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Alas, I will never be a fitness influencer. First of all, the mere thought of even calling myself something like that invokes an immediate gag reflex. But more to the point I am not nearly creative enough to fall into that camp. I mean, a true fitness influencer would have used any of the following titles to lure you in:
See? I’m too boring to be an influencer. 4 (Maybe New to You) Goblet Squat VariationsAll that said, I’m a firm believer that training doesn’t always have to be a circus show. Sure, it behooves us to add a little variety and pizzazz into the mix – I.e., chainsaws? blindfolds? unstable surface? chains? a black bear? – but for most people, most of the time, what yields the best results are sticking with exercises that:
I don’t know, maybe it’s because I’m a bit old school and am kinda-sorta set in my ways, but for me and my money, the best exercises are the ones that are monotonously boring. To that end, since we’re all sequestered and training at home and likely doing all we can to NOT toss our faces into a brick wall from too much monotony, below are a handful of Goblet Squat variations – that, for the record, can be performed with either a kettlebell or dumbbell – I tend to default to with my own programming (and that of my clients/athletes). 1. Goblet Squat w/ LoweringLet’s be honest: It’s a bicep curl. The “lowering” part is a bicep curl. However, WHY I like adding in the bicep curl may surprise you. It’s not for bigger arms. Rather, I like how it forces you to OWN the bottom position of the squat. I find a lot of trainees tend to “relax” in the hole and either end up losing their spine position or just “hang out” on their passive restraints (ligaments and tendons). With the lowering component the idea is that they have to remain ON throughout the motion. There’s a bit more of a mind-body connection which I find is beneficial for many. SIDE NOTE: As you can see, my 3-year old in the background is super impressed. 2. Goblet Squat w/ PulseI got this one from Dan John years ago and it’s a sneaky little fucker. The limiting factor, of course. will be shoulder endurance so err on the side of conservative when selecting a load to use. That said, the main benefit of this variation is targeting the anterior core. Similar to above, the idea is to OWN the hole and pressing the KB out in front of the body forces you to fire your core to a very high degree. It also forces a bit of weight shift (back), which allows for a bit of “settling” into the squat to occur. Be PURPOSEFUL with pulse part; it shouldn’t be a quick jolt back and forth. 3. Squat w/ Overhead PressI’m just going to come right out and say it: This one suuuuuuuuuuuucks. I picked this one up from Dr. Quinn Henoch of Clinical Athlete a few years ago when listening to him present, and was slapped in the face with intrigue when he mentioned he liked this variation to help with grooving thoracic extension with his athletes. Once I tried it the lightbulb went off. Try it. You’ll get it too. 4. Goblet Kickstand SquatAlso known as a “B-Stance” Squat, all we’re accomplishing here is getting more acquainted with asymmetry and using it to our advantage. I’ve written more on my stance with regards to asymmetry in the past and you can check it out HERE. TLDR: Asymmetry is normal. You’re going to live. I like this variation because:
I’m awful at conclusions. 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/2020/05/4-maybe-new-to-you-goblet-squat-variations/
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Today is the third anniversary of New York City’s Freelance Isn’t Free Act, the first law in the country that protects freelancers against nonpayment. We fought long and hard for its passage because we know that client nonpayment is one of the most common — and most frustrating — hazards of the freelance life. The Freelance Isn’t Free Act is a robust set of protections that require clients to use a contract every time they hire freelancers for $800 worth of work (the amount can be accumulated over a four-month period), requires payment within 30 days, and provides legal assistance and an easy claim process managed by the city. In essence, the law places the financial risk on clients, rather than freelancers. If you do the work you were hired to do, clients must pay. It’s that simple. If they don’t, they can be held liable for double the amount of your invoice, plus legal fees, and fines for chronic nonpayers. More than ever, we’re hearing from members who are owed money by delinquent clients. While many small businesses are genuinely struggling during the coronavirus crisis, too many large, well-funded companies are using it as an excuse to avoid paying freelancers what they’re owed. Read more about why the most common coronavirus-related excuses don’t hold up under the Act here. What if I’m in NYC but my client isn’t? The Act may still apply to you, depending on the overall circumstances of the work, including whether some portion of the work was performed in New York City (which is likely if you live and work in NYC), whether you were hired in New York City, and whether the hiring party has any operations within New York City. You should