The Freelance Podclass

In this class, I'm joined by Robert O'Kruk, a Digital Nomad expert who shares his insights on how to build a thriving freelance business working from anywhere in the world. He unpacks three key principles to help you be successful on remote work platforms and other client networking opportunities. And he shares his opinion on the top three destinations for Digital Nomads. The principles discussed here can help you achieve the lifestyle you want and make a positive impact.

Podcast Outline:

0:00 - Opening thoughts

1:05 - Introduction to Robert O'Kruk

2:26 - Robert describes the journey that led him to freelancing as a Digital Nomad

5:33 - The pros and cons of being your own boss

6:36 - Craig's journey and the benefits of working remotely

8:30 - Is a Digital Nomad or Laptop Lifestyle attainable?

12:10 - The importance of a supportive community

12:51 - Practical steps to building a Digital Nomad lifestyle:

• 13:13 - Two buckets of how it happens:

• 1) The logistics
• 2) Earning money remotely

15:46 - Three key principles people need to cover to be successful using remote work platforms:

• 17:07 - 1) Create the perfect profile based on what's working.
• • Create a list of 20-30 profiles of people on a remote work platform like Upwork who are matching those characteristics.
  • Go through the profiles in depth:
  • • Take note of trends and unique fits.
  • Research what's working for others and then use that as your inspiration to create your profile.

• 21:12 - 2) Get instant automated notifications for the ideal jobs:
• • Free tools you can use when you're using Upwork or other platforms

• 25:09 - 3) Send a custom tailored proposal in a time-efficient manner.
• • Two keys to a proposal:
  • • Being custom tailored - Read specifically what they need help with and then write something that's tailored to that.
    • Being time efficient - You need to send 20 proposals to land your first job, taking 3-5 minutes apiece.
    • • How "The Tactically Tailored Template" can help

• 29:18 - Two takeaways:
• • You want to be contextually relevant.
  • It's easy for people to give up as a freelancer - There is a numbers game.

• 32:25 - How the three principles apply in many places in life and lead to success

34:38 - Dispelling some myths about Upwork

37:12 - Advice for applying the three principles in other ways

37:35 - Robert's top three destinations for Digital Nomads

39:33 - Final thoughts and how to find out more about Robert

Resources and tools discussed in this episode:

How to connect with Robert O'Kruk:

• Digital Nomads Forum on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/digitalnomadsforum/
• Website: https://robertokruk.com

The Tactically Tailored Template: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1vvo-UtSMxekpqCiVoM92cQjHt4nahwrLWPJ05Hdryrk/edit?usp=sharing

Google in Canada: https://www.google.ca/

Upwork: https://www.upwork.com/

Blogtrottr: https://blogtrottr.com/

Visualping: https://visualping.io/

Google AdWords (now known as Google Ads): https://ads.google.com/home/

In this class we talk about the art of closing the sale. Some of you may struggle with closing the sale as it can be a difficult process and you don't want to disrupt the relationship you have already established with a prospect. But there are good ways to respectfully call potential clients to action and lead them to purchase your services. In this Podclass, I guide you through 12 steps that you can take to effectively close a sale with a prospective client.

Podcast Outline:

0:00 - Opening thoughts

0:58 - Introduction to the topic of "Closing the Sale with a Client"

2:21 - Challenges to closing the sale:

• Your greatest strengths often are your greatest weaknesses.

3:25 - Two guiding principles to think about as you're entering the final stage of turning people potentially from a prospect over to a client:

• 1) Closing the sale is not a one-time thing but an ongoing process.
• • If you feel like you didn't get it right in that first call, don't beat yourself up.
  • It sometimes takes multiple touchpoints.

• 2) First impressions are almost everything.
• • You're already starting the process of closing the sale in that very first introduction with someone at a networking meeting or discovery call.
  • People like to work with people they know, like, and trust.

5:55 - 12 Steps to Closing the Sale with a Client:

• 6:19 - 1) Be prepared.
• • Before a discovery call, research the website and the social media channels of the person that you're meeting.
  • Assess how you may be able to help them.
  • Practice your elevator pitch (communicating your Unique Value Proposition).

