<p>Instagram has released an amazing new feature that changes the way we experience social media. You can follow hashtags. This unique feature sets Instagram apart from (and ahead of) competitors in the social media industry.</p>
<h2>What’s New</h2>
<p>Before now Instagram limited users to three main buckets for content consumption. You could see the content from the friends and other accounts that you follow, explore custom content that Instagram thinks you would like, and you could search for hashtags for more specified content. However, now you can follow hashtags to bring them up quickly and easily. Not only does this save time, but it provides an easy stream of relevant content for you.</p>
<h2>How to Follow Hashtags</h2>
<p>Let’s say you want to follow <a href="https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/webdesign/">#webdesign</a>. Simply head over to the Instagram app and search for the hashtag. When you click on the hashtag it will bring you to the usual page with top and recent posts. The difference now is that there is an option on the top to follow the hashtag, similar to following a profile. Click follow and you’re all set!</p>
<h2>Where to Find Followed Hashtags</h2>
<p>Now finding the followed hashtag is perhaps not as intuitive as one would hope, but when you find the location it makes a lot of sense. Once you have followed a hashtag (or a few) all you have to do is navigate to your profile and click the “following” option. Before this area was just the home for the friends and accounts you follow. Now there is a new tab that allows you to switch to the hashtags you are following. Click “hashtags” and there is the list of the ones you follow!</p>
<h2>The Best Part About the Update</h2>
<p>Now I know what you’re thinking: “This is cool and everything, but what is so great about following hashtags??” I’m glad you asked! Following is just the first half of this update, the second half is your feed. When you follow a specific hashtag, like <a href="https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/graphicdesign/">#graphicdesign</a>, Instagram will start to insert top posts from your followed hashtags into your feed. This means that not only will you see the accounts you follow in your feed but also selected posts from your followed hashtags.</p>
<h2>Important Things to Note</h2>
<p>Now I’m sure you’ve realized that there could be some margin for error when following hashtags. Let’s say you follow something generic like <a href="https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/design/">#design</a> or a hashtag with multiple meanings. This could bring up some content that you do not want in your feed. To fix this you can click the three dots in the upper right of the post and select “Don’t Show from This Hashtag”. Selecting this option will let the Instagram algorithms know and it will show you less content related to that. Alternatively, if you like something that Instagram inserts in your feed you can like the post, just like you would any other, and Instagram will know to show you more content like that.</p>
<p>It is important to note that when you follow a hashtag on Instagram that anyone will be able to see what you follow under your following tabs. The only slight exception is if you have a private account. In that case, only your followers can see the hashtags you follow. Therefore, make sure you only follow hashtags that you don’t mind your followers (or the general public) seeing.</p>
<h2>How Marketing Fits In</h2>
<p>We here at <a href="https://spencercreative.co">Spencer Creative Co</a>. use Instagram as one of our favorite marketing tools (make sure to <a href="https://www.instagram.com/creative.cache/">follow us</a>). Before this update, we used to search specific hashtags to find potential clients and other important connections. After the update, these users come to you! Following the right hashtags can land target users right in your feed for you to interact with. Even more than this approach is the ability to go searching through your list of followed hashtags, rather than typing them individually. Now, what you do once you find those ideal users is best saved for its own post (coming soon!). However, as you can see the possibilities for increasing your marketing reach are endless. And the best part: this is free! All it takes is a little of your time to reap the extensive benefits this feature has to offer.</p>


