Posts Tagged ‘client’

How To Take Your Freelance Writing Chances

Your initial freelance writing assignments are the best way to present yourself to your client for repeated work. If you provide for them a good product, at a good price, they are likely to come back time and time again. The goal of any career, particularly as a freelancer, is to have steady business. Instead of continually needing new clients or another job to fill your day, why not utilize repeat business? When you make the most of your freelancing time you are helping yourself to gain more business and maintain that which you already have.

For many people getting that first job is the key to success. It is the hardest part of working because more and more people want quality providers and want to use someone who is proven and worth the risk. You cannot get these jobs if you are new. But look at it another way. When you do get to that point, it is important to make the most out of all assignments so that you get return business from that client. This could be any number of things, but should always focus on maintaining a strong working relationship with the client. Providing them with good work, timely work, and listening and meeting their needs will have them coming back to you time and time again.

There is another, even more important, reason to build your business like this. That is referrals. When you do an outstanding job for people, they return time and time again with more business. But, they also tell people about your talents. This can be an outstanding way to use the jobs you get to create more jobs for yourself.

Now, that is not to say that you can not search for new writing job vacancies in other realms as well. But, you must strive to maintain the employment that you already have. By building strong relationships with your clients, you can help them continuously meet their needs while building your business.

Visit http://www.FreelanceWritingResource.com for more Articles, Resources, News and Advice about Freelance Writing Jobs.

Copyright © FreelanceWritingResource.com. All rights reserved. This article may be reprinted in full so long as the resource box and the live links are included intact.

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How To Become A Polished Public Speaker In Just One (1) Day

The fear of speaking in public ranks right up there with the fear of death. I had the same fear myself until I was chosen to be an electronics trainer for the Air Force. It was only then I realized just how afraid and lousy at speaking I really was. I went to my first day of the 8 week training course excited and looking forward to learning a skill that many have never mastered. I soon found out I was really terrible and needed a lot of practice.

Practice? Yes, that and knowledge are all it takes to become a really great speaker in a very short time. I even have the first video they made of my very first speech. I still look at it sometimes when I need a good laugh. I was talking about investing in the stock market, and my hands did pretty much whatever they wanted. My hands decided, for some weird reason, to perform something known well among speakers as the “fig leaf”.

Remember Adam and Eve? They were supposed to have worn fig leaves. Because I did not know what to do with my hands during that first speech, my hands decided for themselves to cover my crotch, clasped together with white knuckles. Geez, how embarassing. I never did that again while speaking!

I told you this story so you can laugh along with me. I also wanted it to help you understand some of the basics about becoming a great speaker.

1. Practice your speech over and over. There are several good reasons for this. The first reason is time. There’s nothing worse than “going over” the time limit your client gave you. Another good reason is to find out if you really know the material you’ll be talking about. Video taping yourself will show you mountains of improvement that must be done!

2. Write your speech out completely on paper first. While practicing (in front of a mirror always), slowly get away from “reading” your speech to just talking about it. Eventually, as you memorize what you’re going to say, you won’t need notes.

3. Always stand with your body (especially your mouth) facing the audience. This will feel strange at first, because your initial inclination will be to turn away from them. If you are using a presentation board or whiteboard, make sure that you write, then turn around and talk to them about it. Point to it with a pointer while facing them and speaking. So many speakers go to write on a board and end up talking to the board!

4. Your hands should exercise natural gestures while you’re speaking. Don’t flail your arms around or play “pocket pool” with the change in your pockets. Avoid nervous gestures like playing with your tie, or twisting your hair, waving a pointer around, or rubbing your nose. Speaking first in front of a mirror will help you avoid these later. While looking in the mirror, watch what stupid, nervous things you tend to do and be very aware of them always.

5. When you see your audience start to yawn or begin squirming, get your jokes ready. If you’re a natural comedian, you will be able to come up with one on the fly. If you’re not a natural comedian, have a couple of your favorite anecdotes ready to tell when they are needed.

6. Watch the audience closely. They are the most important element in your speech. If you have to, pick one person out and ask them questions to make the speech more interesting.

7. Speak with a voice that is neither too low, too high-pitched, or just plain monotone. Inject tone in your voice in every sentence. Practice this in front of a mirror so your speeches don’t become something people forget.

8. Your enthusiasm will make you memorable. The subject, I hope, is something you are very enthusiastic about, and it should show. The twinkle in your eye, the tone of your voice, and your body movements should suggest excitement and interest. It will rub off on your audience. You’ll see them sit up in their chairs and start really paying attention.