• 8:45 - 2) Get on a video call ideally.
• • Body language is important to establishing connection with somebody.

• 9:53 - 3) Ask great open-ended questions on the call.
• • "What issues are you trying to solve in your business right now?"
  • "What are the challenges that you're facing?"
  • "What are some skill or time gaps that you need to fill right now?"
  • • Skill gaps = some areas that they are maybe doing work in their business that they're not really good at
    • Time gaps = spending too much time on managing their social media or administrative tasks that they are missing out on some of the core business tasks that they should be doing
  • "How has your business changed in the last six months that may be impacting your current needs?" ("As your business has grown and evolved, how is that impacting what you need right now?")
  • Use preference scoring - E.g. "On a scale of one to five, with five being the most important, how would you rank the following priorities that you've just laid out?" ("What's most important that you need to attend to in your business right now?")

• 11:25 - 4) Offer advice and resources where appropriate.
• • Position yourself as a credible advisor who builds confidence.
  • Give some tips.
  • Suggest a cool tool, plugin, or app.

• 12:36 - 5) Leverage urgency and scarcity where appropriate.
• • Be honest and clear.
  • If you have one client spot left, let them know.
  • E.g. "It sounds like you need somebody quickly to start this project." "Hey, this looks like a gap that you might need to fill right away, and I do have a spot available to help you right now."

• 13:58 - 6) Customize your service packages where appropriate.
• • Tailor packages and services to meet their specific needs.

• 14:48 - 7) Highlight client success stories or your success in specific areas where appropriate.
• • Social proof is another powerful psychological trigger that might turn a "maybe" into a "yes."

• 16:02 - 8) Add value with additional bonuses where appropriate.
• • E.g. special training library, checklists, resources, courses, another service as part of an existing package, or a one-hour consult

• 17:07 - 9) Get client prospects to agree with you through the sales process.
• • "Does that make sense to you?"
  • "Do you know what I mean there?"
  • "Are we on the same page?"
  • "Is this clear for you?"
  • "Is this right?"
  • If your offer is confusing, that can be a deterrent to them working with you. Prompting to make sure they understand what you're saying is an important part of closing the sale.

• 18:14 - 10) Don't be afraid to tactfully ask for the sale.
• • This is the power of the ask.
  • You may use non-aggressive tactics or questions or statements like "So why don't we give this a try? Let's start with a small project or a time trial and go from there. How does that sound?"
  • "I have time to start working on your project now. How do you want to proceed? Are you ready to move forward? I could send along a proposal by tomorrow."
  • "What happens next? Where do you want to go next?"
  • "Tell your thoughts. Share your thoughts on what I've proposed to you."
  • "Unless you have any other questions or concerns, are you ready to move forward? Are you ready to get started?"
  • "I think you have a great company, and I believe we could do a great job for you here. How do we get started together? How do we begin working together?"

• 19:51 - 11) Offer value in every followup.
• • Once you've done that discovery call or had that meeting, send them an email almost immediately, thanking them for their time and then recapping what you spoke about.
  • Provide resources with links to tools.
  • Address objections.
  • Lay out any next steps.
  • Attach a branded proposal.

• 21:06 - 12) Consider pricing plans where appropriate.
• • Don't put yourself at any risk.
  • Get something up front.
  • Negotiating a little bit allows you to turn this person into a client.

23:10 - Summary and encouragement

23:24 - Where to access the handout on the 12 steps and sample questions

23:46 - Final thoughts

Resources and tools discussed in this episode:

Zoom: https://zoom.us/

Skype: https://www.skype.com/en/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/

WordPress: https://wordpress.org/

In this class, I'm joined by the founder of Barefoot Consultants, Winton Churchill, who shares some important strategies on how you can win new clients using Upwork. We discuss how to overcome being new and unknown in the Upwork entity and which job areas see the most success. Winton also shares some exciting stats on the growth and popularity of freelancing that show great promise for the future.

