ApproveMe

My workday can be crazy. I start, always thinking today I’ll have time to do all those little things I keep putting off. Then by midday all hell has broken loose and the headless chicken comes home to roost, yet again. It’s frustrating, sure, but it also affects my productivity and that mean my business doesn’t work as well as it could. So anyway that I can make productivity increase is interesting to me. This is where an e-signature comes in.

E-signatures allow you to automate business document processes. And automation is good – sort of like the enemy of procrastination.

Analysts, McKinsey, who spend a lot of time looking at improving workplace environments, have found that automation can be used in 45% of the activities that a person is normally paid to do, saving $2 trillion in annual wages in the USA alone.

Any part of the business document workflow process is one of the areas that can benefit. So let’s jump in and find out where using e-signatures saves you time and ultimately money.

#1 Save time onboarding through centralization

If you have to send out paper documents and contracts, even by email, it takes time. And then there’s the, can you just print this pdf document out, sign it and date it, scan it, then email it back, brigade. So they can then, print it, sign it, scan it, email it back to you, and so it goes on. Wow, talk about time consuming and irritating. With e-signature products, like ApproveMe, you don’t have these extended lifecycle actions, instead you have one, smooth and seamless process, centralized from your own website, that allows multiple parties to sign a document without ever having to print and scan again.

#2 Don’t lose sleep over lost documents

Having a central repository for signed contracts and NDA’s etc. is really useful. I don’t know how many times I’ve had to search through my filing system to find a document and just can’t. Just having the ability to, for example, synchronize a digitally signed document with your Dropbox account, saves time and thought. No more lost contracts or NDA’s!

#3 The temple of templates

Making a new document or contract for each client takes up lots of time. ApproveMe lets you create a store of templates that you just re-use for each new contract, etc. These can be from pre-existing template examples, or from your own existing documents and agreements. You can then add the signature blocks and it enters the seamless e-signature process – sweet and simple and fast.

#4 Automation made simple

If you can take a process and make it fully automated, i.e. remove ‘side-steps’ like printing out, then you save time. If you use an integrated e-signature solution, like ApproveMe, which works directly from your WordPress site, you can create a complete lifecycle: from starting agreement, through multiple signatures, shared across all stakeholders, through agreed contract and archiving – all from one central place – you can even automate the follow ups. It makes creating, signing and completing agreements and documents, fast, seamless, and simple.

#5 Keeping in touch without the hassle

So you’ve sent out the agreement and are ready to start work, but your client hasn’t signed. It’s a real hassle, taking time out of our busy day to chase up signatures and close that deal. With ApproveMe you can, at the click of a button, send out signature reminders to your client.

#6 Device Independence Day

You don’t need to worry anymore about the complexities of reading and signing of your document across multiple people and devices. You can sign on any device, from anywhere, at anytime, the technical barriers to completion are removed; all you have to deal with is making sure you and your client are on the same mental page, not the same device.

#7 Going paperless

One of the major wins for the use of the e-signature is the paperless office. Before we had legally binding e-signature technology there wasn’t really a truly paperless office scenario. You always had the signature conundrum. With fully online, centralized, workflow integrated e-signature technology, like ApproveMe, you can finally go paperless. No longer are you the slave to the printer. No more standing by the fax machine waiting to make sure the agreement goes through correctly.

Throw out the scanner. The paperless office is finally here

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One Last Thing

And a final added benefit of all this automation and centralization. Centralizing all of your documentation and sharing them across your contacts and clients, means you also have a very handy means of centralizing your marketing.  ApproveMe keeps all of the clients email addresses and contact details in once place so you have them, at hand, when you need them. You can use them for sending out marketing material, catch up emails and newsletters.

Integrated e-signature technology is more than just a way to get someone to put a digital version of their moniker on a contract. It gives you automation of your business processes, speeds up the time to complete a contract and saves you time and money. What’s not to like?

Check out some of the time saving ApproveMe features yourself here: https://www.approveme.com/digital-signature-wordpress-plugin-features/

You’re a freelancer. You’ve kicked off the cubicle shackles, told the water cooler “peace out, bro, I’m buying a Brita pitcher,” and the only printer you’ll be smashing in a field while listening to rap music is the one you buy yourself. (For the record I don’t recommend that unless you’ve exercised all your options.)

When the jobs are plentiful and the money’s rolling in, it’s easy to breeze about with both your laptop and your freedom while freelancing the hell out of the place.

However, when the jobs are scarce and Ramen noodles make up 60% of your weekly meals (out of necessity rather than choice), it’s not so easy to be a freelancer. There’s the possibility of stress no matter where you work or who you work for, and when you become a freelancer, it’s the stress of financial stability that takes over.

What’s the financial freelance stress solution? Recurring revenue, that’s what.

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Recurring revenue is simply defined as “income that comes in on a recurring basis.” That’s not a dictionary or anything… it’s just me. Now I realize that the idea of recurring revenue might fit into the “magical fantasy unicorn” category, but the truth is that it actually fits in the “easier said than done” category.

It is. It’s much easier to say “I’m going to gain some recurring revenue!” than to actually do it… but it’s not impossible. It just takes some work. Let’s run through the benefits of recurring revenue first:

Benefits of Recurring Revenue

Financial stability, friends, financial stability. I don’t need to do too much explaining here, right? By acquiring a client who wants consistent weekly or monthly work from you, you’ll be securing a paycheck you can count on on a regular basis. Those kinds of paychecks pay for things like rent, utilities, and help you maintain basic living functions.

Higher quality work. When you work with a client for an extended period of time, you’ll get to know their company better, which will in turn make your work better… which will, eventually, bring in more clients who want your recurring services.

Room to grow. It’s hard to focus on the growth and improvement of your business when you’re focused on the growth of the pile of bills on your kitchen counter. Scoring a regular paycheck will help you transfer your focus from survival to thriving.

But… how? HOW!?

Once you’ve made the decision to build some recurring revenue, it’s time to evaluate which of your services could be turned into a recurring service, or even a product that could bring you passive income.

For Writers:

A freelance writer could create some monthly blogging packages for their clients. These packages could include a specific number of posts each month and every month until one of the parties terminates the agreement.

For Graphic Designers:

Graphic designers, who will often create logos or branding packages as a one-shot-contract, can offer a monthly marketing option that creates brand-customized image design for social media and traditional marketing use.

For Web Developers:

Seasoned web developers know that a finished website rarely means a finished client relationship. Small glitches, general questions, and content changes will often have former clients asking developers for a “quick favor” to change something on their site.

Well, regardless of the size of that “quick favor,” it’s going to take you valuable time to fix it, and that’s valuable time that you should be getting paid for. Offering monthly maintenance plans, or taking it a step further and adding hosting to your operation, can bring in recurring revenue that might even last you until the client requests a rebrand.

Developers also have the bonus opportunity to build a product (think a template or app) that they can sell for a source of passive income.

For Marketers:

Social media managers and marketers have a truly awesome opportunity for recurring revenue. The social media needs of a company (if they don’t want to get lost in the crowd, that is) are constantly evolving and in need of tending. By offering a monthly social media marketing package, a marketer can offer that company the security of an expertly maintained social media presence and the added bonus of more time to focus on their business.

Utilize Some Pricing Psychology

Let’s get down to some marketing specifics, shall we? You want to create or reorganize some services that will bring you recurring freelance revenue, and you want to make them appealing to clients, right? This is a fantastic opportunity to take the “three-pronged” approach.

By creating three recurring packages, each increasing in value, you’ll be giving your potential clients the power of choice. Determine what the minimum amount you’re willing to charge is, and make that your bottom tier. Bare bones services at a bare bones price. Next comes your most realistic and ideal choice. Basically, what are the market-standard services and what amount would help you meet your basic needs while snagging a little extra? And, finally, throw in a cadillac option. Perhaps add SEO or a monthly video conference call and progress check-in to the package.

Build a Contract to Match

The main benefit to recurring revenue is consistent financial security… so make sure you actually have that with your clients. This is one of those great times to use a contract template (or even better, hire a lawyer) to build a package-specific contract that meets your needs. Your contract will need to address the indefinite nature of your agreement, and outline termination terms. By including a 30 day written notice of termination clause to your contract, you’ll be giving yourself a 30 day cushion to prepare for a loss of income.

Spiff Up Your Onboarding

Once your packages are chosen and your contracts are built, you’ll want to streamline your onboarding process so that you can focus on the work portion of your agreements, rather than the administrative portions.

By using an eSignature platform, you’ll be able send legally-binding digital contracts to your clients, rather than the typical scanning/snail mail option. You can even take it to the next level by connecting options like Ninja Forms and Zapier to your contract plugin and contact form to turn the very first client inquiry into a chain reaction that results in an estimate and possibly a new client, right then and there.

Freelancing is awesome… even with the stress.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: freelancing can be stressful. (I probably threw in a “for realskies,” but that’s just my style.) If the stress of an insecure and irregular income is causing you to lose sleep, give these methods a try. You might just find yourself selling two or three recurring cadillac options to float you through your months.

You like cadillacs, right?

When you’re a freelancer, you gain a few new titles in addition to the one you use to introduce yourself at uncomfortable networking parties. You’re not just a “freelance copywriter,” you’re also the head of marketing, president of sales, and number one coffee gopher.

Your services aren’t going anywhere unless you can market yourself, and your income isn’t going to get any higher if you can’t sell those services, right? If you can manage to become an expert in sales (honestly, expert status isn’t even necessary; you’ve just got to get a handle on things), you’ll find that you’re making more money than you thought possible… and you don’t have to feel like a sleazy used car salesman in an avocado green leisure suit to do it.

Upselling! Cross selling! What… selling?

Ah, freelancing! It’s a beautiful world full of freedom, pajama pants… and confusing buzzwords that you just have to nod knowingly about and look up when you get the chance. In this case, I’ll do the looking up for you so you can relax for a bit.

Cross selling and upselling are similar but not the same. They both, however, are equally important when you’re a freelancer. The folks over at Big Commerce do a great job of discerning between the two:

“Upselling is the practice of encouraging customers to purchase a comparable higher-end product than the one in question, while cross selling invites customers to buy related or complementary items. Though often used interchangeably, both offer distinct benefits and can be effective in tandem.”

