Use Google Docs to prepare requirements and tasks collaboratively with your clients. It was few weeks ago when I first tried to use Google Docs Word as a real collaboration tool. On my very first online interview with a client, instead of simple discussing the project, either on IM or Phone, I invited the client to a new Google Document and we (me and the client) collaboratively worked on creating a proposal. It was fun and very interesting experience. I added few points, the client add few points, we discussed and the end result was very satisfying for both of us. I didn’t realize how advantageous this approach was until I read the book “How I raised from failure to success in selling” by Frank Bettger. He spoke about involving the client while writting down all the features/benefits your service would provide for him/her. That’s when I realized how I was making my clients involve in proposal preparation and how it was turning into a definate sale. I am added Google Docs into the Freelance Tools list as a most important mean for proposal creation (collaboratively). Try it at your next client interview, I am sure you will be supprised with the results.
I have many friends that are into Freelancing and share the same experience. Many times freelancers have to do away with sleep and work 24 hours stretch, just like a resident in a Hospital. I came across a nice tool that will create a pie chart based on no. of hours you spent on daily routine. Have a look.
Freelancers, its high time. Learn the insights of sales and marketing!
Every wonder why something that you’ve been using to drive sales wont work anymore? Or why you could never get enough clients/leads? Or why other freelancers get better and more than enough clients? Start your way into sales dude!
Today, in this freaking competitive market, forget about getting a new client, retaining the existing ones have become increasingly difficult. Especially with growing web developers market, keeping yourselves with technology and at the sametime focusing on new marketing trends have become darn too tough (at least for me). Unfortunately theres nothing much you and I can do about it but to keep looking for new ideas to drive sales. Last month, I spent quite a lot of time searching for best possible way to drive sales and to be honest, theres not one proven method. Today, sales knowledge has become a vital expertise for every freelancer. Without it you are just a pony. I know few freelancers are too good at it but I am talking about people who never knew what is sales. So, how do you go about learning this freaking important piece of life?
Buy Little Red Book of Selling: 12.5 Principles of Sales Greatness by Jeffrey Gitomer. I’ve been reading this book when ever I could find time and theres nothing better I’ve read so far that I could relate to my business and strategies. Jeffrey highlights many tools and strategies that every sales guy must practice and be aware of. As a freelancer, reading this book and implementing at least 2 principles is the least one can do. The book is small in size, easy to carry around and has nice little red bits filled with humor. I strongly encourage every freelancer (at least the ones new to sales) in the industry to go and read this book.
vaked.com rates Little Red Book of Selling: 12.5 Principles of Sales Greatness by Jeffrey Gitomer as the most important tool for freelance business!
Getting around in New York could be time taking and also expensive. For all my visits to client locations in NY, I usually used to either drive all the way from NJ (currently located) or hire a cab half way. As you may have already noticed, it was a bad idea, but for someone new in NY, it could be the only way out.
Thanks to the great service of hopstop.com, it saved me quite a lot of money today. Where it takes around $80 to $100 for the cab ride from La Guardia Airport to Northern NJ, I was able to save upto $90 using public transportation and was home in less than 2 hours (not bad at all). Hopstop.com is now my favorite freelance tool to get around NY. There are other sites like hopstop.com, Google is working on creating something similar for Chicago and would possibly include sates like CA, NY, WA very soon. Google’s service is in fact based on Google Maps. Watch the video to learn more about this new tool from Google:
I spent few hours in getting my hands on Drupal for a new idea I had with a site for Freelance Job Feeds. Before I talk about the site, let me tell you, Drupal is a lot different than any other CMSes (especially Joomla). Although I am new to Drupal, going around it was too time taking than I thought. But the modules I used for the purpose of this site were actually a great fit.
The site is totally made in Drupal with major work involving with module Feed Aggregator. The site is built on a simple logic, all freelance job postings under one roof. I got RSS and Atom Feeds linked in to the site to provide real time job postings from sites like ifreelance.com, getafreelancer, elance.com, getacoder, rentacoder.com etc. Over the next few days I plan to spend some more time on design, layouts and better feed integration. Hopefully this site will benefit someone.
After getting a 1-800 number for my freelance business (btw, I do web development, if you haven’t noticed), I decided to invest on my business’s mobility. I am looking to upgrade my basic AT&T Wireless phone to a better performing PDA/SmartPhone. Since, I can’t change my phone number yet, I have to stick with AT&T and select one of their phone upgrades.
After researching a little on the available upgrades, I finally short listed 2 phones: BlackBerry Curve 8310 and AT&T Tilt. This article is produced as a summary of my research report. This comparison has many sources, and most of it is through various communities. (more…)
Google’s new tool (old, but new to me) Notebook, allows anyone to create notebooks, add sections and write notes. You can also share notes, sections and even notebooks with peers and contacts. Plus you can make it public and publish it as webpage.
Like most of the people living in USA, I recently joined 'the two jobs on shoulder' club. Working my ass off throughout the day as a software consultant and at night as a freelance web developer, this is my attempt at earning $1.1 million in 3 years. While this blog is mainly focused at freelancing, I take pleasure in writing about other things that interests me. If you like any of my posts, please do subscribe! And also keep an eye on my goals list ;) More
Use Google Docs to prepare requirements and tasks collaboratively with your clients. It was few weeks ago when I first tried to use Google Docs Word as a real collaboration tool. On my very first online interview with a client, instead of simple discussing the project, either on IM or Phone, I invited the client to a new Google Document and we (me and the client) collaboratively worked on creating a proposal. It was fun and very interesting experience. I added few points, the client add few points, we discussed and the end result was very satisfying for both of us. I didn’t realize how advantageous this approach was until I read the book “How I raised from failure to success in selling” by Frank Bettger. He spoke about involving the client while writting down all the features/benefits your service would provide for him/her. That’s when I realized how I was making my clients involve in proposal preparation and how it was turning into a definate sale. I am added Google Docs into the Freelance Tools list as a most important mean for proposal creation (collaboratively).
Getting around in New York could be time taking and also expensive. For all my visits to client locations in NY, I usually used to either drive all the way from NJ (currently located) or hire a cab half way. As you may have already noticed, it was a bad idea, but for someone new in NY, it could be the only way out.
After getting a 1-800 number for my freelance business (btw, I do web development, if you haven’t noticed), I decided to invest on my business’s mobility. I am looking to upgrade my basic AT&T Wireless phone to a better performing PDA/SmartPhone. 
Google’s new tool (old, but new to me) Notebook, allows anyone to create notebooks, add sections and write notes. You can also share notes, sections and even notebooks with peers and contacts. Plus you can make it public and publish it as webpage.