Podcast Outline:

0:00 - Opening thoughts

0:46 - Introduction to Winton Churchill

2:51 - Winton's name and the opportunities he's had because of it

5:42 - How Winton got into the freelancing and training space

8:20- How Craig hired his first designer on Elance and started working virtually

9:02 - Dispelling the misconception that Upwork is a saturated marketplace

9:41 - What buyers like in a freelancer:

• 9:56 - A comprehensive profile
• 10:18 - No "I" profile ("I did this, I did that, I was here, I was there…")
• 10:32 - Cultivate three to six clients that you work with on an ongoing basis.
• 10:50 - How most of the jobs in these networks are "audition" jobs
• 12:03 - The advantage of following the "audition" process, starting with a small project to land great clients
• 13:26 - The advantage of paying for the attributes of quality freelancers

15:00 - How people can win clients on Upwork:

• 15:09 - Example of proofreading
• • 15:18 - Link your skill with the domains of knowledge.
  • 15:49 - Examples of people who specialized in particular types of tasks
  • 17:34 - Realize that the jobs are audition jobs and do small jobs (a 1- or 2-hour assignment, something you could probably do in your sleep).

• 18:42 - How to overcome being new and unknown in the Upwork entity:
• • 19:17 - Do a comprehensive skills analysis and present the elements of it to your client.
  • 19:41 - Consider life experience too.
  • 20:09 - You have free run of what you like to do. (It's like an appetizer tray.)

• 21:04 - Expectations around how many bids you have to do to get the job:
• • 21:27 - Be proactive.
  • 21:39 - Most people bid on 10 to 20 jobs before they get their first job.
  • 22:05 - Proposals on Upwork can be as little as 150 words to about 300 words. (You can edit it for each job situation.)
  • 22:29 - It's like trying to jump on a moving merry-go-round. (You just have to get that volume of proposals out there before you get the first job.)
  • 23:16 - Don't give up early on.
  • 23:28 - The value of Upwork

• 24:38 - Where Winton's students are finding the most success:
• • 25:04 - Working with words
  • 25:29 - Internet research
  • 26:10 - Skills (like Microsoft Excel)
  • 26:26 - Customer service / Customer support

• 28:07 - Technology specialization

• 28:39 - Most jobs are at the beginner-intermediate level.
• 29:24 - You need to keep learning to keep earning.
• 30:33 - How the pathway to new opportunities can be fairly short because of courses
• 31:18 - Example of PowerPoint presentations
• 32:56 - How one small project can turn into a long-term client relationship
• 33:30 - Don't look at jobs; look at the client for ongoing potential.

34:29 - How many marketplaces people should focus on

36:22 - The importance of using many different strategies to build your client base

36:45 - Rumors about possible changes to LinkedIn

37:27 - The growth of freelancing in the United States

39:14 - How freelancing is becoming more mainstream and popular

39:46 - Final thoughts and how to connect with Winton

Resources and tools discussed in this episode:

Winton is providing three awesome resources:

1. Five Tips to Becoming a Top Freelancer

2. How to Succeed on Freelance Networks

3. Finding Your Golden Goose (AKA High Paying Clients)

Here is the link to the above FREE resources:

https://wm110.infusionsoft.com/app/form/freelanceu-webform

Upwork: https://www.upwork.com/

How to connect with Winton:

• Barefoot Consultants: https://barefootconsultants.com/

The Wall Street Journal: https://www.wsj.com/

Entrepreneur Magazine: https://www.entrepreneur.com/magazine

Apple: https://www.apple.com/

Elance

Odesk

Grammarly: https://www.grammarly.com/

Microsoft Excel: https://products.office.com/en-us/excel

Microsoft PowerPoint: https://products.office.com/en-us/powerpoint

ConvertKit: https://convertkit.com/

ActiveCampaign: https://www.activecampaign.com/

MailChimp: https://mailchimp.com/

Freelancer: https://www.freelancer.com/

Fiverr: https://www.fiverr.com/

Guru: https://www.guru.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/

MIT Media Lab: https://www.media.mit.edu/

In this class we talk about practical ways that you can add more income to your freelance business. Some of you may be looking at ways to scale your income, while others may be trying to smooth out your cash flow on a month-to-month basis. In this Podclass, I unpack 6 excellent income streams to help you grow the business you've always wanted.