I’m going to fight the urge to compare this idea to french fries in the drive-thru, and instead use our good buddy in the avocado leisure suit to help us understand this difference just a little better.

Let’s say you’re in the market for a new car, and you’ve headed over to Fast Freddie’s Fantastic Automobiles to get your new wheels.

If you pick out a car and Fast Freddie tries to sell you a bigger, faster, more expensive one, that’s upselling.

If you pick out a car and Fast Freddie tries to sell you a sweet purple spoiler and a NOS system (What can I say? I’m in the mood to watch the Fast and the Furious, for some reason.), that’s cross selling.

Like I said before, neither one is better.

If you can master cross selling and upselling, your freelance business will get a lot more...

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In both Upselling and Cross Selling, there are a few things to keep in mind:

Make sure your extra services are relevant.

When you’re trying to convince your clients to purchase more from you, it’s important to think specifically about that client, their needs, their company, and their brand. For example, a copywriter trying to seal a deal with a blog client can try to convince them to add website copy to their agreement. That’s a fantastic upselling technique if it makes sense for the client. Let’s say, however, that the client just spent thousands of dollars on a new website, and it’s clear that they paid for the new copy as well. Why waste your time trying to convince them to pay for something they don’t need? Perhaps adding a monthly progress phone call to your agreement would serve both of you better.

Keep a Few Things in Your Pocket

Why do people pay you for your services? Well, sure, we all know you’re good at what you do… but it’s also pretty likely that your clients simply have no idea how to do it. This means that they’re not familiar with your industry jargon, don’t understand unspoken implications, and will probably need some hand-holding.

Upselling and cross selling, especially with clients like this, needs to be minimal and specific, rather than broad and impressive. Showing your client every single option can quickly overwhelm them and jeopardize your chances of getting more work.

Move Your Upselling Techniques to the Proposal

One way to upsell or cross sell gently is to simply add your extra options to you proposal. Try using a phrase like:

“These services are limited to design and development. Client can choose to add SEO to the monthly agreement for X dollars by checking this box.”

Putting your upsell directly within the proposal allows your client to think about it in context with the original offer, and without the pressure of an immediate response.

Make Cross Selling a Collaboration

Not everyone is a jack of all trades. Partnering with other freelancers in a combined cross selling effort can score you more clients without forcing you to do work that you’re not confident in. A copywriter can partner with a web designer to create a complete branding package option. Clients will get a new website and brand-customized copy, all in one shot, while you and your collaborator get more work and more word-of-mouth advertising.

Provide Evidence

Clients aren’t likely to throw more money at you simply because you tell them they should. If you’re going to suggest a social media marketing plan, you have to provide data that proves they need one. Infographics, statistics, and real-life testimonials are all great ways to show clients how much your extra services are worth.

This also reinforces the importance of determining need when it comes to cross selling and upselling. It’s hard to find applicable data when clients don’t actually need that extra service.

Offer Three Options

One of the best upselling techniques you can use to ensure that you get paid what you need while also securing the chance of getting paid more than you thought you would is to offer your services in the form of three different options or packages: “bare minimum,” “just right,” and “holy buckets that’s a lot of money” might work, but you should play around with the package names so that they’re appealing and fit your brand.

Your minimum option will include only the basics, say (if you’re a writer), two blog posts per month with one revision each. The next option will need more, perhaps a monthly content strategy phone call. And, finally, the supreme option, the fine china, could add an extra revision period and SEO optimization. As long as these options are doable for you, you’ll be setting yourself up for success no matter which option a client chooses… and setting yourself up for big bucks if they choose the top shelf.

Remember That Your Clients are People (Unless they’re actually robots or something.)

As a freelancer, you know how much it hurts to pay for something you don’t really need. Remember that your clients are actual people with real needs, running a business just like you. Don’t pressure people into highly expensive, premium options when their budget can only afford your basic one. If you treat them with respect and compassion, they’ll be more likely to come back and get that premium option as their businesses grow.

Upselling techniques, when used responsibly and un-obnoxiously (get that avocado green leisure suit out of here, Fast Freddie!), have the potential to increase your income in a big way.

Why not give a few of these tips a try and see where they get you? I’m telling you, that sweet purple spoiler is calling your name.

No matter what industry you’re in, whether you’re self-employed or someone-else-employed, in order to thrive professionally, you’re going to develop what I call a “trade toolbox” This toolbox is likely going to be a mix of figurative (skills, knowledge, connections) and literal (hammers, product management software, measuring cups), and improves with each year you’re in the business.

Here are a few examples of items you’d find in my trade toolbox:

–Trello and Slack -Coffee -Ability to speak publicly without throwing up –WPeSignature -Internal entrepreneurial BS detector -Coffee -USB-powered hand warmers -Coffee

I’ve left out quite a few other key players in my toolbox, including “coffee” about 16 more times. There’s one specific tool I want to focus on today, though, and that’s the ability to write a kickass freelance project proposal.

The need for a project proposal can crop up in a couple different freelance situations. You could be competing against other freelancers for the same project, or you might have a potential client on the line who’s ready to work with you, but isn’t quite ready to agree to your terms. In any of these situations, however, your goal is the same: to craft a project proposal that both snags a client, and is as lucrative for you as humanly possible.

If you’re looking for an actual “how to” on building a project proposal, you’re in luck: we’ve already got a post on that in our archives. Today, however, I want to take it a few steps past the building phase and focus on refining the proposal you’ve already built.

Let’s focus on nine of the most detrimental project proposal mistakes a freelancer can make,...

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1. Second-guessing Your Expertise

Freelancing, what with all its incredible, freedom-based perks, comes with a very real (but manageable) emotional price: isolation.

One of the many ways social isolation can affect a freelancer is in the area of self-confidence. Working for yourself, without having any institutionalized feedback, can cause you to question your abilities. This is a natural reaction, but it’s important to keep it in check.

When you’re writing a project proposal, there’s no room for insecurity.

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Potential clients are looking for an expert in their field who is experienced and confident. If you’re questioning your expertise as you write your proposal, it’s going to come through to the reader. Whether it’s looking through your portfolio, digging through your email for positive client feedback, or simply putting on the Rocky soundtrack while pep-talking yourself in the mirror, you’ve got to get confident in yourself and the work you do.

2. Putting Too Much Emphasis on Cost

Now, believe me, I know that cost and payment is important. It’s important to you, it’s important to the client, and it’s tempting to want to get straight down to the money business. The problem with that is that it strips you of your uniqueness, and turns you into a simple dollar amount.

Your project proposal format needs to set you up for success. Use the bulk of your proposal to highlight the value that you’ll bring to your client, so that when it comes time to talk about cost, they’ll be ready to hand you a briefcase of cash.

(I’m exaggerating here. Briefcases of cash are hard to report when it comes time for taxes.)

Highlighting things like the quality of your work, previous positive results, and time saved for the client as you outline your services and project scope will keep your value at the forefront of your client’s mind, rather than your cost.

3. Leaving Room for Interpretation

A proposal, of course, should be pleasing to read. You want to give the reader a glimpse of what it’s like to work with you. A bare-boned, generic project proposal format can come off as cold and boring, so it’s important to focus on the reception it might receive.

In your quest for a pleasing proposal, however, you can’t forget the basics. Anything you leave out of the document is left up to interpretation. Milestones, progress reports, deadlines, revisions, communication in any form, expenses, meetings, payment, and any payment terms must be outlined in the proposal.

4. Turning the Proposal into a Pitch

The word “proposal” can be a tricky one. It suggests that you’re going to be proposing things for approval, which you are, but it’s the types of things you’re proposing that need to be examined.

When you get to the point in your client relationship in which guidelines and terms need to be set, it’s time to create a proposal. Note that I’m saying “guidelines” and not “big ideas.” If you’re using this proposal to sell your potential client on some creative plots you’ve been working on, you’re opening yourself up to the risk of misinterpretation and wasted time. If you’ve got some solid, relevant ideas, pitch them in your pre-proposal discussion.

The project proposal is the foundation on which a contract is built; it’s not a brainstorming session.

5. Leaving Out the Call to Action

You don’t want to leave any room for excuses when it comes to moving forward with a project. Be sure to include any steps the client needs to complete to get the ball rolling. You can include a link to an estimate or invoice, your official contract, and list all of the payment options available. You want to make it official with this client, and you want to make it as easy as possible.

Once you’ve sent out the proposal, be sure to follow up after a day or so of waiting; things come up and lives get hectic, so your client might have forgotten about it.

6. Making Payment Difficult

Payment is another tricky area, especially when small businesses and freelancers are involved. Not everyone can afford the monthly fees associated with credit card and online payments, but that doesn’t mean you have to live in the stone-age just to get paid.

Whether you accept checks, direct bank deposits, credit cards, or use services like Paypal, you’ve got to include those payment specifics in the proposal. If you only take checks (not ideal, but still an option), make sure your payment address is easy to find in your invoice. Send an invoice with the proposal so that it’s easy for the client to move on to the next step.

7. Forgetting About Expenses

I mentioned being as explicit as possible earlier, and I want to get a little more specific in regards to an oft-forgotten project facet: expenses.

If this project requires you to purchase materials or special equipment, or requires travel in order to complete it, you need to include those expenses in your invoices… but you need to make sure the clients are notified of this in your project proposal and contract before you send them the bill.

8. Being Generic

Even if you’ve been discussing a project with a potential client for an extended period of time, you’re not locked in until a contract is signed. A project proposal is still an audition, and should be treated as such. If you decide to use a project proposal template or program (such as nusii or Proposable) you need to infuse the document with your personality, highlight your unique talents and expertise, and make sure it doesn’t look like a boring, run-of-the-mill proposal.

9. Dragging It Out

Just like crafting an elevator pitch, you want to get to the meat of your project proposal in as little time as possible. Your proposal should:

-Cater to the clients needs and values -Highlight the unique talent and value you will provide -Explicitly outline the work scope and payment details of your agreement -Provide the client with actionable steps to put the agreement into action

If you’ve written your proposal and find that you’ve got extra details, lengthy anecdotes, or other information not entirely relevant to the project, axe ‘em. A proposal that is too long will have your client scanning down to the price tag at the end and skipping over the part where they see how awesome you are.

Don’t wait until it’s go-time.

