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By Study Hall staff writer Allegra Hobbs Sara Horowitz founded the Freelancers Union in 1995, and the media industry and freelance workforce have gone through a lot of changes (and expansion) since then. Freelancers now make up a formidable portion of the workforce, creating a greater need for new safety nets, health insurance options, and legal protections. That’s where the Freelancers Union comes in — the Freelancers Union is a new form of unionism, and a non-profit, that advocates for freelancers (it was instrumental in passing New York’s Freelance Isn’t Free Law) and provides resources like health insurance options for members. Most recently, Horowitz launched Trupo, which offers freelancers benefits packages with funds in case of an accident that renders you unable to work. It seeks to offer a solution to one of the most common problems facing freelancers — what to do when you’re too sick or injured to work but can’t afford to take time off. We talked with Horowitz about the freelance industry, policymaking, and healthcare. AH: We’re in kind of an exciting, unprecedented moment in labor organizing in media and among freelancers, and you’re someone who has been ahead of the curve in terms of organizing among freelancers for some time. So I’m curious to hear your thoughts on how you’ve seen the landscape change since you founded the Freelancers Union, and especially over the last few years. SH: I think one of the biggest changes that I've seen is freelance workers really like unions, and want either to unionize or support union efforts. I think that’s a good thing in and of itself, but I also think it reflects freelancers starting to see that their issues are important issues. So many times — maybe 15 and 20 years ago — freelancers would not put their issues on the agenda. They would say, “I’m a freelancer, I’m doing well, all these other people are having bigger problems,” and I think we should all stay empathetic but the best way to organize is to organize with other people around your issues. And then you can build coalitions and alliances, but that first step I feel like is starting to really happen. AH: Even in the relatively short amount of time I’ve been a freelancer, I feel like freelancers have become a lot more outspoken and willing to take more risks and to put themselves out there, and maybe that’s because there is more of a feeling of solidarity than ever before. SH: I agree. I think it’s solidarity. It’s also that, historically, workers tend to organize during good economic times because if you lose a job you can get another one much more easily. I think part of it is the feeling that there’s more work and then seeing how so many freelancers talk about the fact that they’re getting so much work but it’s paying so much less, sometimes in literally absolute dollars — like I’m doing the same work and am making less than I did 15 years ago. Seeing that income inequality in media is just so glaring and unfair, and I think people see that. I always feel like freelancers are the ones who have to own how much they can teach the rest of society, because freelancers are the new workforce, they're the ones who are going to be crafting this future safety net and they should take that responsibility seriously and not morph into other agendas and shoehorn themselves in. When we’re looking at the issue of misclassification we have to say there are workers who are being exploited and really should be employees, and we support that and are in alliance with that. But so many freelancers, particularly writers and content producers, really are the new workforce and figured out ways that freelancing works for them and they need to be very vocal about what they need to make sure they don’t get lost right now. Not just because it will be detrimental to their economic lives, but because they owe it to the rest of society. AH: There’s kind of a feeling that you can’t ignore us anymore. We’re so much of the workforce. Not that we ever should have been ignorable, but there’s power in numbers. Do you think social media has something to do with that? SH: Yeah, I think there are two things people have to do. One, you have to say what’s on your mind and be critical and vocal. Step two is you have to then start building institutions because this is not a solo operation, and it’s not just a swarm on social. It is going to be institutions like Study Hall and the unions and other groupings and starting to build institutions like our grandparents did. I think Study Hall is at the forefront of showing what this next era’s future is going to be, because it gathers people together, it gives them a forum to talk and to get information and to act more collectively, and I just think that’s where it's at. AH: What do you see as the biggest challenges to freelancers right now? SH: I think it’s time for us to really be articulate and thoughtful because we want to see a [new] safety net built. I believe in this idea of mutualism, which is that we should be delivering the safety net to the organizations that we trust, like unions, cooperatives, civic organizations, and that lets you have a wide variety of strategies to deliver benefits, whether it would be single payer or Medicare for All or some public option or some hybrid — but we have to lay that infrastructure underneath and I think that’s going to be important. And maybe that sounds boring, but it’s actually the undergirding upon which we then can have an opinion about where the money’s going to come from to pay for it and how it’s going to look. So I guess I’d say the thing I’m worried about the most is kind of going back to the beginning conversation where freelancers will forget what they need and feel ashamed and embarrassed and not worthy of having issues, and my hope is that they feel that strength to realize it’s going to be better for everybody to be bold and honest about what we need. AH: In terms of concrete, achievable wins, the passage of the Freelance Isn’t Free Act was a huge win for freelancers in New York, and before that overturning the unincorporated business tax was a huge win. What do you see as the next big hurdle? SH: I think that the thing that will be very helpful is for freelancers to actively enter the misclassification discussion and to be clear about what they need. The thing you want more than anything is some regular clients because that helps stabilize your episodic income, and if that’s going to be removed and be made to be an indicia of being an employee, then