Podcast Outline:

0:00 - Opening thoughts

0:45 - Introduction to topic: Adding more monthly income to our business and stabilizing our income

2:46 - Six Different Income Streams to Add to Your Business:

• 3:08 - #1: Niche Expansion (Service Expansion)
• • 3:26 - Example - offering ActiveCampaign services

• 4:54 - #2: Consulting and Coaching
• • 4:59 - Definition of an "implementer"
  • 5:38 - Definition of a coach or a consultant
  • 7:27 - The imposter syndrome
  • 7:44 - Encouragement not to sell yourself short - You may know more than your clients do!

• 9:08 - #3: Public Speaking
• • 9:58 - Types of speaking opportunities
  • 10:27 - How speaking can be another income stream

• 10:55 - #4 - Affiliate Marketing
• • 11:09 - Example of a successful affiliate marketer
  • 11:27 - Definition of affiliate marketing
  • 12:18 - Types of affiliate marketing activities
  • 13:15 - The benefits of membership programs - how income can build

• 14:10 - #5 - Product Creation (Digital Product Creation)
• • 14:50 - Different types of products you can create:
  • • 15:20 - Courses
    • 16:50 - Digital Books
    • 18:14 - Subscription Business or Membership Site
    • 19:36 - Ecommerce Business (e.g. Dropshipping)
    • 20:44 - Software and Apps (e.g. plugins for WordPress, mobile apps)
    • 21:17 - Printables (e.g. checklists, calendars, to-do lists)

• 22:23 - #6 - Partnerships
• • 22:36 - Practical examples of a partnership

24:40 - Recap of the different types of income streams

25:29 - Final thoughts and how to get on the notification list for Freelance University

Resources and tools discussed in this episode:

ActiveCampaign: https://www.activecampaign.com/

WordPress: https://wordpress.org/

Pat Flynn - Smart Passive Income: https://www.smartpassiveincome.com/

• The Smart Passive Income Podcast: https://www.smartpassiveincome.com/podcasts/

Infusionsoft: https://keap.com/infusionsoft

Skillshare: https://www.skillshare.com/

Udemy: https://www.udemy.com/

Teachable: https://teachable.com/

Thinkific: https://www.thinkific.com/

Kajabi: https://kajabi.com/

Amazon Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/Kindle-eBooks/

Kindle Direct Publishing: https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US/

Shopify: https://www.shopify.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/

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

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/

More info on Freelance University: https://www.freelanceu.com/university/

ActiveCampaign workshop at Freelancer University: https://my.freelanceu.com/courses/mastering-active-campaign

Freelance University Affiliate Program: https://www.freelanceu.com/partner-with-us/

In this Podclass, I am joined by Rob Galvin of Themeific, who shares his insights on creating courses online. As freelancers you can leverage course platforms to generate new leads for your business, create new income streams for yourself, or offer a service to entrepreneurs, helping them build their courses. Rob talks about how to design (or build) a course and emphasizes having the right idea that will impact the right person.

Podcast Outline:

0:00 - Opening thoughts

1:01 - Introduction to Rob Galvin

2:34 - Setting the stage for the topic of course creation (why a freelancer or virtual assistant might want to create courses):

• Lead generation
• Another stream of income
• Opening up a whole new niche (building courses for entrepreneurs)

3:32 - Rob's story

6:26 - The importance of searching for opportunities in course creation

8:20 - Why are online courses so popular today?

• 9:02 - They're accessible to anybody.
• 10:05 - People want quick ways to get solutions.
• 10:33 - Our perception of education has changed.
• 11:29 - There's always new technology coming out.
• 11:37 - The game is changing from the traditional "just in case" information to the "just in time" learning.
• 12:50 - Business owners need to figure out where they should be spending their time and when they need to hire an expert to focus on course creation.

