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I get invited onto a lot of podcasts. Some are fun to do, while others make me want to voluntarily commit myself to Azkaban Prison. This most recent one I did with Vermont based strength coach, Casey Lee, definitely falls under the umbrella of the former. I like a more casual, conversational approach. Sorta like two people hanging out and talking about whatever happens organically. I also like chats that are short and to the point. I’m cool as shit, but no one – not even my mother – wants to listen to me talk for an hour. This episode of “3 Things” is less than 30 minutes and Casey and I talk about everything from building a brand to dad life to Tiesto. Enjoy! To listen on iTunes go HERE (episode # 38) To listen on Stitcher go HERE. To listen on Google Play go HERE. To listen in the future go 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/2018/10/appearance-3-things-podcast/
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This is a post from a member of the Freelancers Union community. If you’re interested in sharing your expertise, your story, or some advice you think will help a fellow freelancer out, feel free to send your blog post to us here. Think back to your childhood and what it was like trying to hit a baseball for the first time. Now think back to a recent presentation or the first time you had to give a big presentation. You may have stumbled, gotten stuck on a word, or failed to connect with your goal. Learning to speak in public is like learning to play a sport.
You probably didn’t knock the ball out of the park on the first try. You may have lost your balance, spun around, fell over, struck out. But you showed up and you practiced. So if you’re feeling discouraged about where your presentation skills are today, keep practicing. The good news is that presentation skills are something you learn. So if you’re panicked about a presentation, start here: Set an objectiveAnswer the question “What’s the main message I want my audience to walk away with? Review your contentAsk yourself whether each piece of information is steering the audience toward your objective. Practice makes perfectSet aside 10 minutes a day to practice your presentation out loud. And remember, how you feel about your speaking skills today is not an indicator of how you’re going to feel next week, next month, or next year. Madeline Schwarz works with designers, creatives, and technical people who want their ideas seen, heard and respected. She teaches people how to articulate their thoughts, communicate the value of their work, and share their ideas in ways that their teammates and clients understand. Madeline teaches a small group class called Speak with Impact, facilitates workshops on presentation skills and team communication, and coaches clients one on one. Sign up for Madeline's 10 Tips to Boost your Presentation Skills at https://www.madelineschwarzcoaching.com/10-tips via Freelancers Union Blog https://blog.freelancersunion.org/2018/10/25/6-ways-public-speaking-is-like-learning-to-play-baseball/
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This is a post from a member of the Freelancers Union community. If you’re interested in sharing your expertise, your story, or some advice you think will help a fellow freelancer out, feel free to send your blog post to us here. Are you stuck in a rut, wanting to leave your 9-5, but afraid you won't be able to get yourself that first client? Let me tell you, my friends, you can and you will! Here are my 18 favorite marketing methods to get your business started with a bang! Pre-existing relationshipsWhen I first started out freelancing, in need of a client, I took to my computer and reached out. I emailed my former co-workers, neighbours, and friends etc. to make them aware of what I was now doing and what services I could offer them. These people have to employ people from somewhere and it is reassuring to know the person. If they need work done, the chances are, they will remember you! Former classmatesOkay, you have all moved on and you probably don’t keep in touch with them as well as you once said you did, BUT there is a strong chance that a handful of your old school buddies are now running their own businesses, working in marketing, need a copywriter. The list goes on. Send them an email, see if your services can be of use to them and they may become a client. Pounding the pavementThis is a relatively obvious one but nonetheless effective. Yes, we’re talking business cards & flyers. Get out of the office and pop in to some of your local businesses. Pass them a flyer, drop your business card through their letter box. They may or may not need you now, but with any luck they have kept it and when they do you'll be top of their list! SEOThis may be where you seek a professional, BUT worry not, you can improve your SEO yourself. SEO stands for Search Engine Optimisation. Those who use WordPress, I highly recommend using the Yoast plugin, it’ll walk you through step by step and make it a darn sight easier. It is really important to optimise your website for search engines to shimmy your way into the top of your audiences search. I highly suggest looking into keywords and how to best use them for your audience. Local agenciesHave you popped in to your local agency? Do you even know if you have one locally? Open up Google, and search for "local design agencies." Drop them an email with your captivating portfolio. include your rates and make them aware that you can be available for any overflow to their work capacity. Paid advertisingPaid advertising is a very quick way to be seen by a wider audience–it's quick but costly. If used correctly and aimed at the correct audience these can be very successful. Look into Facebook Ads, start