Now is the perfect time to start working on your project proposal. While the client is ever-changing, certain portions of a proposal can be pre-crafted, such as your payment details and calls to action. Think of it as one of those wrenches that have different attachments… you use the same base each time but adjust it to fit your needs in the moment.

(Did I do okay with that wrench analogy? I sure hope so. And I also hope you’ll go out and start working on your new project proposal; you’ll be glad you did.)

Anyone who has developed a web front end, for a site or a web app, knows that handing over the code isn’t the end of the story. I’ve been involved in projects that seem to never end, and during the lifetime of the project, there seems to be endless maintenance. This is great if you’ve been savvy enough to make sure you have a robust maintenance agreement that covers all possible eventualities. If you don’t have this, you may end up at best, absorbing a lot of cost to your business, and at worst going out of business.

I happen to have been on both sides of a web developer maintenance contact, in that I’ve worked as a provider for a web app front end, and I’ve also engaged a web development company to help me create a web app UI/UX. Seeing both sides of the coin has given me an inside-out view of what can be a very complex area of running a web development company.

In this article, I’ll be looking at some of the ins and outs of maintenance contracts for web developers, and how best to approach the creation of them. I’ll also look at the sort of sections/clauses to include in a web developer maintenance contract.

Why Even Bother to Have a Maintenance Contract?

Why even have a maintenance contract is a reasonable question. You already have a contract to create the front end. Once you have completed that contract then that should be the end of it, shouldn’t it?

You could do that, but as you well know, web UI development is a fluid entity and often dependent on underlying frameworks, like WordPress. Having a maintenance contract means that the framework can be maintained, and kept efficient and secure – giving your client a better experience of your services. Maintenance contracts with regards web developers, often involve things like keeping plugins up to date, ensuring that the CMS code is up to date and patched to prevent security issues, and performing regular tests to make sure the site is working correctly.

Having a maintenance contract is positive for the web developer as it allows you to have a continued contact with your client. It is positive for the client as it means they have peace of mind that their site is being maintained.

What’s the Difference Between Support and Maintenance (and Enhancement)?

As a web developer, you need to decide if you want to continue the relationship with your client after you’ve handed over the code. This is not always an option, of course, most contracts will specify that the code is supported and maintained after it has been released. It is important in your contract to outline exactly what is included in support or maintenance. If you don’t do this, you may find that your client wants to add a few extra feature tweaks under the guise of maintenance. These tweaks will cost you money.

Support:

When you offer support it generally means that you support the use of the front end. So, for example, you may have an issue with a configuration, and support clauses will cover this. The level of support is often outlined in a ‘Service Level Agreement’ or SLA which is often an appendix to a contract. SLA’s lay out exactly what level of support is offered, how long the support lasts, and any costs associated with it. You might offer different levels of support depending on the severity of the issue.

Maintenance:

This is generally seen as offering maintenance of the site and underlying CMS. Under maintenance, you might offer to keep a WordPress site up to date with the latest plugin updates, remove malware, or make small contextual changes, like font size, for example. Again, you can set out terms of delivery on maintenance items based on severity.

Enhancement:

Any major change to the developed UI/UX is seen as an enhancement. For example, a recent project I worked on required that a large portion of a form was changed considerably so that the UI/UX was modified beyond the original remit – this was way outside any maintenance, and instead was an enhancement, and was costed as a new project.

What Clauses Are in a Maintenance Contract?

You should have as a minimum the following clauses in a maintenance contract:

What the contract covers, i.e. the type of work that could be carried out on request

Fee schedule

Delivery schedule i.e. timescales for performing the task

What is expected of the customer, i.e., timely payment, access rights to the site, etc. a. In this example of a maintenance contract by SlamDot they have an excellent section on ‘Customer Acknowledgments’ which covers a multitude of issues that could arise: https://www.slamdot.com/maintenance

Clauses to cover your indemnity and liability (see also contract example above)

You may also want to add in various non-disclosure clauses to protect both parties from Intellectual Property disputes

Termination clause so either party can close off the contract with notice

Another example of a website maintenance contract is here: https://www.docracy.com/7h6omj9c0y/website-maintenance-agreement

How Long is a Piece of String (or Maintenance Contract)?

How long you decide to maintain the site is really a negotiation point when creating the contract. You can negotiate a rolling contract or a renewable one. A rolling contract should still have a termination clause in to allow either party to pull out. A renewable one will need to have an alert setup to ensure that its renewal is negotiated as terms may change.

One thing that you do need to consider, which is especially pertinent as a freelancer, is how to handle a situation where you are unavailable to perform maintenance. Do you have the ability to hand it over to another freelancer to take over, for example?

How Much to Charge

This is again something you have to decide upon which works with your normal rate. You need to factor in the expected time to fix issues. For example, if an issue is set as a severity 1 with a turnaround time of 24 hours, then you may want to set a higher charge for this work, than an issue that is a lower priority and can be done to your own timescales.

Some freelance web developers, however, like to charge a daily rate for work performed under the maintenance contract, to keep it simple. It is a good idea to have a number of package options for delivery of maintenance, and let this become part of the negotiations.

Build Your Own Maintenance Contract

I’ve gone over some of the main areas of a maintenance contract for web developers and you can see there are lots of things to consider. Having a maintenance contract for your clients is a great way to keep client contact, and it adds real value to your relationship with your clients.

Offering a maintenance contract also shows the client that you are reliable and knowledgeable about your area. One warning is to make sure that where you do have a lack of knowledge, perhaps in web security, that you either have a contact with another freelancer who you can call upon, or you become educated in that area. In terms of web security, for example, learning platforms, like Coursera, offer a number of cyber security courses and the Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP) have a massive amount of information around web security and techniques to manage risks.

For new or established freelancers who are looking to scale their business and require a professionally crafted website, the task of searching for a proper solution can be surprisingly complex. There’s a large and increasingly popular demand for workers who can create and maintain a company’s website. The vast majority of these workers do so remotely and are considered remote workers, or freelancers.

Why outsource to a remote worker?

Outsourcing is an ideal solution towards finding the help needed to create a professional website. It’s not a task that necessitates an office or an in-house workspace, and having your freelancer work comfortably with their favorite hardware and programs gives them a bigger sense of confidence going forward. You also won’t have to shell out for office space, and you can find a wider range of remote workers ready to work for you without the hassle of combing your immediate area for talent.

Who do I hire?

Two critical components towards setting up a professional website (and thus, your Internet blueprint) is through having a proper web designer and a web developer. A web designer will generally design, enact and code in your websites layout, colors, and design features. Every commercial website has its own unique charm or look tailored to showcase what they represent. Most in the field of eCommerce are designed for simplicity of use and promote ongoing sales and specials. A well-maintained website that is easy to use will satisfy visitors viewing your site while a horribly optimized website can scare away potential customers.

A web developer concerns themselves less with the physical appearance of a website and more with the bare-bones underneath. Functionality and ease of navigation are high priorities for web developers. Fluency with HTML, CSS, PHP, JavaScript, among other skills and programs – and the ability to create SPA’s (single-page applications) are notable examples of how a web developer will utilize their skills to create an easily navigable website.

Both fields are available to be worked upon remotely and for most businesses this is generally the preferred arrangement.

Will I need to hire an entire team?

There are many parts of the eCommerce industry that require a virtual army of remote workers to create growth and help manage a wide-range of different services. This can be daunting for business owners new to the concept of hiring remote workers to manage some of their companies’ services or internal tasks. For Freelancers looking for remote workers to handle website creation and maintenance, you can breathe a sigh of relief as this particular job doesn’t require a vast workforce to achieve successful results.

You won’t need a full team of remote workers to handle the task of creating a website from the ground up. In most cases, two remote workers will suffice, with one worker taking on web development duties, and the other focusing on web design. Because web design and web development share several overlapping responsibilities, but veer off into totally different areas of functionality, it’s important that they can work together and communicate on a consistent basis.

The goal is to promote a culture of regular communication between your workers. Web design and web development work together to create a fully functioning website to provide a satisfactory experience to customers. This involves building an appealing and easy-to-navigate site (web design) with the backbone of the websites code and content being created by the web developer.

Exceptional communication between your web designer and developer will greatly reduce the risk of oversight issues as well as build confidence in their ability to share ideas and solve problems.

Some workers possess the experience and skills to do both tasks. These workers can do great work developing your website, and in certain instances have bigger scope in regards to your websites overall look. Ultimately, it’s up to you as to whether you’d prefer a small team vs a lone developer / designer.

Focus on communication

One of the largest hurdles for first time employers of freelance remote workers is digging down on communication with people you may never see face to face. It can be easy to fall into a cycle of lax communication with your workers, especially if active communication between you and your worker is done through only a single platform such as email.

Go out of your way to get constant updates about the progress of your websites development. Input your ideas and expectations to your remote workers, and hear their ideas and solutions as well. Using screen sharing applications to view the live progress of your websites creation, and talk with your remote workers on how you’d like to proceed with every update or conference. If you focus enough of your efforts on communication with your remote worker(s), you’ll be able to slide right into managing them and being an active part of your websites creation.

This article was contributed by the FreeeUp content team. FreeeUp is the hands-on solution to hiring reliable remote workers. As a business owner, you join the network, request the worker that you need, and then are introduced to a pre-vetted worker within hours. FreeeUp removes the need to post jobs and interview handfuls of applicants.

Do you spend loads of time printing and sending paper documents back and forth for signatures?

Have you ever lost a sale when the document-trail went cold, just when you thought the customer was ready to sign?

Are you currently using e-signature software but are reluctant to keep paying the monthly fees, especially when the number of signers is limited?

If you answered ‘Yes!’ to all of the above questions, keep reading.

A WordPress Contract Plugin may be just what your business is looking for.

Here are five ways that it can help your business:

1. Save Time

A WP Contract Plugin creates contracts and agreements ready for individuals to simply fill in the blanks with their details and an e-signature. They are accessed on your own website rather than on a third-party site. This is a great way to impress customers: all signers receive an automated ‘signer invite’ email with the secure site URL to access their agreement, ready to finalise the deal within minutes.  With the appropriate add-ons the document can be automatically saved as a PDF, synced with Dropbox or attach to an email. The plugin is easy to set up, easy to use – and it sure beats faxing or emailing, saving time and effort along the way.