Following Hashtags: Marketing with Instagram's Newest Feature

<p><em>Listen to the <a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/1SoO9fQAvJCQnSBOqcAqUI?si=7YZEhoigS4yafA7dSPTWxA">related podcast episode</a> for this post.</em></p>
<hr>
<p>WordPress Multisite (WPMU) allows website owners to create a network of sites on a single WordPress install. It’s great because it allows you to create a new website by simply clicking a button. The pure simplicity of this makes it ideal for providing unique value to clients. You can the following information the get new clients or impress the ones that have already signed a contract with you.</p>
<p>What do I do exactly? I created a WPMU setup for my business, <a href="https://spencercreative.co">Spencer Creative Co</a>. Now, I can generate new websites quickly and the URL is even created using my business’ URL as a base. This enables me to quickly create a website that I think the prospective client will like. I can then send them the link and now I’ve provided value to them as I introduce myself.</p>
<p>Let’s go through a more in-depth rundown of this process!</p>
<h2>The Multisite Setup</h2>
<p>Most of you will either know how to set up a Multisite install or already have one. If you don’t know how to please check out the <a href="https://codex.wordpress.org/Create_A_Network">WordPress documentation for creating a Multisite network</a>.</p>
<p>As I mentioned earlier, I set up my network on my business website. With WPMU you need to have a main or home website that everything on the back-end can be based on. When the Multisite network is established you can choose between subdomains and subdirectories for your new sites. What this means is each new website created will be based on the URL and the choice between these two. So your website’s URL would either be spencercreative.co/client-business or client-business.spencercreative.co. This can be changed, but I’ll get to that good bit later on.</p>
<p>Because WPMU is actually just a single install of WordPress all the sub-sites you create share themes and plugins. This is great for managing multiple sites because you only need to update the plugins and themes once across the whole network.</p>
<h2>The New Client</h2>
<p>Once WordPress Multisite is enabled you are ready to start creating a website. Start by creating the new subsite with the business name. Then utilize an existing theme or download a new one to the network that you want to use. This enables the creation of a quick mock-up of the website.</p>
<p>For prospective clients, I do some quick research into their current website and some competitors. For clients that are already interested in my services, I have them fill out a quick form to better understand what they are looking for in a new website.</p>
<p>This makes it easier for you to provide some value to the client or give massive value to a prospective client who has no idea who you are. What looks better: me reaching out to just tell you that you need a new website or reaching out and showing you what your website could be.</p>
<p>Many people like to give static mock-ups, but why not give them a real working website when it can be made at the press of a button. Putting the four hours in upfront to secure the client pays off in a big way. Especially because that’s four hours less than you have to do after you get hired.</p>
<h2>Taking It a Step Further</h2>
<p>Want to take this to the next level and make some additional income while doing it? Check out the follow-up post, <a href="/learn/business/host-client-wordpress-websites">Host Client Websites with WordPress Multisite</a>.</p>


Earning New Web Design Clients with WordPress Multisite

<p><em>Listen to the <a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/73Geen6xP539RHCjKEWxEC?si=f6169G8AQySJK6qxVISVfQ">related podcast episode</a> for this post.</em></p>
<hr>
<p>This post is a follow-up to my previous post, <a href="/learn/business/wordpress-multisite-new-clients">Earning New Web Design Clients with WordPress Multisite</a>. In that post, I outline how to utilize WordPress Multisite to quickly prototype a website to send to a potential client. The process involves using a multisite setup to quickly create a new website with a personalized link that you can send to the person. This is all great and you can certainly stop there and achieve huge success. But you could also provide even more value to the client and money in your pocket.</p>
<h2>The “Easy” Way</h2>
<p>Let’s say you followed along with my last post and set up a quick prototype website for a prospective client. Now, they are interested in working with you. You could up-sell them when you start the process of a contract by saying that you will host and maintain the website for an additional fee. You would then just need to make any edits they request to the existing site you made and point their domain at it.</p>
<p>Multisite provides the option to map an existing domain to the sub-site. What does this mean? I could domain map the client’s website, new-client.com, to my subsite so that the sub-site content is what shows up on the client's URL. So, what used to appear to be a sub-site of mine now looks like their website.</p>
<p>This is a crazy next step because after the project is complete you can now offer an additional service: web hosting. At the close of the project, you could offer to host the site for a monthly fee. You could include maintenance in the price or charge for that as well.</p>
<h3>Words of Caution</h3>
<p>It is important to note that you will need a great hosting plan yourself and some back-end knowledge to maintain the system. But if you can do that you’ve not only secured the client by providing value, but you’ve also given additional value and some extra ongoing cash in your pocket.</p>
<p>I call this the “easy” way because the path to get the client’s website up and running is fairly quick and painless. However, be aware it’s not an easy thing to host a website and maintain it as well. There is a lot that goes into it and although I talk about it in this post I don’t necessarily recommend it. Unless you are a well-established company that can manage a more sophisticated structure or only hosting a handful of small, local websites.</p>
<h2>The Recommended Way</h2>
<p>As I mentioned hosting the websites can be a great additional revenue stream for your company. If the website goes down the client is coming to you and you have to find and fix the problem. If the company wants to move its website elsewhere there is an additional hassle. Personally, I prefer to offload this plethora of problems that may arise to professionals.</p>
<h3>Hosting</h3>
<p>Find a good hosting provider to send your clients to. Make sure they have great customer service and are both affordable and reliable. You wouldn’t skimp on hosting for your website so don’t send your client somewhere bad. It will reflect poorly on you. Find a solid host and set up their website for them there.</p>
<h4>Additional Revenue</h4>
<p>While in this scenario we won’t be getting the recurring hosting revenue there are a couple of opportunities to tack on some additional income. You could potentially add an additional fee for hosting setup. Also, a lot of hosting providers have affiliate programs where you could get a small cut for your client’s signup. Again, make sure it is a quality host for your client. Don’t just go where the biggest affiliate cut is. Once the site has been handed off you can offer a maintenance plan. This can involve updating plugins, themes, and software. Or a holistic approach of managing everything including interactions with the hosting provider.</p>
<h3>Export the Theme</h3>
<p>If you’ve developed the prototype website with a theme (or child theme) you can export it to their new website. Just download the theme file, zip it, and upload it to the new site. An added bonus here is because your multisite environment is a live site you can use the WordPress export feature for any posts, pages, and images.</p>
<p>I would highly recommend hosting your custom theme and plugin files on GitHub. This allows you to have a place where your code lives and you can make changes for the client from a remote source. I use the <a href="https://github.com/afragen/github-updater">GitHub Updater</a> plugin to maintain these plugins and themes. It creates an update notification when you change the version on your code. The update notification works like the native update options from the WordPress repository. So, there appears to be no difference.</p>
<h2>Final Thoughts</h2>
<p>If you took the advice from my last post and use a live prototype to gain new clients remember to charge appropriately. You may have done the mock-up for free but you still took the time. Include the time you took in the proposal for the client. Never undervalue the cost of your time.</p>
<p>Soon you’ll be gaining new web design clients left and right!</p>