9. Look at everyone while you are speaking. Don’t pick out just one part of the room to talk to. The rest of the room will wonder if you’ve got a buddy in that part of the audience! Speak to all of them.

10. Know your subject thoroughly. Those mornings when I felt I had not studied enough the night before made me feel very uncomfortable with the electronics subject I was teaching that day. I like to study at night, sleep on it, and then I would really be ready the next day. If I tried to study just before the speech, it was never quite as effective. No matter what, knowing your subject well puts you at ease. This also puts your audience at ease.

11. Make sure you end your speech with something that sounds like a summary or ending. I don’t know how many times I have listened to speeches where the speaker just stops! There’s a long pause while the audience tries to figure out if that was it or not. Then comes some sprinkled clapping, unsure at first. How humiliating! Your ending should sound like a real ending.

If you are a writer, salesman, consultant, or any number of other business-related professionals, there will be times when you will be asked to speak in front of an audience. A lot of practice and preparation will make you great!

About The Author

Lynne Schlumpf – Author of “The Little Website That Could” Win a free copy of the book here: http://www.littlewebsitethatcould.net

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Physical Activity Versus Exercise: Is there a Difference?

Quite often a client will come into the gym discouraged with their exercise program. The common complaint being lack of results. They give a list of activities they are doing but still do not see any changes in physical appearance. Yes this can be attributed to many variables but one of the key elements to consider is intensity.

We need to ask, what constitutes exercise? Is all physical activity considered exercise? The answer is no. Unfortunately there is not a general number or percentage that can be given to state that an activity is exercise. Exercise should be defined as an activity that is harder than what you may do on a daily basis. And this definition is going to vary for all individuals. It will be specific to an individual’s background, possible limitations and current fitness status. What may be considered an exercise for one person may not be for another. For instance if you usually go for a walk each night after dinner, then walking (at this pace) would be considered physical activity not exercise. If you ride your bike to work everyday, cycling (at this pace) is going to become physical activity for you and not exercise.

Let’s explain.

When you first try an activity, it is new to you and your body feels challenged by this unknown stimulus. As you start performing this activity on a daily basis, your body starts to adapt and overtime it will become less challenging. The truth is that you are getting better at doing that activity and you don’t need to work as hard. Yes, this is an indicator of some fitness improvement but soon those improvements will plateau. In other words, when this stimulus becomes familiar, the end result will be fewer calories burned and less stress on the body. In order for the body to alter its body composition and for you to see changes in your physical appearance, the body needs to be challenged. This is called the Overload Principle. This principle states that there needs to be a stimulus of higher intensity than usually performed to elicit any adaptations or changes. Without an overload or high enough intensity, the body is not going to change. If your body can get the job done in the status it is presently in, then it’s not going to make extra effort to become stronger or leaner. Your body is concerned with survival not the latest bathing suit fashion.

So what do we prescribe for someone that is “working out” but not seeing the results they want?

First thing to suggest may be to change up their routine. It could be possible that they have been doing the same thing for so long that what was once a stimulus or exercise, no longer is. Instead of using the elliptical, why not try the treadmill, stationary bike or even roller blading? Instead of doing the same exercises like the seated chest press and cable row, why not do a cable chest fly or lat pulldown?

After changing the exercises you are performing, the next step is to appropriately progress the intensity. Your body will start to adapt to this new routine and we need to keep it guessing.

For aerobic training: A suggestion would be to work at an intensity that is challenging to you. When working aerobically an intensity closest to your anaerobic threshold will elicit the most adaptations. Try not to come into the gym and beeline to the elliptical day after day doing thirty minutes at level four. Your body will soon catch on to that intensity and you will end up burning less calories and causing minimal changes to your muscles. Those calorie counters on the machines should not be your guides. They are inaccurate and are used as a marketing tool to consumers. We all know someone or ourselves that stays on a machine until they burn a specific number of calories. That calorie counter is based on a 150 lb person with no consideration for their genetic makeup or current fitness status. Someone who is more fit will actually burn fewer calories! So lets use the talk test marker. You should be exercising to a point where you are struggling but an intensity where you can still have a winded conversation.

For anaerobic training:

Have you ever seen someone in the gym on the cable row doing repetition after repetition? They have probably completed about fifty and still do not look a bit fatigued. In order to see skeletal muscle changes we need to be working within the anaerobic energy system. In other words, working at a high enough intensity where your muscles fatigue.