2. Save Money & Boost Cashflow

Without the need to print onto paper, fax or mail documents you are saving money. A free WordPress contract plugin is not costing you a cent, yet allows you to tie up lucrative contracts and agreements – that must be good for business! The plugin imposes no limits as to number of documents or signatories. And, of course, with contracts being agreed quicker, you get paid quicker. This can boost cashflow – especially important for new businesses that may struggle to free up cash.

3. WordPress Contract Plugin Increase Sales

So much business is lost by customers getting cold feet, or backing out when their initial burning desire to buy starts to cool off. It’s important to strike while the fire is there!  A WordPress contract plugin is a fantastic tool that allows businesses and individual freelancers to make more money by preparing the contracts and closing deals faster.

4. Make Everything Legally Binding

When you use our WordPress online contract plugin, the documents you create will be legally binding and the signatures will hold up in a court of law. The U.S. government passed e-signature legislation in Y2K that gave e-signature based agreements the same legal standing as paper contracts; the customer can sign the agreement with a UETA/ESIGN-compliant digital signature that will be recognized in court, in case of dispute.

5. Sign Contracts Anywhere at Anytime

The world is increasingly becoming mobile – and a lot of business needs to be done on the fly. With a WordPress contract plug in you can allow customers to complete contracts and agreements with a legal, UETA/ESIGN-compliant signature from all touch screen devices like iPads, iPhones and Android smartphones. Being able to offer this extra functionality can significantly boost business and puts you in an elite band of companies that are utilizing the latest e-signature technology.

WP Digital E-Signature is the leading WordPress contract plugin. It is specifically designed to handle the needs of WordPress websites and their customers.

The form generation plugins that create the beautiful forms you see on WordPress sites are NOT designed purely for signing legally-binding documents. That is the SOLE focus of WP E-Signature. We have spent years developing a platform that adheres to strict national and international document signing guidelines, and which protects you in a courtroom if a signature is challenged.

Human Resources is probably one of the most contract intensive parts of an organization. HR contracts cover so many areas of working life, from employment and consultancy to documents like policy agreements. This intensity of contract use is becoming even more of a burden on the HR department as the way we work changes. In a report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office, they found that the workforce is now made up of over 40% ‘contingent’ workers. A contingent workforce is much more likely to sign multiple, ongoing contracts, and service agreements, which just increases the contract load on HR departments. To cope with this HR departments are turning to the use of online contracts and e-signatures.

Benefits of Using Online Contracts and E-Signatures

So, what are the reasons for using an online contract systems in HR? I’ve shown below, what I think are the 5 best benefits. Most of them stem from the fact that you are taking a user intensive process, i.e., a contract lifecycle, and automating it:

Benefit #1: Making it easy for everyone

Online contract portals make it easy to go through the entire lifecycle of a contract, from creation to negotiation to sign off. All of the parties involved can access the contract from a central online repository. The platform should let you know when a contract is ready to check and sign too. The whole point of e-contract platforms is to streamline the contract process and make it easy for all involved.

Benefit #2: Fast on-boarding of talent

If you use an online contract platform that also provides e-signatures, you can speed up the contract process, taking it from days to hours to complete. Potential recruits can access the contract from their device (some platforms, like ApproveMe, even allow access from a mobile device), read the contract, made amends (if allowed) and signatures can then also be collected online.

Benefit #3: Keeping tabs on your contract process

Online contracts can be audited. This means that you get to see who has accessed the contract, when they accessed it, and if they made any changes. You also get notified when a contract is signed and if after it has been signed a change is made, you get notified about that too – secure e-signature platforms will even make sure the signature becomes invalidated if a change is made after contract agreement.

Benefit #4: It’s all legal

A good e-signature platform like ApproveMe is built to comply with electronic signature laws, like ESIGN. Contracts signed using such platforms are legally binding. So if you end up in a dispute over a contract you know that a court will uphold the clauses.

Benefit #5: Using online contracts saves money

We all have to keep watch on our bottom line. Using online contracts saves you money directly, in terms of the cost of printing, postage, and packaging. But it also saves you costs by keeping contracts in one, accessible but secure, place. No more lost contracts, no more spending hours searching through filing systems to find that one contract you were sure was in that folder.

How to Use ApproveMe to Simplify HR Contract Processes

ApproveMe is one such online contract and e-signature platform. It has been designed from conversations with real business people, with real problems. We designed it to give you a seamless, fast, secure, and importantly, easy online contract management platform. The software platform itself is a simple WordPress plugin, that works directly from your own website, so keeping your own brand at the forefront of anyone you work with. Using ApproveMe in an HR department to manage and control your contracts would work a little like this:

Create:

You create your contract templates for your HR department. The templates are reusable and configurable as needed

You can also add custom fields, like signature blocks, radio buttons, check boxes, and anything you need to get a contract or agreement ready

Registration to take part in the contract lifecycle is simple, users have an account auto-created for them when they sign, so it’s really simple

Review, Sign, and Notify:

Once the contract is ready, you click to add a signatory and this sends out an email alert to that person to let them know the contract is ready to sign

Repetitive signatures, such as your own, can be auto-added to save you, even more, time

Documents can be signed in order by different signatories

If anyone forgets to sign, an automatic reminder is sent out to that person.

Once the contract is completed and signed anyone involved will be notified that it is complete

Store:

You can also set an ‘approval signature’ which once added, completes the lifecycle and archives the document All contracts (an unlimited number) are held centrally and so easy to access ApproveMe also lets you set up roles, so for example, you can create an HR Director or HR Officer role and assign certain documents to those users. Anyone using the ApproveMe platform does not need to install any software on their device, they just click and sign on the screen. Everything else is automated, including alerts and audit trails.

And on a final note, in an age where protection of personal information is crucial and an expected part of a number of regulations, ApproveMe offer two-factor authentication to protect documents and any personal details on there.

Here’s the scenario: You’ve been working for weeks to get a particular client onboard. Having sent over samples and pointing them to real-world examples of your work, you finally agree on a contract going forward. The contract has all of the agreed terms and expectations of the job. This contract is valuable to you and encapsulates the work to be performed, ensuring that you both work to a common goal. It is your virtual handshake and as such, your protection if something should go wrong. But the contract is digital and requires a legal signature, how do you square that round?

One thing that contracts can do, that a handshake can’t, is to record evidence that you actually agreed to those terms; this evidence is in the form of an electronic, legal, signature.

What is an electronic signature and are electronic signatures legal?

Digital signatures go back quite a few decades, but real acceptance, as a legal signature, has only become apparent since electronic signatures have become enshrined in law. Many countries across the world have brought in such laws and directives, to ensure that electronic signatures have a legal standing. For example, the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act (UETA) that came into force in 1999 and the ESIGN Act of 2000. The basic premise of each approach to the legal status of electronic signatures is that they have the same place in law, as pen and ink signatures. Electronic signatures come in a number of forms. However for an electronic signature to carry legal weight it has to be able to handle a number of things.

How are electronic signatures legally binding?

Lets think about what makes a pen and ink signature binding on a contract. So, prior to signing, the contact will be printed out, or written in ink, on paper. The signature, will typically, be signed, using a pen at the end of the contract, although sometimes, this signature will be placed on each page too. Often contracts will also be ‘notarized’ by a third party. A notary is legally able to witness signatures as they are applied. Notaries can be called to court if the contract is disputed to give evidence that the contract is the aforementioned document, that the signatory was the person who signed the contract and when it was signed. If the contract is disputed, the integrity of the contract will be checked, to make sure no material changes have been made. With a written/printed out hard copy, it’s fairly easy to spot changes. For an electronic signature to carry legal weight, so it can be held up in court as evidence of agreement to something, is has to be able to have all of the assurances of a hard copy version as described above. This means an electronic signature has to be able to perform the following:

Signatory identity – being able to authenticate the signatory and apply a ‘signer ID’ that is unique to each signer. This is like a notary checking a signatory’s identity at the time of signing.

Signature audit – have an audit trail that can be checked showing the time the signature was applied. This is actually above and beyond what a hard copy document can do and also allows detailed audit of multiple signatory information.

Document integrity – ensure that the document can’t be changed after a signature is applied. This is a digital way of having checks and measures on an electronic document, so if even a period is changed to a comma, the change will show up and the signature become invalid.

ApproveMe WP E Signature WordPress plugin and how it protects you

The ApproveMe plugin offers a number of features built to make your contract ironclad and protect you if the worst case scenario happens and you end up in court:

Integrity: If you end up in court, you will need to prove non-repudiation. That is show that the person who signed the contract really did sign it and when they signed it; to repudiate, is to deny. ApproveMe creates an electronic signature using a number of identifying factors, which are then used to create a unique ‘Signer Party ID’. ApproveMe also makes the signer go through a two-step authentication procedure to add weight to the signing process itself.

Security: The ApproveMe digital signature is based on encryption. This means that the document content is ‘encrypted’, sometimes called a ‘hash’ at the time of signing. This creates a unique document ID that can be compared to human DNA. If the gene that controls your eye color were modified, you would end up with different colored eyes. Similarly, if someone were to change anything in the encrypted contract, the document ID would change. If this happens the ApproveMe plugin causes the agreement to ‘self-destruct’ resulting in the electronic signature becoming invalid and the document contents reverting to their original form – all of this being audited.

Admissible: For an electronic signature to be admissible in court it has to be complaint with the expectations of the various e-signing directives and laws – not all electronic signing products are. However, ApproveMe is fully complaint with UETA as well as the ESIGN act, making ApproveMe contract signatures fully admissible in court (where esignature is recognized).

And one last thing, that is as important as anything said above. The application of electronic signatures needs to be as easy as putting pen to paper. We believe that we have cracked that nut with ApproveMe.

Because this is a Word Press plugin it becomes an integral part of your website, adding in trust to your contract workflow with your client. And if you have lots of contracts to sign, we can even make that process easier by setting up automated signing of contracts.

I don’t know about you, but I’ll never forget the first freelance job I landed on my own.

After getting burned by a company that had committed to helping me get started, I realized that I didn’t need to hitch a ride on someone else’s bootstraps. I realized that I could do my own research, put together some packages, and do it all by my bad self.