13:25 - Steps to designing or building a course:

• 13:40 - Things you shouldn't do:
  • 14:10 - Your course idea should focus on what impact you're going to give to a certain person (the right idea for the right person).
  • 15:42 - Think about your first course as a founding member's experience.
  • 16:28 - Do a live cohort model as your first course.
  • 19:46 - Create a private Facebook group so people can work together to solve problems.
  • 20:46 - Take a smaller portion of a topic to teach on.
  • 21:22 - Don't get caught up with the technology or overwhelm.
• • 13:56 - Having the wrong idea
  • 15:18 - Taking too long to get the course out there

22:16 - Picking a webinar tool:

• 22:34 - Pick a tool that you feel comfortable with.
• 22:13 - Don't get caught up in trying to create crazy automations.

23:20 - The opportunity to use Thinkific as a platform to help entrepreneurs:

• 24:20 - #1: Content marketing (videos, graphics, social media)
• 24:55 - #2: Content creation (videos, downloads, PDF worksheets)
• 25:22 - #3: Configuring the system (uploading the system, setting emails up, understanding the platform)

25:46 - The benefits of Thinkific and how to try it out

26:26 - Information about The Online Course Builder course at FreeU

26:53 - Diverse income opportunities available within the online course creation space

28:03 - Information about Rob's company and how to connect with him

29:03 - Closing thoughts

Resources and tools discussed in this episode:

• How to connect with Rob Galvin:

Themeific: https://bit.ly/robgalvin (https://themeific.thinkific.com/)

Facebook Group - Thinkific Studio for Online Course Creators: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thinkific/ (Tag Rob, say you heard him on the show, and if you have questions, he'll respond to you.)

• Tools:

Thinkific: https://www.thinkific.com/

Snapchat: https://www.snapchat.com/

Kajabi: https://kajabi.com/

Zoom: https://zoom.us/

Facebook Live: https://live.fb.com/

• Freelance University courses:

The Online Course Builder: https://my.freelanceu.com/courses/the-online-course-builder

In this Podclass, I am joined by the co-founder of FreeeUp.com, Nathan Hirsch, who shares his wisdom on how to successfully transition from being a one-person operation (solopreneur) to a multi-person agency. We discuss the advantages of delegating tasks to others, the steps you take, and how to figure out who would be the best fit for you and your business.

Podcast Outline:

0:00 - Opening thoughts

1:03 - Introduction to Nathan Hirsch and Freeeup.com

3:06 - Nathan shares his story and background

6:33 - Craig shares how his story parallels Nathan's

7:27 - What are the warning signs when it's time for a freelancer or solopreneur to look for a hire or move into an agency model?

• 7:44 - Step #1: Look at yourself as a business.
• 8:22 - Step #2: Take a look at your numbers/budget.

9:55 - How do you know if you're cut out to actually manage a team, let alone a remote virtual team?

• 10:15 - Remote vs. in-office teams
• 10:58 - The importance of learning to manage people

12:13 - The advantages of hiring freelancers to do different roles within your business

13:15 - How good hiring makes you want to delegate more

14:13 - How to make the transition from a one-person operation to a multi-person operation

• 14:32 - Focus on a part-time or project-based VA
• 14:53 - Figure out the lists of 1) everything you do on a day-to-day, week-to-week basis and 2) your core competencies and what you're bad at.
• 15:07 - Figure out what your perfect person looks like:
• • 15:24 - Basic level freelancers (followers)
  • 15:34 - Mid level freelancers (doers)
  • 15:40 - High level freelancers (experts)
• 15:53 - Interview people and see if they're the best fit for you.

16:53 - How to make the transition to a Freelancer Agency where others are taking over work with your clients

20:05 - The importance of being honest about how you're approaching the new business model

20:20 - How to structure contracts to test-drive someone before you hire them long-term

22:17 - Last thoughts for people either considering or not considering transitioning to an agency:

22:58 - What Freeeup is and how to connect with Nathan

• 23:53 - From the client side: Create a free account at Freeeup.com - Mention this podcast for a $25 credit.
• 24:03 - Apply on the website to offer services.

