, Impress, Draw, Base, and Math. Oracle is the primary contributor of code to OpenOffice, but other major companies also contribute. For technical support, they offer a forum and a FAQ site as well as a user guide.
4. Microsoft Office. The Microsoft Office Suite has a variety of configurations from home use to student use to use by various size businesses. Depending on the configuration, the applications included in the suite can change, but it usually includes at least Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and OneNote. The suite is not free (although some versions may have a free trial), but there are a huge number of free templates available on the Microsoft site.
5. WordPerfect Office X5. Another office productivity suite that offers multiple configurations based on the customer need. The home and student version includes software for word processing, spreadsheets, slideshows and presentations, and a digital notebook. Free trials are available although the productivity suite is not free. Some templates are also available. Support plans are available and there is also knowledgebase of frequently asked questions.
6. Zoho. Zoho offers a large number of productivity software tools, but as far as I could tell they are not packaged together in a suite. As of the time of publication, Zoho products were free for personal use, although the site stated that business and corporate users may be charged. Some Zoho tools that may be of particular interest include: Writer, Sheet, Show, and Calendar. Support is available.
7. Quickoffice & OfficeSuite Pro5. While these are technically not office suites themselves, these apps give the capability to access your Microsoft Office files from your mobile device. For the freelancer on the go this means mobility. OfficeSuite Pro5 is specifically for the Android Market. Quickoffice can work with a variety of mobile devices.
8. PlusOffice Free 3.0. A freeware package is based on OpenOffice. Use this on Windows 7/Vista (I did not see a Mac version). The suite includes a text editor, spreadsheet, presentation package, and more. Compare with commercial packages.
9. IBM (r) Lotus (r) SmartSuite (r). This suite will cost money, but the product also has the support of IBM. It includes Word Pro (r), Freelance Graphics (r), and Approach (r). Additional software options are available for an added cost.
10. ThinkFree. This office productivity prides itself on being compatible with MS Office. Use it for word processing, creating spreadsheets, and presentations. There are many versions of this suite available, including one for the Windows, the Mac, Linux, and even Android operating systems. Even though this suite costs money, you can download a trial version.
11. KOffice. This is another free office productivity suite alternative. It includes KWord (a word processor), KCells (a spreadsheet) and Showcase (presentation software). Because it’s free, it largely depends on volunteers and users to maintain and update it. There is a Userbase and forum.
12. NEOOffice. This is an office suite specifically for MAC OS X. They’ve even included a mobile version that can be accessed remotely. It is distributed under the GNU General Public License (GPL). It is funded entirely by user donations.
13. Softmaker. This office productivity suite includes TextMaker (word processing), PlanMaker (spreadsheet), and Presentations. There are multiple versions available including a mobile version. This package does cost money.

Whichever package you choose, always make sure that you understand the licensing agreement (and any limitations) that comes with your software.

Your Turn

Do you have a favorite office productivity software suite? What is it?

Share your favorites in the comments below. If you know of any packages we’ve left off the list, share that too.

Image by ford

Related posts:

1. 12 Free Appointment Scheduling Software Packages for Freelancers
2. Top 7 Collaboration Software Tools for Successful Freelancers
3. Open Thread: What Software Tool Could You Not Do Without?

A forum of freelance professionals can be a lifesaver for the independent worker.

It offers an avenue for shared knowledge, inspiration, and the opportunity to connect socially and professionally. 

Whether you’re trying to establish yourself in a forum that’s new to you, or you’re an old timer, here’s some do’s and don’ts to maximize your success.

Don’t talk numbers – What freelancer doesn’t wonder how they stack up financially to their peers?  But a forum isn’t the place to nose around for numbers, or to broadcast your own figures.

If you are compelled to talk profits, do so in general terms. Ask what marketing strategies yielded their best return, what seasons tend to be dry/profitable, or what steps others have found that boosted their bottom line.

Don’t rush the relationship – Just like dating, don’t come on too strong when you join a new forum. Introduce yourself, then quietly read and learn the ropes.  Gradually answer a few questions that are within your area of expertise.

You’ll be more welcome with a few respectable posts, rather than coming on board with a glut of postings.

Don’t rant – Everyone has days when they need to unload. But the forum’s not the best place for that. Ranting to an audience of forum readers, the majority of whom don’t know you, can easily backfire, making you look like a problem child.  Plus, it’s difficult to share enough background in a brief posting to enable readers to fully sympathize with your situation.

But don’t bypass the forum as an avenue to work out professional grievances. Let your anger subside for a few days, compose a neutral message relaying the facts, then invite others to share their advise.

Don’t name drop – If you’ve frequented a forum for years, it may seem like your old stomping grounds.  You may feel like you know everyone who visits, and who doesn’t.