I went through the typical rigmarole of asking the internet things like “freelance rates 2010?” and “for the love of gravy what am I supposed to charge people someone please help me.” After about a week of deliberating and agonizing, though, I had come up with a proposal, decided on my freelance rates, and was ready. After pep-talking myself in my minivan’s rear view mirror for 15 minutes, I sashayed into a meeting with a potential client. They liked what they heard, they signed a contract, and then they started paying me for my work.

It was a moment in which I felt confident, powerful, and proud of myself.

Now, I don’t want to diminish the awesomeness of that moment for myself, but let’s fast-forward a few years here for the sake of being authentic and realistic.

After a couple of years working for this client (I was focusing on social media management at the time, rather than copywriting), I was beginning to feel the weight of the work… and no extra weight in my checking account. In the world of social media, algorithms, etiquette, and platforms are constantly changing at a breakneck pace. This meant that, in order to provide effective service to my client, I had to research the changes, implement them, and continue the service we had agreed upon in the first place. This, my friends, is exactly the type of scope creep situation you do not want to find yourself in.

Your freelance rates should accurately reflect the time you put in… so how do you raise them?

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Raising your rates for new clients isn’t a big deal. They won’t likely know what you were charging before, and can take your rates or leave them. Existing clients, however, are a horse of a different color. If you approach it the wrong way, you won’t just be missing out on more money, you’ll be missing out on that client’s money altogether.

It’s not impossible to raise your rates for existing clients, it just takes a little finesse.

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We’ve got two main points to focus on here, the first of which is:

Focus on value.

This fairly simple sentence can actually mean a lot of things, but it’s truly the core of getting more money from the clients who are already paying you.

Are you going to pay someone a lot of money for something that doesn’t present value to you? Of course not! So, logically, you can’t expect your existing clients to say “Yes! Take all of my money!” if you raise rates without a reason that provides value to them.

Give Them More

One way to increase your freelance rates with current clients is to add value to services you already provide. Your clients are going to need a reason for paying you more, and providing a more effective and appealing product can be a fantastic reason.

Now, this doesn’t mean you need to overhaul your entire business model; it simply means that you need to do some evaluation of your business. Is there a way to make your services more effective for your clients? A way to make your final products easier to use? Would a monthly progress consultation help raise your client’s ROI?

Give Them a Relationship to Value In the First Place

When you raise rates with your existing clients, they’re going to automatically assess your value.

Are you worth this money? Is this a business relationship they want to stick with?

Ideally, you want to be a freelancer your clients can’t live without. Or, at least, a freelancer who makes them really happy. Honoring your deadlines, openly communicating, and providing high-quality services or products are the basics. Take a look at your client list and analyze your customer service before you go changing your freelance rates. If you see a lot of room for improvement, it might be time to focus on that part of your business before you start focusing on the money part.

Give Them Time

Whether you’re hiking your rates significantly or simply adjusting by a small percentage, a courtesy your existing clients will most appreciate the gift of time. This is true for a couple of reasons:

Budgeting. A change in your bills can throw off a lot of things, even if the change is a small one. Giving your clients a heads-up will show them that you care about them and their business. Special treatment. By temporarily providing your upgraded services for no additional cost, you’re highlighting how much your value your clients, and feeling valued can go a long way in terms of customer loyalty.

I promised you two steps, right? The next one is this:

Let them know.

Remember how we talked about open communication earlier? Creating a relationship that is worth holding onto? Now it’s time to uphold that relationship and communicate your plans to your existing clients. This, my friends, is the scary part… but I want to make it less scary for you by providing a generic script for you to modify as needed and send out to your existing clients when you decide it’s time to raise your rates.

Dear Client,

I hope this email finds you doing well!

I’m writing to inform you of a few changes that I will be implementing in the next few months.

The first change is to my services. It is my goal to provide my clients with the most effective and high-quality service possible. In order to do this, I’ve decided to include a progress consultation and an extra revision period in my monthly contracts for both new and current clients. This will give us the opportunity to analyze our success and progress each month, and will help us grow and adapt to the needs of your business.

In conjunction with this upgrade, I will be raising my freelance rates for all clients. I firmly believe that this added level of service will increase your company’s reach and help us work more closely together to provide a product that most accurately reflects your goals.

I greatly value your business and our working relationship, and want to make this transition as comfortable as possible. Therefore, I will be including these upgraded services in your plan for the next two months, free of charge. I have no doubt that, by the end of those two months, you’ll be more than satisfied with the arrangement.

Thank you again for working with me; I truly appreciate you.

Sincerely, Freelancer

Click “Send.” Confidently.

Once you’ve sent off this email, I highly recommend giving yourself a pep-talk and doing something special. Grab a glass of wine, give yourself a manicure, or buy a block of the fancy cheese at the grocery store.

Remember: You work hard in order to provide a high-quality, sought-after service. You deserve to be paid appropriately for the work you do, and you have every right to charge your clients accordingly.

The “mastermind group.” You may have heard this topic come up while networking, or stumbled upon it while cruising Quora. For me, the mastermind group is one of those phenomena that seems extremely simple and incredibly complicated at the same time.

I mean, there are entire eBooks written on the strategy of creating mastermind groups… but some of the most successful ones in history have formed casually and organically.

I think the best way to look at this practice without reaching the “oh my gosh I need a margarita” level of overwhelmed is to approach it with moderation (which is also a good approach for margaritas), and a healthy appreciation of popular television shows.

Think of some of the most successful TV shows of your generation. For me, shows like Friends, Cheers, Seinfeld, and Law & Order were always on my radar because of their popularity and longevity… whether I actually watched them or not.

While many elements contribute to the success of a TV show, one of the most crucial factors is a strong ensemble cast.

The best ensemble works smoothly together by using individual strengths to further a common cause.

This recipe for success is ideal not only on-screen, but also in a kick-ass mastermind group.

But first: What is a mastermind group?

American author Napoleon Hill is said to be the originator of the mastermind grouptheory. He believed that a regular meeting of the right combination of human minds could produce highly innovative results.

While Hill may have made it an official theory, he is by no means the father of the practice. There are quite a few examples of successful mastermind groups in history, including the Inklings (C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, Charles Williams, and others) and the Vagabonds (Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, Warren G. Harding, Harvey Firestone, and others). Even King Arthur’s Knights of the Round Table have been considered a mastermind group. The men involved attributed their great successes to the ability to share and debate ideas with people on the same intellectual and creative levels as themselves.

The Vegabonds: Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, Harvey Firestone, Warren G Harding, Luther Burbank

That’s the part we, the modern-day freelancers, need to focus on when it comes to mastermind groups. The meeting of the minds.

We’ve all heard the phrase, “Two heads are better than one,” right? Well, the mastermind group takes that time-honored theory to the next level, and comes with a set of criteria needed for true success.

Find your lovable collection of personalities.

Let’s talk about those successful tv shows again. While, of course, everyone has their favorite actors and characters, the truth is that shows like Friends and Cheers worked because of a team of actors rather than one single person. Were there standout actors? Sure, but would the show have worked well without the others? Absolutely not. The individual strengths of each actor allowed for creative exploration that would not have occurred in a group of people with identical styles.

The mastermind group has a similar dynamic. When creating a mastermind group,your ultimate goal is to bring together a collection of minds with differing interests and strengths, and direct those minds toward a common goal.

Because of the ever-changing freelance landscape, our businesses (and our lives in general) can benefit hugely from a mastermind group. For example, a freelance graphic designer will be knowledgeable in design software, but it’s likely that he or she will know of more basic and less-expensive options and methods that will benefit those who are less-experienced. A freelance accountant will be able to offer tax and bookkeeping insight, a copywriter will have the word skills, a marketer can counsel on basic PR practices… and hopefully, you get the picture. That list could go on and on.

They’ll be there for you.

Now, sure, differing strengths and skills are an essential piece of the mastermind group puzzle… but if you can’t work well with the people involved, you’re not going to have much success. This is where the “common goal” part of the equation comes into play.

Those prolific TV shows that last decades? They’re doing something right, and that “something right” usually has to do with a group of people sharing the same vision.

When everyone involved wants the same things, people are more likely to compromise in order to stay happy.

When one or two members start changing the vision, resentment sets in and beloved characters get killed off or end up jumping over a shark on water skis.

Members of a mastermind group must stick to that common goal, whether it’s simply to lift one another to success or something more specific like reaching a certain collective income level.

A few more guidelines for keeping your mastermind group on-task and on the road to success:

-Keep the group small. 4-6 people will allow for creative variety and minimal chaos.

-Meet frequently and regularly. This is important. Meeting weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly is ideal; too much time in between meetings will make accountability and focus harder.

-Incorporate an official structure. I know that, for freelancers, “structure” can instigate an instant eye roll… but in the world of mastermind groups, structure is necessary. Notes should be taken at each meeting, personal and group goals should be set, and the members must hold each other accountable for meeting those goals. Assigning accountability partners will raise your success levels.

-Strive to provide value to your fellow members. A spirit of generosity will keep egos in check and create an environment that welcomes idea sharing. The purpose of the group is to lift one another up, rather than shine a blazing light on any single person.

-Make meetings mandatory. Barring some kind of tragedy, these meetings should not be missed. Too many meetings without one key member (all of the members are key, right?) will alter the tone and flow of the group, and will make it more likely to be disbanded.

-Utilize organizational apps. Project management programs like Trello and Basecamp are a great way to communicate, share ideas, and keep your group on task. Slack is another great option for easy communication.

How do I find a mastermind group?

One of the easiest ways to find a mastermind group is by looking online for members. Facebook groups, industry and niche-related forums, and even the comments section of your favorite blog are full of people looking for an accountable community, just like you. Technology like Skype and Google Hangouts allow groups to meet virtually, regardless of location, making it easy to mastermind online.

If you’re interested in something local and in-person, take a look through your business network for colleagues and peers who might be interested. You can try talking to your local chamber of commerce representative or putting up flyers at relevant places like a university or public library.

Regardless of your prospect-collection methods, it’s important to screen or interview those who are interested. Allowing someone to join simply because they’re “fun” or you “just like them,” could prove to be the downfall of your mastermind group. Can you imagine casting a handful of people in a sitcom, simply because they’re fun to hang out with? There’s nothing wrong with holding an audition for potential mastermind members. These interview sessions don’t have to be long, but they should be thorough, and include discussion of goals and past achievements.