Host Client Websites with WordPress Multisite

<p>Today, I stress the importance of setting up a website for your freelance business. Listen to the <a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/0OtXdn7zWff7x2oJ6UJBuN?si=PXz80yIQTDi-CFag9WVi4Q">podcast episode</a> to learn more!</p>
<h3>Links</h3>
<p><a href="https://bit.ly/mms-wp">WordPress Hosted</a> (affiliate)<br>
<a href="https://bit.ly/mmswporg">WordPress Self-Hosted</a><br>
<a href="https://bit.ly/mmsqspc">Squarespace</a></p>


Setup a Website for Your Freelance Business

<p><em>Listen to the <a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/2jXUnJKYU74hGWytPo0Jhx?si=1CAtqp7NRYWPpYxtcVindQ">related podcast episode</a> for this post.</em></p>
<hr>
<p>It is now easier than ever before to sell products online and nearly everyone is doing it. E-commerce is one of the biggest drivers of revenue for modern businesses and the technology behind it continues to improve. The biggest barrier to entry for someone starting out is creating the infrastructure for their supply chain. Managing buying materials from suppliers, managing inventory, and shipping are some of the main considerations that come to mind. However, with dropshipping, it is no longer necessary to have your own supply chain. Let someone else do it for you!</p>
<h2>What is Dropshipping?</h2>
<p>Dropshipping, in its simplest terms, is the process of having someone else produce and ship your products. Of course, this becomes very enticing to e-commerce shop owners because they do not have to worry about where to store inventory and running to the UPS store to ship products. Every part of the supply chain is offloaded to someone else.</p>
<p>It is important to note that dropshipping providers come in all shapes and sizes. For example, some may require an initial purchase of products to create an inventory reserve that they can ship from. Amazon uses a form of dropshipping where sellers can send their inventory to be managed by Amazon. When a product is ordered from the seller on Amazon’s website the company ships to the product through their incredibly fast and efficient distribution channels.</p>
<p>The type of dropshipping I have used the most and that I think will be most useful for other designers is print-on-demand (POD).</p>
<h2>Print-on-Demand</h2>
<p>Print-on-demand dropshipping is probably the easiest and most hands-off form of selling. Essentially, the seller creates a design and uploads it to the dropshipping portal. They can then apply it to any of the products the service offers, the most common being t-shirts. When a customer orders the product the service prints it and ships it to the customer on your behalf. Easy, right?</p>
<p>This form of dropshipping is great for designers and, when paired with the right service, can open up many doors for you as a seller. All you have to do is create the designs, apply them to your desired products, and start selling.</p>
<h2>Get Started</h2>
<p>There are several options out there for print-on-demand services. I have used several, but at the time of writing this, I use <a href="https://www.gooten.com/">Gooten</a>. They have a wide variety of products and they integrate with Shopify and Etsy. Integrations are the most important part of choosing a print-on-demand service as most do not allow you to sell directly from them and you want to utilize the top platforms on the market for e-commerce.</p>
<p>In your desired service you can pick a product you want to create and upload your design. Then you can place it as desired and some services have advanced editing features. Then you can choose variants (colors, sizes, etc.) of the products you chose. The most important step is to set the pricing. The service will tell you how much the product will cost you to print. Include the shipping cost in that price, unless you are charging the customer for shipping. Once you have this cost you can adjust the selling price anywhere above that to get your profit on the product.</p>
<p>And there you have it, you’ve created your first print-on-demand product! When the product sells the service will print it and ship it to the customer and you will get the profit.</p>
<h2>Drawbacks to Consider</h2>
<p>There are a few drawbacks to this method that you might have already picked up on. The first being that to your customer it appears they are ordering from you but the package will most likely be from somewhere completely different. There are some services that offer white labeling and premium upgrades to include your branding on the packaging that could help with this.</p>
<p>Another thing to consider is that if people order different products they might ship separately. This is usually not a big deal (Amazon does this sometimes too), but make sure to let your customers know upfront before they buy that this may happen. This is not usually the case for different variants, just different products. So, when a customer orders the same shirt in three different colors and five different sizes it is usually shipped as one order.</p>
<p>Also, ship times are usually a bit longer for these services. From what I’ve gathered the average is 7-10 business days, but most services have an option to expedite shipping. However, this usually comes at a wildly outrageous cost. My recommendation is similar to the previous: be upfront with your customers about the ship times.</p>
<p>You could solve most of these pain points by doing a hybrid version of print-on-demand. In this scenario, you would create your products through the service and then order in bulk from them to yourself. This would have a lower shipping charge and you would be able to get the products to customers faster than 7-10 business days. You could also have your own custom packaging. Of course, this is more hands-on and would negate the time-saving capabilities of dropshipping.</p>


