My darling daughter recently shared her cold with me. Colds I can more or less deal with but, as so often in my case, the cold morphed into a chest infection. Out comes the Mighty Inhaler of Power but in the mean time I am aching and shivering even in the warmth of summer. So […]
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I stayed at the Renaissance Hotel, Heathrow over the weekend. It is currently undergoing some much needed renovations, ‘tired’ looking as someone put it, which meant there was a certain amount of disruption around the lobby, reception and bar areas. Some people might have found this annoying but I came away with a positive experience. […]
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I’m in the process of setting up some online courses to help freelancers get going. I know what I would have wanted when I set out but I am curious as to what YOU want to know now. Do you want practical advice on tech? Would you like to learn about free/inexpensive ways to run […]
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A few years ago I got my first tattoo, it’s an ankh and it’s on my right shoulder blade. Nobody ever sees it as I rarely wear strappy tops but I have always loved it and what it represents. Recently I decided I would like another tattoo done, this time a blue lotus in the […]
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As freelancers we need to be insured properly. That means car, home and also personal liability/public indemnity insurance. It can be daunting as there are so many options to choose from – should you find your own insurance or use a broker? What coverage do you need? Which company should you use? My advice, find […]
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We all have them. Monsters lurking in the dark corners or our offices, dripping doubt and ridicule whenever things aren’t perfect. Today is the day you will defeat those monsters. Today is the day you’ll banish them to the depths. Today is the day you will laugh in their ugly faces. Today you will win […]
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I wonder how many of you read that post title and passed on? If you’re still here then congratulations. At a recent networking event I met some new and interesting people with great businesses. One person I met was Joanne Moore from Moore For Your Money. Her company provides financial planning for businesses and private […]
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I recently saw this video (on Facebook) and it serves as a reminder as to why we should build our own bubbles on the web and not rely solely on ‘free’ social media. Basically, Facebook’s algorithms are showing less and less posts from your friends and ‘liked pages’, mainly in order to push paid-for posts […]
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There’s certain aspects of social media that infuriate me. One of them is that users need to understand that you often haven’t much time to make a good impression, and if you make a bad impression people will leave. My bugbear today is the Tweeters that you follow who then immediately send you a, usually […]
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Well, I guess it’s inevitable that at some time or other you will succumb to illness and be unable to work. Here’s a few strategies to help … 1. Don’t hide it from your customers – especially if it’s going to be more than a few days. They deserve to know that their work may […]
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Like the proverbial eggs in a basket, is it wise to stick with one bubble when you’re a freelancer?
Yes and No.
Yes – because it allows you to become an expert in your field. Your clients know exactly who you are, what you do and you can concentrate all your efforts on providing the absolute best service for them.
No – because …
This is a difficult one to answer. Just like you don’t want to be working exclusively for one clients in case something goes wrong and you lose them (and therefore your income), you maybe want to expand your business base to ensure that you have a fallback in case your market disappears.
If you do think about more than one bubble then look at whether it can meld with your existing business. Perhaps consider something related to your field of expertise, add extra services that your clients would find useful in conjunction with what you already offer.
I feel that the benefit of having multiple bubbles is that it keeps your mind fresh and encourages you to explore different things which, in turn, could be beneficial to your main business. Who knows where that extra bubble will float to?
Keep your mind and business fresh by exploring new opportunities.
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I wanted to write up some articles for Create Bubbles today. Inspiration decided it was taking a day off though so I sat with fingers poised over the keyboard …
What I did -
I thought I had no inspiration but I still managed to write an article that might help someone… anyone…Bueller?
The post Things To Do When Your Mind’s A Blank appeared first on Create Bubbles.
The danger here is not only that you make yourself miserable but succumb to something I’ve heard called ‘small fish syndrome’. You unconsciously start to feel you have less to offer in comparison with competitors and limit the scope of what you’re doing, sticking with work that doesn’t take you out of your comfort zone or charging less than you could. The end results on potential and income are obvious.
This is a quote from Judy’s article recently published on the Guardian website. I know exactly what she means. I have ideas and plans but I never seem to ‘think bigger’ because I have no-one to bounce ideas around with. Then I talk to someone and they ask me why I think so small and give me confidence to at least think about bigger things.
Don't judge others only by their success. You do not know the full tale, I promise.
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If you find yourself feeling like this then please contact me via email to have a chat that I promise will make you feel you can conquer the world.
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It takes time.
You may see people suddenly ‘make it’ big, but often they have been making ripples long before the wave hits. They’ve been honing their skills, trying things out, failing and starting over then creating something that people will surf. It is an extremely rare occasion that anyone finds themselves as an ‘overnight sensation’, and often those that do float off into the distance as quickly as they appeared.