that goes to the heart of the way that freelancers have built their own sense of safety, and they need to explain that to elected officials. I think increasingly we’ll see the Freelancers Union playing a role, and I know the Freelancers Union is already in coalition with many groups and is already making that point, but I think freelancers on their own, especially as communicators, need to be explaining how they lead their lives and how they build security and how they want the government to enable that and support that. AH: The increased awareness of elected officials, at least in New York City, where I live, has been remarkable. To see elected officials tweeting about freelancers issues in the last year or so is really something — that seems to be a relatively new thing. SH: Yeah, I think it’s also really interesting because [if you look at] the freelancers Upwork study you see freelancers really vote. They have strong opinions, and they’re all over the country — not only are they in the big cities and in the second big cities but they’re in the tertiary cities. I really feel like elected officials will start to see that they’re a great group to care about. AH: I want to talk about Trupo as well, and health insurance more broadly. Obviously healthcare is something that is inaccessible to people without traditional employers and below a certain income level, so Trupo seems to fill an important gap there. Do you want to tell me a little about Trupo and how it started? SH: The whole reason I started Trupo was because I started to see how freelancers were facing completely new risks, and by that I mean short-term. If you are sick or you have an accident in the very short-term, there is nothing that helps you replace your income, and so we need to start to think about new kinds of products and bundling existing products that would go to the heart of that. Health insurance has such high deductibles it protects you from more catastrophic things, but the need for protection when you can’t work for a week or two weeks or three weeks kind of doesn’t exist. It’s a good example of how we don’t have a new safety net which would include unemployment for freelancers and help them smooth out their income. I think that’s an important policy thing we need, but what we also need to do a look at, what can we do to protect ourselves? And that’s why we built Trupo. That also is why Freelancers Union is a part equity owner [of Trupo] and we worked really hand-in-glove together. I think Freelancers Union is the leading union of this new workforce, so it’s been a great way to see how to build these kinds of alliances. AH: Not even being able to take a sick day is something that is often a topic of conversation in Study Hall. it’s something that weighs on freelancers a lot. SH: We have these conversations with freelancers in quasi focus groups, and we did this hypothetical where we said, “Ok, in the hypothetical, you’re too sick to work. What would you do?” And freelancers would always say, “I would take my computer into bed with me.” And you’re like, “No, no, no — in the hypothetical, you cannot work.” Because it’s so terrifying, that thought, because you know you’re shit outta luck. That’s why we built Trupo. So that you’re not shit outta luck, and so you really can have the dignity of being sick or have peace of mind if you’re injured. I truly believe that if Trupo and other organizations and institutions and for-profits can build the next safety net, it informs the policy world because they see something in action on the ground and therefore have an idea of how to implement something. TELL YOUR FRIENDS ABOUT STUDY HALL // SUBSCRIBE IF YOU’RE NOT ALREADY // UPGRADE TO NETWORK LEVEL FOR EDITORS DATABASES, CHAT ROOMS AND MORE! via Freelancers Union Blog https://blog.freelancersunion.org/2020/02/20/an-interview-with-freelancers-union-founder-sara-horowitz/
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It’s the dead of winter here in Boston. It sucks. And while this winter has been pretty “tame” thus far compared to winters past, it doesn’t renege on the fact that the cold, grayness, and general sense of laziness and malaise the weather imbues upon the northeast every year this time of year takes its toll after a while. More specifically – and speaking firsthand – my enthusiasm towards training has been waning of late; particularly the last week or two. In short: I’m battling an aggressive case of the “Eff Its.” Tony, Do You Need a Hug?First of all: I’ll never turn down a good hug. Second: It’s completely normal to feel low-energy, stiff, sore, or otherwise unmotivated to train in the dead of winter anywhere. The northeast – and Boston in particular – is not unique to this phenomenon. We all go through it. (yes even us hoity toity fitness professionals) The feeling can range anywhere from preferring to jump into a live volcano to, in less dramatic circles, staying home and catching up on Stranger Things. Either way you slice it the idea of heading to the gym (in any capacity) is low on the “to do” list. But outside of injecting an energy drink directly into your left ventricle (<– not recommend by the way) what are some ways to initiate a spark in your training mojo? Feel It. Accept It. Carry OnMy wife, Dr. Lisa Lewis, likes to remind people that it’s okay to feel their feelings. Take, for instance, how much I hate emptying the dishwasher. I hate it with a passion. Maybe even more than kipping pull-ups. The only way I can best articulate how much I hate emptying the dishwasher is that whenever I realize it needs emptying, at that very moment I open the door to put something in that’s dirty only to then be punched in the face (nay, soul) by the escaping steam from a recent wash, if there were somehow a theme song I could attach to that feeling it would be Rage Against the Machine’s “Killing in the Name.” You know the one…
So on and so forth. Anyway, Lisa is all about feeling the feelings… …letting them in, accepting them, allowing them to marinate for awhile. And then, you know, turning the page and doing whatever it is you need to do. Read: Putting the dishes away…;o) THE WORST With regards to the “Eff Its” you have two options: 1) Maybe you DO need a day or two off from training.There’s no harm in this. You’re not less of a person, you’re not going to lose all your gainz, you’re just being human. Alternatively… 2) Perform One Lift and Go HomePerform a Bloop, Bloop, Bloop warm-up (workout) and then hit ONE lift hard and go home. There are any number of permutations here:
Go home.