It may be tempting to warn your fellow freelancers about a nasty client by name or business name, but don’t do it. Even if you’re certain the named person never reads the forum (you can never be too sure) word is likely to trickle back somehow.

Don’t alienate newcomers – Inside jokes were fun in high school, but they don’t have much purpose in a group of professionals.  Don’t make your threads so familiar that newcomers wandering by feel like an uninvited guest to a party.

Avoid messages where you refer to other members by name instead of handle, mention events without giving any background, or talk about issues that leave the majority of readers in the dark. If you’ve become tight with one or two of the folks on the forum, keep up with them off-line.

Don’t typecast yourself – If you only post when you’re looking for a job, when you’re angry at a client, or when you’re panicking and need information, you’re likely to be sticking a (negative) label to your cyber forehead.  Avoid this by interacting on a variety of levels – share answers when you have them, pass along industry news, ask for input, or congratulate another member.

Don’t answer – Remember what your mother taught you: if you don’t have anything nice to say, say nothing at all.  If a post leaves you irate, or aghast at a newcomer’s apparent lack of knowledge, just don’t respond. Similarly, if a post has hit a collective nerve and is being nailed with heated responses, don’t feel you need to add your two cents as well. Diffuse the situation with silence, rather than having an emotionally charged email with your name attached floating around forever in cyberspace.

Forums can fill a huge hole for the independent worker, and using them correctly is key to building up a professional relationship. What tips and techniques have you found to help maximize the usefulness of a forum?

This was a banner year for me as a freelance writer—it was the year I started firing clients. And not just the ones who were difficult, unreasonable, or downright rude. Severing those types of relationships should be a no-brainer if you’re going to maintain your sanity as a freelancer.

This year, I went one step further and found the courage to fire the ones who—although perfectly civil, reliable, and easy to work with—were simply not moving my career in the right direction.

In this post, I’ll explain why I took this drastic step.

Why I Fired My “Good” Clients

Firing good clients may sound pretty foolhardy. After all, we’re going through a deep, prolonged, global recession. I’m lucky to even have clients. If they’re not downright abusive or crazy, shouldn’t I be doing my level best to keep them?

Maybe. After all, it takes time and energy to find and retain new clients. And firing them leaves a hole in both your work schedule and your finances—the bigger the client, the bigger the hole.

But sometimes that’s just the motivation we need to push ourselves out of our comfort zone. And recession or no, I want my career to be shaped by aspirations, not fear.

Which Clients Did I Fire?

So what kinds of clients did I fire this year? Here are two examples of perfectly good clients I chose to let go of in pursuit of a more focused and rewarding freelance career:

• The client whose work doesn’t enhance your abilities or your portfolio. Very early in my freelancing career, I picked up a client who needed very light, simple articles written about promotional merchandise—gift baskets, monogrammed golf shirts, and so on. She paid reasonably well for the articles, and they were a cinch to write. The work was easy and stress-free, and the client was easy-going, appreciative, and paid on time every time. But I made the decision to end the relationship with her because the work was doing nothing to enhance my skills or build an impressive portfolio. I realized that every frothy article I wrote for her was taking me away from the type of client work or self-promotion activities that could help me move my career forward. Sure, the relationship was comfy, but where would it leave me in the long term? As freelancers, our portfolios are an integral part of our marketability. If my portfolio is full of fluffy filler, chances are I’ll continue to attract more jobs of that caliber. Refusing to do that kind of work doesn’t automatically guarantee I’ll land better-quality projects in future, but it does give me the time and the headspace to work on attracting quality work—by doing some outreach to a new market, for instance, or taking a course, or improving my website.
• The client whose work isn’t a fit with your own ethics or values. As freelancers, few of us are lucky enough to work exclusively with clients whose values reflect our own perfectly. However, when the rift is wide, it may be time to let the client go. I made the decision to sever relations with a client earlier this year because their business was moving in a direction I wasn’t comfortable with. I had written web copy for their health supplement, and they were happy enough with my work to contract me for a series of e-newsletters, blog posts, and landing pages. The work was great, and they even stuck with me loyally through two rate hikes. However, the claims they made for their product were becoming more and more unrealistic, and the sales pitch began to feel an awful lot like snake oil to me. I think they truly believed their product was the cure for everything from obesity to asthma to osteoporosis—but I didn’t. And I didn’t feel good about writing inspirational articles about how a few spoonfuls of vitamin powder could solve readers’ health problems. When I finally fired this client, the boost it gave my self-esteem and sense of integrity was well worth the loss of the business.

It’s important to feel confident about the work you do as a freelancer—if it’s not something you want to share with the world, think carefully about whether it truly fits your vision. Do you need the money that badly? What if you could find work that’s personally satisfying as well as financially rewarding?

