The Freelancers' Show

Introduction Productized servicesDefinition 9:50: Copywriting Understand the problem your service solves.Pricing 15:30: Testing with productized service DraftEthercycleWebsite Teardowns (Kai Davis and Kurt Elster) 19:30: Mobile Onboarding Blair Enns 28:30: Freelancers just starting out Hourly billingScreening out clientsWebsite Rescue 38:10: Word of mouth Part of marketingNichesExpensiveproblem.com 45:50: Downsides to productized services PricingStart smallLow level of collaborationMinimize riskGive options Picks: Building the Perfect Sales Page (Jonathan) Internet Archive Wayback Machine (Philip) Examples of Productized Services: * https://draft.nu/revise/ * http://websiterescues.com/ * https://doubleyouraudience.com/pricing/outreach/ * https://memberup.co/membership-roadmap/ * http://sessions.superspicymedia.com/ * http://uibreakfast.com/services/   hired.com/freelancershow

Introduction The Indecisive CarpenterYou be the expert. 4:15: Communication Set goals for the project with the client.Don’t ask the customer’s opinion. 9:15: Staff augmentation Behaving as an employeeBecome a consultant or advisor instead. 16:20: Consultant vs. employee Ron BakerExpertise translates into advice. 21:30: Client wants to be involved more. Run any request past the business case.Keep the project on course. 30:00: Target businesses without your capabilities in-house. Do more than just your craft.Ask the right questions.Establish yourself as an expert. 39:40: Maximize your profit. Not just revenue.Don’t give away your knowledge for free.Value is contextually defined. 45:45: What to say to clients. Find out the business goal.Communicate about progress.Ask for more information about customers. Picks: Mike Monteiro Keynote (Jonathan) Shard Keychain Tool (Jonathan) Design Is a Job (Philip) Start With No (Philip) How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big (Reuven)   hired.c

1:01 Protecting yourself from “scope-creep” and unending revisions Measuring progress and clear communication 10:47 Freelancing without dealing with invoices and collecting payments Working with an agency or permanent employer 18:24 First step to launching a career as a freelance web developer Positioning yourself in the market and identifying your customer niche 25:58 Choosing programming skills that will be the most valuable as a freelancer Skills with broad range and flexibility 34:10 Feeling intimidated by freelance job listings Identifying poorly defined projects and not being afraid to ask questions 48:42 Freelancing as an expat Tax considerationsHired.comCashFly

00:30 Chuck leaving the show 1:18 Introducing the topic: Knowing when to move on 5:40 Leaving a successful podcast 15:11 Deciding when to move on 19:19 Being spread too thin versus being effective 22:54 Improving workflow 25:30 Chuck’s focus on online conferences 28:30 Overcoming resistance to change in business 30:05: Getting through lean times 33:22 Hiring help and outsourcing tasks 35:09 Future of DevChat.tv podcasts Picks: Selling to Big Companies by Jill Konrath (Reuven) Soundbreaking on PBS (Philip) This American Life: Quitting (Philip) Philip Morgan - Retired page (Philip) 2017 Wall Calendar - Neuyear.net (Charles) Amazon Echo Dot (Charles) Hired.com

Introduction How to differentiate yourself from the crowdWhen you’re not the cheapest optionFungibility 6:00: It has to matter to your client. Different differentiations for each client 8:50: Marketing and customizing your proposal Figure out who your competitors areNiche down on a specialty or target market 15:40: What are you offering that others aren’t? TrainingTangible and intangible benefits 20:20: Developing a compelling value proposition Eight ways to add more value 22:00 Back it up with proof Credibility is criticalIllusory superiority bias 27:00: Six categories of differentiatorsPredictable costRisk mitigationConcierge serviceVertical specializationUrgent serviceShared worldview 32:15: Commoditization Be choosyBe passionateUse trial and error 42:15: Freelancing vs consulting Different mindsetsWork your way upLet your differentiation develop over time Picks: Save to Google Drive (Philip) Scanbot (Philip) Google Keep (Jonathan) Expensiveproblem.com/18 (Jonathan) Thanksgiving (Jona

