[00:00:49] – Steve
Hello. Yes, each episode, we take a question from the Doing It For The Kids community, do our best to answer it, but we start each episode by looking back at the last one. Last time, we were talking about-,

[00:00:58] – Frankie
When we find public speaking challenging.

[00:01:01] – Steve
Oh, yes.

[00:01:02] – Frankie
Yes, that was a long time ago.

[00:01:04] – Steve
I wonder how that talk went. This was literally-, because I realise people will listen to this years in the future and it’ll be absolutely chronologically fine, but for our heads, this is about three months gap! If not more.

Anyway, Andy Brown said,

“Really enjoyed this and felt the public speaking pain. My first thought is that I don’t think people actually care about ums as much as you think. Tell me a good story and make a good point, and I’ve got no idea how many ums you’ve said. I’ve edited a fair few podcast episodes and people just do it. Is it absolutely perfect? No, but it’s totally fine.

My second thought is, don’t tell everyone at the beginning of your talk, ‘I’m going to try not to um.’ Because I heard someone do that once and then every um was immediately accompanied by a sorry, and everyone was so focused on the ums.”

[00:01:52] – Frankie
Sam Kennedy Christian says,

“When I was at school, I was always getting threatened with elocution lessons for dropping my t’s. Turned out this wasn’t an empty threat. I was sent for speech and drama lessons, but that’s turned out quite well for me as I don’t personally find public speaking hard now.

Other than going back in time for drama lessons, here’s some tips I’ve picked up along the way:

Either fully script and fully learn it, or have just bullet points. 99% of the time, if you’re trying to remember a script, you’re not going to sound great.

Frame your bullets as questions that you answer as you speak.

Use ABCD to plan your opening section. A for attention. Start with a joke or a story like Steve and Frankie suggested, or a fact or a stat or a question, something attention grabbing. B is for benefits. Early in your talk, make sure people know what’s in it for them. C is for credibility. Why you? Have you got any qualifications, borrowed authority, experience, etcetera? D is for direction. Give a bit of overall structure of what you’re going to share.

And finally, dress comfortably. A big or important talk isn’t the time for new shoes or a new outfit.”

[00:02:56] – Steve
I once went on stage with a new t-shirt that I bought to do a massive talk, which was all being filmed and everything. And it turned out, you know… Like, when you buy a t-shirt and it has maybe an L or an M for large or medium sticker on it? I still had that on there!

[00:03:13] – Frankie
On the outside? Oh no!

[00:03:15] – Steve
On the outside.

Maia Swift got in touch, saying,

“Years ago, I did a public speaking training session and there’s one bit of advice that stuck with me — Squeeze your lemon. Basically, you pretend that you have a lemon. Yes, really. Something about squeezing-,”

You’re all trying it now, I can tell!
“Something about squeezing makes you stand properly, which makes your voice more assured, which makes you sound more confident. We had to practice with balloons. Try it! It must have been over 15 years ago and I still think, ‘squeeze your lemon’ when I have to stand in front of people.”

Amazing.

[00:06:57] – Steve
“Hi, Frankie and Steve,” says Ayo Abbas, who is a marketing consultant — abassmarketing.com

“Hi, Frankie and Steve. It’s tough out there right now. What do you think is the quickest way freelancers can make something happen in terms of winning work? Thanks, Ayo.”

Okay, right, I’m going straight in with this one.

[00:07:18] – Frankie
Okay, ready? Because I’ve got nothing.

[00:07:20] – Steve
One of the easiest ways to get work is from existing clients.

[00:07:26] – Frankie
Yes, true story.

[00:07:27] – Steve
It is easier to get work from people who have already bought from you, than convince new people to work with you. So reach out to past people, check out what they’re up to now, send them an email, get on LinkedIn, whatever it is. Maybe have a coffee with them if you had that sort of relationship. But also, if they don’t have any work for you right now — Yes, you’ve gone to the top of their mind in case something does come along — but also, maybe they can refer you. And don’t be shy of saying, you know, “Referrals are great for my business. If you know anybody who might need X, Y or Z, point me in their direction!”

[00:08:03] – Frankie
Yes, I think if we’re talking about speed, you’re cutting out about 20 different stages, aren’t you, by going to people that already know you, trust you, have already hired you before. Because I think a lot of people in this scenario maybe might be tempted by things like Fiverr and Upwork etc, etc, because that’s seen as a ‘quick’ win. But in reality, in my experience and what I’ve heard from other people, you’ve got to put in a lot of time and a lot of effort to cut through the noise on platforms like that to get the work. If you’re thinking — am I going to use a platform that’s seen as a quick win, versus am I going to contact a load of people that I’ve worked with before? I would definitely prioritise contacting those people you’ve worked with before.

