Here are the Five Secrets of Successful Sales I Learned from the Festival

Show, don’t tell – I learned that if you want to sell something, do it by showing not just telling. The booth next to me was bustling because the owners demonstrated how their product would make potential customers lives easier. They were doing much better than the booth selling a product by explaining why it was good and better than I was giving away my product for free.

Be yourself – I was in awe when I saw the woman next to me work her booth. While I expected people to run the other way when she started her sales pitch to them, I saw smiles instead. Her personality was effervescent and people flocked to her rather than away from her. Her secret was her personality. She was charming, funny and kind. You couldn’t help but want to talk with her. Frankly, I was impressed.

Keep trying - Perhaps the hardest booth, at least in my eyes, was the one that asked for organ donations. I cringed when I looked across at the girls doing it. Even if I didn’t have a tent over my head to block out the sun, I was relieved I didn’t have to do that. Who would stop to fill out an application to be a donor at a festival, in the hot sun, when there were tons of other activities (more fun ones) to do? But again I was amazed when I saw several people not only take their brochure, but stopped and listened and filled out a form. Their secret? They didn’t wait for potential organ donors to say, “Yes, I’ll take that brochure.” They simply passed it out to them. And if they stood long enough to read it, they began their sales pitch. And it seemed to work.

Do your research – Expect questions such as, “How much do you charge?” and be ready with an answer. As the woman of the booth, I wanted to be prepared to represent the publication I was working for. This meant creating possible Q&A’s beforehand.

Offer additional information - My husband joined me for a part of the day and I have to say that I was impressed with his skills. He went above and beyond the call of the duty. Although my main task was distributing free newspapers, he made sure to provide additional information about the paper to everyone he met. As a result, he obtained a potential advertisement from a business and a new contact for the paper.

Do you have any “secrets” that helped you make a successful sale as a freelancer? If so, would love it if you shared that secret here!

Here’s what I mean.

When you have a dream to work at home as a freelance writer, you basically start from nothing. You may have a handful of clients to begin with (and if you do kudos to you!), but in general you’re starting from scratch. When you blog, for example, all you have is a blinking white screen staring at you. You’ve got no fans on Facebook, zero tweeps following you on Twitter and no one reading your blogs. If you’re on a mission to see your name in print, it’s the same thing. You may not have any previous published articles or clips to your name.

And while you’re sitting there waiting, wondering if turning nothing into something is as likely as transforming sand into gold, your wallet’s getting lighter and everyone else and their neighbor are getting published.

So the question is this: What do you need to go from 0 to 100 in freelancing?

Time: First you need to become buddies with time. When you’re just starting out, it may seem like forever and a day until you reach the top of the mountain, but you need time on your side to reap the benefits of your work. I spent a year on my blog before things started happening, but this meant I needed faith and patience to get me through. What’s the most amazing thing to me is that I’m still getting positive responses now for posts I’ve written almost a year ago. You never know when things will start to happen, so you’ll need to flex your patient muscles and wait and see.

Perseverance: Even if you write/blog/query every day/week/month without any positive response or feedback, you need to keep going. There will be moments when you feel like giving up and question why you’re doing it. I know because I’ve been to that dark place and still visit from time to time. In fact, there have been many times when I asked myself, “What’s the purpose of writing these blogs?” I really didn’t have the answer, but I kept doing it because I felt compelled to do so. If you are doing something you love, there’s a good chance it’s your life’s purpose and even if you can’t see any rewards right now, wait, keep trying and I can bet you’ll start to see some results. Give up and you’ve ended the game before it started.

Faith: The evidence of things unseen. That’s exactly what freelancing is like. Sometimes you’ll write, and write and write and nothing will happen. You’ll start to doubt yourself and your abilities. I know I have. But when fear and doubt really start to creep in, don’t take it as a sign that you should quit, take it as a sign that you need to call on your staff of positive peeps. Turn to your friends, family, books, or even quotes (your tools) that have helped you in the past keep the faith.