24:20 - Nathan's philosophy related to different price points for freelancer services

26:22 - Final thoughts

Resources and tools discussed in this episode:

Entrepreneurs on Fire: https://www.eofire.com/

Freeeup website: https://freeeup.com/

Freeeup blog: https://freeeup.com/blog/

Freeeup YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqoq7EGvwLQXgiYuIG8_iMg

Freeeup podcast: https://freeeup.com/podcast/

If you are a client looking to hire a VA or Freelancer, Create a free account at https://freeeup.com/ - Mention this podcast for a $25 credit.

If you are a VA or Freelancer looking to offer services, apply on https://freeeup.com/.

The most common question the FreeU support desk receives is what is the best way to find great clients. At one point or another you may have struggled, or are struggling, to find clients. And often it's the deciding factor for many service providers on whether they will continue or quit. In this class I unpack the four best ways to find great clients: referral marketing, networking, content marketing and strategic cold calling.

Podcast Outline:

0:00 - Opening thoughts

0:47 - Introduction to the topic of Finding Great Clients

3:02 - Four Ways to Find Great Clients:

• 3:53 - #1: Referral Marketing

• 3:56 - The power of a recommendation from someone you know, like and trust
• 5:59 - Two types of referrals:
• • 6:07 - Indirect referrals
  • 6:47 - Direct referrals
• 7:21 - Three quick steps to getting great client referrals
  • 8:57 - Current and past clients
  • 9:51 - Family and friends
  • 10:17 - Past employers and colleagues
  • 10:37 - Local connections
  • 11:36 - Other freelancers and virtual assistants that don't do what you do
• • 7:25 - #1: Determine your ideal client referral
  • 8:41 - #2: Identify your best referral sources:
  • 12:14 - #3: Build your referral system
• 12:34 - Example of a referral request

• 13:57 - #2: Networking

• 14:15 - The benefits of networking
• 14:51 - Common networking fails to avoid:
• • 14:58 - Not being yourself
  • 15:46 - Not being prepared
  • 16:09 - Monopolizing the conversation
  • 16:37 - Being too focused on selling yourself
  • 16:54 - Not following up
  • 17:09 - Not being focused on the relationship
• 18:00 - Three types of networking opportunities:
• • 18:10 - Events
  • 19:16 - Groups
  • 19:55 - Locations
• 20:28 - Course recommendation

• 20:58 - #3: Content Marketing

• 21:01 - Definition of Content Marketing
• 21:46 - The benefits of Content Marketing
• 22:40 - The CCTC Formula
• • 22:46 - Content
  • 23:06 - Credibility
  • 23:22 - Traffic
  • 23:38 - Conversion
• 24:02 - The challenge of Content Marketing
• 24:27 - Five quick questions to help define a Content Marketing plan:
• • 24:33: Why do you want to create content?
  • 25:48: Who is your target audience?
  • 27:01: What content channels would fit you and your audience?
  • 28:36: How often will you create and distribute the content?
  • 29:32: How will you determine success?

• 30:56 - #4: Strategic Cold Calling

• 31:31 - Old vs. new definition of Cold Calling
• 32:38 - Three steps to making contact with your ideal client:
  • 36:25 - Do they currently have an established social media presence?
  • 36:42 - Do they regularly publish valuable content?
  • 37:02 - Do they have active revenue streams?
  • 37:10 - Does their voice or persona resonate with you?
  • 37:50 - Do you see potential gaps that you may be able to fill with your services?
• • 32:56 - Profile your ideal client.
  • 33:57 - Source your ideal client.
  • 36:15 - Screen potential clients:
• 38:22 - Important principle about marketing yourself

• 38:40 - Summary of Four Ways to Find Great Clients
• 39:19 - Final thoughts

Resources and tools discussed in this episode:

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/

Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/

Google: https://www.google.com/

Meetup: https://www.meetup.com/

Rotary Clubs: https://www.rotary.org/en

BNI: https://www.bni.com/

eWomenNetwork: https://www.ewomennetwork.com/page/homepage

WeWork Coworking and Office Space: https://www.wework.com/

Work Nicer Coworking: https://www.worknicer.com/

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

• IGTV: https://business.instagram.com/a/igtv

Twitter: https://twitter.com/

• Twitter search: https://twitter.com/search-home?lang=en

Facebook: www.facebook.com/

• Facebook Reviews: https://www.facebook.com/help/434605260012677

• Facebook Live: https://live.fb.com/
• Facebook Groups: https://www.facebook.com/groups/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/reg/join

• LinkedIn Recommendations: https://www.linkedin.com/help/linkedin/answer/90

• LinkedIn search: https://www.linkedin.com/help/linkedin/answer/3544/searching-for-people-on-linkedin?lang=en

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/

• YouTube Live: https://www.youtube.com/live_dashboard

iTunes: https://www.apple.com/ca/itunes/

Google Analytics: https://analytics.google.com/analytics/web/

• Google Goals: https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/1012040?hl=en

Freelance University courses:

• Referral Marketing Success: https://my.freelanceu.com/courses/referral-marketing-success
• Become a Networking Rock Star: https://my.freelanceu.com/courses/become-a-networking-rockstar

In this class we talk about the many freedoms that come from owning a flexible, location-independent virtual business. We share five different kinds of freedoms that you can embrace in your business so you're living the lifestyle you've always wanted. We also discuss six ways that you can make sure you are staying free and alive in your virtual business.

Podcast Outline:

0:00 - Opening thoughts

1:18 - Introduction to the topic of "Freedom"

• 1:39 - Top three reasons for freelancing from the "Freelancing in America" survey:
• • 1:52 - To be my own boss
  • 2:01 - To have flexibility in my schedule
  • 2:04 - To work from the location of my choosing

3:05 - How the freedom lifestyle was marketed in the past

5:54: Five Different Types of Freedoms:

• 6:04 - #1: Personal Freedoms
• • 6:52 - Story about micromanaging boss
  • 8:11 - Craig and his family's personal freedom

• 12:24 - #2: Location Freedoms
• • 12:32 - Story about a FreeU student's location freedom
  • 12:53 - Craig's location freedom

• 13:05 - #3: Financial Freedoms
• • 13:30 - Story about a FreeU student's journey

• 14:18 - #4: Relationship Freedoms

• 15:15 - #5: Time Freedoms
• • 15:48 - Benefits of the Pomodoro Technique

17:08 - The importance of self-care

17: 58 - Six Strategies to Stay Free in Your Business

• 18:11 - #1: Do meaningful work that you love and that you're good at.
• • 18:41 - Type of work
  • 18:58 - Autonomy of work

• 20:07 - #2: Know your big WHY.

• 21:03 - #3: Set clear boundaries
• • 21:09 - With yourself
  • 21:52 - With clients

• 22:50 - #4: Own your business; don't let it own you.
• • 23:21 - An example of the need to unplug

• 24:01 - #5: Be productive.
• • 25:00 - Freelance University course recommendation

• 25:14 - #6: Connect with like-minded people

26:23 - Summary of Six Strategies to Stay Free in Your Business

27:15 - Closing thoughts

Resources and tools discussed in this episode:

"Freelancing in America Survey": https://www.upwork.com/i/freelancing-in-america/2018/

Freelancers Union: https://www.freelancersunion.org/

Upwork: https://www.upwork.com/

Zumba: https://www.zumba.com/en-US/

Freelance University: https://www.freelanceu.com/university/

Freelance University Courses:

"Setting Boundaries and Building Healthy Client Relationships": https://my.freelanceu.com/courses/setting-boundaries-and-building-healthy-client-relationships

"Creating Effective Systems for Your Business and Your Clients": https://my.freelanceu.com/courses/creative-effective-systems-for-your-business-and-your-clients

In this Podclass, I am joined by the founder of Claritylab.co, Forest Linden, who shares his insight and unpacks 11 pillars to conducting a winning discovery call that turns prospects into ideal clients. Forest also talks about how he sells his packages right from that first discovery call.