How to Fire a Good Client the Right Way

Even with a bad client, you want to end the relationship in a positive and professional manner. A good client who has treated you fairly deserves an extra measure of respect and consideration when it’s time to move on and let them go. Firing a good client requires finesse and forethought.

On a more practical note, here are some tips for bowing out gracefully:

• Do it face to face. Firing a client via email is only appropriate if your communication with them occurs exclusively in this medium. If this is a client you regularly meet with in person, fire them in person. If it’s a remote relationship, but you talk regularly using the phone or VoIP, talk to them voice to voice about the need to sever the relationship.
• Keep it civil. We’re so used to break-ups that involve anger and blame, it’s easy to default to those settings. Make sure you remain neutral and supportive during the conversation or email exchange. It’s not about laying blame. It’s about explaining to your client that you’re transitioning into a different phase in your career, and convincing them that in future, they will be better served by someone whose objectives are more closely aligned with theirs.
• Give them fair warning. Your client relies on you to keep their business running smoothly, so don’t disrupt things by leaving them in the lurch. Make it clear that you fully intend to complete any projects that are still in play. To leave a really good impression, offer to continue working with them while they search for your replacement—but do put a time limit on the offer!
• Refer them to another freelancer. If there’s a freelancer you know and trust that you know would be the right fit for the client’s work, make an introduction. You’ll prove to the client that you care about leaving them in good hands, and you’ll earn the gratitude of the freelancer you refer them to. Good karma all around.

Your Turn

Have you ever fired a “good” client?

Without naming names, share your story in the comments.

Image by jm3

Related posts:

1. Reasons to Fire Your Client
2. 10 Secret Reasons Why You Lose Clients
3. 7 Reasons Your Website Doesn’t Bring In New Clients

A friend of mine recently started working remotely for the first time. Talking to him since he’s been settling in to his new role, I was reminded of my own transitional experience, and the potential problems faced by new remote workers that can be disastrous for the whole experience if not handled early.

Here are sensitive areas to watch with your own remote staff, or to guard against and prepare for if you’re a new remote worker yourself.

1. Training is tricky. Orientation for new remote workers, especially if they’re new to the job or company and not just making the shift from being an in-office employee, can be very difficult. We tend to forget how much training, even when it takes the shape of self-directed study, is helped by the presence of experienced staff to clear up misunderstandings and provide guidance. It’s much more difficult to quickly check if you understand something correctly when you’re working remotely and don’t have a mentor nearby.

To assist with training, make sure support staff with the knowledge new remote employees will need are on-hand via IM for quick contact during business hours. Also be aware that training may be slower with remote employees than with on-site ones.

2. Compatibility issues. It can be very frustrating to run into hardware and software compatibility issues early on in a remote work setup, especially without having easy access to in-house IT support staff to clear up any issues.

Luckily, the fix is easy. Check all essential software and prepare and publish hardware and software guidelines prior to hiring remote staff, or moving people to remote work positions. Make sure that not only do staff know what they need to work remotely, but also how to use those tools.

3. One is the loneliest number. Offices are nothing if not social spaces; one of the biggest shock to a new remote worker’s system can be having to deal with the loss of the social aspects of office work. It’s something that might not get noticed right away, but after the honeymoon period is over, loneliness can set in.

Coworking is one way to fight off the lack of social interaction for remote staff. Working together in a shared office space has a number of other benefits, too. Other good tactics to stave off loneliness include getting staff out to events and trade shows on a regular basis.

4. Rewards are less real. It can be hard for remote workers to feel like their work is valued. Positive feedback and informal praise are things that can easily get lost when you’re working with a distributed workforce, and the resulting impact on long-term morale can be quite considerable.

To combat this issue, make rewards for good performance a priority, and don’t forget to drop a note even for small achievements. Also, if you’re a remote worker, try to re-frame your sense of a job well done, by considering that a verbal “good job” just isn’t something you’ll likely receive as often as a remote worker, since an email actually to that effect requires more effort than an offhand comment.

5. Feeling forgotten. Remote workers can have a tendency to feel forgotten, especially when working together in a company which also employs on-site staff. The perception, whether real or imagined, is that they’re lower down the pecking order than people who work in the office. Even workers in entirely distributed teams can feel at least a little out-of-site, out-of-mind.

Employers have to make it very clear that all considerations for advancement is based purely on performance. Having remote staff in trusted positions higher up the totem pole can reinforce the idea that remote staff are just as visible and valuable as other members of the team.

Remote working has a lot of benefits, but it also poses many challenges. Being aware of and addressing those challenges, however, can help make a distributed workforce happier, more productive and more sustainable.

Image courtesy Flickr user stars alive

Related content from GigaOM Pro (subscription req’d):

• The Future of Workplaces
• The Future of Work Platforms: An Overview
• The Case for Increased M&A in 2011: Actions and Outlooks

Advertise here with BSA

I recently returned from a two month stay in Japan, where along with a bit of networking, I made sure to hand out a few business cards. Just a few days ago I received my first potential client contact from one of the cards I handed out. It further proved to me that the power of business cards has not diminished even in this digital age.