file a claim. What if I’m not in NYC but my client is? The Act applies to you! If the hiring party is based in NYC, they fall under NYC jurisdiction and must abide by all city laws. You can file a claim remotely. What if neither of us is in NYC? It’s our goal to introduce Freelance Isn’t Free legislation across the country — no freelancer should feel helpless when a client refuses to pay them what they’re owed. If you want to get involved in the fight to bring Freelance Isn’t Free to your city, email [email protected]. Want more inspiration? Check out these Freelance Isn’t Free success stories:To learn more about Freelance Isn't Free and share your own success story, join us on Instagram Live starting at noon EDT on Friday, May 15. Freelancers Union President Rafael Espinal will be talking with a series of special guests about the law, including freelancers like you who used the law to get paid. via Freelancers Union Blog https://blog.freelancersunion.org/2020/05/15/the-freelance-isnt-free-act-is-more-important-than-ever/
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The need-to-know:
A new bill has been introduced in New York City to extend paid sick leave benefits to those who are most marginalized in the service industries. The proposed bill, Intro 1926, is intended to support misclassified workers who do not currently qualify for paid sick leave, a situation that forces them to make impossible decisions about their health and the health of others when they go to work every day. Introduced by City Council Member Brad Lander, a longtime freelancer supporter who was an early champion of the Freelance Isn’t Free Act, the bill is intended to help to help delivery, rideshare, and other on-demand and contract workers who are at the front lines of essential work and often lack access to employer benefits. The authors of the bill estimate that there are about 140,000 low-wage workers in New York City who fit this category. To determine whether someone has been misclassified for the purposes of providing paid leave, the bill uses a version of what is known as the ABC test. Crucially, it unequivocally exempts anyone who provides “professional services,” which are defined as any professional work by writers, graphic designers, web and digital designers, animators, illustrators, industrial product designers, interior designers, fashion designers, fine artists, photographers, journalists, media workers, videographers, audio/podcast producers, software engineers, and performing artists. The bill has no bearing on any other part of New York employment law, and will not change the way people are classified for any other purposes than the provision of paid sick leave in New York City. Those who are familiar with the problems caused by California’s AB-5 law are rightfully concerned: AB-5 uses a version of an ABC test that restricts the definitions of freelance work, and has caused a number of companies to stop working with California freelancers altogether. But there’s no one ABC test. In fact, 33 states already have a version of an ABC test in some part of their employment law, without the disastrous effects of AB-5. To avoid an AB-5 situation, the authors of the bill worked with a number of freelancer groups to create a version of the test that takes into account the realities of true freelance work. There’s no escaping the fact that some companies use misclassification to avoid giving marginalized workers essential protections, just as it’s clear that truly independent freelancers choose their work because they love it and want to have that independence protected. That’s why we make sure to come to the table whenever classification is under discussion; we are always in contact with policy makers to make sure freelancers are heard. On Friday, May 15, we’ll be celebrating Freelance Isn’t Free Day on Instagram Live starting at noon EDT. Council Member Lander will be joining us, and will be discussing the proposed law as well as his work on Freelance Isn’t Free. via Freelancers Union Blog https://blog.freelancersunion.org/2020/05/14/proposed-nyc-sick-leave-bill/
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It’s been seven weeks since the CARES Act, the first major piece of legislation aimed at addressing the coronavirus crisis, was signed into law. That law created Pandemic Unemployment Assistance and the Paycheck Protection Program, two initiatives that were intended to provide critical aid for freelance and self-employed individuals, who have been doubly affected both by shutdowns to contain the spread of the virus and by the resulting economic downturn. Nearly two months later, the facts are impossible to ignore: millions of freelancers — 84% of those who responded to our recent survey — haven’t received a dollar. Today, we sent a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, House Small Business Committee Chair Nydia Velázquez, and the New York and California congressional delegations to demand that the government take action to solve this crisis. The letters, co-signed by 30 organizations that represent freelancers in film, media, and the arts, outline the big steps needed to make real change for the serious problems freelancers are facing right now. In addition to the long-delayed rollout of PUA applications across the country, we’ve seen that a lack of guidance from the federal government has left states unsure how to proceed once freelancer claims are received. We’ve heard from many freelancers whose work history includes both W-2s and 1099s that their state unemployment agency denied their claims or granted them a fraction of the benefits they’re owed due to faulty calculations. This is a fundamental misunderstanding of the realities of freelance work that cannot be allowed to stand. Rather than wait for these systems to fix themselves, we need to take action now. We’re asking the federal government to:
The extended stimulus payment program has already been proposed in the Monthly Economic Crisis Support Act, which was introduced into the Senate last week by Sens. Kamala Harris, Bernie Sanders, and Ed Markey. And rent and mortgage forgiveness has been introduced into the House by Rep Ilhan Omar as the Rent and Mortgage Cancellation Act. We urge the House and Senate to pass these two pieces of legislation, in addition to the newly proposed HEROES Act, that will fix the PUA system and make it truly accessible to all. As one of the 57 million freelancers in this country, you are a crucial part of the American workforce. Call, email, or tweet at your local representative to let them know freelancers won’t be overlooked any longer, and tell them they need to #fixPUAnow! via Freelancers Union Blog https://blog.freelancersunion.org/2020/05/13/better-federal-relief-is-needed-to-solve-the-freelance-crisis-in-america/
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This article is reproduced with permission from A Better Balance. In March, Congress passed a new law called the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA). Among other emergency protections, the law creates new tax credits for freelancers and other self-employed people to compensate for lost income when you cannot work for certain coronavirus-related reasons. Here’s what freelancers need to know about how to access these credits. What do the tax credits cover?As a freelancer, you can receive tax credits for up to 10 days total of paid sick leave if you can’t work for one or more of the following reasons related to the coronavirus: · You are subject to a quarantine or isolation order. This includes a shelter-in-place order or other order to stay at home, like New York’s PAUSE and California's Safer at Home orders, or an order for people in a certain category (like those of particular ages or with particular medical conditions) to stay home. · Your doctor or health care provider tells you to self-quarantine because they believe you have or may have coronavirus or that you are particularly vulnerable to the virus. · You have coronavirus symptoms and are seeking a medical diagnosis. · You need to care for a loved one who is subject a quarantine or isolation order or whose health care provider has told that person to self-quarantine. · You have lost childcare due to coronavirus and need to care for your children, such as because their school or daycare is closed or the person who normally cares for them can’t do so. If you can’t work because of a coronavirus-related loss of childcare, you can also receive a separate tax credit for up to 50 days of family leave. If you qualify, you can take both credits (even if you used your sick leave credit for childcare), up to a maximum of 60 combined days. Note that these credits only cover days you could not work between April 1 and December 31, 2020. What documentation do I need?Although the IRS hasn’t yet specified exactly what documentation freelancers will need to provide, you should keep careful records about any leave you plan to claim credits for. Those records should include things like the dates and reasons for which you took leave and any supporting documentation you have. You should also write up and hold onto a statement that, for those days, you cannot perform services in your trade or business for the qualifying reason. Depending on the reason you can’t work, you may also need to hold on to other records. For example, you should keep records of the agency issuing the order to quarantine or stay at home, the health care provider recommending you self-quarantine, or the name and relationship to you of the person you are caring for. If you need leave for childcare reasons, you’ll want to hold onto additional documentation, such as the children’s names and ages and the name of their school or child care provider. You also want to write up and hold onto a statement that no one else will be caring for the children during the time for which you are claiming the credit. If you need to care for a child older than 14 during the day, you should also write up and hold onto a statement of any special circumstances requiring you to provide care. How much will my credit be for?The amount of your credit is based on your average daily self-employment income. To calculate this amount, take your self-employment income for the taxable year and divide by 260 (the number of non-weekend days in a year). You’ll use this number to figure out how much you are owed, based on the number of days you