007 : EXCHANGE, COMFORT, IKIGAI

Instead of using your eyes and reading this newsletter, you can listen to it instead in audio form or as I like to call it: A Mini Podcast. Your choice!

1. EXCHANGE

Hey Freelance Friend,

You’re great at what you do. (no, really, you are!)

Probably the best out of everyone you know. That’s why you decided to stake it all on going out there and doing that thing as a Freelancer.

You know the true value of what you do.

You know all the stuff that goes into doing what you do, and how potential clients often don’t understand it all, or see the value in it.

Sometimes they even think they can do it themselves… the horror.

Well, what if I told you, you are doing the exact same thing as those annoying potential clients, but with your own Freelancing.

You might be an amazing illustrator, or graphic designer, or copywriter.

But you aren’t an amazing marketer, sales person, web designer, translator….

You know the feeling.

You are the best tax consultant around, but your website is crap.

You are the best translator around, but you struggle to find clients.

We all fall into the trap of believing that Freelancing means: to do everything ourselves.

So, what can we do about this?

• You don’t have the budget to hire all those other people

• You don’t have the time to upskill and learn all those other skills

What you can do though:

Exchange Services!

Maybe you have a 2 week gap in your freelancing calendar because a client postponed.

Now you are probably not going to be able to replace that with another project.

So you think: why don’t I do some marketing, admin, sales, improve my website.

Which is great, but again, you aren’t the best person for this job.

You should approach someone with that skill for a service exchange!

Maybe 2 weeks of your service equates to £2000.

You can then get £2000 of equitable services in return.

Why is this SO MUCH BETTER than just doing that stuff yourself?

• You get to do what you are good at and grow your portfolio

• You get a written reference

• You open up another avenue to potential referrals

• You get a much higher level of work done on that area you would otherwise do it yourself (Professional vs Amateur)

Let’s say for example your rate is £50 an hour for what you do amazingly. So is theirs, let’s say they are a marketer for this example.

You agree to service exchange around 40 hours, so £2000.

If you were to NOT exchange services and do the marketing yourself. You would work those 40 hours anyway, only much worse than the professional would.

Do illustrate the point, maybe your expertise in marketing is worth maybe £20 an hour.

So with those 40 hours you will attract £800 of value into your Freelancing business.

• The same hours worked

• Worked on something you aren’t great at

• Attracting less value into your business

This is the power of Service Exchanges.

Pro Tip: Identify the number 1 area your Freelancing is lacking, set aside some space in your schedule, and offer a Freelance Service Exchange.

Pro Pro Tip: For this exact reason I created a FREE LinkedIn group called The Freelance Exchange. There are around 150 people in there at the moment, and you are more than welcome to join.

2. IKIGAI

Take a moment to look at the diagram below:

Do you know where your Freelancing activities would go?

The most common is probably the Profession section: What you are good at and what you can be paid for.

Which makes sense.

I’ve been thinking a lot about my Ikigai lately after reading a book on Japanese culture.

But look, not everyone gets to live their life with a foundation of Ikigai.

Where those 40 hours per week are spent doing something you love, that the world needs and that you happen to be good at (then getting paid for that thing)

But, what if you could?

It’s at least worth checking, right?

So that’s exactly what I want you to do.

3. Freelancer Feature

This week I want to hear from YOU

Today is election day in the UK. Where every single voice matters.

So in the spirit of democracy, I want to hear YOUR Freelance tip.

One or two sentences of something you learned so far on your Freelancing journey which you feel will be useful to the other readers.

Next week I will post a section with your tip, and a link for people to find you.

If you would like to take part simply respond to this email with your tip, your name, and the best link for people to find you.

BONUS STUFF

I wholeheartedly believe that a few years ago, while living in Valencia, I had the greatest desk set-up of all time.

Here for your viewing pleasure, is that set-up:

I am also a nerd for desk set-ups. So please do take a pic of your set up and send it in! The best ones will be featured!

Next Week

008: DOING, DONE, DOWNLOADABLE

One of my all time favourite Freelancing hacks that helps you get stuff done, track what you actually do and feel great in the process

Also the first Freelancer OS downloadable coming your way.

You don’t want to miss this one.

With you next Thursday at 11:00am (UK TIME)