with a limited spend to see if it works and adjust as needed. Another option is Instagram stories, free and another form of visual marketing to a large audience. Facebook groupsDiscussing with other entrepreneurs, in the last few years Facebook groups seem to be one of the leading ways to get clients. Engage, engage, engage. Provide people with information, give them advice and REAL help. They WILL remember you (and so will others in the group). Be consistent, make a name for yourself and they will hunt you down! Networking eventsIt can seem daunting, but it’s never to early to get networking, especially in person. I am sure there are plenty of online networking events, but you’ll be more memorable in person. Take along your business cards and flyers. Hand them out, to anyone and everyone. Find events that are full of your audience. You don’t need to book a stand, be a host or wait for an invite to get to know likeminded individuals who might be interested in your services. Start now! Local newspaperOld-fashioned it may seem, but don’t scroll past just yet. Hop on your local paper's website and do some digging. Do they offer paid advertising? Online and in a physical paper? There are still people that prefer to turn the pages, the investment may well pay off. Relevant magazinesSimilarly to your local newspaper, have a hunt around for some magazines that are aimed at your ideal client/ audience. Do they offer advertising space? Another route to consider is offering them valuable information in return for some advertising space. Guest bloggingThis probably won’t rake in clients immediately, but you will definitely start to build a presence for yourself amongst people that are looking to employ you. The more of an audience that you go before, the higher the chances are that someone needs a job doing that you can do! ReferralsAlong with Facebook groups, this is another really successful way to gain clients. That said, it isn’t always the most useful for your first client. How can you change that? Do a couple of jobs, swap services, get a testimonial, add to your portfolio and ask them to refer you. Heck, maybe even offer them a referral discount! I think it is widely discussed amongst designers that referrals are by far one of the most consistent way of getting new clients. Other entrepreneursHave you reached out to others yet? If not, you should! I'm not expecting you to offer them your services (although you could), but let them know your rates and offer them your services incase they are ever working on overdrive. Another option is to collaborate with other designers, get involved with their groups, introduce yourself to their audience, ask if they are interested in doing a podcast etc. Getting the right people to your websiteThis is really important. It links back to SEO, but also how you market yourself on social media, where you market yourself, and how effective your marketing is. If you are reaching out to absolutely everyone, the chances are that most of them don’t have any use for what you’re offering. Make sure you know your audience, create an avatar of your ideal client, and remember that person for every piece of marketing you put out there. Cold emailingHave you got friends on LinkedIn, social media, Behance etc. that are already interested in you? Reach out to them, focus on people who are already looking at you. Talk to people like they have value, like they know you and don’t overwhelm them with an overly long email. keep it short, sweet and let them know how you can help. Market to marketersA strategy that probably sounds a little daunting, but have confidence in yourself! You ARE good at what you do - believe it! Market to marketers, hit them with statistics and wow them with your skills. We’re talking, your open rate, conversion rate, the percentage of business generated through…. Prove to them that you can do better than whoever is doing it now! Build a presence for yourself, comment and engage. Write a good profile summary, add a professional photo and request recommendations. Don’t forget to use LinkedIn’s endorsement feature and check out their job search tools! Another really useful tip I have come across is to use their ProFinder area to advertise yourself as a freelancer. If you are seriously on the hunt for your first client, it may come in handy to pop ‘pro bono’ into your description to draw in one or two clients that can then refer you. Twitter is probably a very familiar social media platform to most of us. It has many uses: promotion, marketing, connecting with likeminded souls, and networking. But, did you know that many people look to twitter for suggestions. Open up Twitter and search “Hiring a (keyword)” or “Can anyone recommend a (keyword)”. You have just found numerous potential clients. Reach out, tell them you can help, be sincere and drop them a link to your portfolio. Very simple, but can open the doors to so many job opportunities. It may seem daunting to make the leap and put yourself out there, but clients don’t just come to you. Make a name for yourself and show them that you are the best for the job. Have confidence in yourself and reflect that in your marketing strategies. Friends, go get that first client!! Katherine Fraser, Owner of Fraser & Co Design, is a professional graphic designer specialising in logo, brand and marketing design for small businesses and bloggers. Thriving to make your business shine above the rest. Get you noticed. Leave a mark. She is here to re-vamp your existing branding, perfect something brand new, insuring you attract your ideal audience. She focusses on getting straight to the heart of your brand-because that's what sells it. Pinpointing your brand identity, guided by what you believe in, who you want your brand to speak to and what you ultimately want to achieve. Inspired by what makes your business unique and the people you want to reach, she uses this in-depth information to create the visual identity to make your brand strike a chord and stand out. You can learn more about her at www.fraserandcodesign.co.uk. via Freelancers Union Blog https://blog.freelancersunion.org/2018/10/24/how-to-land-your-first-client-marketing-strategies-that-work/
