The Freelance Fix

We all want to make more money in our businesses, but 'getting more customers' as we all know, is easier said than done! It takes huge amounts of effort and testing different marketing strategies to get new customers and through the door, and sometimes even if we are getting the clients, there's a limit to how many more we can physically take on and say yes to, especially when starting small and a solo business owner. But there is an easier way; a way to make more money but from the same amount if not fewer customers. Increase the average spend per customer, and get more VALUE per sale.

More ideas for converting ecommerce customers: https://www.byrosanna.co.uk/blog/convert-ecommerce-website

Read the transcript at: https://www.byrosanna.co.uk/podcast/customer-spend-upselling

In this episode I'm joined by Harriet, who set up her handmade & restored furniture business, The Cornish Rae, a couple of years ago. She has a really inspiring story behind the beginnings of her business, so I wanted to have her come on the podcast to talk more about creativity as therapy, and how going freelance has changed her life.

You can find more of Harriet at:
https://www.thecornishrae.com/
https://www.facebook.com/thecornishraehome/
https://www.instagram.com/the.cornish.rae.home/

No doubt you've started 2020 with a planner full for goals for growth and improvement in your business, but have you set up systems for tracking your progress on these goals and staying on the right path? In this episode I'm talking about creating a 'Business Dashboard' where you can keep all this information up to date and handy. You can use a spreadsheet or Google Doc to set this up, or my preferred method is using Trello; a free tool I've spoken about before a LOT both in this podcast and on my blog.

See a visual, written version of this podcast episode with screenshots of how it all works at:
https://www.byrosanna.co.uk/blog/dashboard

Today I'm joined by Kat for my very first Skype interview on this podcast. Kat is based in Devon and runs a YouTube channel and Instagram called 'Kat's Surf Forecasts', where she presents dedicated surf reports for the South West of England in a fun, unique way, and has built up an engaged community of subscribers over the last year or so.

You can find more of Kat on her YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfGK9W1YY05P25so0O2zarQ

Or Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/kats_surf_forecasts

In this episode I’m discussing my tips and experiences with going on holiday and managing taking time off when you’re a solo business owner.

The truth is - it’s really hard! I still struggle with it, but there are a few systems you can have in place to help.

Not only is it the start of a brand new year, it’s the beginning of a new DECADE too. This makes it the perfect opportunity to get super clear on your vision for where you want to be over the next 10 years, both in your life, and in your freelance business.

But first let’s take a look at 2020. In this special, one-off episode, I’m taking you through the step by step planning process that Olivia and I have been using to get focused in our businesses, using a FREE workbook that I’ve created, that you can download here: https://www.byrosanna.co.uk/2020plan

This week I’m joined by fashion photographer, Olivia Bossert (my best friend & business buddy), and we discuss our thoughts on ‘working for free’ and ‘discounting’ as freelancers.

Questions we discuss include:
-When was a time you worked for free?

-Have you ever done work for free and it hasn't worked out or you've felt negatively about it?

-Have you ever asked anyone else to work for free?

-Is there really a difference between working for free vs working for less than you're worth? (same sense of resentment?)

-What are your thoughts on discounting? Have you ever done it? Should you do it?

Okay get ready for some real talk in this episode, because if you're like me, the topic of finances can carry some real baggage.

Yikes - if you had told me this time last year that I'd be recording a podcast episode about doing my self employed accounts I would have laughed in your face! It's crazy how times change, and I'm really proud of myself for finally getting to a point where I feel not only comfortable and knowledgeable about my business finances, but actually EXCITED to go through my accounts each month and keep organised.

Read the full transcript at: https://www.byrosanna.co.uk/podcast/freelance-finances

Info about Quickbooks at: https://quickbooks.intuit.com

I use a range of different softwares and tools in my project management and client management process. In this episode I'll talk through each of them and how I use them to stay on track and create a simple, streamlined experience for my clients.

Links mentioned:

-Trello (https://trello.com/annaclark/recommend *)

-How to use Trello as a content calendar (https://www.byrosanna.co.uk/blog/trello-editorial-calendar)

-How to use Trello as a business plan (https://www.byrosanna.co.uk/blog/lean-business-plan-freelancers-hate-planning)

- Asana (https://asana.com)

- Dubsado (https://www.dubsado.com)

- How to use a CRM system, with Capsule CRM demo (https://www.byrosanna.co.uk/blog/staying-organised-with-a-crm-system)

- Mailchimp (https://mailchimp.com)

- Flodesk (https://flodesk.com/c/00G2QH * this link will give you 50% off!!)

- Dropbox (https://db.tt/OaeHKTcb *)

- Gmail/GSuite (https://gsuite.google.com/intl/en-GB_ALL/landing/partners/referral/trial.html?utm_source=sign-up&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=apps-referral-program&utm_content=TVCMS2V *)

- Hellosign (https://www.hellosign.com)

- Daily desk pad £4.99 (https://www.byrosanna.co.uk/shop/daily-planner-deskpad-a5)

- Weekly desk pad £9.99 (https://www.byrosanna.co.uk/shop/weekly-planner-deskpad-a4)

* affiliate link

As a business owner and someone you could class as an ‘influencer’ (I also run a popular lifestyle blog and regularly work with brands on collaborations), I get to see both sides of ‘influencer marketing’, and want to share my tips and experiences with you to ensure your campaigns are successful and effective when working with Instagrammers, bloggers or YouTubers.

In this episode I cover:
- What is an influencer and why is influencer marketing important?
- What the potential pitfalls are when planning an influencer campaign?
- How to find influencers that are a perfect match for your brand.
- How to differentiate between quality and quantity when it comes to follower numbers.
- How to put together a proposal for an influencer and negotiate.
- And how to analyse the success of a campaign.

Some useful links below:
- Target Customer CV (free template!)
- Instagram Tips to Boost Your Engagement
- ASA Guidelines for Influencers (the law on declaring sponsored posts and collaborations)
- Facebook rules on giveaways etc.