Here are a few standout business card templates from GraphicRiver that may get you kick started if you’ve been holding out on getting your business cards done. Sorry about the watermarking, but if you squint a bit you can make it go away

1. BlackDot Business Card

2. Designer Business Card

3. Creative Vintage Business Card

4. Dark Business Card

5. Stylish Floral Business Card Set

6. 4 Colors Business Card

7. RW Creative Studio Business Card

8. Modern business card template

9. Vintage ticket Business Card

10. NINJA Business Cards

11. Business Card – Retro

12. Sleek Business Card (Zebra Design)

13. Polaroid Business Card

14. Hello Card

15. Flower Power

16. Elegant Business Card

17. Business card in 4 colors

18. Modern Business Cards

19. Sleek & Dark Business Card

20. Vertical developer 2×3,5 inches business card

I make extensive use of smart folders (in Apple Mail) and tags (in Gmail) to sort my email into logical groups that I can easily process all at once; it’s an important part of my strategy for processing my inbox faster and dealing with email overload. The key is to use rules and filters that automatically sort my email without any additional intervention from me.

Here are a few of the rules, filters and email groupings that I use to sort my email and process my inbox more efficiently:

1. Status reports. I use a rule that automatically places anything that contains “monthly status report” or “MSR” anywhere in the subject line into a “status reports” smart folder, without removing it from my inbox. At the end of the month, when the status reports are flooding in, I can click on my folder and pick out the few that I need to read while filing the rest away in my archive to quickly get them out of my inbox.
2. High volume subjects. For any topic that is generating a lot of email, such as a project that’s about to be completed, I’ll often create a temporary smart mailbox that uses keywords to find those high volume subjects. I can then easily scan through all the emails on that particular topic and better see the threads that are being discussed all together in one place. Turning threaded discussions on for those folders is a good way to see entire conversations in order to decide whether or not I need to add anything to the discussion.
3. Twitter messages. To reduce distraction, Twitter messages automatically get dumped into a separate folder without ever hitting my inbox. I can just take a quick look at this folder occasionally to see if there is anything interesting or anyone that I want to follow back.
4. Services. I also create folders to group mail from bug trackers, mailing lists, etc. These go to individual folders without skipping my inbox, which helps me to get through the first wave of email in the morning, because I can process all the email from each service that came in overnight. During the day, I can see the new emails popping into the inbox and decide whether they need to be dealt with immediately or processed later.
5. People. I keep a list of the people who work for me and make sure that their emails appear both in my inbox and in a smart folder. This is really important when I am pressed for time and can’t get through my email, because it allows me to at least glance at the email from my employees to see if anyone urgently needs something from me.
6. Unimportant. I also have a bunch of filters that take things like press releases from random PR people and dump them immediately to reduce the clutter in my inbox.

Related content from GigaOM Pro (subscription req’d):

• Google Wave Explained
• The Case for Increased M&A in 2011: Actions and Outlooks
• The Structure 50: The Top 50 Cloud Innovators

Do you like to market your freelancing business?

If you’re like many freelancers, your answer to that question is probably “no.” Many freelancers dislike the marketing tasks associated with freelancing.

That’s one reason why we’re presenting this interview with Jonathan Kay. You see, marketing is Jonathan’s job–and he’s good at it. Very good.

Jonathan’s official title is the Ambassador of Buzz at Grasshopper (a brand that empowers entrepreneurs with a virtual phone system).

In Jonathan’s own words he is, “is extremely passionate about helping / meeting new entrepreneurs and always excited to learn about their unique journey.”

I asked Jonathan to share some of his tips and insights about marketing with us here at Freelance Folder. Specifically, I asked him to address how freelancers can generate referral business. I’m sure that freelancers of all kinds can learn from his advice.

6 Marketing Tips

I asked Jonathan six questions about how freelancers can better generate referrals. Here’s what he shared with us:

1. Most freelancers love what they do, but hate to market their freelance business. Can you suggest any ways to help freelancers dread marketing less?

Jonathan: Have fun with it. I mean just be yourself, and let your personality seep into your marketing. Remember, as a freelancer you don’t have to appeal to the “general public” (whatever that means), or even tens of thousands of people. You need to find your niche and, be as awesome as you can within those bounds.

I’ll give you an example. I met a really fun front end designer a few months back who helped me out with a project I was working on. She took a really creative approach to her website’s “about page,” and as a client of hers I really appreciated that. Here it is–Brimming About Page.

All she did was outline a cute, funny, “hypothetical” client conversation. But for me, it gave me some real insights into her personality, and just generally made me feel more comfortable working with her! It was simple, fun, and she was just herself.