Dropshipping to Supplement Your Design Business or as a Side Hustle

<p><em>Listen to the <a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/3YEKGF8vlQIEQnpIGGXdnb?si=dFrTsEGZSpST2aZeRoyJJw">related podcast episode</a> for this post.</em></p>
<hr>
<p>The holiday season is typically a time for wrapping up presents and anything you need to accomplish before the end of the year. Not many people use this time to think about their business for the coming year. And I’m not saying that you should not be enjoying time with your family because that is incredibly important. However, there are some small ways you can utilize this time of year (including time with family) to help set up your business for the next year.</p>
<h2>Referrals and Repeat Business</h2>
<p>As most of us know the best ways to get new work for your freelance business is from referrals and repeat business. Referrals can come from anyone that knows you, but the highest return would be from a previous client. These clients have worked through a project with you. They know and trust you, as well as your work. A satisfied customer is the best advocate for you and your business.</p>
<p>This leads to the reason that the client could return for repeat business. Again, they have built a relationship with you and could be looking to work on their next project with you.</p>
<p>So, how can we apply these concepts during the holidays to create more business for ourselves in the coming year?</p>
<h2>Reach Out to Previous Clients</h2>
<p>Like I mentioned above, previous clients are our best asset for future business development. So, reach out to them! Send them an email, give them a call. This doesn’t have to be a marketing message from you. It could simply be reaching out to thank them for their business this past year and wish them a happy holiday season. Continue to build the relationship you have with the client.</p>
<p>Why do this? It keeps you fresh on their minds as they go into the new year. They could realize that they have more work for you or they could refer a friend or family member to you. This is the time of year that people are seeing friends and family that they may not have seen since last year. Having a good customer experience from you fresh on their mind makes them more likely to refer you when the topic comes up during the holidays.</p>
<h2>Talk to Your Family and Friends</h2>
<p>Countless times I have been talking with friends and family members that I have not seen in a while and they ask me, “What do you do, again?”. I then explain that I create websites and every now and then the reply is, “Oh really? I need a website!” or “I know someone that needs a website!”.</p>
<p>Use the holidays to enjoy time with family but also reiterate what it is exactly that you do. This could get you clients that you never would have reached before. I personally live in South Carolina and most of my family lives in New Hampshire and Maine. Through a family member referral, I gained a client based in New Hampshire that I never would have gotten otherwise.</p>
<p>This is the same concept as clients referring you but with family and friends. It can really help you grow your reach. As a word of caution, it is also important to clarify your work and expectations. If your family is anything like mine they would recommend you to anyone. This can be a blessing or a curse. They might recommend you to a client that you don’t want to work with. Or they might set unreal expectations for your work, “My son can build you a website in three days!”.</p>
<h2>Closing Out 2019</h2>
<p>As 2019 draws to a close it is important to look back on all of our accomplishments over the past year. Assess what went well, and turn our failures into opportunities for future success. Use the tips above to kickstart your business for the coming year to make 2020 even better than 2019!</p>