[00:08:42] – Steve
Yeah. Well, because actually, whilst those platforms do have clients ready for work, putting their hands up, saying, “I have this project, who wants to do it?” and so on, or browsing profiles to pick someone. The reality is — just like in the real world — they’re going to hire the people who already have a reputation on those platforms. Especially because it feels all a bit dodgy, doesn’t it? Hiring online. How do I know this person can do a good job? And really, the best way is by looking back through the feedback that is left on those platforms and the star rating and all of that. How many jobs you’ve already done on it etc. So-,

[00:09:21] – Frankie
And all of that takes time.

[00:09:23] – Steve
Yeah.

[00:09:24] – Frankie
Yeah. I just feel like sometimes, I don’t know, it’s a bit of a fallacy that those platforms are a quick way to get work. I’m not saying you shouldn’t kickstart that process if you want to use it in the longer term, but in terms of answering the question — is that the quickest way? Up for debate.

[00:09:38] – Steve
Well, the thing is — this might not be the last time, perhaps, that you’re looking for a quick win.

[00:09:45] – Frankie
Well, indeed. Yeah.

[00:09:46] – Steve
So, you know, if there is really nothing else going on — and I’m sure we’ll talk about things that you could do — and you wanted to build a reputation on those websites, then it’s more likely it will pay off further down the line when next you need a quick win. But who knows, you might get something.

[00:10:04] – Frankie
If you want to get work, you’ve got to tell people you want work. That sounds really basic, but people don’t know that you are available to hire unless you tell them that you are available to hire. Particularly if you are an incredibly ‘successful’ freelancer, as Ayo is. And like, maybe from the outside, you look like you’re busy all the time and people just assume that, you know, you’ve got work and you don’t need more work. So if you are looking for work for whatever reason — tell people! In fact, these days on LinkedIn it’s quite common, isn’t it? Lots of people now will post, “Hello, I’ve got a gap in my schedule. Hire me. I’m available through June and July” or whatever. It’s amazing how those posts actually come to something.

[00:10:45] – Steve
Yeah, I think it’s such a good point because — and I kind of feel this with myself — is that maybe it looks like I’m sometimes… Actually, as it happens this week, I’m busy, thanks! But sometimes it can feel perhaps like I’m just always busy, busy, busy. But a lot of that might be my own Being Freelance stuff I’m manufacturing myself to be ‘busy’ with rather than actual client work. And so if I’m not out there saying, “Hey, if you want your podcast edited, guess what? I actually have slots to edit podcasts!” People probably think I’ve already busy editing podcasts.

[00:11:17] – Frankie
Right?

[00:11:18] – Steve
Incidentally, if you want your podcast edited, let me know.

[00:11:21] – Frankie
Not an ad.

[00:11:24] – Steve
Hashtag #notanad

[00:11:26] – Frankie
And also, we’ve talked about this on other episodes about marketing. But, like, don’t just tell the people, tell them again. Tell them regularly. Keep telling them. As long as you are available for work and are looking for more stuff regularly — tell them that. Talk about the skills that you have. Talk about what you can do for your clients. Like, I know it sounds, I don’t know… I just feel like I’m teaching you to suckuth the eggs, but-,

[00:11:49] – Steve
Buy her course on sucking eggs! Now available on-,

[00:11:50] – Frankie
$99, but only $37 for the next 24 hours!

Also, on the talking to people you know thing. Yes — talk to your existing clients and past clients, but also blanket email or hit up all your freelance friends, right? Whatever industry they’re in. I know a lot of people, well… We all know lots of other freelancers, but also a lot of people work with other freelancers. So like developers work with designers, that kind of thing, that kind of symbiotic relationship. There will be people in your life who maybe don’t have a job for you, but through your little network of other people that you know and trust, they might have a job maybe two or three… What’s it called?

[00:12:37] – Steve
Degrees of separation?

[00:12:38] – Frankie
Yes, thank you. Two or three degrees of separation away through your mates.

Basically there might be a job that you’re perfect for one or two people away. Because — we all know! Say it with me now! — that connections are the key to being a successful freelancer. So like, use those connections, whatever they look like. Because someone might go, “Oh yeah, my mate Steve”. No, you’re Steve…

[00:12:59] – Steve
Yeah, don’t have another friend called Steve.

[00:13:01] – Frankie
No, absolutely not. My mate Gary.

[00:13:03] – Steve
Do you know what’s weird? In my head, I was saying Gary.

[00:13:07] – Frankie
Gary, yes! Gary’s the default male name, isn’t it?

