The Freelance Podclass

Regardless of how long you’ve been freelancing, you’re going to face this challenge at one point or another: How do you move from the core service you’re offering to something significantly or slightly different? How do you listen to the warning signs that it’s time to make a change in your freelance business? There are lots of different reasons why you may need to switch gears. In this episode, we’ll walk you through five key steps to successfully transition to a new niche! Podcast Outline: [0:39] Craig introduces the topic of how to effectively change your niche. He suggests possible reasons that might lead you to make this decision.  [1:32] Craig talks about the movie “You’ve Got Mail” and how it illustrates the need to switch gears in a business when you come to a crossroads. [3:14] Craig outlines the 6 key warning signs that reveal it’s time to make a change. Be sure to do some self-evaluation as we go through the list!   Five Key Steps to Successfully Transition to a New Niche   [8:36] #1 Assess your cu

In this class we talk about building authority and how to position yourself as an expert or an authority in your market. Many of you may be new to the freelance world and don’t feel like an expert. And some of you may have been doing this for a while and still struggle with imposter syndrome. Join me as I walk you through 7 practical ways to overcome these feelings and position yourself as a trusted authority to your clients and an expert in your service offerings!   Podcast Outline: [0:42] Craig introduces the topic of building authority and positioning yourself as an expert or an authority in your market, even if you don’t feel like one. He talks about the importance of owning this role.   [1:42] Craig shares a humorous story that illustrates the importance of being an expert. You’ll have a chuckle and an “aha” moment when you hear it!   7 Ways to Become a Trusted Expert in Your Market [4:18] #1 Be a Specialist - How to niche down and offer services to a specific market. Craig provides examples of students

How well are your regularly reviewing the growth and success of your business? As we begin a brand-new decade, it’s especially important to look at where we’ve come from and plan where we’re going. Join me as I outline 10 business areas you’ll want to evaluate to ensure your long-term success!   Podcast Outline:   [0:38] Craig looks back on his business and shares what he’s learned over the past 10 years. He introduces the topic of the podclass and discusses the importance of planning for success at regular intervals.   10 Areas to Plan for Success in Your Business   [5:48] #1 Mindset - How a healthy mindset leads to a healthy business and vice versa. Craig provides a list of important questions to ask yourself. [9:30] #2 Business Growth - Quantitative questions and examples to help you evaluate this area so you can set strategic goals for 2020! [11:23] #3 Technology - How to do an inventory of all the apps and tech tools you’re using. Craig discusses the importance of streamlining tools and choosing new ones

Today we discuss a topic that is highly relevant during the holiday season. How do we make our clients feel valued besides providing incredible services and delivering high-quality work? In this class we show you five tangible, affordable ways you can express appreciation to your clients. We also share some tools and strategies you can use to show gratitude and solidify your client relationships!   Podcast Outline:   [0:42] Craig introduces the topic of showing appreciation to our clients and discusses why it’s important. He shares examples of both negative and positive customer service quality. [3:43] How client appreciation leads to client retention and the importance of showing gratitude in tangible ways   Five Ways to Show Client Appreciation:   [6:09] #1 Send a handwritten note on a notecard that has your branding. Craig shares some examples of how personal handwritten notes are powerful. [8:04] #2 Send a follow-up email after an invoice. Craig explains how the content of that email is important and give

In this class, I’m joined by Brandi Mowles, who shares her insights into how she was able to scale her freelance service-based business without hiring a team. Brandi started out as a Virtual Assistant and turned into a Facebook and Instagram Ads Strategist. She’s grown her income to multiple six figures and helps other entrepreneurs scale to consistent five-figure months. Join us as we discover four ways that you can start small and wait for the right time to hire a team!   Podcast Outline: [0:42] Craig introduces us to Brandi Mowles and the concept of scaling your service-based business without hiring a team.  [2:54] How to scale a freelance business - Brandi discusses the pros and cons of staying small and waiting to hire a team.  [5:14] How the concept is counter to what you’d learn in business school or what high-level entrepreneur coaches are teaching. Craig shares an interesting example that illustrates the wisdom of staying small.   Four Ways to Scale Your Business: [6:52] #1 Look at the list of servic