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How many of us have heard the expression that we “shouldn’t do business with friends and family?” As someone who once subscribed to this idea, I now realize just how wrong I was. My mother is my de facto personal assistant; my cousin designs our company t-shirts, and my brother has referred so many people that he has VIP status. Their presence in my business life has made an incredible difference. My output is greater; I have generated new leads; and I have had a chance to meet and network with new clients. Just this past year, one of my former students, turned friend, starting working on projects with me. Much like my experience with my biological family members, working directly with my friend has been an amazing experience. She is detail oriented, highly skilled, and flexible. In a fast-paced industry with tight deadlines and a diverse clientele, she has been an ideal addition to my team. But what if I had dismissed her or my family members as potential team members simply because we are friends and family? Why not work with family?This question made me wonder: Why are some of us so quick to disqualify family and friends as potential clients, customers, and even business partner? I even tried to trace back to where my stance came from, considering the fact that I haven’t had any overtly negative experiences. I guess I, like so many others, have heard so many cautionary tales from other entrepreneurs that I thought I was protecting myself. But protecting myself from what? Just as many of us would welcome a new client, a total stranger, on the assumption of good will, we need to think about how our friends and family may also be wonderful resources and ambassadors for our business endeavors. With an open mind, you may even find your next business partner at Thanksgiving dinner. The importance of boundariesThe key is being clear about the line that you draw between your business and personal spheres. It may seem odd at first, but you want to make sure that you use the same safeguards that you would with others, including contracts where applicable. It is also important to talk about expectations up front. Of course, it is perfectly feasible to offer a Friends and Family discount, but just make sure that it is an amount that you are comfortable with. Friends and family members who are serious about supporting you will respect your boundaries. They will also accept your policies and procedures. Sometimes, they can become your biggest cheerleaders as they spread the word about your business with their networks and share your work with others. I have literally seen people expand their businesses exponentially because of their ability to work collaboratively with their kinship units. The one advantage of potentially working with people who you know very well is that you can vet them before you do business with them. Drawing from past experiences and interactions, you can probably determine if it really is a good idea to proceed in a business-like capacity. Know what you're getting intoThe ones who are not able to respect your boundaries or who don’t have the work ethic that you desire are simply not good candidates to do business with. Because no transaction is worth severing familial bonds and friendships, if you are in doubt or not sure, it’s best not to move forward. Even with the possibility that some familial transaction will not be positive ones, don’t miss out on potential business relationships that can have positive outcomes for everyone involved. You may want to start with one or two people to figure out how, or if, it will work for you. And you may even want to spend extra time prepping family and friends because they are familiar with you in a personal context, but they may not be familiar with you as a business person or as an employer. Remember, by drawing boundaries, you are protecting all parties involved. Try it outStill not sure? Well, if you have been hesitant before, give it a try! Whether it is serving as a referral, a client, or even a partner, remember that family members and friends can turn out to be tremendous assets. via Freelancers Union Blog https://blog.freelancersunion.org/2018/10/23/why-doing-business-with-family-might-not-be-such-a-bad-idea/
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It’s common practice to think the only way to get better at performing pull-ups (especially more of them) is to only do pull-ups. While specificity is important, there’s more than one way to Rome. It’s today’s guest post by The Ultimate Pull-Up Program creator, Meghan Callaway, she dives deep into some alternative exercises to add to your exercise repertoire. If you’re looking for a baller (<— who isn’t?) program to help turn you into a pull-up Terminator than Meghan’s your coach. It’s incredibly thorough and has already helped thousands of people. It’s on SALE at a heavily discounted price this week and now includes 40+ pages of new content and material. When it comes to excelling at pull-ups, many people have fallen prey to the mindset that in order for them to get better at pull-ups, they have to do pull-ups, and literally nothing but pull-ups. A lot of coaches even dole out this unhelpful advice. Unfortunately, this shortsightedness has led countless people down a path of endless frustration, and has definitely driven a lot of extremely capable individuals to