Bring in More Clients for Your Business During the Holidays

<p><em>Listen to the <a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/4zTwpoqrbfwrrU9kdsvhLh?si=zr7eDapBQ6KqiC6m5Bfiuw">related podcast episode</a> for this post.</em></p>
<hr>
<p>Communication is key to a successful freelance project. In the past, you would need to call and visit with clients frequently to maintain lines of communication. Now we can easily and quickly get in touch with clients around the world from the comfort of our homes. This luxury can have its pros and cons so it is important to have efficient methods to convey information. The primary ways are through calls, emails, and online forms. I’m going to go over the latter and discuss an online form to use for each phase of a project.</p>
<h2>1. Contact Form</h2>
<p>The basic contact form is the most obvious of the three but is completely necessary. This form allows people that are interested in talking to you or working with you to get in touch. These are your future clients. Anyone that has been in touch with you before should be able to reach you by phone or email. However, this form allows new opportunities and prospects to reach out to you.</p>
<p>A contact form should at least include four fields: <strong>name, phone number, email address, and a comments box</strong>. These are the necessities to establish a good line of communication with your future client. You can also add more fields here, but <a href="https://www.ventureharbour.com/how-form-length-impacts-conversion-rates/">research shows</a> that the more fields you have the lower the conversion rate. Keep it simple to maximize conversions, you can always get more information from them later.</p>
<h2>2. New Client Questionnaire</h2>
<p>This is where you can go deeper into the information you will need from the client to make a project a success. You’ve already been in contact with the client so now you can start to ask all the details you’ve been wanting to know. There are many types of questionnaires that can be asked at varying times during the project.</p>
<p>I personally use a basic discovery one towards the beginning to help gain insights on the current state of the client’s website, the scope of their project, their budget, and their wants for a new website. This is sent after the first contact before any contract is signed. I use the information to get an idea for what kind of project this will be and it helps form the contract. I send this form in an email and also set up a discovery call once the form is complete so I can go over the answers with the future client.</p>
<p>Again, try to get as much information as possible but don’t send a 100 question form, no one will complete it. That is what the accompanying call is for. This form will be a constant adjustment as you tweak questions and refine predefined answers. You’ll learn not to use industry jargon that clients won’t understand and remove options that might send the wrong message.</p>
<h3>Learn from my mistakes</h3>
<p>When I started out I had a question that asked the client’s budget. I did have the foresight to not make this a fill-in box but rather a dropdown with a few different ranges. The first one said “$0 – $1,000”. I promise you that almost everyone will choose this option, which is exactly what happened to me. I then adjusted by finding my minimum charge for a project and having that be the lowest option.</p>
<p>So, for example, if you don’t want to do a project for under $1,000 set the lowest option to be something like “1,000 – $3,000”. This will set the baseline for your projects and has the added benefit of weeding out clients that do not have that budget. (Hint: those clients were probably not the clients you wanted anyway. Your work is valuable, never be afraid to charge what it is worth or turn down a client that won’t pay that price!)</p>
<h2>3. Follow Up / Recommendation</h2>
<p>The follow-up form might be the most important of the three, but also the most often overlooked or forgotten. This form should be sent out after every project is completed. If you already have it set up it becomes very easy to send in an email. This form serves a dual purpose: it provides feedback and gets recommendations.</p>
<p>You should use this form to gain feedback on what worked well and what could be improved on future projects. For example, your client may have liked quicker responses to emails. Without anyone telling you this you might not have known that it was an issue so you could then adjust for the next client or project. In this example, you could respond to client emails faster or you could set expectations upfront: “I only respond to emails between 9 and 5 on weekdays”.</p>
<p>The second part is to ask for a statement of recommendation. You have a few options here: you can flat out ask for a recommendation or you can ask questions that can create a quotable snippet. I usually choose the latter because I know how hard it can be to write a recommendation from scratch. Would you rather be asked “Write a recommendation for us” or “if you were to recommend us to your colleague or best friend, what would you say?” The second one provides more of a prompt for the satisfied client to write from. Also, make sure you <strong>ask permission</strong> before associating their name or company with their recommendation on your website or social media.</p>
<h3>Pro-Tip</h3>
<p>Don’t be afraid to ask if they know anyone that might need your services. <a href="/learn/marketing/more-clients-during-holidays">Referrals</a> are undeniably the best way to gain new clients. Asking after a satisfied client has just gotten a great deliverable from you is perfect!</p>
<h2>Conclusion</h2>
<p>Online forms are incredibly helpful for saving time and money when it comes to your business. Below I’ve linked to each one of the forms I have for my business to help you get an idea of what these might look like.</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://creativecachemultisitenetwork.kinsta.cloud/contact/">Contact form</a></li>
<li><a href="https://forms.gle/CaLJ6r8AUA5veCqM6">Questionnaire</a></li>
<li><a href="https://forms.gle/CLq4RmzQY3yH4w2V6">Follow up</a></li>
</ul>