Your Best Shot: Here’s an embarrassing little tidbit I learned about myself. I seem to dance better in class when I think someone is watching me. Hope I didn’t lose you all to that, but there’s a real lesson in there. Imagine you have an audience even when you don’t and you’re more likely to do your best. And when trying to transform nothing into something, you’re going to have to give it all you got. I can’t tell you how many hours I’ve spent writing blog entries after my regular full-time job and going to the gym in the evening. I would stay up until one in the morning just to get them done. If I obsessed over my 0 audience (well maybe 1-my husband), I might start letting things slide. If I let things slide, no one would read my blogs and then things would slide more, and well you know what would happen next.

Sharpen your craft: While you’re waiting for someone to accept a query or the world to embrace your blog, do everything you can to hone your skills. For me this means taking classes (online and in person), reading magazines/books/posts/articles, watching podcasts, listening to audio seminars, signing up for writing groups and newsletters, etc. I’ll do anything to get better at what I love to do. It’s my passion so the good thing is that I don’t mind spending a Saturday reading about grammar or writing about writing. I enjoy it and I only want to get better.

Don’t lose sight of your goals: During freelancing dry spells, desperation will start to set in. A low paying gig could start to look like a dream job. Stop right there. Take a deep breath and reorganize your thoughts. If you want to turn your dream of no business to your dream career, don’t lose sight of your goals. Remember why you quit your day job and sacrificed it all. It definitely can be tempting like a chocolate chip cookie to moi on a diet, but when you keep your goals in sight (I prefer an online inspiration board) it’ll be easy to say no to this and yes to what you really desire.

How about you? Any pearls of wisdom you’ve learned on your own mission to transform nothing into something?

This post will cover the five things you shouldn’t do (not including the basics like failing to do any work for a client or refusing to pay a freelancer) if you want a healthy, happy long-term and profitable business relationship.

Whether you’re a freelancer or a start-up looking to hire a freelancer, there are a few things you should know before you start something new. You wouldn’t marry the first person that you meet, so why jump blindly into a partnership with a client/freelancer you hardly know? To prevent lots of time wasted, money lost and bridges burned, read what not to do when beginning a new work relationship.

1. Jump in eyes closed. It might be a fun way to dive into the pool, but not so fun in business. I once had a potential client ask me, “What kind of education do you have anyway?” after he received my resume, samples and cover letter. His lack of research made me hesitant to work with him. It showed a lack of concern and care that I worried would lead to disaster down the road. This also works the other way around. Hire anyone without checking their samples and you’ll be in for a surprise. And not the good kind.
2. Be threatening. Never withhold money or copy, unless you want your relationship to crash and burn. Sometimes the fear of not getting paid or the fear of getting quality writing can cause people to act irrationally. Take a deep breath, have faith and let go. Trust that you’ll get what you want either way and you’ll have a better chance of restoring your relationship and getting what you need in the long-term.
3. React in anger. This goes alongside #2. Sometimes fear can make people erupt in anger. No matter what he or she says, it’s really not worth it to lose your cool and say something you’re going to regret. Take 5, walk around the block, meditate, do whatever it takes to let off steam without showing your anger to the other person. When you’re calm and collected, go back and see if you can work things out and salvage the relationship in a peaceful manner.
4. Be unclear. Give mixed messages about exactly what you want (e.g. “I want something good.” Or I think I can do this by that time, but I’m not sure.”) will get you down a path of miscommunication that will eventually lead to trouble. Get things in order in your mind first, then speak up and clearly about what you need. Make sure to communicate with one another as soon as misunderstanding starts to grow. Get it quick and you’ll prevent greater confusion and disappointment in the future.
5. Have unreachable and unreasonable expectations. Demand too much in a an unreasonable amount of time or expect clients to pay you more money without any legitimate reason to do so and you’re asking for disappointment and anger on both sides. If you’re not sure what to charge your client or what’s realistic to expect from your freelancer, then make sure to do your research beforehand. Network with other writers and business owners and find out what’s acceptable in the field.

If you did any one of the five on the list, all is not lost. You can still repair damages by either quickly and sincerely making amends with your partner. If things are really irreparable, keep things in mind for next time and be sure to do the opposite of items 1-5!

How about you? Any words of wisdom you’d like to share? Things you’ve done to repair a seemingly irreparable work relationship? I’d love to hear them!