In this class, I’m joined by my daughter, Keeley Cannings, who gives you valuable strategies on how you can use local Facebook Ads to target your client audience right in your own backyard. Keeley shares how she has leveraged local Facebook Ads to build a very profitable photography business for herself. Join us as we unpack 9 steps to launching a local Facebook Ads campaign so you can generate new client leads and ultimately build your business!   Podcast Outline:   0:00 - Opening thoughts 1:00 - Introduction to Keeley Cannings and the topic of Local Facebook Ads 2:08 - Keeley’s experience doing “Headshot Days” as a local photographer 4:02 - The benefit of Facebook Ads to freelancers: 3 Whys: 1) It gets your name and business out there. 2) It increases your engagement and your followers. 3) It helps turn complete strangers into lifelong clients.   6:00 - The “Echo Effect” Don’t get discouraged if you don’t land clients and generate leads the first time. 7:57 -  Example of an idea you can use to gener

In this class, I’m joined by Jessica Lawlor, a freelance expert, writer and trainer who shows us some tools and strategies on how you can build a highly successful freelance writing business. Freelance writing is one of the most profitable, in-demand niches to get into and is growing significantly. Today we talk about some of the skill sets and tips on how you can become an effective freelance writer!   Podcast Outline:   0:00 - Opening thoughts 0:47 - Introduction to Jessica Lawlor 1:54 - Opportunities available for people who want to be freelance writers in 2020   3:06 - Two different ways to look at freelance writing: 1) Journalistic freelance writing 2) Content marketing   3:44 - How there were more narrow opportunities for writers in the past, but the sky’s the limit now: More common to see qualified, skilled seasoned writers choosing the freelance route: Creating their own schedules Having more flexibility to write about what they want Creating a different kind of life doing the writing that they r

In this class we talk about referral marketing - one of the easiest ways to find clients and one of the best strategies to grow and scale your freelance business. But how do we do it well? How do we get ideal clients referred to us from people who know, like and trust us? I will show you a three-step system for how you can build a referral marketing machine into your freelance business!   Podcast Outline:   0:00 - Opening thoughts 0:49 - Introduction to the topic of Referral Marketing 5:00 - Two Types of Referrals: Indirect Referrals (e.g. Facebook Page Reviews, LinkedIn Recommendations, testimonial or video case study on your website) Direct Referrals (e.g. Someone directly passes on your name to another relevant contact.)   7:02 - Two Keys to Getting New Referrals: 1) Be referable. 2) Build an effective referral marketing system.   8:47 - Three Simple Steps to Building an Effective Client Referral System   8:54 - Step #1: Determine your ideal client referral. Identify three ideal clients. Identify th

In this class, I’m joined by Matt Johnson, a podcast expert who gives you valuable strategies on how to leverage podcasting as a networking tool to build your freelance business, land more clients, and ultimately increase your visibility. We’ll talk about it from a couple different angles - either hosting your own podcast or being featured as a guest on podcasts where your ideal client audience is hanging out. You’ll also learn about profitable opportunities available for freelancers and virtual assistants seeking to add podcasting services to their business.   Podcast Outline:   0:00 - Opening thoughts 0:53 - Introduction to Matt Johnson 1:57 - Matt shares his Freedom Story and what he’s up to now 4:26 - Matt describes his background as a musician 5:19 - The challenges of tapping into too many niches as freelancers   5:44 - Introduction to the topic of podcasting: The history of podcasting Why and how the trend is shaping now What makes podcasting unique: It’s long-form content. It’s portable and easy to

In this class, I’m joined by Susan Noked, an Online Business Manager (OBM) who teaches some of the principles of how you can become an OBM for your clients. So many businesses out there are looking for a point person who can manage their team, manage their finances, manage their launches, and put effective systems in place. Learn what it takes to take on this valuable, in-demand role!   Podcast Outline:   0:00 - Opening thoughts 0:54 - Introduction to Sarah Noked 2:04 - Setting the stage for the topic of Online Business Management (OBM) 3:28 - Sarah shares her freedom story 8:47 - The growth of the OBM industry and the importance of VAs 10:48 - How entrepreneurship and online businesses are becoming more popular   14:00 - The role of the OBM 14:25 - Definition of an OBM Main aspects: Project Management Team Management Metrics Management Launch Management Operations Management   16:40 - How tasks can be delegated to a VA and overseen by an OBM using systems 17:40 - The importance of getting experienc