0:20 What is everyone working on? Hourly Billing is NutsDeadline FunnelConferencesThe Eventual Millionaire 5:00: Questions to ask on a Greenfield project BootstrapPhoenixElixirOpen Source 15:45: How to write cover letters and earn clients UpworkConferencesApprentice modelSetting the priceWriting the cover letterRedmineThe Apprenticeship Patterns by Dave HooverScott Hanselman iPhreaks episode 37:00: What to do if you have no employed experience Don’t lieGet LinkedIn endorsementsGitHubStack OverflowAbout.me Links: Hired.com

Introduction FreelanceRemoteConfContent marketing that does not involve the written word 4:30: What Is Content Marketing? Showing expertiseHelping peopleProviding value 6:20: Podcasting ScreencastCreating a Twitter Clone 10:30: Missing out on client work? Ruby on Rails“Giving away the farm.” 16:40: Highly scripted video UberConferenceJohn Sonmez 22:00: Casual video or audio Facebook LiveAaron WalkerFacebook communityYouTube LiveFullscope.tvPublish on a consistent schedule 34:45: Case Studies YouTube or Google Hangouts 39:50: Practicalities Search engine rankingsTranscription servicesComparing yourself to others 47:50: Infographics Picks: Ditching Hourly (Reuven) Limony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events (Reuven) Rev.com (Philip) Trustvelocity.com (Philip) Born to Win by Zig Ziglar (Charles) Mindmup.com (Charles) devchat.tv/conferences (Charles)

1:00: Introduction Anna SabramowiczPutting together online courses 3:05: Marketing 5:00: What to put in the course What problems do you solve? 9:00: What type of course? Email (Paid or Free)VideoJoe Rogan podcastWebinarsHeadsUp app 24:00: Data testing PositioningAsk the right questions 38:30: Tools Start smallTeachable.comDrip 45:30: Be a student Create an outline Picks Weekly newsletters (Reuven) Lerner Consulting (Reuven) Ikea New Cordless Milk Frother Handheld Cappuccino Latte Espresso (Jonathan) Ditchinghourly.com (Jonathan) Deadline Funnel (Philip) Ringr (Philip) Webinar Jam (Charles) Presentation Clicker (Charles) Firewatch (Anna) Papers, Please (Anna) Mark’s Daily Apple (Anna) Hired.com

1:00 Topic Introduction: Podcasting for Freelancers All panelists have a podcast 2:00 Why start a podcast? Building trustGetting to know youPortability 6:30 Benefits over video Less to get in the way of the messageSimpler to put togetherDefining the purposeDifferent type of call to action 15:15: Getting listeners to return to the podcast PicksMarketing, display advertising, brand advertisingPodcast Motor 22:45: Podcasting as a self-referral Podcasting to peers vs. to clients100 Most Trusted People in America (Reader’s Digest) 26:20: What to talk about Define your audienceSpecific questions to askExperimentPick something you’re excited about 39:00: What if podcasting for your peers is not working? MonetizingOutreach 46:30: Making your content interesting FormatPersonality and preferencesMake sure you’re having funPick a focusMaking the execution the product Picks: Ditching Hourly podcast (Jonathan) Todd Tresidder on Double Your Freelancing (Jonathan) Stripped, Macy Gray (Philip) The Online

1:00: How do I get good freelance gigs online? Solve a problem or find a better platformGet a more positive mindsetAsk insightful questionsLook for hidden opportunities 10:30: Customer discovery and roadmapping Brennan Dunn course on roadmappingJonathan Stark: Why questions 11:50: Cold outreach “Are you the right person to talk to?”Look them up (LinkedIn, Google, GitHub)Come in with prior knowledgeKnow personal infoSelling To Big Companies by Jill Konrath 24:15: Accepting profit-share as a retainer You’re becoming an investorBlended cash compensation 31:30: Updates PositioningCrashCourse.comPaul JarvisRails Remote ConfHow to Hire a Part-Time EmployeeEntreprogrammers.com Picks: Selling To Big Companies by Jill KonrathHow to Hire a Part-Time EmployeeThe 12-Week Year