For instance, it took me 6 months to a year of connecting, talking, helping on Twitter before I started seeing results. For a time I gained a few clients through my twitter interactions, but recently I have been so busy that I haven’t been visible as much as I was – and I have noticed the difference.
Building a reputation takes time, keeping it takes more.
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I love social media, it has put me in touch with so many different people and experiences that I would never have dreamed of, but I have realised that there are good and bad ways to use it – one of the bad ways is to sell to me.
Sure you have a product or service to promote, and that’s great, but I don’t want to have it shoved in my face (not even cake, that needs to be eaten slowly and savoured). The recognised phrase is
People buy from people
It is true. I’d rather give my money to someone I know and have a good relationship with than a stranger; even if it costs me a little more.
The trust from a good relationship is worth a lot more than mere money.
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So when you connect with me via social media (or even in real life) start not with “Hi, can I sell you xyz?” but with “Hi, <insert interesting conversation starter here>.” There’s nothing worse than following someone, on Twitter for example, only to be bombarded with DMs selling you something.
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You’re starting out with your business and you have a brand image in mind so now’s the time to think about a logo. Maybe.
A logo is a depiction of your business that makes it memorable (you hope) and easy to spot. There are the famous ones like MacDonalds, Nike, and Apple – these you don’t even have to have their name anywhere anymore; the logo alone is enough.
Well you don’t ‘need’ one as such but it does add professionalism to your business cards, letterheads and website. Each one will be easy to see that they are the same business, and it brings consistency to your presence on and offline.
There are places that will allow you to create a logo online when you buy business cards and so on from them. There are places online that will ‘design’ you a logo for minimal fees – but you get what you pay for.
Of course, the best place to get a logo is to go to a proper graphic designer who will create you a bespoke logo that will work for your business and brand image.
If you go for the cheap option (or even DIY) then you must remember …
A reputable graphic designer will ensure that these criteria are met – plus others that I probably haven’t thought about. If you are doing it yourself please take note of the above.
In my opinion I think it would be better to have no logo rather than one that is poorly thought out...
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This is your brand image we are talking about, something that many people will see and remember. You don’t want them to remember it for the wrong reasons.
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After around 3 years of saying “I’m going to write a book” I am finally writing the darned book.
It’s not the first subject I’d considered but it is one that is close to my heart – I’ve had so much fun building my bubble and received so much help from various people and places that I wanted to pass that on. I’d be so happy to be able to say that I helped at least one person take the leap to a life they can love.
So, this is the start of things. The very, very first draft is done. Maybe I should say it’s the alpha version of the book, I’ll be working it up to beta level over the coming weeks and then spending August creating something that I wouldn’t be ashamed to show someone. September & October will be adding the final touches to make the book awesome ready for the launch in November 2013.
Why November? Because November is my business birthday month and this year Bay Web Designs will be 5 years old. I will be eating cake and blowing bubbles to celebrate.
Some considerations at the moment are whether to release myself or find a publisher and also whether to release a ‘dead tree’ version along with an ebook.
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That moment when someone says to you “So what do you do?”
How do you respond? Do you flounder? Start a long-winded explanation of your business, your life and how your cat inspires you? Give a brief and boring sentence?
That moment when someone has actually taken the step to show interest in your work, that’s when you want to shine. When you need to be memorable. Often this happens at networking events where that person is meeting numerous people in a short period of time, you want what you say to stick in their memory.
The idea of an ‘elevator pitch’ is that you have approximately 60 seconds (the time for the elevator to reach your destination) to make an impact.
You need to state your name, what your business is and how you make a difference.
Elevator pitch - Be creative, honest, proud, fun, different.
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You’ve all read Networking (part one) haven’t you? No? Then go ahead and read it … I’ll wait.
People network for different reasons. People network differently in different groups.
Try and think why you want to join a network, what you hope to get out of it and even what you hope to put into it. Do this before you join and you’ll get a better return for your money.
I’m a member of Pink Link Ladies for the social interaction, the help and advice and the giggles. I am also a member of my local ESTA group, however, I joined that to make local connections with companies who feel and work like I do and to create a better community for my local area.
When you join a network please don’t think that you will immediately get referrals and customers, often it doesn’t work like that. In today’s business world it is a lot about making connections and building relationships and it doesn’t happen overnight. Increasingly I feel that people buy from people they know and (more importantly) trust.
So don’t be all ‘sell, sell, sell’ take the time to get to know the other members, start conversations, find mutual points of interest. It may be slow and steady but those connections you make will stand the test of time.
Did you know that whenever I find an interesting article I not only pass it around social media (especially Google+ – read why) but I also bookmark it to Delicious.
So, if you’re looking for something maybe you could try looking at what I’ve already bookmarked in Delicious.