Three Forms Every Freelancer Should Have

<p><em>Listen to the <a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/46fSj4S3XwCXZnjfWHgSxW?si=SLNkNJ-JShCumwLxsClwKg">related podcast episode</a> for this post.</em></p>
<hr>
<p>I know what you’re thinking because it is exactly what I use to think. I thought that I could never wake up that early. The snooze button was my best friend until ten minutes before I had to leave for work. Over the years I had read articles and heard people talk about how the most successful people wake up at five in the morning. But there are also plenty of studies on how important a good night's sleep is. So, how do we accomplish both, and are there actual benefits of waking up that early?</p>
<h2>Getting Enough Sleep</h2>
<p>It’s true, sleep is incredibly important and a necessity for success. Most people think of entrepreneurs as zombies who work 22 hours and sleep for two. This is completely untrue. Most successful entrepreneurs and business executives make sure that they are getting enough sleep so they can perform at high levels during their waking hours.</p>
<p>So, how do we ensure that we get enough sleep if we are waking up at five? Well, it’s fairly common knowledge that we should be getting 6 to 8 hours of sleep per night. Simple math puts that at going to sleep between 9 and 11 at night. I try to make sure that I go to sleep by ten every night, giving me a good seven hours of sleep.</p>
<p>Note that this requires that you are not just in bed by ten but asleep by ten. This was where the big realization and change came for me. I was typically going to bed at ten anyway, but I was usually on my phone for another hour or two. Then because of the stimulation from my phone, it was hard for me to go to sleep right away. Take some time to decompress from your electronics at least 30 minutes to an hour before bed. Take the time to read or journal. It’ll make falling asleep that much easier. Plus, if you are anything like me, you’ll be pretty exhausted those first few nights after waking up early and you’ll fall right asleep.</p>
<h2>What Do You Want to Accomplish?</h2>
<p>So, now that we are getting enough sleep (perhaps without even changing the time you go to bed) we need to determine what we will do with these added couple of hours in the morning. The key here is to use the time for something that you really want to accomplish. If you are not motivated and excited about what you’re doing you’ll never wake up. For me, it’s my freelance business.</p>
<p>As I mentioned, I had known about the practice of waking up early for years. But I never had the motivation to get those extra couple hours back in my day. Then I started getting more freelance work. My weekdays are dedicated to my full-time job, so the only time to accomplish this was nights and weekends. However, this cut into my family time. I found it hard to balance this extra workload, spend time with my family, work on our new house, plus my graduate school classes. There were just not enough hours in my day. So, I added two more hours!</p>
<p>I started waking up at five to do freelance work, which includes non-client work to improve my business and knock out some graduate school homework. This left my nights and (most of) my weekends open for the other important things in my life. By waking up early and making sure I went right to sleep at night, I gained ten hours for my workweek. This was all without a noticeable change from my family and friends’ perspectives.</p>
<h2>The Benefits</h2>
<p>So now that we are up and in a mindset to get things done, let’s talk about the benefits.</p>
<h3>You’re Already Winning</h3>
<p>I was tired when I woke up that first morning. I didn’t want to get out of bed. But I pushed through because I wanted to accomplish my goals. After two straight hours of work, I felt like I had completed a lot in my day already. No one else was up but I had checked things off my list. Starting off the day with that mindset greatly improves the rest of the day.</p>
<h3>Higher Productivity</h3>
<p>Perhaps the biggest benefit of waking up before anyone else is just that: no one else is awake. My productivity dramatically increases when there are no distractions from the outside world like emails, texts, calls, and other notifications. The amount of work I can get done before everyone is awake is far greater than during regular work hours.</p>
<h3>Sets a Routine</h3>
<p>There are numerous benefits to setting a routine in your life. You will get better sleep which can improve your overall health. You’ll know exactly how much time you have in your day. There is more predictability. And the list goes on and on.</p>
<h3>Adds Time Back into Your Life</h3>
<p>I’ve already mentioned the biggest benefit for me: extra time to accomplish my goals. I’ve been able to check off items from my to-do list to keep everything more manageable in my hectic life. You’ll feel like an empowered superhero with everything you can do.</p>
<h2>Doing It</h2>
<p>I won’t lie to you, the first week or so will be hard. You’ll find yourself very tired especially if you work a full-time job as well. However, if you can push through and create that routine you won’t be tired and your productivity will go through the roof! Remember to set your goals so you actually wake up, be productive, and get the right amount of sleep. Soon you’ll be crushing your goals with at least ten more hours than everyone else!</p>


Why I Wake Up at 5 A.M.