Podcast Outline:

0:00 - Opening thoughts

1:03 - Introduction to Forest Linden

2:58 - Forest tells his "Freedom Story" and describes his business lifestyle.

• 7:01 - The benefits of Forest's flexible schedule

8:19 - Introduction to Topic: "The 11 Pillars of Winning Discovery Calls"

• 9:33 - The background to these concepts

• 10:44 - Pillar #1: Come from a place of compassion and wanting to help people.

• 11:36 - Pillar #2: Be authentic and as transparent as possible. (i.e. Be a good person.)

• 13:28 - The importance of confidence and natural conversation

• 14:19 - Pillar #3: If you get nervous about calls before you do them, focus on what you can give, not what you can get.

• 14:31 - Pillar #4: Put your prospects' needs to solve a problem above your need to make a sale or get hired.

• 18:13 - Pillar #5: If possible, tell stories about how a client has worked with you and how your work with them allowed their business to transform.

• 19:19 - Pillar #6: Give people a feeling sense of what it's like to work with you.

• 20:08 - The impact of storytelling

• 21:44 - Pillar #7: If you've been working with people long enough to have a good awareness of what their major objections will be, find ways to address them in the call.

• 24:52 - Pillar #8: Paint the picture of negative situations you can help people avoid (loss aversion).

• 27:42 - Craig shares a real-life example of this pillar in action.

• 28:28 - Pillar #9: If possible, give something away for free.

• 31:32 - Concerns and advice regarding free giveaways

• 34:22 - Pillar #10: Be willing to say no when a client is not a good fit.

• 35:51 - Pillar #11: If there's a way to do this where it's authentic, let people know that there's a reason they should hire you sooner rather than later. (i.e. Create some authentic tension.)

38:33 - Recap of the 11 Pillars to a Winning Discovery Call

39:30 - The importance of being a good person

41:01 - Closing thoughts

Resources and tools discussed in this episode:

Clarity Lab: https://claritylab.co/

Slack: https://slack.com/

Zoom: https://zoom.us

Kajabi: https://kajabi.com/

In this class we unpack the important role that "CONFIDENCE" plays in your success as an entrepreneur, freelancer, or virtual assistant. Craig speaks from personal experience how his lack of confidence really impacted him, shaped his journey and made it more difficult. All of us will experience self-doubt at times, but a constant lack of confidence impacts our business in very adverse ways. In this class, you will discover 5 ways to build your confidence so that you can attract ideal clients, charge what you're worth and ultimately create the freelance business that you always wanted!

Podcast Outline:

0:00 - Opening thoughts

1:27 - Introduction to topic: Confidence and how it shapes our outcome

2:57 - Craig's story

5:27 - Truth to take to heart: "You are better than you think."

6:27 - Disclaimer

7:29 - How to talk to yourself

7:54 - Five Ways to Develop More Confidence and Reduce Self-Doubt

• 9:02 - #1: Develop a self-doubt radar.
• • 9:47 - An exercise to do over the next 24 hours
• 11:28 - #2: Remember your past greatness.
• • 12:39 - Documenting weekly wins
• 13:34 - #3: Know your value.
• • 15:29 - Documenting strengths and weaknesses
• 16:29 - #4: Enlist a mentor or join a mastermind/peer group.
• • 17:29 - The benefits of a mastermind group
• 18:07 - #5: Become a master of your skills.
• • 18:52 - How students gain mastery and confidence through Freelance University courses

20:36 - How Craig has developed confidence in his course creation skills

21:28 - Recap of "Five Ways to Develop More Confidence"

23:24 - Closing thoughts and encouragement to check out what Freelance University has to offer

Resources and tools discussed in this episode:

• Notes App: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/notes/id1110145109
• Brene Brown: https://brenebrown.com/
• Freelance University courses: https://www.freelanceu.com/university/
• WordPress: https://wordpress.org/
• Leadpages: https://www.leadpages.net/