Members with a history of commitment and achieved goals make the most successful mastermind group.

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Freelancing works best when we work together.

At first glance, the freelance life looks a lot like a one man show. In some respects, that’s true, but when it comes to surviving and thriving in this line of work, you’ve got to be willing to accept the fact that there is always more to learn.

A mastermind group provides you with opportunities to not only learn, but to explore possibilities you may never have considered without the help of a dynamic ensemble of freelancers.

You’re the director of your freelance career, and there’s no one else around to say “Lights, camera, action.” So why not give it a shot?

For new or established freelancers who are looking to scale their business and require a professionally crafted website, the task of searching for a proper solution can be surprisingly complex. There’s a large and increasingly popular demand for workers who can create and maintain a company’s website. The vast majority of these workers do so remotely and are considered remote workers, or freelancers.

Why outsource to a remote worker?

Outsourcing is an ideal solution towards finding the help needed to create a professional website. It’s not a task that necessitates an office or an in-house workspace, and having your freelancer work comfortably with their favorite hardware and programs gives them a bigger sense of confidence going forward. You also won’t have to shell out for office space, and you can find a wider range of remote workers ready to work for you without the hassle of combing your immediate area for talent.

Who do I hire?

Two critical components towards setting up a professional website (and thus, your Internet blueprint) is through having a proper web designer and a web developer. A web designer will generally design, enact and code in your websites layout, colors, and design features. Every commercial website has its own unique charm or look tailored to showcase what they represent. Most in the field of eCommerce are designed for simplicity of use and promote ongoing sales and specials. A well-maintained website that is easy to use will satisfy visitors viewing your site while a horribly optimized website can scare away potential customers.

A web developer concerns themselves less with the physical appearance of a website and more with the bare-bones underneath. Functionality and ease of navigation are high priorities for web developers. Fluency with HTML, CSS, PHP, JavaScript, among other skills and programs – and the ability to create SPA’s (single-page applications) are notable examples of how a web developer will utilize their skills to create an easily navigable website.

Both fields are available to be worked upon remotely and for most businesses this is generally the preferred arrangement.

Will I need to hire an entire team?

There are many parts of the eCommerce industry that require a virtual army of remote workers to create growth and help manage a wide-range of different services. This can be daunting for business owners new to the concept of hiring remote workers to manage some of their companies’ services or internal tasks. For Freelancers looking for remote workers to handle website creation and maintenance, you can breathe a sigh of relief as this particular job doesn’t require a vast workforce to achieve successful results.

You won’t need a full team of remote workers to handle the task of creating a website from the ground up. In most cases, two remote workers will suffice, with one worker taking on web development duties, and the other focusing on web design. Because web design and web development share several overlapping responsibilities, but veer off into totally different areas of functionality, it’s important that they can work together and communicate on a consistent basis.

The goal is to promote a culture of regular communication between your workers. Web design and web development work together to create a fully functioning website to provide a satisfactory experience to customers. This involves building an appealing and easy-to-navigate site (web design) with the backbone of the websites code and content being created by the web developer.

Exceptional communication between your web designer and developer will greatly reduce the risk of oversight issues as well as build confidence in their ability to share ideas and solve problems.

Some workers possess the experience and skills to do both tasks. These workers can do great work developing your website, and in certain instances have bigger scope in regards to your websites overall look. Ultimately, it’s up to you as to whether you’d prefer a small team vs a lone developer / designer.

Focus on communication

One of the largest hurdles for first time employers of freelance remote workers is digging down on communication with people you may never see face to face. It can be easy to fall into a cycle of lax communication with your workers, especially if active communication between you and your worker is done through only a single platform such as email.

Go out of your way to get constant updates about the progress of your websites development. Input your ideas and expectations to your remote workers, and hear their ideas and solutions as well. Using screen sharing applications to view the live progress of your websites creation, and talk with your remote workers on how you’d like to proceed with every update or conference. If you focus enough of your efforts on communication with your remote worker(s), you’ll be able to slide right into managing them and being an active part of your websites creation.

Do your customers have to sign a contract in order to purchase and product your products? This plugin makes that happen automatically every time someone buys – without you doing a thing.

WP E-Signature has officially released their WooCommerce Digital Signature Add-On which is available at WordPress.org

Try WooCommerce + WP ESign Demo Here

With WP-E Signature (business license) and our new Digital Signature add-on for WooCommerce you’ll be able to automatically gather signatures when customers purchase your products.

That’s just the start. Once customers sign…

…you and the customer will automatically receive a PDF of their signed contract.

… no need to register on an outside website (all signatures happen without leaving your site)

… you’ll have a 100% legally compliant signature on file to protect you AND the customer (according to UETA/ESIGN guidelines).

This add-on Digital Signature transforms your WooCommerce store into a court-recognized document signing application (but without the monthly fees… and with unlimited users).

Perfect for those wanting to automate the collection of signatures on terms of service agreements, new client contracts, waiver forms and more!

Automatically require your Easy Digital product customers to sign a legally binding agreement before purchasing your product.

“I agree to terms” checkboxes have the legal standing of a limp handshake. Do the smart thing. Don’t get caught in a courtroom with a document that’s not legally binding.

Automatically Insert Order Details into a Signed Contract Add the shortcode [esig-woo-order-details] to your document/contract and WP eSignature will automatically attach your customers order details to the document.

How it Works:

Step 1: product and Install ‘WooCommerce Digital Signature’ + WP E-Signature (business license)

Step 2: Create a WordPress page that will store your new document

Step 3: Create a new Stand Alone Document using WP eSignature

Step 4: Attach your new document to a WordPress page + WooCommerce product

Step 5: When your users add a product that requires a digital signature to their cart they will be required to sign your agreement/document before proceeding to the final checkout screen.

Completed! All signed agreements can be saved as a PDF, attached to an email, automatically synced to a Dropbox account and more! You decide how this should work!

Other notable PDF features and workflows: A copy of the signed agreement can be purchasing as a PDF from your website

A Signed PDF can be synced with your Dropbox account

An attached court recognized PDF can be emailed to both the signer and yourself

Download WooCommerce Digital Signature Add-On Here

Try WooCommerce + WP E-Sign Demo Here

(Approve Me business license is required)

If you’re going to convince a client to hop on board with your project proposal, you’re going to have to focus on them.

Scoring a project with a potential client, or even a new project with a current client, can be an incredible bolster to your freelancing business. Working on something large-scale or long-term can bring you some much-needed financial stability… but it’s going to be harder to sell. This is why you’ve got to have your client in mind when you craft your project proposal.

We’ve touched on this before, but project proposals are such an important facet of a successful freelancing career, we think it’s worth a revisit. This time, we’d like to hammer home the necessity of a client-focused project proposal.

Rather than taking the perspective of our favorite freelancing superstar (that’s you), we’re going to get a little crazy and imagine that you’re the client.

Obviously, we’ll need some backstory, because backstory’s what we do around here.

Needs and Wants

You’re a big-time CEO who wants to throw an extravagant party (we’re allowed to dream, right?) for a traveling associate. You’ve got the food lined up, the entertainment booked, and most of the decorations taken care of. All that’s left is the icing on the cake, the “something perfect” that no one will ever forget:

You want an ice sculpture.

Not just any ice sculpture, though. You need an ice sculpture that is detailed, majestic, and looks exactly like William Shatner playing Captain Kirk in the first season of Star Trek.

(Let’s just say this traveling associate is a huge fan.)

You’ve done some shopping and found a few ice sculpting companies in the area, but none of their work seemed quite up to snuff. After more searching, you’ve finally narrowed it down to two independent sculptors, and your decision depends on the quality of their project proposals.

Value Is as Value Does

First and foremost, you (the client) want to make sure that you’re getting the best value out of a freelancer. This means you want the highest-quality product you can get, but for the best price you can find.

If a freelancer knows what they’re doing, they’ll want to do their best to steer you away from this whole “price” thing. Price represents an amount of money you will no longer have in your bank account once you start working together… and nobody wants to be reminded of that. Obviously, they can’t avoid discussing money, but they can place the focus somewhere else… somewhere like the value of their work.

If a freelancer wants to learn what a potential client values, it’s imperative to do some research.

This can go from digging up old articles all the way to checking out their Twitter presence. What kind of clues about their personality can be discovered?

For example’s sake, we’ll say you’re the kind of CEO who appreciates hard work and efficiency. Anyone who researches you will see from your company’s branding that you like all bases covered and no stone left unturned. “Hard work produces real results,” your website’s slogan confidently states.

As you flip through these product proposals, which one, do you think, will prove the most appealing? The one that focuses on artistic minutiae and flowery ice descriptions? Or the one that ensures an authentic replica while also highlighting their high-quality refrigeration and sculpting tools?

While a more creative and aesthetically pleasing angle appeals to many, it’s not as important to you. You value a job well-done that results in satisfaction, and it’s obvious that one of these freelancers knows that.

By focusing on the value that your services bring to the table, the cost will become less of an issue.

Use ease to please.

The more work a client has to do in order to understand a proposal, the less likely it is that they’ll want to reach out for clarification.

Even if you’re catering to a client who prefers a more flowery approach, you’ve still got to hammer out the details so that they don’t have to. For a no-nonsense-type (much like your CEO alter-ego), this ease-of-use will be even more appreciated.

The task of reading through and comparing proposals is made significantly easier when the writer gets straight to the point. A proposal that is over five pages long and full of unnecessary words will only pile more work onto the client… which will give them plenty of time to remember how much they’re going to have to pay for the services.

What about you? Think about what would make your life easier in this situation. What about the actual agreement accompanying the proposal? Do you want to have to print it out, sign it, scan it back in and email it, or even… put it in the mail? This would be a perfect opportunity for a freelancer to make your life easier by using a plugin like WPeSignature to get the documents signed quickly and get the project up and running.

Bottom line? The process needs to be as simple as possible for the client. If mail, for whatever reason, is the only option, a pre-stamped envelope not only removes a step (and expense), but also serves as a reminder that a response is expected.

Embrace the details. Be One with the details.