2. I think one of the reasons that most freelancers don’t ask their clients for referrals or leads is because they dread getting a negative response. Are there any tricks to determining whether a client is good candidate for providing a referral?

Jonathan: I would venture to say it’s worse to not have enough business, than it is to get a negative response from a client =). But I know that wasn’t the question! I think the first “trick” would be to note what it is your client does. If word of mouth and referrals are a big part of their business, then they will inherently understand the value and most likely be happy to help (assuming they had a positive experience). I would also take into account a few other things:

• How much time have you spent “outside of the norm” walking them through things, helping them understand something, etc. (The more you put in, the more fair of an expectation it will be that your client would feel comfortable spreading the word.)
• Did they get great results from whatever work you did for them? (Stellar results are always a good opportunity to ask for a referral.)
• Trust your gut. Do you find yourself talking about things outside of your project with your client? Like sports or cooking or your kids? If you feel like you have established a good relationship, then asking the question shouldn’t hurt that (even if they don’t want to refer you).

3. What should you do if a client gives you a referral that doesn’t pan out (the client didn’t really understand your business or the referral can’t afford your services)?

Jonathan: I would simply do whatever I could to help the person they referred to me. Now that doesn’t mean try and offer them services you do not have expertise in. You should connect with them, listen to them, and either see if you can help them or connect them with someone in your network who can. Being the person who makes valuable connections for people goes a long way. It makes you memorable, and when those clients do end up needing a service you offer you will be in the forefront of their minds.

In regards to pricing, that can be a bit trickier. There will surely be exceptions to what I am about to say, and times where you need to “do a favor” just because of your relationship with the referrer. However, as a general statement I think it’s important to decide what your value is, and stick to that. If you are not in the ballpark of the client you are speaking to, simply find a nice way to connect them with someone you know who is more inexpensively priced. I would always, always thank the client who sent the referral regardless of whether it was a direct fit. If someone is consistently (more than 3 times) sending you leads that are not a fit, at that point you could politely correct their expectations. Just remember meeting new people is the best thing you can do for your business, so there is no reason to cut any ties unless it becomes a major time suck.

4. What about sending out a customer satisfaction survey after a job is done? Is this a good way for a freelancer to determine whether a client is really happy?

Jonathan: I think that is a boring, stale, and spammy way to find out if your client is happy. Customer satisfaction surveys are what some phone companies send after you talk with one of their “customer care representatives.”

Why not pick up the phone and call them a few weeks after your project? After all you probably spent multiple weeks if not months working with them, why end it by sending an impersonal email? Even better, you could send them a handwritten note saying you enjoyed working with them, really appreciated the business, and would love if they could provide any feedback. I would venture to say writing a hand written note could increase their likelihood to refer you as well!

5. What other tips would you give to freelancers regarding getting their clients to spread the word about their freelancing business?

Jonathan: Do anything you can to help the people you interact with. Literally anything. I meet a lot of people, and travel a good amount to different entrepreneurial events throughout the US….every person I meet knows someone in their life who is a “connector.” Be that person. Don’t just say you will make that introduction (or send them that link), make a note and when you get home actually do it. That type of follow up, and willingness to help anyone will create an atmosphere around you that will help your business not only grow, but flourish.

6. Do you have any other thoughts to share?

Jonathan: I know asking for referrals can be really awkward. But just think about it for a moment….If you don’t sell your business, who will?

You made the decision to be an entrepreneur, which means you will definitely have to do things from time to time that aren’t in your comfort zone. Referrals and new business is a necessary way for you to grow, make money, and generally survive. By all means, find a way to infuse your own personality into it; but don’t ever think for a minute that referrals are not a necessary part of being a freelancer, because they most certainly are.

Your Turn

Do you have a question for Jonathan or thoughts to share with the community? Leave a comment.

You can also reach Jonathan on Twitter @JonathanCKay or through email at jkay (at) grasshopper (dot) com.

Related posts:

1. 28 Quick and Easy Ways to Get Your Marketing Message Across
2. Freelance Marketing Inspiration from Famous Quotes
3. Open Thread: How Much Time Do You Spend on Marketing?

This blog post is all about starting out as a freelancer. I’ll outline the steps you need to take to make sure you are as successful as you possibly can be and explain how to grab that first real client. (Who isn’t your dad’s mate’s brother’s wife’s uncle’s dog’s friend–try saying that drunk?)

I think that the main reason that new freelancers fail is a lack of real life experience. You may have great skills on Photoshop or at coding, but if you don’t know how to be a decent account manager all you will ever do is work site to site, never quite managing and meeting expectations. This won’t be due to a lack of quality in your work, but in the way that you sell yourself.