[00:13:11] – Steve
In my head, I was saying your mate Gary. But I thought, I won’t interrupt, I’ll let her continue. And then you said Gary.

[00:13:17] – Frankie
Sorry, why were we talking about Gary?

[00:13:19] – Steve
Because he’s a super connector and he’s gonna-,

[00:13:21] – Frankie
Exactly, that’s right.

[00:13:22] – Steve
He’s gonna get us some work.

[00:13:23] – Frankie
Gary’s gonna know someone who knows someone. Yeah.

[00:13:28] – Steve
I do think as well, showing up, being visible both in online communities, but also at perhaps local networking events as well. Actually, speaking of local things, bearing in mind that, you know, if you’re gonna do cold outreach — you know, knocking on doors. Literally. Or sending cold emails and so on. Starting with your local area is actually quite a nice idea because some people really like to work with local people or they get to know you and they want to make a local referral. Businesses are super connected in our local areas and often we as freelancers aren’t part of that, but there’s many successful freelancers who have made themselves part of that and get lots of local work.

So researching those businesses, sending them a thing about how you can help with them and how you’re local and you walk past their thing all the time, like… It’s a much nicer way to get in touch with somebody than, I don’t know, email. Those people will get emails all the time which are like, you know, offering them finance and credit cards. But you’re an individual getting in touch with them who walks past their window and can bring in donuts. Yeah, put that in the email! You never know how those things are gonna play out. I do kind of feel like you’ve got nothing to lose in a way.

[00:14:52] – Frankie
Yeah, our town’s just started a… I don’t know what you call it, business forum type thing?

[00:14:57] – Steve
Oh, yeah?

[00:14:57] – Frankie
Where all the local businesses basically get together for a drink. They all know each other anyway, sort of. But hanging out, talking about how it’s going, sharing information, that kind of stuff. And the great thing about freelancers like us — you know, creative, small, service-based freelancers — is pretty much every small business needs our skills, whatever they are.

Like, I’ve talked about this before, but when I was in a co-working space, I got so much work because everyone, whatever you do, needs a designer. Unless you’re a designer!! But every other business and freelancer needs a designer. So I picked up a lot of work very quickly from being in a space full of other small businesses. So, yeah, there you go. Join a co-working space. Start next week.

[00:15:43] – Steve
Going to a co-working space, going into those local networking opportunities, I do think there’s a big opportunity for freelancers in our local areas that often we overlook. And following on from that whole local thing and the mention of cold knocking on doors, cold emailing — the fact is, I guess, if nothing really is happening, that is still a technique, right? Create a big spreadsheet of potential customers that you go after and start emailing them and keep track of what’s happening with those emails. It’s not as good as all the techniques that could mean you’re contacting warm leads, but hey, we don’t have time for that right now. Get out there. Don’t let the rejection and the unanswered emails put you down. Just keep going at it. Yeah, okay, that one didn’t work. Maybe the next one will. It’s worth a go.

[00:16:32] – Frankie
It’s definitely worth a go. Yeah, when we had the meetups in May, I needed a sponsor because I was losing so much money on them that I needed a sponsor or it just didn’t make any sense. And in the end I sent nearly 90 cold emails in, I don’t know, four or five days? But one of them came good and all you need is the one. But yeah, you’re right in that it feels shit when you get nothing. Or almost worse when they respond and say “No!” Like, at least just ignore me quietly, God! But it does work. It’s not my favourite thing, but it does work.

[00:17:12] – Steve
It is tough out there right now. I’m hoping that whilst it might not be revolutionary, there might be a change of government around the corner, which might — amongst many other things — bring a bit of stability and confidence back to businesses which we benefit from. The world seems full of upheaval, and everybody seems to have been very-,

[00:17:38] – Frankie
Cautious.

[00:17:39] – Steve
Yeah. Surely that can’t last forever?

[00:17:41] – Frankie
I think it is important to remember it’s nothing you’ve done or are not doing. There’s always more you can do, but it’s just generally been a difficult time. And I mean… We run communities of freelancers, so it sounds disingenuous, but I mean it, people! There’s real power in bringing freelancers together. I don’t know, it can be really isolating. And I guess my point is — you’re not on your own. And actually, if we do more stuff together, this is the time to be doing that. Don’t be afraid of your competitors. Maybe reach out to your competitors, you know? It’s that kind of attitude that might get you somewhere in this environment rather than feeling you need to do everything on your own, because you’re not on your own.

This is not the most empowering, uplifting speech I’ve done on this podcast, but…

[00:18:28] – Steve
Okay, would love to know your thoughts on this. What’s a quick win that freelancers can get in terms of making things happen when looking for new work? Get in touch. Maybe something’s happened for you or someone you know.