I've been intrigued with the idea of virtual assistants and virtual support since reading Tim Ferriss' Four-Hour Workweek.
But I could never figure out how to make it work as a freelancer. It felt like one of those things that sounds great on paper ... but doesn't quite work in practice.
Well, over the past year I've seen other freelancers use virtual staff successfully. So I decided to look further into this and learn how it can work, even you're not yet making the big bucks.
In this week's podcast, I interview Chris Ducker, author of the new book Virtual Freedom: How to Work with Virtual Staff to Buy More Time, Become More Productive, and Build Your Dream Business.
Chris is regarded as the number one authority on the subject of virtual staffing and personal outsourcing. And in this interview he shares some very practical ideas on how freelancers can leverage virtual staff to save time and boost their earnings.

#005: How Virtual Support Can Help You Grow Your Business

Smarter Freelancing is the show that teaches you how to earn more in less time ... doing work you love ... for better clients. It doesn't matter if you're just now thinking about going out on your own, if you've been freelancing for a long while, or if you're somewhere in the middle. This podcast will help you create a freelance business that gives you the time and financial freedom to live your purpose.

In this engaging, nuts-and-bolts show, Ed Gandia, co-author of the bestselling book The Wealthy Freelancer will walk you through the practical, “doable” systems and strategies he has developed in his own freelancing business — the same systems he has taught his private coaching clients. He'll also show you what’s working for other freelancers by bringing you real case studies from the field. And he'll share all this information in an honest and transparent way, with no hype or fluff.

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The freelance marketplace has become more competitive. 
But just because there are more freelancers than ever before doesn't mean you have to succumb to competitive pressure. Not if you make key adjustments in how you position yourself ... and what services (and value) you deliver. 
In this week's show you'll hear from someone who's done this successfully. His name is Tristan Kneschke and his company is Exit Editorial, a post-production company that does video editing and color grading services. 
Tristan specializes fashion and beauty and has worked with brands such as Victoria’s Secret, Bath and Body Works, Google, Pepsi, Nike, Amazon and Colgate.
 
In this interview, you'll hear why Tristan made critical changes to his business with the economic downturn. And you'll discover how he made these shifts and why they've paid off.

#033: How to Adapt Your Freelance Business to a Rapidly Shifting Marketplace

For many of us, the initial conversation with a prospect can be stressful.
Maybe you need the work. Or you really want to land this client. And you don't want to screw up the opportunity by saying the wrong thing. 
In this episode, you'll hear from RC Peck, a seasoned pro at having productive and highly effective prospect conversations. 
RC is not a freelancer. But I've brought him into the show because we can all learn from the mindset and techniques he's developed about these initial prospect conversations. 
 
You'll discover how to better manage these conversations. How to ask for (and get) quality referrals. How to frame your pricing so that you land the client at higher fee levels. And how to vet prospects faster so you waste little time with poor-fit prospects and set yourself up for success with high-quality opportunities.

#032: How to Have a Stress-Free Conversation with Your Prospects

Michael Port's Book Yourself Solid was one of the most important books I read when I was freelancing part time while working my day job.
 
It was a big reason why I was able to grow my business so quickly.
 
I loved how Michael broke down the process of filling up your pipeline with high-quality clients. He described the process in a very methodical way that I could understand. But he also addressed the critical "softer" side of building a solo business. 
In this interview, I get to chat with Michael for the first time. It was fun to finally have a conversation with someone who shaped my thinking at this critical juncture of my business. 
But I was also a bit nervous — especially early in the conversation — until I finally got my footing. 
I guess I was a bit star-struck! :)
This episode is NOT a step-by-step training class on how to book yourself solid. But I hope it gives you a handful of ideas for making positive changes in your business.
 

#031: Booking Yourself Solid

I've always been a big proponent of investing in targeted conferences and events. 
It's not just about what you learn, it's about the people you meet, the conversations you have and the insights you gain. 
In other words, the intangible things no one can really put a price on.
However, I'm the first to admit that I don't always get the most value from the conferences I attend. 
Why? Mainly because of poor planning on my part. And many times I just don't know what I'm supposed to do! (Sound familiar?)
In this interview, my good friend Coach Jenn Lee shares some super-practical tips and ideas we can all use to get a 10X (or better!) return on the conferences and events we attend.
 

#030: How to Get a 10X Return on Your Next Conference



Delivering talks to very targeted groups can be a great way to generate new freelance business. Especially if used in conjunction with other smart marketing strategies.
But to captivate your audience and keep them engaged, you have to be an effective speaker.
Fortunately, this is a learnable skill. Just ask David Nihill, who until recently was petrified of speaking in public. Then he took a deep dive into the subject and studied some of the most skilled communicators in any field — stand-up comics. 
In this episode, David explains what you need to do to become a more effective and engaging speaker. And he shares some interesting ideas on product creation and developing a platform, for those of you who are thinking about creating an online course or writing a book some day.

#005: How Virtual Support Can Help You Grow Your Business

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