What you have to remember is that being a good freelance designer/developer (or whatever your freelancing specialty is) only accounts for about 75% of the skills needed to succeed. The other 25% are project and account management skills. If you know what to say to a client and generally how to manage their expectations, then you are already one step ahead of the game. You just need the experience to do that.

The main point of this post is to get you started out as a freelancer. So, let’s get going.

Step 1. Your Portfolio

If you are really new, you may not have any commercial work to show. How do you counter this? Well, it is a tricky problem. Clients like to see examples of your work, and if you don’t have any on your site, they probably won’t take a second look.

My suggestion is to offer three to four free sites (or heavily discounted sites) to local companies, or even better, local charities. Find things like your local hospice or even small businesses like Bob’s Plumbing. Offer them a free site. Get three or four of these discounted and free sites under your belt and within a month or two you will have some great work to put in that portfolio.

I am not going to harp on about what makes a great portfolio. Everyone has a different view on that. Read one of thousands of posts on ‘how to get a great portfolio‘ that are posted all over the internet, and follow their advice.

The only advice regarding portfolios that I have is this–make your portfolio your own! Don’t use a generic template. Add your own style and character to it in some way.

Finally, once you have your style and your site running, go get 500 business cards printed from a decent printer. Make sure they are decent cards, and not branded with the printer’s logo and name on one side. If you look cheap, then you are cheap. Look professional and that is what you will come across as being.

Let’s move on.

Step 2. Get Real (Paying) Clients

The BEST advice I can give you for picking up new clients is this–make a spec sheet. A spec sheet, or a speculative work sheet, is something I have used at a couple of agencies. It is basically a spreadsheet that lists the company name, contact at that company, number, email and website (if applicable).

Once you have a spec sheet with 20 to 30 companies on it (all in your local area) then go to them. Don’t call them. Don’t cold email. Get yourself in that building and talk to someone. It is much easier to put the phone down or delete an email than it is to close a door in someone’s face.

Walk up to the building, bold as you can be. Be confident and ask to see the manager. If that isn’t possible, then depending on the size of the company see someone in marketing, or at least chat with the receptionist.

The key here is explaining you are LOCAL. You are not some mass outsourcing agency. You are a local freelancer looking to work with the community.

If you can chat to the manager then and there, that’s great. Tell him/her that you appreciate them taking a few minutes to chat to you (but do not apologize about it) and just give a very, very brief overview of what you do.

Example: “Thanks for taking a few minutes to talk to me. My name is Rob Fenech and I am a freelance web designer from just around the corner. I wanted to come and introduce myself and offer my services to you should you need them…”

So now you have to judge the prospect. Do they look interested? Bored? Annoyed? Body language is a key in selling face to face.

I can’t tell you how to play out every scenario, but you don’t want them to feel like you are pressuring them. Just introducing yourself first is a good start. If they are keen and chatty, then start asking about their existing website (or about whatever specialty you are trying to sell them).

Do they have a website? When was it built? What do they use it for? Is it working for them?

Rarely should you chat about the look and feel of their website to a client. They generally don’t particularly care that you can make their website look nicer. What they care about is that you can make it rank higher, or that you can make it generate more business. And, of course, you can do those things…right? So, that is how you must sell to the client. You have to explain that what you intend to do is going to effectively earn them more money than it costs to hire you.

Don’t be disheartened if the first handful of prospects say ‘thanks but no thanks.’ You can also expect a couple of them to get a little rude. But, as long as you keep up your appreciative demeanor at all times, you’ll be fine.

Once you find a client who just eats up what you are saying (they come along about once a week), or someone who was thinking about getting a new site built anyway and sees it as fate that you walked through their door–well, then you are in business.

Never jump straight in with a bid for the site. Asking questions is the key. Ask about the audience. Who will view the site? Ask about the content. What is the site all about? The more you ask, the better prepared you are.

Once you have all of the information needed and the client is 90% sure that they’re getting a new site, you are ready to give them a quote.

Step 3. The Quote

I quote based on a daily rate. And, I suggest that is what you should do too. Find your base daily rate (I won’t go into the whole ‘what should I charge‘ debate now) and use that rate to determine how much the site will cost.

You will get better at judging the length of a project as you go, but for me, I usually say that it takes one day for design and two days of coding for a basic CMS site with no more than ten pages and no more than four unique templates.

But, this changes all the time, depending on the project. That is what I consider to be my ’site base rate.’ That is the figure I have for doing sites for clients and I will not touch a site for less than that even if it is a two-page easy peasy site. That is my base rate and I stick to it religiously, and you should stick to whatever your base rate may be.

Now you have the figure in your head. The trick here is to present it so that it doesn’t sound like loads of money that will hit the client all at once.