Go home.I like this approach because it keeps people consistent AND it’s less likely to derail someone’s mental make-up in that they’re less prone to beat themselves up for missing a workout. Nothing sexy or Earth shattering, but a nice reframe nonetheless. Did what you just read make your day? Ruin it? Either way, you should share it with your friends and/or comment below.via Blog – Tony Gentilcore http://tonygentilcore.com/2020/02/how-to-battle-the-winter-eff-its/
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For the past eight years, I’ve been working from home at least four days a week, and it’s been wonderful. Avoiding the distractions of a traditional office has made me more productive than ever. However, this isn’t the case for everybody; working from home can add many new distractions. Here's what I've learned about creating a productive and healthy home office environment. 1. Simplicity & MinimalismWhenever you find yourself questioning your organization method or wondering about the best way to file something, keep the K.I.S.S. principle in mind. Try to throw away what you don’t need, and do your best to avoid the gradual art of hoarding. Uncluttering your life whenever possible will reduce stress and improve productivity in the long run. I try to bring this ideology into everything I do, especially my work at home. Make your workspace as minimalist as possible. Less clutter means less distraction and better focus. Try the following:
2. Music for Creativity & ProductivityI always work with music, and there have been studies that prove its effectiveness. For this reason, a quality set of speakers was important for my office. I wanted something powerful and well-balanced that had a simple and clean design. I went with Harmon Kardon Soundsticks and have no regrets. If you don't like working with music, try listening to ambient noise such as ocean waves, thunderstorms, rivers, or city sounds. I've found that this actually boosts productivity and helps reduce stress while working. 3. SoundproofingIf you live in an apartment with a lot of noise, have kids, or have a lot of noise in your home office for other reasons, I suggest exploring some of the following options to help you reduce the amount of noise in your workspace. HeadphonesHeadphones are likely the best approach to take. A noise-canceling set can be nice, especially if you like dead quiet. Some of the newer, battery-powered noise-canceling earbuds are very interesting to work with: They cut out all white noise, which provides an interesting effect. They don't cut out larger noise though, and I don't typically use them. I don't use noise-canceling headphones, and I work in a home office with a wife at home and two toddlers (it's LOUD). My secret trick is to combine earplugs and studio headphones. I've tried many different types of headphones to reduce noise, including earbuds and studio over-ear from Bose, Beats, Sennhauser, Audio-Technica and more. The best I've used are Audio-Technica's studio headphones. They sound excellent and they block out quite a bit on their own. Adding earplugs to the mix entirely blocks out screaming kids one wall away during nap time, which is about as loud as you can get next to having construction work done. EarplugsEarplugs are essential if you work in a home office with kids around. Like headphones, I've tried many and found that 3M's Classic E-A-R plugs are by far the best in terms of quality, noise-blocking ability, and cost (they’re by far the cheapest per pair). These are typically used by construction crews in cities and are excellent at blocking out sound. The only downside is taking off all the gear when I need to get on the phone. Door SealingMost of the noise from outside your office is going to come in through the doorway. I've tried many different approaches to block sound, including a basic door bottom draft blocker made of two fabric-covered tubes, door seal tape (mostly useless), and an acoustic door seal kit complete with an automatic draft seal ($$$). With two toddlers, I've also sealed their doors as well for sound from the outside, and I've found the most economical and best way to seal a door for sound is using a white aluminum-foam weatherstrip kit. This is also known as a "cinch seal"-style door sealer and is typically used to seal an outside door from cold air. I paid close to $250 for an "acoustic" door cinch kit that I have in my office, and then used this on the doors of our toddler's bedrooms. This combined with a good quality bottom draft works exactly the same for a total cost of about $50. InsulationIf you really, really need quiet, insulation is the last stop. I'm currently in the process of renovating our basement and turning it into a larger home office. With kids running around upstairs, soundproofing everything is of the utmost importance. There are all kinds of approaches you can take, including residual channels, green glue, double drywall layers, Rockwool insulation, and foam sealing. Of these, here's what I've gone with: ● 1/8" thick, 1" wide neoprene foam staples to all ceiling joists - this reduces what's know as IIC, which is vibration noise transition. Translation: footfall noise. ● Great stuff foam sprayed in all open gaps and spaces as needed - I decided to do this myself as an added sealer, and it did reduce notice a noticeable amount of sound before any of the contracting work began. ● Roxul Rockwool - This made all the difference. Once the framing work was done and the Rockwool was added, the outside sound went almost dead quiet before the drywall was even up. If you have an existing room you use as an office and sound is coming through the walls, I'd recommend exploring one of two options:
If sounds seem to travel up to you through the floors, consider adding a carpet. This helped quite a bit for me in my upstairs office. 