I know that question is sort of like where's your favorite fishing hole. Hi, all -- I've been a freelancer for about a year and a half now, and for the first time, things are slow. I guess I'm on the famine side of the feast-famine freelancer cycle. Two questions: 1. Are there e-learning groups (besides Articulate of course) that have helped you generate leads/work? 2. How much of your work comes through cold calling? (I have an aversion to cold calling, but will pull up the big boy panties if need be.) I'm guessing that your work comes from a little bit of everywhere (traffic to your site, repeat business and referrals from clients, cold calling, etc), but I don't really know that till I ask. Thank you in advance for your time and input. --Daniel

Always a great topic, Daniel. We had a similar thread last year: http://community.articulate.com/forums/p/908/3243.aspx I've heard from several folks that their Screenrs helped get them gigs while others have received offers after sharing templates and other freebies in the community. A lot of work can be found from established vendors and boutique studios--companies who specialize in e-learning design and development. Getting into their contractor pool is one way to bring in steady work.

Hey Daniel, I'll echo the others here. I just finished my 90th day as a full-time freelancer. The biggest thing I've learned thus far is having a full project plate pretty much eliminates business development. To answer your first question, this community is by far the best I've associated with in terms of networking and leads. My participation here is not to get leads but to help others and share tips. Occasionally I'll get a ping either directly or as a referral. As for your second question, I don't cold call and don't anticipate ever needing to, nor wanting to. Couple tips that helped me over the past couple years to be able to go out on my own: 1. Follow Bruce's points about your site. Get some visibility. Even if you don't have a portfolio ready, at a minimum have a blog where you can share ideas, tips, etc. to show readers what you can do. 2. Follow other industry blogs, communities, groups and participate in those conversations and comment on articles. 3. Take small projects to get used to managing your time. Don't worry about money at this point. Your goal is to show you're a trusted contractor to your client. THAT will bring you return business and referrals. One of my first ever clients is still with me for two years now. 4. If you can, attend one or two of the big annual conferences. The sessions themselves are fabulous, but the face-to-face networking is invaluable. 5. Set some goals. Max # hours you can work a week. Manage 1, 2 or more projects at once? Learn a new skill. 6. Finally, be patient. It's about your passion for the craft and producing quality outputs. Your work will speak for itself. Crush it!

hello daniel, I think a good idea is to join some elearning groups on linkedin. beside tips and tricks there are some business opportunities. launch a search and join them!

Daniel - I'm coming up on my 5 year anniversary as a freelancer, and all my work comes from referrals - so network, network, network is my advice. I find that the online stuff typically supports or validates your track history, but may provide leads for you. Instead of cold calling, I`d be more strategic than that and figure out if you have any connection to an organization and get a warm intro instead. Kind of like "six degrees of separation". The ups and downs are a pretty natural part of freelancing and while it can be stressful, you have to know it's there and plan/prepare for it. Use the downtime to create a business development strategy, otherwise you might get a bit panicky and take anything that comes your way, which may end up being the wrong thing. Best of luck.

David: Thanks for the link to last year's discussion and the sharing idea. And, of course, for all your help on this forum and youtube (e.g., Audacity tutorials). Mindmapping tutorial was very helpful. Holly: Thanks for reminding me that this "downtime," which is actually nice to have -- I mean when you're slammed you can't really read about ID or learn new skills -- is the time to develop strategies for new biz. Congratulations on the five-year mark. That's cool. Hope we cross paths again. --Daniel

Freelancers -- where do you find most of your work?

DavidLindenberg
Community Member
13 years ago

Bruce Graham said:

Excellent news David - good luck in the pond!

If there's anything you need to ask about freelancing, just shoot it onto this thread - someone else will want to know the answer, and it's probably that someone has been through it.

Best wishes.

Bruce

http://www.pperf.co.uk

Thanks Bruce! I will definitely keep tabs on this thread and post any questions.

David
IanKerr
Community Member
13 years ago

Not sure if this is the right place, but I did notice a couple other similar posts in the thread.

I'm looking for someone to quote and potentially do some work creating a short series of e-learning modules. I'm located in Ontario, Canada and think it would require 5 modules consisting of a context module and 1 for each screening tool.

If anyone is interested, or has advice on where I would be able to source the expertise, it would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

Ian
DanielBrigham
Community Member
13 years ago

Hi, Belen:

Nice, clean graphic design for the selection you posted. Can you present it in English, as well? For this mostly-English speaking forum, it would be cool, if we first saw it in English and then you had some button that allows learners to see the Spanish version. Why not be known as this forum as the go-to person when translating educational material from English to Spanish?

That sounds like a cozy, niche to me. --Daniel
KevinThorn
Super Hero
13 years ago

Daniel Brigham said:

Hi, Belen:

Nice, clean graphic design for the selection you posted. Can you present it in English, as well? For this mostly-English speaking forum, it would be cool, if we first saw it in English and then you had some button that allows learners to see the Spanish version. Why not be known as this forum as the go-to person when translating educational material from English to Spanish?