0:45: Introductions Freelance Remote ConfDrew McLellanAgency Management Institute 2:40: Building an Agency Adding employeesTraditional vs 1099 model 7:30: Where you’re spending your time Running the business vs. doing your craftRisks of agency vs. risks of freelancingMistakes agency-owners make 11:00: Financial metrics 55% salaries, 25% overhead, 20% profitSmart hiring 18:40: Freelancing is a people business 19:30: Agencies must embrace all things digital SEOSEMWordPressArt vs data and ROI 23:15: The future of agencies Demonstrable ROIPricing and value 27:00: Bringing on a partner Skill setsTypes of leadership 33:40: Where to begin MarketingTime investment 37:20: Having a vision: What is your best life? The ReporterThe 12-Week YearBeing intentional Picks: Drip (Philip) Course on Drip (Philip) Having a vision for your business (Reuven) Dev Shop Marketing Briefing (Reuven) 12 Week Year (Charles) A Conversation of Character (Charles) Who (Charles) The Radical Leap (Drew) Traction (Dre

1:00: Topic introduction: When people ask for freebies Requests from friends, neighbors, family 4:40: Requests for unpaid consulting Sometimes it makes sense to offer this for freeCan lead to additional marketing opportunities 9:00: Avoiding freebie requests Give the impression that you are not available for free servicesRemain approachable, though 12:30: Have some material available for free Have a topical index so people can have their questions answeredAnswer questions on a blog, podcast or newsletterOffer a book or subscription that is a fraction of your main service 21:00: Using freebie requests and questions to help narrow your market Know what content is high-quality for your audienceTime = Money 23:15: Can freebie requests start a client relationship? Could turn into paid workOr could be that the potential clients are clueless about how your business works 27:30: How a potential client can show that they value your time Offers to pay for a quick conversationNo presumptions that you have t

1:00: Topic Introduction Burnout 3:15: Set workday and structure Work from home vs. coworking spaceFamily timePodcast Motor 8:00: How Chuck’s business makes money Philip’s explanation of how he runs his businessTime vs. moneyPrioritizing 13:50: What is burnout? An opportunity for transformationToo tired, too overwhelmed 15:25: The importance of saying no “I can’t do it all.”Ask yourself what’s profitableConstruct something to fill the void of working lessTake a day off 22:00: Keeping commitments   Procrastinate On Purpose 25:10: Automate and delegate Training others to take on some of the workJust work on the important stuff 30:45: The importance of sleep 32:00: Pre-planning Planning ahead of time for the weekDerailment from the plan 36:20: Business and discipline Limiting checking emailInterruptions: Slack, Skype, Instant Messenger 43:00 Talk about it It’s not only you Picks: Gimlet Science Vs (Reuven) Huawei P9 Phone (Reuven) Fish farms, fishing, family time (Charles) Neighborhood

1:00: Topic introduction: Making fast cash 2:45: Reach out to past clients Might be a small projectMight lead to referrals 5:55: Ask for referrals Give them the tools to know who to refer you toBe specific about what your ideal client looks likeUse LinkedIn for second degree connection introductions 10:00 Use mental associations when making requests Make specific requests; don’t think in broad terms“Think like a fisherman, not like a fish.”Use inbound and outbound approaches.More Cheese and Less Whiskers 17:30: Cold outreach Might feel awkward, but it worksStart close to homePick an industry where you’ve had previously successMake sure you follow upCold outreach episode with Kai 23:40: Be creative Kurt Elster blog post on handwritten notesBirthday cakes 26:10: Use social media Reach out to your email list, blog, YouTube subscribersUse Twitter for searchesUse Hacker News 30:20: Offer a discount to current clients for prepayment 36:30: Create a microservice Brennan Dunn on roadmappingUnbundle ser

1:00: Topic introduction Full-time job vs. consultingHow much money is possible or likely? 4:30: Discussion of the money Cost of living (Israel vs. USA)Can a solo consultant make $300K/year?Reality of what it takes 11:00: How to make a lot of money as a solo consultant What do you enjoy doing?What are you good at?Find a successful niche 15:15: How to get people to trust you ReferralsNetworkingExample: RedmineBlog/Podcast/Other media 21:45: Understand your customers’ problems ConferencesMeetups 24:30: Emotional fortitude to command a high rate GuiltMindsetGetting out of the low cash-flow cycle 31:00: Offering a mix of services Avoiding dry spellsSystematic way to attract leads Picks: Family Vacations (Reuven) Portugal as a vacation destination (Reuven) RentalCars.com (Reuven) Dev Shop Marketing Briefings (Philip) The Secret of Selling Anything (Philip) TrustVelocity.com (Jonathan) Million Dollar Maverick (Jonathan) ScheduleOnce (Charles) FreshDesk (Charles)   Sponsor: Hire.com