4. Lighting: Natural & ArtificialAlways try to have natural light in your office. It helps improve your mood and productivity. If you have a window that opens, even better! In the summer, it’s great to have a breeze roll through on a nice day—it completely changes the work environment and mood. Avoid fluorescent lights when possible, as over-illumination has been shown to cause annoyance and negative health effects. I’ve found that warm white LED lights typically work best. They’re not too bright and feel the closest to a natural interior light. Look for LED lights with a 2700K rating, which is the exact rating for a true warm white look. 5. Seating: The Right ChairThe office chair you choose is more important than you might think, so don’t skimp on this one. A good chair can be better for your health and can help avoid carpal tunnel syndrome and other work-related injuries. You don’t need the latest Herman Miller, but ergonomics are important; you should be able to adjust the height so that your elbows are at a 90-degree angle with your keyboard, and to fix the chair in an upright position to avoid slouching. I use a chair from Room & Board made by Humanscale that I absolutely love. It was expensive, but it's important and something I use every day. 6. The DeskA nice desk can make an enormous difference. My desk was handcrafted in Vermont by my grandfather-in-law, and it’s the best. It’s made of rock-solid curly maple from Maine and sealed with polyurethane. Before this, I used a $50 tabletop from Ikea rested on top of two simple wood bookshelves I picked up from Christmas Tree Shop for about $20 each. You don’t need to break the bank to build a great work desk. 7. Plants & GreeneryHaving plants in the office helps drive creativity. Combining wood tones and greens has really brought a lot of personality to my office, and I highly recommend it. Green plants have also been shown to keep office workers happier and make a home office space healthier by improving air quality. 8. Design Your SpaceYour office is an area where you can work at your best; it’s important to make it your own. I suggest planning what you want before you begin sliding that credit card. If you need inspiration: ● High-end color themes and ideas from Houzz.com ● HGTV Home Office Design & Decorating Ideas ● Found on Flickr: 100 Amazing Office Workspaces (Photos) My office is a constant work in progress. It's a very important part of working for yourself and deserves a lot of attention. Above all else, be constantly aware of the things that are making you more or less productive. When you tune your office to optimize these things, it can make all the difference. via Freelancers Union Blog https://blog.freelancersunion.org/2020/02/19/build-yourself-the-perfect-home-office/
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Securing your client's data is one of the most important things you can do as a freelancer. If you don’t, you can put your client at risk of a data breach, a malware infection or worse. This can cause them huge financial losses and damage your reputation as a freelancer. But even though security practices are important, very few freelancers know what to do. Here are some of the best ways to ensure your client’s data security: Develop a Strict Cybersecurity PolicyThe most important step in securing client data is making sure that both you and your client fully understand that data security and privacy are a priority. Although the benefits of data security and privacy may be obvious to you, many clients will be completely unaware and see no importance in them at all. Both you and your client may assume that if you’re not working with things like customer payment data or core system files, data security isn’t something to worry about. But neither of you can afford to take that risk, especially if you’re working remotely. The single best thing you can do is develop a strict cybersecurity policy that has to be agreed upon and understood by both parties and fully implemented. This may require a lot of back and forth between you and your client. The policy should outline the exact reasons for having strict cybersecurity protocols. It should detail the potential threats as well as outline how each protocol should be implemented and upheld, both by yourself and the client. The exact tools you’ll use, such as VPNs or proxy servers, should be stated here. Both you and the client should take complete ownership of keeping data secure. By having a detailed cybersecurity policy, you will all be on the same page and set a solid foundation for working together. However, if your client has security loopholes on their side, such as a poorly secured network or a web host or web domain with unreliable hosting, there are multiple angles for an attacker to go after with that you can’t prevent. For this reason, the cybersecurity policy has to be put into effect on both sides, not just yours. Secure Every Internet ConnectionWorking remotely is a minefield when it comes to data security. By far the easiest way to expose your client to a data breach is to work over an unsecured Wi-Fi network. Every freelancer, at some point, will get out of the house and work from a coffee shop, beach bar, or even an airport. This can be due to wanting to socialize with others, but can also be a necessity of the freelancer lifestyle, especially if you’re a digital nomad. This kind of worklife doesn’t need to change, but security has to be taken into account. The simplest solution is to use a VPN to secure your activity. When you use a VPN before signing into an unsecured network, you encrypt your web traffic, allowing you to access client data with a heightened level of security. As unsecured public networks can be easily accessed by bad agents, accessing them without encrypting your activity could allow others to access just about any client information they want, such as login information or customer payment processing information. That said, not all VPNs are themselves secure. Make sure you find a VPN that has a solid track record and a strong reputation. Create Strong Passwords and Change Them OftenYour passwords and your client's passwords are more important than you probably realize. It’s not uncommon to hear jokes about password security, with many people boasting they use the same password on every account, or that password includes their birthday or other easy-to-guess information. Unfortunately, having a simple password on every account is the equivalent of leaving a hacker an open door. And in an age where many businesses exist almost entirely online in the cloud, one open door can give a hacker access to everything at once. Employing password managers and checking to see if your passwords are strong is a great step in helping to keep client data secure. Make sure any accounts you use for clients have strong passwords and ensure that you have reminders set to change them every few months. Password managers such as 1Password can be helpful here. They can randomly generate passwords and store all your passwords in a secure location that only you can access. This is even more essential if you’re accessing client accounts that manage their most important data. You may be running e-commerce websites that handle customer information, which would be a goldmine for any nefarious hackers. In order to not slip up on crucial accounts like this, it’s best to take a password security-first approach so you never let yourself (or your client) down. Use Two-Factor AuthenticationIf a strong password can help to secure your client's data from an attacker, two-factor authentication is like putting Superman in front of it. Unlike a password manager or a VPN, two-factor authentication doesn’t require you to change login information every few months. Two-factor authentication is one of the most fundamental ways to secure your computer, requiring a second set of login information that is typically provided to another device (such as a numerical code sent to a mobile phone). This means that even if a bad agent has access to your password, they still won’t be able to access your client's data. If you are more serious about security, you could use multi-factor authentication, such as retina, fingerprint, or facial scanners, like the ones seen on many mobile phones. This level of authentication is even more secure. via Freelancers Union Blog https://blog.freelancersunion.org/2020/02/18/how-to-secure-client-data-when-you-work-remotely/