were unable to work. For sick leave, you can receive the credit for up to 10 days total, but the amount of the credit you can receive per day depends on the reason you can’t work. For covered reasons related to your own health, the credit is for 100% of your average daily self-employment income up to $511/day ($5,111 total). For covered reasons related to caring for someone else, the credit is for 67% (about 2/3) of your average daily self-employment income, up to $200/day ($2,000 total). For family leave, you can receive the credit for up to 50 days at 67% of your average daily self-employment income, up to $200/day ($10,000 total). These credits count against the amount you will owe in federal self-employment tax for the 2020 tax year. You can fund your leave now by reducing your estimated income tax payments by taking into account credits you will claim on your 2020 tax return. These credits are refundable, meaning that if your credit is larger than the amount of money you owe in self-employment taxes, the excess amount will be refunded to you. For more information, you can read A Better Balance’s fact sheet here, contact our free and confidential legal hotline, or consult your tax advisor. Please note that this fact sheet does not represent an exhaustive overview of the law described, and it does not constitute legal advice. via Freelancers Union Blog https://blog.freelancersunion.org/2020/05/12/freelancers-guide-to-paid-sick-leave-tax-credit/
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I’m excited to announce my new CORE @ Home platform. I’ve spent the last several weeks working with my boy Alex from Copter Labs to develop a resource which will allow me to send weekly workouts to your living room. It’s Free(ish)Many of us have been forced to workout from home the last several weeks and depending on who are are, how inventive you are, and what kind of access to equipment you have the experience can range from “hey this isn’t so bad” to “OMG I’d rather jump into a shark’s mouth.” For some it’s been an opportunity to tap into their inner McGyver and conjure up some unique and interesting exercise routines. However, for others (and I suspect the bulk of people fall into this camp), it’s been an opportunity to want to toss your face into a brick wall. I mean, there’s only so many things you can perform with a few bands, a smattering of kettlebells, a rubber ducky, and a roll of duct tape. Workouts can turn stale and monotonous very quickly (if they haven’t already). Well, let me do the thinking for you. CORE @ Home is designed to deliver quick, effective, and fun workouts on a weekly basis that pretty much anyone can partake in. The Requirements– If you’re currently injured or have a unique injury history that needs to be taken into consideration you’re probably better off hiring someone to write individualized programs for you. These workouts are meant to be followed by the masses and have a more broad appeal and reach. – You have to have access to the following equipment:
And that’s pretty much it. The DeetsThere are two ways to experience CORE @ Home. 1. Free Workouts
2. “All In” Access
Each workout is divided into three sections: Athlete —> Build —> Condition. The “Athlete” Section has you doing something athletic: simple jumping, skipping, and hopping drills. The “Build” Section is the meat & potatoes and is designed to emulate more of a traditional program based around paired exercises or supersets. Think: squats, rows, pushes, carries, and the link. The “Condition” Section is more or less what the name implies: conditioning (I.e., make you hate life). All workouts are designed to be complete in 30-40 minutes and includes a complete warm-up prior. Join NowIf you’re someone looking for direction and just want someone else to tell you what to do, CORE @ Home should fit the bill nicely. Too, as we progress forward and people begin to gain access to their regular gyms (or start to build more robust home gyms) this platform will “evolve” to reflect that. OMG remember barbells!?!? Anyway, enough talk…let’s get to work. —> Enroll in CORE @ Home HERE <--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/2020/05/introducing-core-at-home-workouts-you-can-perform-in-your-living-room/
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This article is reproduced with the permission of our partner, Trupo. Whether you're a sole proprietor or a small business owner, you might be looking into getting an SBA loan through the Paycheck Protection Program. However, you might be having issues hearing back from a PPP lender, or wonder how Unemployment Insurance or Pandemic Unemployment Assistance affects your eligibility for a loan. Here are three answers to three common questions we've seen in our Mutual Aid Google Group: You can apply for a loan through multiple lenders at once.According to Bench, you can simultaneously apply for the same PPP loan through a few different lenders — you can even hear back from your bank and still apply somewhere else, just to be safe. You just have to make sure you only get the actual loan through one lender, unless you have multiple businesses with different tax IDs. Smaller or less traditional lenders might be more helpful