1:00: Simon’s introduction ShopifyFour Overlooked Tactics to Find New Clients Offline 3:00: Hosting meetups and workshops How to set up a workshopLogistics involved in finding a venue and managing the eventHow to decide what to talk aboutIs it crucial that the meetups be local?Eventbrite 13:00: Speaking at conferences How it differs from hosting workshopsHow to meet people at the conferences even if you’re not speaking officiallyGetting the audience engaged and ready to take the next stepLeadPages 22:30: Set up a booth at an industry trade show How the look and feel of your booth can draw in attentionHow to best choose an eventIs it worth investing in company swag to hand out?Best way to collect emails at events.NetRocks 35:00: Cold Call in Person How research can help make a saleWhy in-person meetings can be more beneficial than telephone callsStickyApps 41:50: More from Simon Get in facetimeFind an enticing hookTwitterShopify Blog Picks: How We Hijacked an Entrepreneur.Com Event Sponsorship for

1:06 - Jonathan suggested topic: Why are deadlines bad? 7:30  Deadlines are binary 11:28 Timelines 12:38 Weekly conversations 13:54 How to deal with a drop dead deadline 15:53 How do you agree to multiple features How much margin do you put on it? 17:05 Do you agree to what you think you can get done? 19:41 Why do you see developers agree to deadlines 22:06 Negotiating 24:40 Say no to clients who won’t agree to a deadline 27:27 Don’t take the risk 27:40 Solutions 31:13 Do you say no to a client who is insistent on a deadline? 35:24 Projects that drag on 38:00 Uncertain end date 43:47 An easy trap to fall into 44:27 Learn your lines 47:30 Explain the downside to a deadline Picks Taking time off (Philip)How To Handle Deadlines Without Agree To Them (Jonathan)Wood Badge (Chuck)The Boy Scouts Of America (Chuck)   This episode is sponsored by hired.com

02:40 - Getting Started on a Project Using Value-based Pricing; Figuring Out the Why 13:33 - Setting Goals and Expectations Agile Methodology 33:04 - Proposals 40:06 - Can you combine hourly billing and value-based pricing? 44:28 - Retainers, Maintenance Contracts 47:24 - Startups and Value Pricing   Picks Win Without Pitching (Jonathan)Deadpool (Jonathan)Stranger Things (Philip)Tend (Philip)The Economist Magazine (Reuven)The Victory Lab by Sasha Issenberg (Reuven)

02:14 - Why automate? Are there cases where you shouldn’t automate? The Eventual Millionaire: Procrastinate on Purpose with Rory VadenProcrastinate on Purpose: 5 Permissions to Multiply Your Time by Rory Vaden"The first rule of any technology used in a business is that automation applied to an efficient operation will magnify the efficiency. The second is that automation applied to an inefficient operation will magnify the inefficiency." -- Bill Gates 12:29 - Templates 15:26 - Figuring Out What to Automate and Delegate Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action by Simon Sinek 26:17 - Creating Benefits; Not False Improvements with Automation 28:35 - Automation Wins Zapier Unfollowers (Now Statusbrew) TrelloGravity FormsSendGrid 36:58 - Getting Started With Automation McDonald's Corporation: A Real Estate Empire Financed by French FriesThe 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich by Timothy FerrissThe 80/20 Rule in Business by Perry Marshall   Summary

01:54 - Listener Request: Remote Work 03:14 - Communication Technologies SkypeSlackZoomWeChatCrowdcastjoin.meScreenflowEmailGoToMeeting/GoToWebinarGoogle HangoutsBasecamp 13:30 - Setting Client Expectations and Discussions 20:53 - Making the Case for Real-time Communication 29:16 - Timezones CalendlyDoodleFantastical 37:45 - Meeting Face-to-face   Picks The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine by Michael Lewis (Jonathan)Hourly Billing Is Nuts by Jonathan Stark 30% OFF with code FS215 (Jonathan)Fantastical (Philip)The Brothers Grimsby (Philip)HappyCow (Reuven)The Office (Reuven)The Big Short (Reuven)iPad Pro (Chuck)Smart Keyboard for iPad Pro (Chuck)Apple Pencil (Chuck)GoodNotes (Chuck)