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This is a sponsored post from Bench, the online bookkeeping service that pairs you with a dedicated bookkeeping team and elegant software to do your books for you. Tax season is coming. If you don’t have Bench handling your bookkeeping and taxes, it’s up to you to meet your filing deadlines. Tax filing deadlinesWhich forms you need to file and when depends upon your business structure. Your filing to-do list is also affected by whether you paid any contractors during the previous year. Quarterly estimated tax deadlinesIf you file quarterly estimated taxes, your due dates for 2020 are:
You can estimate and pay your quarterly tax using IRS Form 1040-ES. Tax deadlines for sole proprietorshipsIf you’re a sole proprietor, your tax filing deadline for Form 1040 (including Schedule C) is April 15, 2020. This is also your deadline for file for an extension. Tax deadlines for LLCsIf you’re an LLC electing S corporation or partnership status, your filing deadline for IRS Form 1065 or IRS Form 1120-S, respectively, is March 16, 2020. Tax deadlines for partnershipsIf your business is a partnership, your filing deadline for IRS Form 1065 is March 16, 2020. Tax deadlines for S corporationsIf your business is an S corporation, your filing deadline for IRS Form 1120-S is March 16, 2020. Tax deadlines for corporationsThe deadline for C corporations to file IRS Form 1120 is April 15, 2020. How to apply for a tax extensionIf it seems like you won’t be ready to file your taxes on time, you should file for an extension as soon as possible. The automatic six-month extensionYou qualify for an automatic six month extension of your tax filing deadline if you’re: In that case, just add six months to your regular filing deadline. For instance, you’d normally be expected for file your sole prop taxes on April 15, 2020. But if you serve abroad in the armed forces, your filing deadline is October 15, 2020. How to apply for a sole proprietorship tax extensionThe two fastest, easiest ways to get a tax extension for your sole proprietorship are through the IRS payment portal, or by filing IRS Form 4868 online. Filing for an extension through the IRS payment portal If you plan on paying your taxes online, the fastest way to get an extension is through the IRS payment portal. Filing for an extension with IRS Form 4868 You can also file for an extension by submitting IRS Form 4868 online. How to file for a partnership, S corporation, or C corporation extension onlineIf your business is a partnership, S corporation, or C corporation—or an LLC filing as one—you’re slightly more limited in how you can file for an extension.
You’ll also need to provide an estimated total for the taxes you have due, and information on any payments you’ve already made or credits you qualify for. Tax extension filing deadlinesThe deadline to file for a tax extension is the same as your tax filing deadline. Tax season can be stressful, but remember: You always have the option to file for an extension. Not going to make it on time? File for an extension ASAP to avoid penalties. —Bryce Warnes via Freelancers Union Blog https://blog.freelancersunion.org/2020/02/17/do-you-know-when-your-taxes-are-due/
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Can you imagine eating plain oatmeal three times a day, every day? I can, because there was a time when I only had $50 in my bank account. No matter how many jobs I applied to or how many potential clients I emailed, nothing worked. Attempting to get new clients was like trying to eat spaghetti with a spoon. I was desperate. What was I doing wrong? Well, the truth is that there were many things I was doing wrong… but the thing that hurt me the most was that I had terrible marketing. Because I was just starting out, I had no brand, no niche, and no marketing strategy. I spent much of my time working tirelessly for anyone and everyone who offered gigs. But today, I work with some of the best brands (think: HubSpot, CoSchedule, Foundr, etc.), and I turn down several prospects each month. In this article, I’ll lean on my freelance marketing experience to share simple but powerful marketing strategies that have helped me scale from eating oatmeal to 7-8 lavish meals a day. (Food is life, yo!) Why should freelancers care about marketing? Before I implemented proper marketing, I was Calvin in this Calvin & Hobbes comic: And let me tell you, after I learned and implemented proper marketing techniques, within weeks, I had gained a 4-figure monthly income. Coincidence? I doubt it. I can hear the voices now: “Mark, are you being serious?” But just think about it… Just about everything you do, in one way or another, is related to marketing. Take, for example:
And marketing is especially important when you’re freelancing. Why is a client going to pick you over someone with more experience or more qualifications? The same reason people choose Frosted Flakes over the store brand, even though they taste exactly the same. If you have better marketing than the competition, you’ll be picked almost every time. Think of marketing like a tiny superpower. It’ll give you a slight advantage over the competition, and sometimes that’s all you need to land big clients. Here are my proven strategies that will take your marketing to the next level and land you clients. 1. Identify Your Unique StoryEveryone has a story. And your story is essential to make yourself stand out ahead of the sea of freelancers out there. Marketing yourself can be as simple as creating an "About Me" page for your website. On my site, I list things that are specific and unique to me. Notice I include not only business-related things, but also my interests (that way, you get a better feel of who I am and what I'm about). Telling your story is a chance to make your personality shine. It's time to be your authentic self—because nobody wants to work with a robot. If you’re having trouble, here’s a quick guide to making your own story:
My website has a dedicated section just for my story. Now, this page doesn't necessarily talk about my service, but it focuses on my journey and where I come from, which helps prospects look at me as more than just some freelancer—and helps a lot with trust. To paint you a picture, here’s a neat infographic timeline I created to depict my journey. Bottom line? Focus on sharing your journey, your unique selling point. Be genuine and let the world know where you come from, and you'll attract the right people (read: clients). 2. Be Memorable to Clients by Creating Your BrandThink of the big ones: Amazon, Nike, McDonald’s... A single company name brings about different feelings, images, and opinions. Do you know why people pick these companies over others? Emotion. In fact, an emotional connection may be the most important thing when dealing with clients. And as a freelancer, you need to create some sort of feeling for your clients. Otherwise, you won't stand out from the pack. How does your client feel when talking to you? If a client feels strong, positive emotions when they view your brand, they will choose you over Sloppy Bob's Crappy Writing Company. Building a personal brand can be accomplished in 4 easy steps:
Of course, these are just on the surface. The more effort you put into your branding, the better your branding. If you keep at it long enough, soon you’ll be known as the expert in your field. For more information, I recommend checking out my informative article on turning your freelance blog into a lead magnet. 3. Leverage SEO to Organically Land Awesome ClientsNow, having a freelance site is not enough; you need to make it work for you. The best way to do this is by setting it up for search engines. If you learn to use SEO (search engine optimization) to make your pages more accessible on Google searches… your three-pageview post can gain views in the thousands (just by adding a few keywords!). And that means a lot of potential clients for you, you lucky freelancer. What’s more, 93% of online experiences begin with a search engine. So even if you’re not the best at networking or don’t have any prior connects…Making sure your SEO is on point is KEY so potential clients can see you. To get started, here are two SEO strategies for freelancers that have helped me the most.
Here’s a guide to on-page optimization to help you optimize your service page with the best SEO practices. Fun fact: My biggest client, Monday.com, found me through Google. 2. Write amazing content that targets your prospect’s queries. When you're writing for your freelance website, the most important thing is to write to your clients’ interests. For instance, if you’re a SaaS writer, it’s a good idea to write blog posts around SaaS content marketing or similar as that’s what your ideal audience is search for. And if you get your SEO right, your article can work as a great medium to connect with your ideal audience and generate leads. What’s more, you can capture these leads to build a powerful email list that can then be used for email marketing. As a freelancer, it’s your job to get noticed, and using good SEO is vitally important. And trust me when I say most freelancers don’t know a thing about SEO. If you learn just the basics, you’ll be able to differentiate yourself and dominate the search results! 4. Create a Blog or Podcast to Showcase Your SkillsThere’s no better way to showcase your talents than creating a blog or podcast. Do you have a knack with words, or are you good with your voice? Choose to start a blog or podcast… and stick with it. For most freelancers, writing a blog is both easier and more accessible to begin with. I've got a blog on my website, which helps me gain traffic (or maybe my clients just want to take a sneak peek at my abilities). If you have a blog or podcast, you’ll also have something to show your potential clients. So if you’ve got neither… start now! Let’s take a deeper dive into these two:
While it's tempting to spread yourself thin at first, finding a niche will show clients that you are dedicated to your work. Just think about it: Who would you instead hire if you're a travel company, Joe Schmoe, who writes about sports, fitness, finance, squirrels, and travel, or John Deer, who specializes ONLY in travel writing? Of course, you’d expect John Deer to be better, because travel writing is his specialty. Pick a niche and make it your own. 2. Record a podcast. The key to creating an excellent podcast is to know yourself— can you talk for hours on end without pause? Do you like talking with other people in the first place? Are you good at creating lasting connections with others? When people listen to podcasts, they form connections with the podcaster. So, it's essential to have a loud personal voice if you're going down this route. While it can be harder, podcasting may pay off more in the long run since there are fewer people podcasting than blogging. For more information on growing your podcast, I recommend checking out this guide to podcast marketing. 5. Network Where Your Clients are Hanging OutEverybody wants to be noticed, right? And no matter how golden your content or how badass a freelancer you think you are, it won’t matter unless you get seen. According to Robert Kiyosaki, a successful entrepreneur and author of Rich Dad, Poor Dad, "The richest people in the world look for and build networks, and everyone else looks for work." I couldn’t agree more. Think about it: The more connections you obtain, the better you'll be able to sift through and choose the ones you want to work with. That means when you get enough clients... you’ll be turning down clients left and right, adopting only the top dogs to work with. That sure beats any amount of working for the bottom dollar any day. If you start from nowhere or don't have any idea how to network, you can combine two different strategies for optimum crush factor: attend networking events and use online groups. Here’s the general breakdown:
If you're a copywriter, join a copywriting group. A programmer in India? There are groups for that, too. The more specific a group you can find, the more likely you’ll be able to connect with like-minded people. 2. Attend freelancer networking events. You can find events using these groups or simply create your own. If you're a remote freelancer like me, you don't have an office. And that means nobody to bounce ideas back and forth with. Sometimes all it takes is one lucky meeting with a particular person and your future can change forever (mine certainly did). The bottom line is, no matter if you’re networking online or in-person, you can make it happen. That’s the beauty of freelancing… you’ll be able to work from anywhere and still build up your network. Even if you live in the mountains of Tibet (as long as you have a good Wi-Fi connection!), you can still network. BONUS: Love What You DoJeff Bulas says, "If you love what you're doing… that will make it so much easier to sit down and create content, inspire, entertain, and educate. That's what's important." The last strategy that’s not on the list is to love what you’re doing. Because if you don't, you'll be spending countless hours living a life… well, not worth living. And remember, as a freelancer, you’re doing your best to live a life that’s different than the 9-to-5 office worker. So make it count. And while these marketing strategies worked for me, I can't guarantee that they’ll work for you. The truth is, there are no guarantees in the world of freelancing. But if you don't try, one thing's certain—you'll never succeed. via Freelancers Union Blog https://blog.freelancersunion.org/2020/02/14/start-marketing-your-freelance-career/
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BUT FIRST…I’M LIKE, REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT(Things I’ve appeared in, places I’m going, you know, important stuff) 1. (Even More) Complete Shoulder & Hip Blueprint – Athens, Greece: Saturday, Feb 29th & Sunday, March 1st, 2020It’s official: This marks the sixth year in a row Dean Somerset and I are presenting together. We’re so excited to be coming to Athens to kickstart 2020. 2. Coaching Competency Workshop – London, UK: Sunday, March 8, 2020**EARLY BIRD rate ends this weekend! (save $100 by registering soon). 3. Strategic Strength Workshop – Detroit, MI: April 5, 2020This will be my first ever workshop in the region! I’m expecting ticker tape parades. 4. Strategic Strength Workshop – Washington, DC: May 17, 2020SOCIAL MEDIA SHENANIGANS
STUFF TO READ WHILE YOU’RE PRETENDING TO WORKThe Fitness Industry is Failing Regular People – Elsbeth Vaino“Normal people” = those who don’t have lofty physical goals and/or workout 1-2x per week. Great read from Elsbeth on this one. How to Do a Single Leg RDL Without Falling On Your Face – Christa SgobbaThe single leg deadlift is a less intimidating exercise that it’s bilateral cousin. However, I’d argue it’s a more advanced movement. I was happy to contribute to this article for SELF Magazine. Which Barbell Squat Variation is Optimal For You? – Dr. Michael MashAre you someone with hip pain? Knees that feel like they’ve been put through a meat grinder? Maybe you’re a beginner or just someone who’s sole focus is to get as strong as possible. Not all squat variations are created equal. Did what you just read make your day? Ruin it? Either way, you should share it with your friends and/or comment below.via Blog – Tony Gentilcore http://tonygentilcore.com/2020/02/stuff-to-read-while-youre-pretending-to-work-2-14-20/
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This article is reproduced with the permission of our partner, Trupo. Last week, Trupo hosted a Know Your Worthshop with marketing expert Ilise Benun, where she spoke about the most common mistakes people make when trying to negotiate higher rates (as well as how to know what to actually charge for your work). ICYMI, here are some key takeaways. (Also, follow us to hear about future events!) 1. Stop thinking of yourself as “bad with money.”When you’re in a creative profession, it can be easy to believe the myth that you're not financially savvy by default. And hey, if you didn’t go to business school, things like quarterly taxes and Roth IRAs can feel daunting when you have to look up every other term in the description. But the first step to making more money is to stop dreading the conversation around it. Even if your work spiritually fulfills you, it also needs to keep you afloat, and caring about how much you make won’t make you any less of an artist. Being pragmatic about earning a living through your work–and not carrying shame around it–keeps you from taking on low-paying projects or worse, working "for exposure". That’s why the first step is simply cultivating curiosity around your financial education: if anything, it can improve the quality of your work because you’ll know you’re providing something valuable and feel more confident. Everyone wins! 2. Be calm and prepared for all outcomes when negotiating.Ok, so you did your research and have a solid idea of what you want to ask for. Great! The one problem is: You can still get a no, even if you wrote a really strong email. That’s why, before you even hit send, you should be ready for all possible answers. What happens if they refuse to budge? What if they go up a little, but not even close to what you’re asking for? Are there other expenses they can cover if the rate itself is too low? Do you have backup projects to take on so you can formally pass? If you’re having this convo in person, that’s all the more reason to be prepped. Above all else, don’t be afraid of silence if the other person is thinking about your offer. Be confident, don’t backpedal, and always come in having a rate in mind as a jumping-off point (so you don't just blurt out a random number you can’t take back.) 3. Network more effectively.At the event, participants filled out a sheet detailing what they needed, and what they could give. This covered everything from “can build a website” to “will watch your cat” and provided people with a natural way to connect over the direct ways they could help each other. Similarly, when networking, it’s important to really know what work you’re looking for and what you can offer over simply meeting acquaintances in the same field as you. If you’re great at coding or design, say so! If you need help figuring out your finances as a freelancer, bring it up! Eventually, as you branch out and meet more people who are open about asking or offering help, it can change how you work, too. Having more transparent conversations around what you can do and what you’ll need in exchange is a great way to meet people who will value your time–and pay you exactly what you're worth. via Freelancers Union Blog https://blog.freelancersunion.org/2020/02/13/3-simple-ways-to-make-more-money-as-a-freelancer/
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Three words a large chunk of fitness professionals have wretched relationship with. The prevailing thought, it seems, is that admitting ignorance is a sign of weakness or that you’ll somehow lose credibility points for not knowing the answer to a client’s question… …as if the fitness industry’s equivalent of Professor McGonagall is lurking around the corner to take 1000 points away from Hufflepuff House for not memorizing every delicate step of the Kreb’s Cycle. FOR SHAME!! Listen, there’s a lot as a personal trainer/coach you should know.