In this class, I’m joined by Robert O’Kruk, a Digital Nomad expert who shares his insights on how to build a thriving freelance business working from anywhere in the world. He unpacks three key principles to help you be successful on remote work platforms and other client networking opportunities. And he shares his opinion on the top three destinations for Digital Nomads. The principles discussed here can help you achieve the lifestyle you want and make a positive impact.   Podcast Outline:   0:00 - Opening thoughts 1:05 - Introduction to Robert O’Kruk 2:26 - Robert describes the journey that led him to freelancing as a Digital Nomad 5:33 - The pros and cons of being your own boss 6:36 - Craig’s journey and the benefits of working remotely 8:30 - Is a Digital Nomad or Laptop Lifestyle attainable? 12:10 - The importance of a supportive community   12:51 - Practical steps to building a Digital Nomad lifestyle: 13:13 - Two buckets of how it happens: 1) The logistics 2) Earning money remotely   15:46 - Three

In this class we talk about the art of closing the sale. Some of you may struggle with closing the sale as it can be a difficult process and you don’t want to disrupt the relationship you have already established with a prospect. But there are good ways to respectfully call potential clients to action and lead them to purchase your services. In this Podclass, I guide you through 12 steps that you can take to effectively close a sale with a prospective client.   Podcast Outline: 0:00 - Opening thoughts 0:58 - Introduction to the topic of “Closing the Sale with a Client” 2:21 - Challenges to closing the sale: Your greatest strengths often are your greatest weaknesses.   3:25 - Two guiding principles to think about as you’re entering the final stage of turning people potentially from a prospect over to a client: 1) Closing the sale is not a one-time thing but an ongoing process. If you feel like you didn’t get it right in that first call, don’t beat yourself up. It sometimes takes multiple touchpoints.

In this class, I’m joined by the founder of Barefoot Consultants, Winton Churchill, who shares some important strategies on how you can win new clients using Upwork. We discuss how to overcome being new and unknown in the Upwork entity and which job areas see the most success. Winton also shares some exciting stats on the growth and popularity of freelancing that show great promise for the future.   Podcast Outline:   0:00 - Opening thoughts 0:46 - Introduction to Winton Churchill 2:51 - Winton’s name and the opportunities he’s had because of it 5:42 - How Winton got into the freelancing and training space 8:20- How Craig hired his first designer on Elance and started working virtually 9:02 - Dispelling the misconception that Upwork is a saturated marketplace   9:41 - What buyers like in a freelancer:   9:56 - A comprehensive profile 10:18 - No “I” profile (“I did this, I did that, I was here, I was there…”) 10:32 - Cultivate three to six clients that you work with on an ongoing basis. 10:50 - How most of th

In this class we talk about practical ways that you can add more income to your freelance business. Some of you may be looking at ways to scale your income, while others may be trying to smooth out your cash flow on a month-to-month basis. In this Podclass, I unpack 6 excellent income streams to help you grow the business you’ve always wanted.   Podcast Outline: 0:00 - Opening thoughts 0:45 - Introduction to topic: Adding more monthly income to our business and stabilizing our income 2:46 - Six Different Income Streams to Add to Your Business: 3:08 - #1: Niche Expansion (Service Expansion) 3:26 - Example - offering ActiveCampaign services   4:54 - #2: Consulting and Coaching 4:59 - Definition of an “implementer” 5:38 - Definition of a coach or a consultant 7:27 - The imposter syndrome 7:44 - Encouragement not to sell yourself short - You may know more than your clients do!   9:08 - #3: Public Speaking 9:58 - Types of speaking opportunities 10:27 - How speaking can be another income stream  

In this Podclass, I am joined by Rob Galvin of Themeific, who shares his insights on creating courses online. As freelancers you can leverage course platforms to generate new leads for your business, create new income streams for yourself, or offer a service to entrepreneurs, helping them build their courses. Rob talks about how to design (or build) a course and emphasizes having the right idea that will impact the right person.   Podcast Outline: 0:00 - Opening thoughts 1:01 - Introduction to Rob Galvin 2:34 - Setting the stage for the topic of course creation (why a freelancer or virtual assistant might want to create courses): Lead generation Another stream of income Opening up a whole new niche (building courses for entrepreneurs)   3:32 - Rob’s story 6:26 - The importance of searching for opportunities in course creation 8:20 - Why are online courses so popular today? 9:02 - They’re accessible to anybody. 10:05 - People want quick ways to get solutions. 10:33 - Our perception of education has changed.