Don’t avoid including essentials like payment terms and expenses in a proposal. Part of freelancing is having to confront issues head-on, regardless of awkwardness. Avoiding discussions that have the potential to be uncomfortable only ensures uncomfortable discussions in the future. A project proposal outline should be thorough and clear, making the process as quick and painless as possible.

As the super-important CEO, you’re going to want to see these things in a proposal:

1. An exact description of what you’re paying for. (5’10”-tall 1960s-era William Shatner/Captain Kirk ice sculpture, made from crystal clear ice blocks, making the “Live long and prosper” sign with right hand) 2. Completion date. (Day of your party) 3. An exact layout of the freelancer’s rates, material costs, and transport fees. 4. Any provisions specific to this project that may take extra time or money. (Specialty ice, hiring a Shatner look-alike-model for added authenticity) 5. A timeline of expected payments. (Will you need to put down a deposit? Pay in full before project completion?) 6. Written agreement. (You can sign off right away and get this chill party rollin.’)

If the process seems daunting, a good project proposal sample is a great starting point. As long as the freelancer does a thorough job of researching your values, hammering out the details, and drafting an explicit proposal, you’re not going to care about the fact that they looked off of a generic freelance proposal outline for direction.

Be thorough, be helpful, be clear.

Let’s talk as freelancers now, just the two of us.

A dependable freelance career is made up of solid client-relationships built out of an appreciation of your work–and every relationship has to start with an introduction.

An effective project proposal serves as that first handshake—ideally instilling trust and confidence.

CLICK TO TWEET

By putting forth the time and effort to research, organize, and assemble a customized client proposal, you can set the stage for a partnerships that last into future projects, rather than one that melts after the party’s over.

As a freelancer, advertising and marketing campaigns aren’t always affordable, accessible, or appropriate for your industry. So how do you get your information out there and snag some of that “word of mouth” all the kids are talking about these days?

Fortunately, the answer can be found in a single word. Unfortunately, that single word elicits disgust and terror from the guts of many a small business owner. What’s the word of the day, then?

Networking.

It shouldn’t be terrifying… in fact, the word itself is fairly broad and fuzzy in detail.

Networking is simply the act of making yourself and your business known by finding creative ways to interact with industry peers.

Over the years, however, networking has gained a pretty bad rap. Images of sleazy salesmen in polyester suits come to mind, and one thinks, “That’s not me! That’s not how I do business! I can’t even wear polyester without breaking out in hives!”

We get that, but learning how to network effectively doesn’t have to be a bad thing. It can, in fact, be one of the most effective (and inexpensive) career-boosting tools at your disposal. To better illustrate this, why don’t we change “networking” into something a little more pleasant… a little more hopeful… something like a first date.

1. Embrace the nerves.

You know those pre-date jitters, right? The ones that make you want to dance around the room and throw up all at the same time? As nerve-wracking as that feeling can be, it’s a good one.

Feeling nervous can mean a lot of things, but it usually means that a) you care a lot about what is going on, and b) you’re not feeling overly confident. Nobody wants to engage in conversation with someone who doesn’t care, or comes across as above the situation at hand.

2. Evaluate your goals.

Before you dive head-first into a date, it’s important to think about what you want out of it. Do you simply want to start a new friendship and see where it goes? Or are you ready to jump into a lifelong commitment as soon as the appetizers arrive?

Knowing your intentions will dictate the kinds of conversations you’ll have, and those conversations will, hopefully, put you closer in proximity to your goals.

Networking is no different.

Are you interested in getting to know the people in your industry, or would you like to come out of this event with serious leads on future partnerships? Either goal is perfectly fine, but you’ve got to know what you want in order to ask the right questions.

3. Do a little research.

One way to beat those nerves down to a manageable level is to research your networking event prior to attending. Conferences often list the scheduled speakers, and some even show the registered attendees. If the gathering is on a smaller scale, check to see if there’s a group or event created on social media so you can see who has joined. Now, how does this tie in with that handy date analogy? It’s a good idea to learn a little about someone, but it’s not a good idea to be a creeper about it.

Not sure where the line is? Think of it like this:

Knowing that your new contact has a dog… that’s okay. Pet selfies as profile pictures are not uncommon. Knowing which dog park he or she takes said dog to at 7 pm on Tuesday nights? Nope. Why and how do you know that?

Finding out from a mutual friend that your date likes roses can have the same effect as learning which style a fellow graphic designer specializes in: they’ll appreciate that you took an interest, and won’t secretly be wondering how much more you might know about them.

4. Show up with the intention to connect rather than collect.

What is the ultimate goal of a first date? Well, if you’re in this for a long-term relationship that’s beneficial for both parties, then the ultimate goal should be to make a connection. The best relationships in both business and life in general are those that last for years, providing high-quality payoffs along the way. If you think networking skills are only for scoring business cards and new gigs, you won’t be successful… not in the long run, anyway.

“In both dating and networking, focusing solely on the score is usually met with some form of disappointment.”

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5. Keep the mindset that everyone has value.

Regardless of their gender, personality, or profession, there is something you can learn from anyone you’re interacting with.Whether it’s a date or an industry-specific conference, believing that you’re fully superior to anyone will deprive you of an educational experience. Maybe your date will teach you how to pair wine with spaghetti, and maybe that marketing specialist can teach you how to promote your posts on Facebook. Either way, showing genuine interest in another person’s skills and opinions will be appreciated and remembered. Most of all, it can enrich your career.

6. Listen attentively.

This one seems like a no-brainer, but in our current days of abundant personal devices, distraction is incredibly common. Looking your date/new freelance comrade in the eyes and retaining the information they relate to you will be a refreshing change, and can save you from uncomfortable situations in the future. Asking someone if they enjoy hunting after being told they work for PETA can be just as catastrophic as offering your date a crab Rangoon after they’ve just told you they’re deathly allergic to wonton wrappers. You’ve got to pay attention.

7. Ask questions.

It’s simple: a meaningful connection, whether made across a conference table or over a basket of breadsticks, cannot be one-sided.

Learn about the person you’re talking to by asking thoughtful questions. Not only will this help your nerves by moving the focus off of you, it will also help you decide whether or not you’d like to deepen this connection in the future.

A handful of go-to questions can be helpful to have prepared beforehand, such as:

Sample Networking Questions

Networking Question #1How did you get involved in your line of work?

 Networking Question #2What was the strangest/funniest incident you’ve experienced with a client?

Networking Question #3What significant changes have you seen take place in your industry over the past few years? Networking Question

#4What do you think are the coming trends? Networking Question

 #5How have you been most successful in promoting your business?

Download Networking Questions as PDF

The beauty of these questions is that they are open-ended, and usually effective in thwarting yes-or-no answers. This is a fantastic way to avoid an uncomfortable lull in conversation and collect memorable insight into this new connection.

8. Initiate introductions.

If you run into someone familiar, initiate an introduction. If it’s on a date, your new companion will appreciate being included in this small part of your life, and if it’s in a networking setting, your peers will appreciate the new connection.

Highlighting a fellow entrepreneur’s skills and relaying a few facts about them to another is a memorable display of respect, and will show that you are interested in the community, rather than only furthering yourself.

9. Follow up.

For some reason, this seems to be the hardest part of networking and dating. Should you call? Send an email? Are you going to look too desperate if you call them too quickly? What if they don’t want to hear from you?

So many questions.

The fact is that one call or email to let a person know you enjoyed meeting them is not going to be a deal-breaker. In fact, so few people actually follow up on their networking connections that it will probably come as a nice surprise. There’s nothing to lose in asking to meet up for a cup of coffee or saying that you appreciated meeting someone, and there’s plenty to gain.

Similarly, it’s important not to lie when you meet someone you’re not terribly fond of. Remember to treat them as a valuable person, but don’t tell them you’d like to meet up in the future if you have no intention of doing so. Using social media platforms such as Twitter or LinkedIn is a fantastic way to stay connected with networking acquaintances without promising commitment. Integrity (and lack thereof) does not go unnoticed, so make sure to uphold yours.

10. Have fun and be authentic.

We totally understand that you’re nervous. Spending time with someone new can bring insecurities to the surface and cause you to second-guess yourself. You’ve got to remember that plenty of people are going to be just as jittery as you, and that you’ve got to power through it, even if all you can muster at first is a smile. As simple as it seems, a smile can also be a powerful networking tool. In an unfamiliar room (or at an unfamiliar cloth-covered table for two) even a tiny nervous smile stands out.

It also helps to simply be yourself. Being anything but authentic will only come around to hurt you in the long run. By presenting ideas and beliefs that you can stand behind in the future, you’ll be able to stay true to your brand and avoid working on projects you don’t feel good about.

Networking skills are an essential and irreplaceable asset to any entrepreneur.

Imagine going on a date in which the person across the table says nothing except for “Uh huh,” and “Oh, cool!” while you fill up the awkward, garlic-bread-filled silences with nervous chatter. Was there really any point in either of you showing up?

It’s no different at a networking event; who wants to be the one doing all the talking?

Building a network happens more quickly if you can put forth a genuine effort to connect.

“If you build it, he will come,” is a mentality that only works in 80s baseball movies—you’ve got to get away from your desk and put yourself out there, even if it makes you nauseous.

All you need is a little preparation beforehand, which will provide you with the tools you need to hold up your end of the conversation and turn “networking” from a dirty word into a sweet nothing.

As freelance developers we are innovators and we like to create and build things. If we’d been born in the 30s we would have been the sorts of people who invented stuff in our backyard.

So, as developers we like to look at ways in which we can improve our product; add beneficial features, add-in unique selling points, and create a more seamless and efficient user experience. When I think about designing a software product, I think about how it can benefit its users and the real, underlying reason why it should be developed.

This is often to make jobs easier or to improve productivity. We can also use software to on-board our clients too. Just in the same way that we think about creating software products, we can use the digitization of manual processes to build better customer relationships, get customers on-board fast and in doing so, free ourselves up to be more productive.

Econtracts and Freelance Developers

One of the ways of building a relationship between a freelance developer and a client is to offer econtracts built into your web interface. Econtracts is a movement towards a faster and more seamless contract process and experience. It is where UX meets business process.

This movement towards taking common business processes, online, is part of the digitization revolution. Analysts like McKinsey are backing this movement wholeheartedly, citing cost reductions of up to 90% for businesses that digitize their processes. It makes sense that freelance developers embrace this and build digitization of business processes into their client on-boarding process.