The first step is to stay in the anaerobic energy system. A general rule would be completing a set between sixty and ninety seconds. If you were to perform the exercise for longer than ninety seconds, the anaerobic effect would be lost and minimal adaptations would occur. Most people are concerned with the number of repetitions that they are doing. What is most important is the time that the muscle is under tension.

The next step is the fatigue factor. Not only do we need to stay within a time limit, we also need to fatigue the muscle before the set is up. There are two options for fatigue: volitional or momentary muscular failure. Volitional fatigue, a fatigue more realistic for the general client, is a subjective fatigue where they chose to terminate the set when they feel they cannot perform another repetition. Momentary muscular failure, which elicits the most adaptations, is physical fatigue where the client cannot perform another repetition even if they tried.

The key to continual success with an exercise program is strategic variation along with the proper progression of intensity and exercises. Try to recognize what is considered physical activity and exercise in your program. There is a difference and will be reflective in your end results.

References:

Gardiner, P.. Neuromuscular Aspects of Physical Activity. Human Kinetics. 2001.

Katch F.I., V. L. Katch, W. McCardle. Exercise Physiology: Energy, Nutrition and Human Performance. Lippincott, Williams and Wilkins. Fourth Edition, 1993.

Teri Mosey is an Exercise Physiologist and Instructor for Health and Fitness Certifications.

Peak Performance Fitness
http://www.peakptfit.com

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Hey, Client, This Is Me! Sell With Your Writing Voice

In a crowded market, clients will be seeking personality as they read what you’ve written — they’ll click right past pages that feel “been there, read that.” They’re looking for a voice that says, “Hey, client, this is me!”

They want to know not just what you deliver — but how. Will you be funny or serious? A perky cheerleader or a sardonic commentator? Will your view of life be based on “believe and it happens” or “what you see is what you get?”

Here are some tips to add your own voice to your writing.

1. Write from the heart.

Too excited, passionate or angry to sit still? Best time to connect with your voice. Grab a pencil and scribble ideas as you jump around the room.

2. Say something new.

After forty articles on time management, your readers know about cutting projects into manageable chunks and setting priorities. Ho hum. Try “better than zero” or “turn your life into a time warp.”

3. Tape yourself talking to a good friend about a product.

Do your words sound different when you speak than when you write? Transcribe the tape into an article for easy reading.

4. Picture your ideal client (you do have one, don’t you?). Imagine that she is gushing about your service to a friend — highly recommending you. What words does she use to describe your services? What emotions come through?

5. Cut. Then cut again. When you have to trim your piece to meet a word count requirement, notice that you’re left with the most essential words — all yours.

6. Write fast. Get the words down before your inner critic has a chance to participate. Edit later.

7. Reveal yourself: family, mistakes, secret dreams. When you feel just a bit embarrassed, or feel your private persona has become more public, you’ve probably just touched your audience’s heart.

8. Be concrete — not abstract.

As writing guru Natalie Goldberg would say, “It’s a geranium, not a flower.”

9. If you’ve had voice training, be especially alert to creating the bland and the blah.

Julia Roberts could hold an audience while she reads the telephone directory. Your copy has to stand alone, without dramatic oratory. Exercise 3 may not work for you.

10. Don’t be afraid to break the rules: use slang and contractions. And it’s okay to begin a sentence with “and” or “but.”

Just tread carefully on the rules of grammar and spelling. “Your about to head off for you’re great adventure” can be a credibility-buster.

About The Author

Cathy Goodwin, Ph.D., is an author, speaker, editor, and consultant. She helps clients who want to use writing to sell and sell what they write.

Visit http://www.makewritingpay.com.

cathy@makewritingpay.com

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Chicago Wedding and Airport Limousine Service

Limo or limousine is one of the luxurious and elegant cars that have the expensive price. It will difficult for people who have limited budget to buy the car. Therefore, people can find the limo rental if they want to use the limo for their special occasion. It is not difficult to find the limo rental and people can easily shop around on the internet to find it. However, it is important to make a comparison about the rental charge because each of the rentals will offer the different charge. If you want to save more of your money, it is better for you to visit Americancoachlimousine.com. The website will be the best limo rental on the USA and guarantee offer the best service. You do not need to worry about limo that the website offers because the entire limo is in perfect condition.