The way I do it is break the quote down into three parts: a deposit, a mid-point fee, and a final payment. My usual split is: 25%, 25%, and 50%. So, for a £2000 project, the client needs £500 to start it, £500 when it is over 50% complete, and £1000 upon final upload and completion.

Always expect private clients to haggle and bid with you. Some freelancers inflate their prices by 10% or 15% so that when someone haggles, they can reduce the price by that amount without actually losing out and the client thinks they got a great deal. I don’t like to do that myself, what I usually do is tell the client this: “Most freelancers charge 10 to 15% more so they have some haggle room, but I don’t do that. I charge what the job is worth and no more, no less. So, there is rarely haggle room on my quotes.” But you should do whatever suits you best.

Where Do I Go From Here?

So there you have it. You have just landed your first client. Now, make sure that site is the absolute best and does everything that it should do and more. Local businesses chat with each other and recommend people to each other a lot. If you do a good job, you may get more work via word of mouth.

One final point: always, always underpromise and overdeliver. This is key. Never say “the site will be ready on Friday” and finish it on Monday or Tuesday of the following week. Clients hate that. If you underpromise “The site will be ready by Wednesday next week” and you get it done by Monday (overdeliver), then the client will love you for it.

Remember, the key to being successful isn’t all about your skill in your freelancing specialty. It is largely about your account management skills.

Good luck!

Your Turn

How did you get your first client?

Share your story in the comments.

Image by _tar0_

Related posts:

1. How to Find Your First Client
2. Deb Ng on Getting Started, Success, the Future, and More
3. It May Be Your Fault If Your Client Doesn’t Appreciate All That You Do

The use of the iPad by mobile workers is on the rise, and that brings with it both boons and challenges for worker productivity. Here’s how you and your remote staff can stay on top of iPad usage, lest iPad usage controls you and your organization instead.

1. These Are the Apps You Need; These Are the Apps You Don’t

Keep your productivity and entertainment app worlds separate on your iPad. I know it’s too much to ask that workers who are mostly using their own personal devices in the work place to use them strictly for work purposes, but everyone will be happier and better able to focus on getting work done if you keep your fun and games-related apps in a separate folder or folders. Keeping the productivity and work-related apps out in the open on the app’s home screen will give them priority seating when it comes to your attention span, and the distractions will be left just a little bit beyond finger’s reach, where they’ll be less of a temptation.

2. Carry a Keyboard

The iPad is a great consumption device, but as we’ve seen, people aren’t crazy about using it for data input. Having a Bluetooth keyboard handy makes working on the iPad exponentially better. You have a few choices when it comes to which keyboard to carry. I’m personally a fan of the ZAGGmate keyboard/hard case combo, which comes in both original iPad and iPad 2 flavors, but the official Apple Wireless Keyboard is an attractive option, too.

3. Have a Wireless Strategy

If you want to use the iPad to make mobile working easier, you’ll hit a wall pretty fast if you don’t have access to a reliable data connection. For users with a 3G-capable iPad, this means checking to make sure you have an active plan ready to go with the carrier of your choosing, and ensuring that your carrier offers service in the place you intend to use your iPad. If it doesn’t, shop around for a temporary carrier/SIM card for your working destination.

Verizon iPad owners will want to make sure that they have something other than a simple SIM switch in place for most international destinations, which largely use GSM technology to power their networks. Finding a provider that offers a pay-as-you go mobile hotspot solution might be a good workaround. Companies can help by issuing globally-compatible mobile hotspot hardware to remote employees who travel internationally.

4. Have a Battery Backup

Battery backup offerings for the iPad are many and varied, but carrying a reliable one that has enough juice to give your iPad a decent bump is a good idea. You never know when you might lose your power cord, or forget to secure an adapter before a quick stopover in an international destination. Check out Dave Greenbaum’s roundup of iPhone and iPad battery backups for a good look at some of the better options out there.

5. Enable Find My iPad

Losing an iPad really sucks. But what’s worse is losing your iPad having not enabled Apple’s free Find My iPad service. Through MobileMe, Apple can help you locate a lost iPad if it’s enabled, or at the very least, you can use the service to remotely wipe your device, thereby protecting sensitive personal and work-related data. Enterprise is already nervous about the potential security hazards associated with consumer devices in the workplace; help make them less so.

6. Lock It Up

It may seem obvious, but even more important than enabling Find My iPad is setting up your device to require a passcode upon waking. You can do this in the iPad’s Settings app, under General > Passcode Lock. By default, the iPad will use a simple passcode consisting of a 4 digit number, but you can turn this off, which will let you set a longer password that can combine both letters and numbers. If you’re storing sensitive information on your device, you’re better off using a complex passcode lock.

7. Invest in a Good Headset

The iPad truly can be a communications hub — even for voice chat and phone calls. But it’s not perfectly suited to that task out of the box. If you get yourself a decent headset, however, you can better make and take phone calls on your device using VoIP apps, and you’ll even be better equipped for using the many video conferencing options available for the iPad 2, like that provided by Cisco’s WebEx.