In terms of implementing econtracts, freelance developers need to use tools to create the right framework to manage a freelance contract lifecycle. This involves features such as access control and authentication, online document collaboration and sharing, alerts, audit, and ultimately, esignature application. That is a big architecture to code up, and one which requires specialist knowledge, including security and digital signatures to create it. This is why we have developed the ApproveMe WordPress e-signature plugin.

How Does On-boarding of Freelance Developers Using ApproveMe WP eSignature Work?

Getting anyone on-board with a new idea can be tricky. So, making the process straightforward is the goal. Getting clients to sign on the dotted line need to be collaborative, coherent, and in the main, simple. It’s all about automating otherwise manual and time consuming processes, but keeping the essence of what they are.

It’s also about working smart in a highly competitive industry. According to the United States Department of Labor, the number of working software developers has increased, year-on-year, between 2013-2015. In a competitive industry, you need to grab clients attention and engage them. Making the on-boarding process, especially around contract negotiation and completion, simple, is one way that you can do this. Below I’ve listed out the main steps and benefits to getting an econtract system in place and using it to drive the client on-boarding process:

Step #1 Creating an automation platform for econtracts:

The ApproveMe WP plugin was designed to be a platform for econtract automation. What this means is that it mimics the typical manual processes behind contract creation, negotiation, signature and archive and makes each of these lifecycle components digital. The ApproveMe WP plugin has been designed for freelancers to integrate with their existing WordPress site as a plugin. By acting as a plugin, it allows you to maintain your branding across the econtract platform – keeping your client within your site.

Step #2 Generating econtracts:

ApproveMe supports the WordPress plugin Ninja Forms. This is a free plugin that lets you create custom forms. These forms can then be used as the basis for your econtracts. The forms are highly configurable and offer templates for a number of types of form based documents, including various contracts. Once you have the contact template ready, you can start to use the platform to send out email alerts to start contract negotiation and completion.

Step#3 Fast contract negotiation:

One of the worst things that can happen is that while you’re negotiating your contract terms the client goes off the boil or finds someone else. Manual contract negotiation is painful. The back and forth emails / printouts/ revisions, etc. slow the process down massively.

Online access to contracts, from a central document repository, like DropBox, speeds things up. ApproveMe WP plugin gives you the ability to take your Ninja form based econtract (or other econtract template) and place it in a central document repository. It also allows you to send out email alerts, letting the parties know the econtract is available to view / change.

Step#4 It’s all about the legals:

There’s no point in technology for technology’s sake, it has to actually add value and do the job it sets out to. Econtracts are one of the areas of digitization that need to carry legal weight, as well as offer appropriate features. Esignatures need to be applied easily, by all parties, with no additional downloads and minimal, if any, training – it needs to be intuitive. But it also needs to stand up in a court of law, if an econtract is ever under dispute. ApproveMe WP plugin has been designed to work within the esignature laws of a number of countries, including in the U.S. ESIGN.

Step #5 The fast track:

As a freelancer, you will know that time is money. Your time needs to be spent on your core discipline; not on chasing down contracts signatures or making sure contracts are sent to the right person, at the right time. The key to the ApproveMe WordPress plugin is that it has a component-wise architecture.

Building on the strengths of other WordPress plugins like Ninja Forms, ApproveMe WP plugin brings all of the components of an econtract framework together. The normal time needed to on-board your client and complete the contract lifecycle is greatly reduced by digitization of the process. This fast tracks all of the parts of the econtract process to get your signed contract in place quickly, leaving you to get on with what you do best, develop software.

Using econtracts is a win-win Situation. On boarding of clients using an econtract framework like ApproveMe WordPress Plugin, and supporting plugins like Ninja Forms, gives you the tools to build your own digitization platform. You win, by getting clients to more quickly sign off on a project, freeing up your time to work; clients win because their time is not wasted and their costs are reduced – no more multiple contact stage printouts and postage costs. Using econtracts is a natural extension of the freelance developers business model; after all, you’re already in the business of making other people’s lives more easy using software, so why not apply this to your own, and your clients business too.

You’ve attended holiday family gatherings, right? For me, there are always a few things guaranteed to happen:

My kids eat only bread, while other people’s children happily eat Aunt Patchouli’s kale salad.

I eat precisely three too many bites of pie, and seriously consider drinking from the gravy boat.

One of the uncles or grandpas complains about the “kids today” (probably the ones eating only bread) and talks about “pulling himself up from his bootstraps.”

Bootstraps. I don’t think I’ve ever paid enough attention to boots to know if they’ve got straps, but I’ve definitely heard about them. So, what, exactly, does “bootstrapping” mean? Where did the phrase come from? Let’s unpack it for a minute, here.

According to good ole Merriam-Webster, a bootstrap is “a looped strap sewed at the side or the rear top of a boot to help in pulling it on.” It goes further to the plural form, which then turns it into the metaphor we’re more familiar with: “unaided efforts.”

So, what crotchety Uncle Jasper is trying to tell you (while interrupting your pie enjoyment) is that he’s gotten where he is today without the help of anyone else. Whether this is actually true or not is a mystery, but there’s still something us freelancers can learn from Uncle J.

When you apply the term “bootstrapping” to entrepreneurship, you’ll most likely find yourself wading through a lot of information about “startups.” Should we unpack that term, too? Merriam-Webster defines “startup” as a “fledgeling business enterprise.”

I would like to enhance that definition by adding “founded by people who make the most out of what they’ve got.”

Starting a business is expensive, and the startup culture that has cropped up within the last ten or so years has become notorious for its resourcefulness and creative frugality.

But… you’re just flying solo, right? What does this have to do with freelancing?

Here’s the deal: freelancers can learn a gravy-boatload from startups and their bootstrapping expertise.

Bootstrapping focuses on using creativity rather than funds in order to expand business.

Think of it as punching your freelancing game up to a whole new level.

Snuggle Up to Your Niche

Here’s your dilemma: you’ve got the talent, the time, and the need to work. You just need to get the word out. You can’t afford to pay a professional marketer, and you can’t afford to buy newspaper ads, pay for a billboard, and film a TV commercial that’s shown during prime time. So what do you do?

A bootstrapper would tell you to start by getting up-close and personal with your niche.

CLICK TO TWEET

First, of course, you’ll need to reflect on your business, services, and/or products. What, exactly, is your target market? Who will want to pay you for your work? Once you’ve determined that, you’ll need to pack up and head toward that target market. Many freelancers know that attending conferences in their industry are great networking events, and the same goes for your target market’s networking events. Go to conferences and open-houses that interest the people you want to work for. These are great opportunities to discover things like:

Pain points in their industries; what are common problems and how can you solve them?

Social cues; what will these potential clients respond well to in terms of marketing

Marketing insight; what forms of marketing will put you in their line of sight?

Getting familiar with your niche falls in line with the “lean startup” mentality, which values marketing research and customer feedback as a key tool in startup success.

Learn How to Be a Marketer

I want to be perfectly clear before I go too much further here: I know that people go to school for years to become a marketing professional, and I don’t want to devalue the worth of those people’s educations. That being said, there’s no denying that freelancers and entrepreneurs are presented with the opportunity to use highly effective marketing tools that are either free or incredibly inexpensive (at least compared to traditional marketing forms, anyway).

Once you’ve done your niche snuggling, you should have a pretty solid idea about the forms of marketing that will best reach your desired audience. Now it’s time to get comfortable with those marketing outlets so that you’re confident enough make them work for you.

Social media, while being the obvious choice, should be handled with deliberate thought and strategy. Rather than going out and immediately creating an Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and Snapchat presence because “that’s just what you do,” you need to remind yourself that your time is one of your most precious resources. If the majority of your niche doesn’t care about Snapchat, there is simply no point in wasting your valuable time by posting an update with a cute deer filter over your face.

Email marketing is another viable-but-tricky form of inexpensive marketing. Again, it’s all about your niche: how often does your target market check their email? Are they of a demographic that resents direct mail marketing? Are they going to take one look at your subject line and click “delete?”

Some forms of traditional marketing are more accessible than you might realize. Some local news stations, both radio and television, will welcome guests warmly to their morning or daytime shows, free of cost, so long as the guest can provide value to their audience.

If your target niche attends a lot of conferences, preparing a presentation or setting up a booth is a great way to get visible where it counts.

People Can Be Resources, Too

Another way to emulate the lean startup mentality is to utilize the talents of your peers to improve and expand your business. If it fits your service or product, you might consider collaborating on a service package with an admired contact in your professional network. Collaboration with another professional (whose work you respect) will benefit you in a few ways, one of which is an expansion of creativity and talent to your work. Outside influence is essential if you’re going to grow in your career, and working with another creative professional will add depth to your work.

In addition to creative enhancement, you’ll also be doubling your marketing reach in terms of both manpower and connections. Two people working to get the word out, plus the addition of your collaborator’s personal and professional network will give you a huge head start in terms of marketing.

Speaking of all the money you’re not spending on marketing… this is where you can put it to better use. If collaboration isn’t something you’re interested in, but you’d much rather focus your efforts on creating than on busy work, you can also consider outsourcing the less-fun stuff to someone else, whether it’s someone you know or a high-quality virtual assistant.

Avoid the Seat of Your Pants

Another key part of bootstrapping your business is having a plan. In order to grow and expand lucratively, you need to have points of reference and methods for analyzing your progress. One of the best ways to do this is to set up definitive goals, visit them on a regular basis, and use your progress toward those goals to analyze and adapt your strategies.

Part of this strategy (again, in line with that lean startup jazz) is to gather customer and client feedback in order to hone your packages, marketing plans, and customer interaction to be as effective as possible.

Give your business goals, work toward them, and monitor the progress in order to successfully evolve.

Don’t worry; we’ve all got bootstraps. They’re just a little hard to grab hold of sometimes.

Starting a freelance business from the ground up is intimidating, but it’s doable. If you can learn about your audience, wisely use available resources, and stick to a solid plan, you’ll be well on your way, and ahead of the game.

Plus, you’ll have plenty of ammo for that bootstrap conversation with crotchety Uncle Jasper.

You might even get to enjoy your pie.