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Getting Others to Meet Your Deadlines

October 13, 2010 By

 

A client called me today about a freelancer who is helping her write a book.  She’s been waiting for his first draft for five weeks, sending several e-mails and leaving a few messages every week.

I can be annoying and persistent, neither of which are qualities my family appreciates, but she was even tougher with this guy than I could have been. (Note to self: Never make this client mad.)

This morning, he finally sent her the first draft along with a note that he had finally finished it. She responded that she was finished with him and fired him.

You may not have any trouble meeting deadlines, but at some point while you’re working on different projects, you’re going to need information from others. Here are five ways to help other people meet their deadlines and keep you on track.

1. Develop false deadlines. If you need something by the 15th of the month, tell the person you need it by the 10th.  If they’re a few days late, you’ll still be able to meet your deadline. The same tactic works for friends and colleagues who are always late. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Balancing home/office Life, Home office organizing, Time mgmt./Productivity, Working with clients Tagged With: , ,

Research Your Competition and Then Change Your Approach

August 19, 2010 By

Some people welcome competition and see it as an opportunity to improve their business. Others put on blinders, ignore the competition and are happy to run their business as usual. There are a few ways to learn about what works and doesn’t work for your competitors so you can create a business that’s all your own.

  • Research your competition honestly. Never mislead competitors by pretending to be a client. Instead, set up a Google alert with your competitor’s name in quotes. Each time they’re in the news, you’ll receive an e-mail alert. Check out their Web site to learn more about their products, services and business philosophy.
  • Introduce yourself to your competitors. Savvy business people know that there’s enough business for everyone. If a competitor is up to his or her eyeballs in clients, they may send a few clients your way. [Read more...]
Filed Under: Balancing home/office Life, Improving your web site, Making money from home, Marketing/Public Relations, Time mgmt./Productivity, Working with clients Tagged With: , , ,

Treat Yourself as Well as You Treat Your Clients

August 18, 2010 By

Most of us do what we can to keep our clients happy (within reason). When you spend most of your effort trying to please your clients, it’s easy to forget about meeting your own needs. Ignoring your health, family and personal time may seem like a small sacrifice at first. After awhile though, you may grow to resent everything you’ve given up for the sake of your business.

There are a few ways to make sure you’re taking care of yourself.

Pace yourself. Realize your limitations and stop working when you’ve accomplished the goals you’ve set for the day. There’s nothing wrong with enjoying your business (that’s one of the goals of working for yourself, isn’t it?) but too much of a good thing can be harmful and ultimately lead to burnout. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Balancing home/office Life Tagged With: , ,

What I Learned During my Last Conference Call

July 27, 2010 By

Last week I chatted online with a client who was on the west coast while his assistant was on the east coast.  During the call, I learned a few things about online chat sessions.

  • Learn some stealth moves. If you decide to leave the room during the call, make sure it’s during a time when no one will notice. When you’re the next one on the agenda, it’ll be fairly obvious to everyone on the call that you’ve left your computer.
  • Don’t post messages on Facebook during the call. When co-workers have access to your Facebook account, they’ll know whether you’re spending more time on your wall than on the call. They may even point it out to everyone during the call, as in “Did you just post [Read more...]
Filed Under: Balancing home/office Life, Home office organizing, Making money from home, Working with clients Tagged With: , , , , ,

What Message Are You Sending Your Clients?

July 26, 2010 By

When you’re dealing with your clients, is what you’re saying and what you’re doing the same? You may not notice the disconnect, but eventually your clients will.

A few months ago I hired a makeup artist for a photo shoot and when she showed up wearing more makeup than a clown, I didn’t expect much. Actually, I tried to think of an excuse for why I was about to turn and run. When she finished, my makeup looked amazing. (I couldn’t convince her to come to my house every morning for free!)

I had a similar experience with my CPA. His office looks like the aftermath of a hurricane, but he’s detailed and meticulous. He may have a disorganized office, but I’ll work with him until the day he retires. Talent is what keeps both of these folks in business. But what if others judge them on the outside the way I did originally, and then unlike me, refuse to hire them? [Read more...]

Filed Under: Balancing home/office Life Tagged With: ,

Are You Listening to Your Clients?

June 14, 2010 By Leave a Comment

I don’t always listen closely to what others say (I’m working on it) but when it comes to my clients, I’m all ears. In fact, the reason I converted my organizing business into a full-service working from home consulting firm was because of client requests. Folks weren’t calling me to get help organizing closets and kitchens, instead they wanted help setting up a home office and learning how to work from home.

Not long after that, my clients asked for a book about keeping their home office in shape and their homebased business on track. After I did some research and found out that a home office book that would help my clients didn’t exist, I listened to my clients.

I wrote a book outline and then contacted a literary agent who had a home office, and she agreed to represent my book.  (This is a simplified version of events, but you get the idea.) She sold the book within three weeks and four books later I credit my clients for directing my business.

If I hadn’t listened to my clients, I wouldn’t have changed my business focus as soon as I did. Also, I wouldn’t have a series of books under my belt and a blog that gives me the opportunity to share home office advice and tips for working from home.

Are you listening to your clients?

Filed Under: Balancing home/office Life, Home office setup, Making money from home, Working with clients Tagged With: , , ,

Are You Giving It Up Too Easily?

March 9, 2010 By Leave a Comment

After many takes, several lighting adjustments and extensive advice from a few video pros out there, I finally taped my first Working Naked video. In this video I share three ways to figure out what you should be charging for your product or services. If your fees are too high you may lose business. But if your fees are too low and you’re working too many hours for too little money, eventually you’ll resent your clients. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Working at home, Working with clients Tagged With: , , ,
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