abort their pull-up mission before they have achieved their goal. Make no mistake, pull-ups are an extremely technically demanding full body exercise that involve so much more than simply propelling the body to and from the bar. In order to excel at pull-ups, you need to possess a strong upper body, be able to control the movement of your shoulders and shoulder blades, and generate enough tension and stability in your lumbo-pelvic region and lower body so you can maintain a body positioning that will help you travel to and from the bar as easily as possible. Even if you aren’t able to perform a regular pull-up just yet, do not despair. There are many other components of the pull-up that can be trained. The exercises I am about to describe are absolutely beneficial for individuals who can already perform one or many pull-ups. Without further ado, here are 5 of my favorite exercises for improving pull-up performance that don’t involve performing actual pull-ups. While some of these exercises are unique, they are very effective. #1) Inverted TRX/Ring Rows With Feet Elevated On Wall[embedded content] Key Points:
This innovative horizontal rowing exercise is more challenging than your traditional TRX/ring rows, including when the feet are elevated on a bench, box, or other surface. Like all inverted rowing variations, this exercise develops upper body strength, shoulder and scapular controlled mobility, and lumbo-pelvic stability. Regression: Make this exercise easier by walking your feet lower down the wall so your body is in more of a horizontal position, or by performing regular feet elevated rows, or rows where your feet are on the floor. Progression: Make this exercise more challenging by walking your feet higher up the wall so your body is in more of a decline position, or by performing negative reps and taking 3-5 seconds to lower yourself. #2) Dead Bug With Single Arm Landmine Presses[embedded content] This exercise combines dead bugs with single arm landmine presses, and develops lumbo-pelvic stability, shoulder and scapular controlled mobility, and to some extent, upper body strength. With the landmine presses, I was using a negative speed so I could maintain the slow tempo of the leg lowering. Key Points:
Regression: Make this exercise easier by using less resistance, by decreasing the range of the leg lowering, or by bending your knees. Progression: Make this exercise more challenging by using more resistance, by increasing the range of the leg lowering, or by lowering the non-working arm towards the floor versus keeping it in a fixed vertical position. #3) Dumbbell Overhead Loaded Carries + Band Resisted Scapula Retraction[embedded content] This unique loaded carry variation develops shoulder and scapular stability (both remain in a fixed position for the duration of the exercise), lumbo-pelvic stability, and to some extent, grip strength. With the addition of the band and the scapular retraction, you should really feel the muscles around your shoulder blades more than during traditional overhead loaded carries. Key Points:
Figure out what breathing works and feels best for you. Regression: Make this exercise easier by using lighter weights, or by using a band with less tension. Progression: Make this exercise more challenging by using heavier weights, or by using a band with more tension. #4) Band Resisted Scapula Pull-Ups[embedded content] Scapula pull-ups are a great pull-up specific regression that develop shoulder and scapular controlled mobility, lumbo-pelvic stability, and grip strength. Adding in the band resistance challenges the muscles that control the movement of the shoulder blades even more. Key Points:
Regression: Make this exercise easier by using a band with less tension, or by using no band. Progression: Make this exercise more challenging by using a band with more tension, or by performing negative reps and taking 3-5 seconds to perform the lowering component of the movement. #5) Scapula Push-Ups From A Bear Crawl Position[embedded content] This extremely challenging exercise develops shoulder and scapular controlled mobility, and lumbo-pelvic stability. Key Points:
Regression: Make this exercise easier by performing the exercise in a regular plank position, or by performing the modified variation where the body is in a regular plank position and the hands are elevated on a box, bench, or other surface. Progression: Make this exercise more challenging by adding band resistance, by performing negative reps and taking 3-5 seconds to perform the lowering component of the movement, or by performing the single arm variation. The Ultimate Pull-Up ProgramIf you want to become an OG of pull-up badassery you’d be hard pressed to find another coach more knowledgable on the topic than Meghan Callaway. In short: she’s the shit. Plus, you know, she’s a little bit obsessed with pull-ups. My brain doesn’t operate like hers and another reason why I appreciate her so much is because she’s willing to challenge conventional wisdom and think outside the box. Her Ultimate Pull-Up Program is excellent and a great fit for anyone – XX chromosome or not – looking to either perform their first pull-up or many. I’ve used the program with several of my own clients and have seen excellent results. This is an UPDATED version of the program and Meghan’s added 40+ pages of additional content and upgrades. It’s currently on SALE and you’re silly if you pass on this; especially if you’re a coach interested in getting your clients results. —> Pull-Ups. I Want Some <--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/2018/10/5-exercises-help-perform-pullups-without-pullups/
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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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