Have you ever been stunned like a deer-caught-in-the headlights when someone asks you, “What you do for a living?” Well I have and I can’t plea ignorance on this one!

All over the web, articles on creating an elevator speech have been popping up. I’ve seen them, read them, but failed to do anything about it.

Let’s see there was:

1. 5 Tips for Creating an Elevator Speech on Freelance Writing Gigs.
2. How to Write an Elevator Pitch for Your Freelance Writing Business on All Freelance Writing.
3. Anne Wayman at About Freelance Writing also posted an article entitled,”The Writer’s Elevator Pitch.”
4. And Freelance Folder’s article, “Creating an Elevator Speech: How Looking in the Mirror Can Help Your Business” even sounded like me. (The baffled, stumbling part.)

So really, what excuse did I really have not to have the perfect pitch right off the bat?

None really. I can only plead insanity.

Maybe I thought to myself,”I already know what I do for a living. Why waste time practicing it? Who’s going to really ask me anyway? How hard can it be to tell others what I do for a living?”

Learn from my lesson. Prepare. Practice. Then, preach to others. Don’t make the same mistake as I did.

When I went to a recent networking gig, everyone asked me what I did for a living. Doh! There’s supposed to. I wish I had brilliantly said that I was a “full-time freelance writer specializing in both web and print articles.”  And that this includes, “blogging on a range of topics from wallet-friendly ideas to inspirational articles on following your dreams to posts for beginning freelance writers.”

But I think I said, “Um. I’m a full-time freelance writer.”

And then asked, “What do you write?”

“Uh, like um newspapers and magazines and blogs.”

“On what?”

“Inspiring stuff. Home decor. Writing stuff.”

Can you tell I was nervous with a capital N? As in, I was sweating like I it was 100 degrees or under hot lights in an interrogation.

The worse was how I kept sounding like I wasn’t quite sure I was a writer or maybe I was, but I didn’t exactly know what I wrote about. Ack!

Here’s what I learned: Make the effort because as a full-time freelance writer every person you interact with could be a possible friend, mentor, employer, and/or client. I might have costed myself a few potential job leads all because I wasn’t prepared. So…

Be prepared. Practice saying out loud what you do for a living until you sound confident and sure of yourself. Write it down if you have to. Say it in front of your friends and ask them how you sound.

Practice alone and with others. Sometimes I forget that even in social situations with friends and at my husband’s work events, I have the opportunity to show-off my elevator speech. I can also put myself in front of a mirror and talk myself silly.

Practice until you don’t blush anymore. I think for some of us, telling other people what we do for a living (especially when we’re proud of it) feels a bit like bragging. It doesn’t help that a lot of writers (moi included) are shy and introverted. But the more we do it, the easier it’ll get it.

The takeaway? Creating an excellent elevator speech and being able to deliver it effortlessly are important. It’s important to our business and our future as freelance writers.

So get over it already! We need to get over this hurdle so we can move on, meet new people and get new jobs.

Surprisingly, I got the job.

My one year stint as a PI was more than I bargained for. But one thing I learned from the book and the job was to follow my instincts.

Or so I thought.

Like Jesaka I’ve had to relearn the lesson time and time again.

As a P.I., not trusting my inner teacher (as I like to call it) was dangerous. And as a writer, it was bad business.

Here’s what I lost in the process:

• Precious time. I’ve gotten countless job offers and phone calls for potential opportunities (in fact I just received one yesterday) that made my stomach tie up in knots. Instead of turning down offers right away, I spent time returning calls and meeting with potential clients in person. In the end, I would regret all that time wasted on a job I knew wasn’t right for me from the beginning.
• Money. This is a big one! Not listening to my initial instinct that something just didn’t feel right about a new job ended up costing me not only time, but money. I’ve had a handful of clients who were wishy-washy from the start (e.g. not directly answering questions, unclear about what they wanted).Those were the ones who stiffed me in the end.
• Better opportunities.  The time I wasted with jobs that weren’t right for me ended up costing me better opportunities. When I think of all the time I spent working for jobs that didn’t fit me, I mourn the missed opportunities. I think about the better jobs that could have passed my way, if I hadn’t been occupied with the wrong one.