than your bank.Users in the Mutual Aid Circle have cited success with lenders such as Fundera, Lendio, and Blue Vine. Part of the reason is that smaller lenders have more experience working with small or local businesses in the first place. That being said, you should still apply as quickly as you can just like you would at a regular bank — the program ran out of money a few weeks ago before getting more funding, and it's likely to run out again. You can't collect money from a PPP loan and unemployment benefits at the same time.As Lawyers for the Creative Arts points out, there isn't much guidance from the state or federal government on what to do, but it's important to remember that each program serves a different purpose. Unemployment benefits are meant for people who have recently lost work due to COVID-19, whereas the SBA loans from the Paycheck Protection Program are designed to help you keep your employees (aka yourself) on payroll. You cannot use a PPP loan for payments to yourself from your own business while also collecting unemployment benefits because you're out of work. However, when your PPP funds run out after eight weeks, you may still be eligible for unemployment benefits. You can also apply for both at the same time, but if you get a PPP loan, you will have to opt out of unemployment benefits for those eight weeks. As many people in the Mutual Aid Circle pointed out, it's worth weighing out which option might be better for you, especially if you're a self-employed worker or sole proprietor. For instance, a PPP loan is still a loan — there are ways to turn it into a grant, but if you'd rather avoid those steps, collecting unemployment might be a simpler option. If you have any more questions (or have experience in successfully applying for a PPP loan), feel free to join the group and add to the discussion. [Photo: Unsplash/99.films] via Freelancers Union Blog https://blog.freelancersunion.org/2020/05/11/3-things-you-should-know-about-the-paycheck-protection-program/
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THE WEEKLY BRIEF UPDATEWe fucking did it! My wife and I packed our shit (and Julian) into our car last Saturday night and took off for Florida early Sunday morning. It took us three hours on the dot to get from Boston to NYC. And then we went 55 MPH across the GW Bridge (when normally a Hobbit walking to Mordor is faster) In all we drove eleven hours on the first leg with a pitstop in Fayetteville, NC for a sleep break. We were up early again Monday morning and on the road by 7 AM to complete the last nine hour leg to Jensen Beach. We arrived at 4:15 PM and Lisa was in the hot tub by 4:45 (not exaggerating). Not to downplay anything, but if (and this is a BIG if) there’s a silver lining to any part of this pandemic it’s that traveling on the highways has never been more pleasant. As I type these words I’m sitting poolside with my chill, deep house mix playing and Julian out cold taking his nap. We’re still doing the respectful thing and practicing good social distancing hygiene, but damn it’s waaaaaay easier to do with a pool (and a Grandma) in the mix. SOCIAL MEDIA SHENANIGANS
STUFF TO READ WHILE YOU’RE AT HOME NOT WEARING PANTSDynamic Lifestyle Podcast w/ Chris & Eric MartinezHere’s a quick 15-20 minute episode I did with Chris & Eric Martinez of the Dynamic Lifestyle Podcast Four Challenges Boston Fitness Businesses Face in Surviving COVID-19 – Tessa YannoneThis isn’t just a Boston thing. I’m sure all of my colleagues across the USA (and world) can commiserate with this article. Shout-out to my good friends Steve & Lindsay Bergeron of AMP Fitness who helped contribute to this article. The Positive Impact of Strength Training for High-School & College Athletes – Matthew IbrahimSpeaking personally, I started lifting weights because I wanted Nicole Kot to notice me in 8th grade. She never did. Thankfully, as this article more poignantly points out: I got much, much more out of the process. 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/2020/05/stuff-to-read-while-youre-stuck-at-home-not-wearing-pants-5-8-20/
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Since in-person networking is not really an option for most of us these days, these are some of my favorite ways to cultivate and grow my network while working remotely. 1. Activate Your Alumni NetworksWhether you use LinkedIn or Facebook, you can reach out and connect with alumni from your alma mater in any geographic location, across industries and generations. Having a shared history and intimate knowledge of your school's traditions, athletic teams, etc. can serve as a great stepping-stone for building relationships, both professional and personal. Look for local alumni groups that can provide additional opportunities for making valuable and maybe soon-to-be-in-person connections. 2. Maximize Tools Like SlackThese days, almost half of today's remote workers use Slack, which provides a valuable tool for connecting with coworkers, sharing ideas, and even identifying potential new colleagues and friends. Slack communities provide limitless opportunities for connecting with people with similar interests. There are Slack communities for remote workers of all professions, hobbies, and interests. 