That sounds like a cozy, niche to me. --Daniel

Just now having a chance to look at Belen's course. Very nice! It appears to be a custom skin noticeable by the seekbar and navigation controls.

@Belen - is that a purchased skin or do you have developers on your team who built that?
HollyMacDonald
Super Hero
13 years ago

Belen - as a follow on to Daniel's comment - is there anyone who you could partner with that would be a good complement to your Spanish skills? You could certainly provide a specialized service if you did. You could work on the Spanish and have a colleague work on the English, so both are perfect in their native language. I'm sure there's a big market for that in the US particularly.

Bruce, that is excellent advice. You are developing relationships as a partner, not just an order taker. It is definitely a piece that I include in conversations. I didn't have the 3 month follow-up option, but I do now! Cross-selling and upselling are terms that we are all pretty squeamish about, but it is needed and doesn't need to be smarmy.

I think it's also important that you read The E-Myth Revisited - basic gist: working for yourself is HARD, you have to have time to work INthe business (designing and developing elearning) but also ON the business, which is all the stuff we've been talking about here. I read the book years ago, and it looks like they have a website with a bunch of other resources too: http://www.e-myth.com/blog/

Other "sales-y" things:

Depending on the client relationship, I also ask for testimonials, introductions, etc. One of my clients actively sells for me to others outside her organization, which is nice!

I offer to write articles profiling client projects in industry publications and ask about conference proposals from time to time as well. Makes them look good, hopefully introduces me to a bigger, broader audience too.

I also (time permitting) volunteer and provide e-learning services wherever I can. Who knows who is on a board, has connections to others, etc.

Have others got sales like tips to share?
HollyMacDonald
Super Hero
13 years ago

Bruce - I just realized my comments sounded like they were directed at you, which they weren't - you are running a master class by forum posts!

Was just trying to continue the conversation in our freelancing thread for anyone out there who was following along and was looking for more tips

Holly

(ps - I like your channel strategy, very effective!)
KarynLemberg
Community Member
13 years ago

Bruce Graham said:

.....This is the most interesting thread I have ever been involved in since starting in Forums.

........I get paid for doing something I absolutely and passionately love!

I sooo agree!

I may not have added anything yet to this discussion (but have read everything)

I am also trying to set up as a Freelancer at this time... and have been researching in several forums, link-in and websites.. but so far THIS thread has been the BEST!!

Go Heroes!
ToddThornton
Community Member
13 years ago

Sorry to take this slightly off topic, but other than the Word file Jeanette posted here, does anyone have any resources/sample freelance agreements? I mainly develop my own courses, but have recently been approached about branching out and doing things for other organizations. I realize it depends on the project, but just curious how detailed are the contracts freelancers are signing (are you having specific contracts drawn up for each project or just using your own boilerplate language) and maybe general terms. (i.e. What kind of a percentage are you collecting up front, etc. )

P.S. Not many Articulate threads make it to 100 responses so that was an extra bonus in posting this.
HollyMacDonald
Super Hero
13 years ago

@Karyn - best of luck. Let us know if we can help you out as you leap (and it IS a leap).

@Todd - Sorry to say, I don't have my own contract template usually the client has one and I sign theirs. They are usually more conservative than I am, wanting to ensure that I have appropriate worker's compensation insurance (in case I get injured while working for them and try to collect disability payments) and if it's a government client then there are reams of paper, terms, clauses to contend with. I tend to avoid the government contracts or go in as subcontractor with an IT/Systems firm or larger consulting org who can own the risk. For smaller organizations, contracts are fairly straightforward and may be as simple as a one page description or an email. As long as it outlines the statement of work, which is the basic gist of what Jeannette posted. Mine also has specifics on review expectations (turnaround time and number of reviewers). Then I have business insurance (including "errors and omissions", much like Bruce described) to cover me just in case. However, I am in Canada (and Bruce is the UK) where we are far less litigious, so not sure if that's helpful to you or not.

I almost always split projects into 2 phases: one for scoping and analysis to confirm estimates ante the second is to build the thing that we agree to. I don't tend to take any payment up front, but usually we divide the payment up by milestones, with the largest coming on completion or sometimes on a monthly basis if it's a longer term contract or less defined in terms of deliverables (not everything I do is e-learning).

Not sure if this helps, but check it out anyway: http://speckyboy.com/2010/08/12/5-free-to-use-freelance-design-contract-templates/

Holly
KarynLemberg
Community Member
13 years ago

Todd, I recently found this site through a design group (I'm a web designer as well) It seems to be a legal-document sharing site & there are more contracts added everyday, maybe there is something of use? or at to give ideas.There is a 'freelancer' category under 'bundles':

http://www.docracy.com/