In this Podclass, I am joined by the co-founder of FreeeUp.com, Nathan Hirsch, who shares his wisdom on how to successfully transition from being a one-person operation (solopreneur) to a multi-person agency. We discuss the advantages of delegating tasks to others, the steps you take, and how to figure out who would be the best fit for you and your business.   Podcast Outline: 0:00 - Opening thoughts 1:03 - Introduction to Nathan Hirsch and Freeeup.com 3:06 - Nathan shares his story and background 6:33 - Craig shares how his story parallels Nathan’s 7:27 - What are the warning signs when it’s time for a freelancer or solopreneur to look for a hire or move into an agency model? 7:44 - Step #1: Look at yourself as a business. 8:22 - Step #2: Take a look at your numbers/budget.   9:55 - How do you know if you’re cut out to actually manage a team, let alone a remote virtual team? 10:15 - Remote vs. in-office teams 10:58 - The importance of learning to manage people   12:13 - The advantages of hiring freelance

The most common question the FreeU support desk receives is what is the best way to find great clients. At one point or another you may have struggled, or are struggling, to find clients. And often it’s the deciding factor for many service providers on whether they will continue or quit. In this class I unpack the four best ways to find great clients: referral marketing, networking, content marketing and strategic cold calling.   Podcast Outline: 0:00 - Opening thoughts 0:47 - Introduction to the topic of Finding Great Clients 3:02 - Four Ways to Find Great Clients:   3:53 - #1: Referral Marketing   3:56 - The power of a recommendation from someone you know, like and trust 5:59 - Two types of referrals: 6:07 - Indirect referrals 6:47 - Direct referrals 7:21 - Three quick steps to getting great client referrals 8:57 - Current and past clients 9:51 - Family and friends 10:17 - Past employers and colleagues 10:37 - Local connections 11:36 - Other freelancers and virtual assistants that don’t do what you

In this class we talk about the many freedoms that come from owning a flexible, location-independent virtual business. We share five different kinds of freedoms that you can embrace in your business so you’re living the lifestyle you’ve always wanted. We also discuss six ways that you can make sure you are staying free and alive in your virtual business.   Podcast Outline:   0:00 - Opening thoughts 1:18 - Introduction to the topic of “Freedom” 1:39 - Top three reasons for freelancing from the “Freelancing in America” survey: 1:52 - To be my own boss 2:01 - To have flexibility in my schedule 2:04 - To work from the location of my choosing   3:05 - How the freedom lifestyle was marketed in the past 5:54: Five Different Types of Freedoms:   6:04 - #1: Personal Freedoms 6:52 - Story about micromanaging boss 8:11 - Craig and his family’s personal freedom   12:24 - #2: Location Freedoms 12:32 - Story about a FreeU student’s location freedom 12:53 - Craig’s location freedom   13:05 - #3: Financial

In this Podclass, I am joined by the founder of Claritylab.co, Forest Linden, who shares his insight and unpacks 11 pillars to conducting a winning discovery call that turns prospects into ideal clients. Forest also talks about how he sells his packages right from that first discovery call.     Podcast Outline:   0:00 - Opening thoughts 1:03 - Introduction to Forest Linden 2:58 - Forest tells his “Freedom Story” and describes his business lifestyle. 7:01 - The benefits of Forest’s flexible schedule   8:19 - Introduction to Topic: “The 11 Pillars of Winning Discovery Calls” 9:33 - The background to these concepts 10:44 - Pillar #1: Come from a place of compassion and wanting to help people. 11:36 - Pillar #2: Be authentic and as transparent as possible. (i.e. Be a good person.) 13:28 - The importance of confidence and natural conversation   14:19 - Pillar #3: If you get nervous about calls before you do them, focus on what you can give, not what you can get. 14:31 - Pillar #4: Put your prospects

In this class we unpack the important role that "CONFIDENCE" plays in your success as an entrepreneur, freelancer, or virtual assistant. Craig speaks from personal experience how his lack of confidence really impacted him, shaped his journey and made it more difficult. All of us will experience self-doubt at times, but a constant lack of confidence impacts our business in very adverse ways. In this class, you will discover 5 ways to build your confidence so that you can attract ideal clients, charge what you're worth and ultimately create the freelance business that you always wanted!   Podcast Outline: 0:00 - Opening thoughts 1:27 - Introduction to topic: Confidence and how it shapes our outcome 2:57 - Craig’s story 5:27 - Truth to take to heart: “You are better than you think.” 6:27 - Disclaimer 7:29 - How to talk to yourself 7:54 - Five Ways to Develop More Confidence and Reduce Self-Doubt 9:02 - #1: Develop a self-doubt radar. 9:47 - An exercise to do over the next 24 hours 11:28 - #2: Remember your