The website has a lot of branch in the USA that is easy to reach. If you have the wedding ceremony in Chicago, you can contact the website to get Chicago wedding limousine service. You will get the best wedding moment that you will never forget and you can enjoy the wedding party with the best transportation. The website also offers the service for people who need to get the service for their guest. You can have the Chicago airport limousine service if you need to pick up your friend or important clients at the Chicago airport. The website will give the best service so that it guarantees tat your client will satisfy with your service. If you live at Naperville and want to get the limo service, you can easily contact Limo service Naperville.

You can contact the website for 24 hours every day to get the affordable price and the website also able to provide the driver if you need.

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Ghostwriting: Your Questions Answered

Many people feel they have a story to tell or an experience to share. But time is precious and not everyone can make the words sing on the page. But there are people who can make the whole experience hassle-free. A ghostwriter will do all the work while you get all the credit. Some common questions about the ghostwriting process are answered below.

What does a ghostwriter do?
A ghostwriter edits, writes, collaborates, and researches on behalf of someone else who becomes their client. Many biographies of celebrities and television personalities have been ghostwritten.

Why do I need one?
Not everyone knows how to or has the time to turn an idea into a book. A ghostwriter is a professional who has the time to turn your thoughts into a polished manuscript.

How does ghostwriting work?
You give the ghostwriter your ideas; s/he tells your story. Most people provide notes, digital recordings or audio tapes. Some may even have drafts of chapters or the whole book and ideas about characters and dialogue. The more information and material you provide, the closer the final product will be to your original idea. The ghostwriter turns your idea into something that people will enjoy reading.

Will the ghostwriter steal my idea?
No, that wouldn’t be professional. Any ghostwriter who did that would soon be out of a job. A reputable ghostwriter will usually be happy to sign a non-disclosure or confidentiality agreement.

Who gets the credit for my finished book?
It’s your idea, so you take the credit. Many ghostwriters work behind the scenes. Of course, in some instances, you may want to share the credit – that’s why many biographies are credited like this: Major Celebrity with Ghostwriter or Major Celebrity as told to Ghostwriter. But you call the shots and can opt to take all the credit.

How much does ghostwriting cost?
Each job is unique and that makes it hard to give more than general guidelines. The length of time the project is likely to take and the amount of research the ghostwriter will be required to do will affect the final cost. Many ghostwriters will charge a small up front fee, followed by payments at each stage of completed work. Unless you’re a major celebrity with an iron-clad publishing contract already signed and sealed, a ghostwriter is unlikely to work for nothing.

What does a ghostwriter’s fee cover?
It covers writing, research and any communication, but not usually travel or accommodation.

How long will it take to ghostwrite my material?
That depends on the material. Anywhere from 2 to 6 months is average depending on the type of book and how much work you’ve already put in. A short article may only take hours while a longer research report may take a year. You’ll be able to discuss this once you’ve hired a ghostwriter.

What about publication?
Some ghostwriters help with publication as well, by sending query letters and so on. This will probably cost you extra. Other ghostwriters see the writing as their job and leave you to find your own publisher. Consider which option you prefer before signing the contract.

How do I know the ghostwriter is experienced?
Ghostwriters generally have to keep clients’ names confidential, but you can look at other examples of their writing. If you enjoy reading these, then chances are that others will enjoy reading your material too.

See you in print!

Sharon Hurley Hall is a freelance writer, ghostwriter and editor. Sharon worked in publishing for 18 years, writing articles and editing and designing books and magazines. She has also lectured on journalism. For more information or to contact Sharon, visit http://www.doublehdesign.com/

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Competing With The Big Dogs

You run a small consultancy. You’re well qualified, experienced and dedicated. Yet you can’t get a meeting with the corporate decision-maker.

Your proposal was a work of art. You provided exactly what the client needed, plus a ton of added value. Yet the business went to a well-known firm offering a standard approach at twice the price.

You did a great job for the client, during which a whole lot of other needs surfaced. All are within your expertise, but you weren’t even asked to submit a proposal.

Any of these situations familiar to you? If so, what you’ve encountered is the power of a well-known brand name over rational choices based on factors like expertise, ability or value.

How Corporates Choose

When you sell to established businesses, especially large ones, you start off believing they’ll be more rational than the guy around the corner. You have what they want, you give great service and your price is highly competitive. At least they’ll listen to you.

Welcome to the real world of small consultancies. The Big Dogs mostly take emotional decisions based on fear and desire. Their “minders” — the people who control access to them — know this very well. That’s why they won’t let you through to talk to the boss.

What do these people fear? Looking foolish. What do they desire? Prestige. What do they dislike most? Uncertainty.