What have I gained in the process?

Hopefully, the courage to listen the next time a wrong job disguised as the right one makes my stomach turn.

The next time a high paying job comes your way that just doesn’t feel right, remember my story. No matter how much you think you need the job and how desperate you think you are, remember that taking it is the difference between finding “the right one” and the one for right now.

My husband and I hobbled on over to a used car lot recently. The reason for our less than enthusiastic attitude was our fear of encountering the dreaded stereotypical used car salesman. The man with a big persona (a.k.a. desperate man who talks too much).

You know the guy. The one who hunts you down and seems to pick up your scent even before he sees you. A swarm of salesman suddenly encircles you all in business suits, all waiting until fatigue and desperation gives way to a sale.

Okay it might not be THAT bad! But if used car salesman can smell fresh new meat a mile away, then I can tell desperation from afar as well. When a guy comes running towards me asking to show me his car without even knowing what I’m looking for, I run the other way. Desperation is not attractive when dating or when selling.

I felt sorry for the guy. He may have had the car of my dreams and I would never know it because his desperation to sell me anything made them all lackluster. Instead of giving us time to look at all his cars, he hovered over us. In the end, we really couldn’t get away fast enough.

It’s the same thing when selling your business. You may need the sale, but don’t let this on to your potential clients.

Some writers query publications mentioning how much they need this article or book proposal. That may be true but it won’t get you the deal of your dreams. In fact, it may have the opposite effect.

Think of this way. Would you rather date someone who was self-assured and confident or the other guy who calls, texts and emails you five times a day telling you how much they want to go out with you? It’s the same for your business. If you have something great to sell, let it sell itself.

The bottom line: Companies care about what you can do for them, not what they can do for you. Figure out what unique experience/skill you can bring to the table to help solve their greatest problem and you’ll win the sale.

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Have you ever had a bad haircut? I’m sure we’ve all had them. As for me, I’m like TLC’s Duggarts, I’m on my fifth and counting.

The thing my husband always says after I get back from another disappointing hairdo is, “I don’t get it. You tell them exactly what you want and they never do it the way you want.”

“Hmm,” I thought. There’s a bit of wisdom in there somewhere.

The more I pondered, the more I saw that there was a similarity between bad haircuts and bad business.

When I go into a new salon, I’m super excited. I believe this may be the best haircut yet. The hairstylist and I will either be great friends or will be quiet so I can just sit there, get my hair shampooed and take a nap. I even bring my infamous computer printout of my dream hairstyle: Carrie Bradshaw’s layered do ala Season 6 (after Burger, before Petrovsky.)

And then somewhere between the introductory chatter and a blow dry, I get everything but the haircut I wanted.

The same hairstyle done five ways and all bad. And then I realized.

It’s just like writing biz! A client can interview 10 potential writers, for example, and they all have totally different styles, some good, some bad. It’s all about the fit.

As for me, I went in thinking I’d get a cool, chic modern cut and got a rocker do instead. A great style, but for a completely different personality.

So what could I have done?

Be brave and say, “Um. Excuse me, but I don’t think this is exactly what I was hoping for. Do you think you could cut a little less up here and more on the sides there?”

Of course, I’d never want to tell a hairstylist how to do their job, but like the writing business I’ve learned it is a lot better to be clear.

• Be clear about what your expectations are. This prevents miscommunication and a disappointing outcome.
• Be clear about exactly what type of writing style they are looking for and what you can deliver.
• Be clear about how much they will pay you and when and what that rate includes (e.g. two rounds of editing, etc.)

Here’s the thing. It takes a little bit of courage to speak up. The whole time I was sitting in the stylist’s chair when his insanely hot blow dryer was burning my scalp, I was wincing not screaming. It’s hard to tell someone, “Hey this isn’t working! This isn’t a good fit!”

But here’s what I learned, it’s better to be honest about what you can and can’t do at the beginning. And much better to speak up when you feel like things are not working. Trust me, you’ll be saving yourself time, money and inevitably a bad business to be upfront from the start. Not to mention avoiding any burned scalps or bridges later.