<p><em>Listen to the <a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/0ZGZNewNVFE09liT0Cwo11?si=6KQItElMTQy0253h5DFtbA">related podcast episode</a> for this post.</em></p>
<hr>
<p>So, you’ve decided to start your own freelance business. Great choice! Freelancing can be very rewarding as an extra source of income or as a full-time job. You will gain a lot of experience on each side of freelancing: business and creative. But how do you get started? Today, we will learn how to name your freelance business.</p>
<h2>Your Name vs a Company Name</h2>
<p>The big choice when starting a freelance business is typically between whether you should use your name or a company name. There are pros and cons to both which we will explore below. Just remember that the name you go with can be difficult to change in the long run. Make sure you are ok with using the name for many years. This will be your brand that you are promoting and will be directly attached to your successes.</p>
<h3>Pros of Using Your Name</h3>
<p>Your name will provide recognition, especially if you are already established as an expert. If you have built a personal brand, whether locally or nationally, you can leverage that brand equity for your business.</p>
<p>Associating your name with your business shows a commitment to it. Customers and clients will know that your business is something that you will literally put your name behind.</p>
<p>If you have a unique name you’ll be a large way ahead on SEO. This means that if anyone searches for you there is a high likelihood that your business will come up. This could be a good way to start your business if you want to be found easier online.</p>
<p>People typically like working with other people and not a faceless company. Putting your name on it tells the clients exactly who they will be working with.</p>
<h3>Cons of Using Your Name</h3>
<p>If your name has no brand equity the impact may fall short. Seeing a company with a random person’s name does not provide any information or clarity for the potential client.</p>
<p>If you just use your name it can be difficult for people to understand what you do. It’s best to make sure you include what you do in the name as well.</p>
<p>If you intend to sell your company in the future having your name directly attached could make that problematic. Your name would be on something you no longer own. Yikes!</p>
<p>This could also limit the amount of privacy you will have because everyone will know your name. It pushes you more into the limelight rather than being the owner of XYZ Company.</p>
<p>Just as I mentioned people like to work with people, there could be larger clients that don’t abide by that. Some clients or companies might think that a company with someone’s name does not take it seriously.</p>
<h3>Pros of Using a Company Name</h3>
<p>You could potentially attract bigger customers with a unique company name. Some feel like they want to work with another company and you could use that to your advantage.</p>
<p>It can be easier to hire employees with a company name for a couple of reasons. A company name looks better than a random name both on a resume and on a job posting. Also, with a company name, the employees may feel like there is more opportunity to advance internally.</p>
<p>Additionally, it may be easier to secure intellectual property rights for a unique company name than a more common personal name.</p>
<h3>Cons of Using a Company Name</h3>
<p>Smaller businesses may not want to work with a “company”. They might be looking for another local small business and mistake yours for being bigger than it is.</p>
<p>It can be difficult to come up with a unique and creative company name. If you’re like me you don’t want to waste time thinking up a name. If you want a company name but are having trouble coming up with one check out a few of these business name generators. They don’t give perfect names but they could at least generate a few ideas for you!</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.shopify.com/tools/business-name-generator">Shopify Business Name Generator</a></li>
<li><a href="https://businessnamegenerator.com/">businessnamegenerator.com</a></li>
<li><a href="https://namelix.com/">namelix.com</a></li>
</ul>
<h2>Conclusion</h2>
<p>Ultimately, determining your business name comes down to knowing what customers it will serve. Your business name will become an important part of your marketing strategy. Make sure you put a lot of thought into it. Speaking from experience, switching names is not that easy.</p>