But you can’t expect to know EVERYTHING about anything.
Maybe you knew the answer to all of the above, and if so, can we hang out? But if not, and on the off-chance someone in your life – whether it be client, colleague, or cousin – asked, and you didn’t know the answer, how would you handle it? Rather than play hero, pretend to be an all-knowing smarty pants, and manufacture a false response… I’ve found it to be best practice to be honest with clients. Simply put, say…
This bleeds of authenticity and I’ve found that, 100% of the time, clients appreciate and respect the honesty. Kind of like when you do someone a solid and let them know they’ve got something in their teeth. I’ve never lost a client because I was unable to answer their question regarding functions of the psoas or, I don’t know, the efficacy of heart rate variability training in undertrained grizzly bears. Namely because the latter is ridiculous. But too, it’s just never happened. If I don’t know the answer to a question or a client asks to dive deeper into something I have little expertise on, I’ll say “I don’t know,” followed by “but I know someone who does. Let me connect you.” This happened to me not long ago. I had a client express interest in learning more about the Olympic lifts. Up until that point she and I had been working together for several months prior focusing on the basic barbell lifts – deadlift, squat, bench press, etc. She was a stark newbie when she walked into CORE the first day but had made a ton of progress in a short amount of time. It wasn’t long before she started asking whether or not I’d be willing to add OLY lifts into her programming? (cue crickets chirping on my end) Full Disclosure: I don’t have a lot of experience performing – let alone teaching – the OLY lifts. I even wrote about why I don’t include OLY lifting in my programs HERE. In a nutshell, I’m more qualified to fly an Apache Helicopter than teach a passable barbell split jerk. Without blinking an eye I connected her to a handful of coaches in the Boston area more equipped to help her out. And it couldn’t have worked out more splendidly. She sent me the most gracious email a few weeks later saying how much fun she was having and that she had “found her people.” Some reading may say something to the effect of “dude, Tony, you lost a client. That’s the opposite of what I want to happen to me.” Touche. In the literal sense I did lose a client. However, what do you think is the likely outcome when she’s approached by one of her family members or friends or colleagues asking if she knows of any reputable trainers in the area? She’s going to refer them to this guy that’s what’s going to happen. If There’s Two Things to Remember They Are…1. Your clients won’t care that you don’t know the answer to something. Saying “I don’t know” is the responsible response. Followed by “but I will try my best to find the answer for you.” 2. Don’t think pointing your clients towards other fitness professionals (especially locally) is a poor business decision. In my experience every time I’ve done so resulted in the same client referring more people to me. Once they understand you have THEIR best interests in mind they’ll often reward you with unabashed loyalty. Did what you just read make your day? Ruin it? Either way, you should share it with your friends and/or comment below.via Blog – Tony Gentilcore http://tonygentilcore.com/2020/02/the-lost-art-of-saying-i-dont-know/
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This article was first published by the IRS and has been reproduced with permission. Subscribe to IRS tax tips here. As taxpayers are getting ready to file their taxes, one of the first things they'll do is gather their records. To avoid refund delays, taxpayers should gather all year-end income documents before filing a 2019 tax return. It's important for folks to have all the needed documents on hand before starting to prepare their return. Doing so helps them file a complete and accurate tax return. Here are some things taxpayers need to have before they begin doing their taxes.
Forms usually start arriving by mail or are available online from employers and financial institutions in January. Taxpayers should review them carefully. If any information shown on the forms is inaccurate, the taxpayer should contact the payer ASAP for a correction. via Freelancers Union Blog https://blog.freelancersunion.org/2020/02/12/make-tax-time-easier-by-getting-organized-now/ |
AuthorI have 5+ years experience working as a medical transcriptionist. When I am not working, I enjoy sports like playing basketball or judo. I love making friends and connections. Archives
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