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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: , , ,

At the Sound of the Tone…

April 20, 2009 By

The other day when I called a client and the receptionist told me he wasn’t in, I asked her to transfer me to voice mail. She told me they didn’t have voice mail because they thought it was too impersonal. I wanted to ask her if she used an IBM Selectric instead of a computer or carbon paper instead of a copier but I kept my thoughts to myself. I think voice mail is invaluable—obviously not everyone does—but there are ways to make it more effective:

  • When recording your message, let the caller know within the first few seconds if they can bypass it. Long, boring messages are annoying so let callers get right to the beep.
  • Keep your outgoing message short, simple and professional. Don’t forget to include your Web site address so callers can get more information about your company and an e-mail address as another way to contact you.
  • Review your message after you’ve recorded it to make sure there aren’t any unwanted background noises and that your voice sounds clear.
  • Ask the caller for the best time to return his or her call (and do the same when you leave messages for others). This will help you avoid phone tag and if you don’t want to talk to that person, you can call when they’re not there.
  • Don’t save all of your messages. Instead, do something with them. After writing down or entering the message and number, erase it.
Filed Under: Balancing home/office Life Tagged With: , , ,

Should you stay or should you go?

March 17, 2009 By

I wouldn’t trade working from home for anything. There’s no dress code, it’s easier to stay focused, and if I want to work late at night I have a three-second commute. But working from home isn’t for everyone. If you’re thinking about working from home or questioning your decision to work from home, consider these pros and cons. stay-or-go21

Pro: Your overhead is low and you can furnish your office however you wish.
Con: You’ll need to carve an office out of living space in your home.

Pro: You can set your own hours.
Con: You have to be disciplined and keep some type of schedule. By disciplining yourself and getting on a regular schedule, you can still be productive while enjoying the benefits of working from home.

Pro: Associates or other business professionals won’t be nearby to bother you.
Con: You risk feeling isolated, “out of the loop,” and even lonely. Consider meeting regularly with other professionals for coffee or lunch.

Pro: You don’t have to waste time traveling to meet with clients or waiting for clients to arrive.
Con: Clients will see how you live and work, unless you find a way to set your office apart from the rest of your home. French doors, a folding screen or even room-dividing bookcases can help.

Pro: No commute so you save time, energy, and money.
Con: You can’t escape your work, especially if your home office is in your bedroom.

Pro: You can merge your personal and professional lives.
Con: Trying to juggle both personal and professional obligations at the same time can be a challenge.

Filed Under: Balancing home/office Life, Home office design, Home office organizing, Home office setup Tagged With: ,
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