See It From Their Point of View

They’ll talk to the person from the big consulting group — even if he or she is far less qualified or competent than you are — because doing so meets all the requirements.

Working with a big consulting group seems safe. They have a reputation. Their powerful brand name implies an unwritten assurance of success. And if it does go wrong, they’ll take the blame, not the buyer. As they say, “Who ever got fired for buying IBM?”

They also convey prestige. The Big Dogs talk to each other and drop names into the conversation to shine in one another’s eyes. Will your name produce admiration — or a superior smile and “Who on earth are they?”

Action You CAN Take

You aren’t going to beat the big consultancies on ground favorable to them, so don’t bother trying. But they can be beaten, so long as you go where they’re weakest. And you always remember to see yourself from the buyer’s perspective.

Here are some possibilities:

1. Narrow your focus. The big guys of the profession do everything. Become known for doing just one thing to an exceptional level. Be the “go to” expert. Experts are often individuals. That’s what many of them are academics. And corporate Big Dogs seek them out because working with them also supplies prestige and removes fear. If your focus is really narrow, you’ll have zero competition. And you don’t have to be an expert to write the book. Writing it is how you become an expert. All you need at the start is determination and basic research skills.

2. Stress your credentials. Add to them all the time. Write THE book on your narrow focus or THE articles. You don’t need to be an expert to write the book. Doing it will make you the expert.

3. Seek publicity. Instead of trying to force your way into the executive suite, make them come to you. If you’re the person who writes those witty pieces in the local rag on that vital topic to them, they’ll rush to call you up.

4. Always focus on what’s in it for them. Provide free material. Produce a newsletter that ISN’T full of selling, but contains truly useful data.

Most small consultancies are afraid of giving away what they can see is valuable to clients. Here’s a secret. The more you give away, the more people will believe you have yet more they don’t know about yet. The seekers for free consulting aren’t the Big Dogs — who are always willing to pay for what’s useful to them, if only to stop you selling it to someone else — but morons at middle management level who want to pass it off as their own ideas.

Be Careful Where You Focus

Finally, think hard about what you choose as your consulting area. If you set out to provide a generic service in an area of consulting just about everyone says they can do, you’re laying yourself wide open to being run over by the big guys.

Where the competition is endless, buying from a well-known name seems a good way to avoid being taken in by some snake-oil salesman.

But everyone knows the big consultancies are jacks of all trades. If they want a real expert in a vital area, that isn’t where they look.

That’s your chance.

Adrian W. Savage writes for people who want help with the daily dilemmas they face at work. He has contributed more than 25 articles to leading British and American publications and has been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today and The Chicago Tribune.

Visit his blog on the ups and downs of business life.

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The Magic of Hearing

I’m working on a coach training certification, and one of the “proficiencies” I’m expected to have mastered is “engages in provocative conversations.” Now, that really got me thinking. What’s a provocative conversation?

Well, the word “provocative” means that the conversation provokes something-hopefully a reaction from the client which helps take them to another level. The ideal response to the provocation is for the client to realize something they didn’t know or find a solution they didn’t have before the call.

When I think about what is required to reach that provocation, I see that the first thing is not just that I’m listening-I’m always listening. The first thing is that I’m HEARING what the client has to say. Because if I’m listening with one ear but thinking about my response with the other ear, so to speak, I’m not hearing, and if I’m not hearing, I’m not responding to my client, I’m reacting.

You can greatly increase the value of your conversations with clients, friends, family and probably even your dog by truly hearing what they’re saying-”I need your help with this. I’m not doing very well today. I’m hungry.”-that last being the dog.

Your coaching assignment for this week is to think very deeply about how you can hear more and just listen less-and then implement those thoughts into your daily life starting tomorrow. Think tonight, hear in the morning.

If you have any questions or comments about the magic of hearing, please feel free to drop me a line at mailto:angie@discoveringtruenorth.com. I always want to talk to people who’ve read my articles and discuss what you’ve gotten from my writing.

About The Author

Angie Dixon helps small business owners get their acts together. She is a personal development coach specializing in helping people integrate their home and work lives so they feel less stretched and more balanced. Get her FREE EBOOK on balance at http://www.discoveringtruenorth.com. For questions or to discover how coaching can change your life, contact Angie at mailto:angie@discoveringtruenorth.com.

You are free to use this article in ezines, web sites and print publications. If you do use it, please send a quick email to mailto:angie@discoveringtruenorth.com. Thank you.

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