Share your tips for more effective iPad working in the comments.

Related content from GigaOM Pro (subscription req’d):

• The Future of Workplaces
• Connected Consumer Q1: The Over-the-Top vs. Pay TV Battle Heats Up
• Mobile Q1: All Eyes on Tablets, T-Mobile and AT&T

Whether you’re new to freelancing or have been freelancing for a while, you may struggle with what to do about vacation.

In a traditional job, an employee typically receives paid vacation. For a freelancer, however, vacation is different.

Vacation is an unpaid time and a freelancer must plan ahead and save before they are able to take one. Many freelancers are afraid to take a vacation because they fear that they will lose clients. Other freelancers don’t take a vacation because they can’t afford to lose income.

Did you ever wonder what most freelancers really do about vacation? With planning, it is possible for a freelancer to enjoy a vacation.

In this post, I’ll share how some actual freelancers handle vacation. I’ll also describe three types of vacations that freelancers can plan for and how to handle each of them.

How Actual Freelancers Handle Vacation

Have you ever wondered how your fellow freelancers handle their vacations?

Well, I turned to the Twitter freelancing community to find out. Here is what some of my Twitter followers shared about their own vacation plans when I asked whether they took vacations:

• @NataliaSylv What would be the fun in working for yourself if you can’t take some time off every once in a while?
• @deirdrereid I did last week. I had an at-home retreat, wrote about it here.
• @iampsjones In the past, I spent my vacation days writing bc I didn’t have the opportunity during the day. Now, it is a mystery. “I’m so happy with my everyday activities I can’t figure out what to do on vacation.”
• @helenbnichols Absolutely! Actually, more often now than before I was freelance.
• @UrbanMuseWriter Yes, I take vacations, though not as often (or for as long) as I’d like. I think it’s necessary to avoid burnout.
• @ldtranslations Yes, I do! More than once a year, but sometimes I do take my laptop with me and work a bit. ;-)
• @tiffsilverberg Yes. When family vacations, I vacation… But I take “fun” work with me. Books I’m reading, stories I’m writing. Not my 9-5 tho.

Based on the replies that I received as well as my own experience, the three types of vacations that freelancers seem to take are: the staycation, the working vacation, and the complete break.

I’ll discuss each of these options in more detail, starting with the staycation.

The Staycation

“Staycations” recently became popular because of the poor economy. The increased cost of living combined with high unemployment and underemployment means that many people can no longer afford to go on a trip for their vacation.

The “staycation” alternative allows you to avoid the high hotel costs of a typical vacation trip because a staycationer participates in vacation-like activities within driving distance of their own home.

A staycationeer might act as a tourist in their own town by visiting local tourist attractions such as museums and zoos, or they might plan a relaxing retreat (such as a movie marathon) without leaving the comfort of their own house. One of our earlier posts on Freelance Folder has even more staycation ideas.

A staycation can be a great vacation alternative for a budget-strapped freelancer.

Now that we’ve discussed staycations, let’s take a look at the working vacation.

The Working Vacation

Another popular vacation choice, especially among freelancers, is the working vacation.

For a working vacation a freelancer scales back his or her work projects, but brings the most important work along with them on the vacation. Thanks to technology and increased connectivity, it is possible for a freelancer to work from many different locations.

A working vacation might seem like the ideal vacation solution for many freelancers–you can go on vacation and continue to earn money.

A working vacation comes with its own perils, however. Key among those perils is the hard feelings or misunderstandings that may occur when other family members on the vacation don’t understand that you need to spend time doing work instead of relaxing with the family.

This post provides some key tips for traveling and working.

The final type of vacation that we are going to look at is the complete break from work of any type.

The Complete Break

For many freelancers, a complete break from work seems almost unthinkable. Yet, a complete break is likely to leave you the most refreshed.

For a freelancer, taking a complete break from freelancing requires a great deal of coordination and advance planning.

Ideally, you would save money for both the trip and to replace the income you won’t be earning while you are on vacation. In addition, you need to make plans for how your client’s needs will be met while you are gone. This may involve farming work out to another freelancer, or just notifying your clients that you will be unavailable during a certain timeframe.

With careful planning and coordination, most freelancers will find that it is entirely possible to take a complete break from work at least once a year. For more detailed tips on how to break away from your freelancing business, check this post.

Your Turn

Are you planning a vacation this year? If so, what type of vacation will you take?

Share your answers and vacation tips in the comments.

Image by kangotraveler

Related posts:

1. How to Plan for a Long Vacation from Your Freelancing Business
2. How to Take a Vacation Without the Internet
3. 15 Tips to Keep Your Freelance Business Going While on Vacation