3. Get on RedditWith 330 million monthly active users and well over 138,000 active communities, Reddit has a group or thread for practically everyone. Explore your interests, ask for advice, and maybe even find work via this digital collaboration platform. Remote workers can also find community in regional subreddits and just hope your stressed-out behavior doesn't show up in the TalesFromRetail subreddit. 4. VolunteerWhether you decide to answer 211 calls for your local community or make check-in calls with seniors for your church, there are countless opportunities to reach out and give back from home. Volunteering is also an effective way to polish your communication, networking, and teamwork skills—which are qualities that virtually every professional should cultivate today. Some of the highest-quality connections I've made over the years have been from volunteering situations. Why not volunteer to proofread the newsletter for your favorite industry association or offer to make membership renewal calls for them? 5. Participate in LinkedIn GroupsUse LinkedIn Groups as a public forum to ask for guidance or discuss topics and trends with thought leaders and experts. Also, by sharing and providing your own knowledgeable insights, ideas, or resources, you can build rapport with other contributors and cultivate your network while doing so, too. Groups can be geographically or topic-specific based such as the Chicago Compensation Association Group or Digital Marketing, respectively, and engaging in them is a great way to connect with new-to-you professionals in your industry. via Freelancers Union Blog https://blog.freelancersunion.org/2020/05/08/network-in-your-pajamas-with-these-remote-resources/
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As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, people all over the world are staying at home to help contain the virus. Counterintuitive though it may seem, the situation presents a golden opportunity for freelancers to score their next big project. In ordinary circumstances, it would be very difficult to reach key decision-makers at companies, due to their hectic schedules. Now, as they are all working remotely, you can send them an email, and it will most likely at least be read. The best way to take advantage of this window of opportunity? A webinar. Benefits of WebinarsWebinars are not new. They have been used for years by marketers across industries, for purposes ranging from internal training to lead generation. The graph below gives you a sense of how widely webinars are used across sectors. Source: GoToWebinar For something that can be organized from your home, webinars are an effective sales and marketing channel. 95% of respondents to an On24 survey agreed that webinars are key to their lead generation and marketing efforts. According to the Content Marketing Institute, 32% of the 58% of marketers who use webinars for promotion also think that webinar marketing will be critical to their success this year. But how do these facts relate to freelancers? To be a successful freelancer, you must be a great marketer. Only when you effectively market your services can you score those big projects. Webinars are a marketing channel where you can illustrate your experience and promote your services to a large audience. Here’s a simple five-step plan for running your next webinar. 1. Plan Your WebinarIf you have organized a live event in the past, then planning for a webinar should be easy. While you don’t need to choose a venue, much of the other decisions you make will remain the same. The most important decision you need to make is the topic. You can showcase a wide range of topics in a webinar; you need to pick a subject that you are an expert in and that people will find interesting. Importantly, the topic should align with the services you offer. When choosing a topic, identify the “pain points” potential clients may have. I normally start this process by creating a customer persona. This will help you understand what topics are likely to click for your audience. An easy hack to get an idea of what works for your audience is to use Eventbrite. Just Google “your niche + workshop + Eventbrite + big city” to get a list of workshops. Then see which ones have the most attendees registered. Then, you can come up with your spin on that topic. Once you have your topic, decide on the format of your presentation. Ask the following questions:
Since your goal is to sell your services, I recommend you be the sole presenter of your webinar. You should use a setup where you can easily give a demonstration of the value you promised your audience. Don’t forget: Your value should be aligned with the service you’re selling. For example, if you’re a writer, you can teach audiences how to write a press release. Creating a nice ambiance is also important. The presenter below, for example, opted for this setup: Source: Scrivener The setting looks professional and polished, and he can use the big screen to demonstrate as he speaks. Importantly, the place has good lighting. You need to create a suitable spot for your webinar. The time you pick for the webinar should fit not only your schedule but that of your target audience. Even if they’re stuck at home, thanks to COVID-19, most people won’t want to watch a professional webinar at the weekend when they’re spending time with their family. With very few exceptions, midweek during working hours is best. Since webinars are web-based, bear in mind that members of your target audience are likely to live in different time zones. One way to mitigate this is to allow people who sign up for your webinar to watch a recording later if they cannot attend live. 2. Set Up Your WebinarNow, you need to create marketing materials and promote the event. Before you do anything else, create:
The good news is that most webinar platforms have registration templates you can use. They also have pre-written email sequences for registrants. The standard templates are pretty simple. They will generally have an above-the-fold section with the key information, usually, with a clear CTA for registration. Here’s an example lacking a CTA. Source: Allevents.in Below the fold, you have a couple of paragraphs that describe the webinar. The copy should cover in a bit of detail who the event is for and what people will gain from attending. You might decide to use bullet points to highlight the value proposition. Below is the copy that followed the header I shared above. And that’s your registration page. The email sequences are even easier. If it’s your first time hosting a webinar, I’d make a couple of minor tweaks to the standard template and leave it at that. The email sequence is just a set of reminders to ensure people don’t forget they signed up for the event. Now that you have a registration page, you’re all set to promote your event. The marketing channels you choose to use should align with where you regularly promote yourself. If you have a website or blog, promote your webinar there. You should promote your event through your social media accounts such as Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Banners and images will help to attract attention. Your email list is another relevant channel to use. You can also do some targeted outreach if you wish. Create a list of prospects who fit your ideal customer persona. If you’re a freelance content writer, this might be marketing or advertising companies. If you’re a freelance software developer, you will probably look for tech companies. Find out who you should contact in these companies, and how to reach them. You can look for them on LinkedIn and contact them there, or use an email verification tool to get their details so you can send them a message. 4. Webinar Presentation TipsThe next, and most daunting, step is the presentation itself. First impressions count, so dress professionally. Try smart but informal “business casual” dress will be appropriate in most circumstances. As you present, always remember that you have a goal, and that goal is to make people hire you. But you don’t want to turn them off with a hard sell; instead, reel them in by offering the value you promised slowly. Once they show interest, that’s when you make your pitch. Some other presenting tips to bear in mind:
That final point is essential. Don’t just wrap up the webinar and say goodbye. Send your visitors to a sales page where you make a relevant, preferably time-sensitive, offer. You can use a landing page builder to create the sales page. A well-designed sales page with a relevant offer will help convert those warm leads you just generated through the webinar into customers. This is, after all, your ultimate goal. 5. Follow up After the EventAfter your webinar, followup is crucial. This nurtures the relationship with your attendees. Then, when the time comes that they need the services you offer, they will remember you. To follow up, send an email to all participants within 24 hours of the event. Although this is a “thank you for attending” email, your real objective is to get them to take action. You might provide a free consultation session, encourage sign-ups to your newsletter, or offer them a no-obligation quote. You should also send an email to those who registered but did not attend. This might include a link to the presentation slides or a recording of the session. Finally, ask all your attendees for feedback on the webinar. You can do this with a short survey. Feedback is invaluable and enables you to hone your webinar skills and improve your offering for next time. Wrapping UpEven when the pandemic is over, the increased digitization of business and events is likely here to stay. For many freelancers and small business owners, this presents a phenomenal opportunity. Do not be afraid to seize it! Webinars allow you to think outside the box and be creative. They provide a new way of connecting with your target audience and allow you to nurture those relationships while showcasing your skills and services. They are a powerful marketing channel. All you need to do is learn how to use them effectively, and create a winning marketing plan to get those clients. via Freelancers Union Blog https://blog.freelancersunion.org/2020/05/07/how-to-run-a-winning-webinar/ |
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
April 2023
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