How to Name Your Freelance Business

<p><em>Listen to the <a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/0kps7ENLspygKnJqncCyEl?si=EMaZefxIQcqPaS-q9u_V_A">related podcast episode</a> for this post.</em></p>
<hr>
<p>As a freelancer, it can be difficult to separate work and the rest of your life. Freelance work is commonly depicted as working at home from your couch, bed, or kitchen table. However, for most people, this is not the most productive or ideal situation. Being in a space that is utilized for other purposes can create unnecessary distractions. Your workspace should be just that: space where you work and nothing else. Clearly delineating this area can improve both your work and personal life. So, what factors should you take into account?</p>
<h2>Deciding Factors</h2>
<p>When considering a freelance workspace I think of the three C’s: convenience, comfort, and cost.</p>
<h3>Convenience</h3>
<p>When it comes to freelance, you should have as few barriers as possible between you and your work. Therefore, you’ll want a workspace that is convenient for you to access. If your workspace is only available for a few hours or is far away then you will be less likely to get your work done. Think of the gym. If your gym was 30 minutes away and was only open for an hour would you go? The same can be said for your freelance work. Make sure your area is convenient whether it’s at home or a nearby co-working space.</p>
<h3>Comfort</h3>
<p>Make sure you are comfortable in your space. One of the main benefits of choosing where you work is setting your own comfort level. You can control the aspects of your space, such as the temperature or the type of chair sit in. The freedom to go on walks when you’re sick of sitting down is part of this. If you are comfortable in your space you are more likely to be focused on your work. Just don’t get too comfortable, working in bed is a guarantee for me to fall asleep and not do any work!</p>
<h3>Cost</h3>
<p>As with almost anything cost is a big factor when considering your freelance space. This not have to mean renting an office or co-working space. Costs can include increasing your internet speed, buying a new monitor, the three cups of coffee, and a pastry you buy while sitting at Starbucks. There are always costs involved so be sure to assess your costs and make sure they’re at an amount you are comfortable with.</p>
<h2>What Are Your Options?</h2>
<p>So, we’ve determined the factors that come into play when deciding on the workspace you want to create. Now let’s go over a few of the location options that are available.</p>
<h3>Working from Home</h3>
<p>This is of course the most common location for freelancers. It costs nothing in terms of additional rent and the commute is amazing! However, working from home involves an almost endless amount of distractions if not executed properly. Kids, housework, TV’s, food availability, the list goes on and on. The most important factor to consider for any of these spaces is to <strong>know yourself</strong>.</p>
<p>For me, I know my weaknesses at home: the TV, cleaning, playing with the dog. I can be a very bad procrastinator especially if the options are constantly in front of me. So, I need to minimize this weakness. I created a home office in its own room of the house. If I had the option of moving it outside of my house in a guest house or room over a garage I would ideally take that route. But for me, this is not an option, so I created my own space with the resources I have.</p>
<p>I made sure not to put a TV in this room and I minimized the number of distractions. My office has a plain Ikea desk with as much free space on it as I can get. I only have a monitor, laptop, podcast microphone setup, and a few toys to fidget with. My desk is against a wall to remove any visible distractions in the room, which I try to keep to a minimum anyway.</p>
<p>This is how I work the best, with minimal distractions to reduce my procrastination. Of course, your space may be different. Perhaps you work best with a TV playing for some background white noise. Again, know what creates an optimal workspace for you and what doesn’t. Eliminate distractions and create a separate space to work. These are the keys to a successful home office.</p>
<h3>A Coffee Shop or Other Public Place</h3>
<p>An obvious next step from the house is to go to a public place with free wifi, typically a coffee shop. It can be great to get that dose of a social aspect without being in a space where you see the same people every day (most of the time). This also creates a further separation between work life and personal life.</p>
<p>A coffee shop also does not have to be an everyday workspace. Maybe you go a couple of days a week just to get a fresh perspective that differs from your home office. Working alongside other people without the obligation of interacting can provide a needed boost of productivity on those difficult days. Not being inside your house provides a refreshing change of scenery.</p>
<h3>Co-Working Space</h3>
<p>Co-working spaces are a great option for freelancers. They give you the benefits of office space with a lower price tag. They are usually set up as multiple small-sized office rooms that companies or freelancers can rent out. The terms can be like a lease either annual or month to month so they are a bigger investment. But you’ll be able to take the space and make it your own.</p>
<p>Co-working spaces come equipped with everything you’ll need to start working: desks, chairs, an internet connection, and more. A lot of these spaces come with added amenities as well. They can have shared conference rooms that you can utilize for client meetings. Or a shared kitchen space to give that real office feel. Plus, it can be great to interact and network with the other freelancers, startups, and small businesses that are also renting in this space.</p>
<p>(For anyone near me I recommend the <a href="https://www.charlestondigitalcorridor.com/">Charleston Digital Corridor</a>)</p>
<h3>Short-Term Office Rental</h3>
<p>These are a version of a co-working space. Short-term office rentals are typically found in bigger cities but you are starting to see them crop up all around the world. Essentially, you rent the space for a short amount of time, a couple of days or even a couple of hours. They can be a great substitution for a coffee shop if you find them to be too noisy. Do a <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=short-term+office+rental+near+me">local search for short-term office rentals</a> to see if there are any near you or check out a service like <a href="https://www.regus.com/">Regus</a>.</p>
<h2>Final Thoughts</h2>
<p>There are many places and ways to create a solid freelancing workspace. Remember to define your needs for convenience, comfort, and cost. These are different for everyone. The most important part is to determine how you work the best. Decide if you need a more public or private space, or somewhere in between. Then set up your workspace in a way that produces the best work results for you. Maybe you need 100 action figures and knick-knacks around because it helps improve creativity. Perhaps you’re like me and you need to have minimalist space to eliminate distractions. Find what puts you in that creative mindset and helps you be the most productive that you can be.</p>
