is *coaching* a dirty word?
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- breadlegz
When I moved from doing the freelance work myself to doing more selling and getting freelancers to deliver the work, I got myself a coach to help me...
When I speak to other freelancers about this, they think that's either a crazy idea or they wouldn't invest the money.
What do you guys think?
- georgesIII0
I think you should have told them you got aides instead
my 2ct
- detritus0
I think it's impossible, or at the very least inadvisable, to offer any opinion based on the little you're relaying here.
- detritus0
Oh you're not a Yank.
What the hell do you even mean by 'coach'?
You mean someone from your local business link? In that case, no - that's good common sense. But if you've gotten some aging mid West American ex jock to give you arse slaps and high fivers, then I'd perhaps say 'nuh-uhhh'.
- lowimpakt0
A coach (if they are good) can be a great idea.
We paid money for a business coach type person a few years ago and he genuinely helped us loads from an organisational perspective.
What I would like to see more of is older/retiring designers being used as coaches for new and emerging designers / design companies - not to teach design but all that business shit that only experience can bring
- whatsup0
sounds like having your own personal trainer, or kungfu sifu.
- breadlegz0
"What I would like to see more of is older/retiring designers being used as coaches for new and emerging designers / design companies - not to teach design but all that business shit that only experience can bring"
That's exactly why I started this thread. I think there is some great wisdom in the more experienced designers to help newer freelancers run their businesses better...
- Junior level freelancers might struggle to hire experienced seniors though!jamble
- Frosty_spl0
Why would it be a bad thing?
- boobs0
I have to say that coaches and mentors have been enormously helpful to us in our business. We've really started to get a nice stream of quality clients now that we've made strong contacts in the business community. Bankers, venture capital people, start-up CEOs, and others entrepreneurs at the top of the business community have really helped us a lot. Now we know and meet the people who run the companies, instead of the underlings. This pays enormous dividends in getting work.
Our days of sub-contracting to other designers, or trying to get work through the marketing departments, or other mid-level people, of companies are over.
Make friends with the top people, instead of the mid-level people.
We met top university business school professors, some bankers, and took some VC people to lunch,and to play golf, and things really started to roll for us. Many of these people are now advisors and coaches to us, and happy to help. When something comes up, or we want an introduction, we call them.
As I've said many times, the challenge of being a designer is not doing the work--some art school background, curiosity, and some native intelligence will take care of most of that.
Getting the work is the challenge. Learn to do that, and the rest is easy.
- gramme0
@ boobs
How did your firm get connected with those people in the first place? I've tried things like my local Chamber of Commerce and Yellow Tie (somewhat like BNI, but a little more welcoming). None of them seem to work in terms of building solid relationships that could lead to work.
I have a couple client relationships with CEOs. But I could use a few more of those.
- gramme0
I talked to a sales coach last year. The guy was brilliant, but a lot of what he said in the initial meeting, about how to run a business and get work, doesn't apply to a design firm. So I decided against paying $5k for a few months of his services.
I suppose what I need is a strategy or lead generation coach. That is, if such a person exists.
- boobs0
How to get connected with those people in the first place? Fair question. I think the basic is, you've got to get comfortable with finding the people that can help you, and asking them for help.
For instance, you might go to the bank you do business with, and find out who the person is that handles commercial lending to smallish companies. Take that guy to lunch. Now, he wants to help you get business. He wants to make things happen for you. Ask him about what are up-and-coming businesses in your town, and who runs them. Say you get two names from the banker. Take those two guys to lunch. Tell them about your business, learn about their business. Ask if they know anyone who might need your services.
I used to go to events, and hand out cards, and meet people. But I never got anywhere with that, really. Until I started taking people to lunch, and started to really up my ambition about business relationships.
- CALLES0
so basically you have the people skillz that this computer freaks lack... you are more like their agent... tell them that day need you... you are basically their boss.... alas
- gramme0
OK, so lunch wins. I can do that. I'm good one-on-one. I hate, hate, hate networking events. Everyone knows that everyone else is uninterested in the actual people behind the business cards.
- gramme0
@ breadlegz
"How do you normally go about generating leads?"
– Right now, I don't. I'm too busy these days, working weekends just to meet deadlines. I know that's a dangerous position. I'm working toward changing the agreement with my biggest client to actually do more work for them, which will allow me to carve off chunks of that work, give it to other freelancers, and focus more time on developing my business.
Before that, the only effective lead generation I did was through friends and friends of friends who work in various industries. I know this is the direct cause of my current lack of new business on the horizon. That and biting off more than I can chew for one single client.
When I redesign my website, I'll link it to email newsletters that I'll send out 1x or 2x/month. I've heard of some people who generate at least a couple new projects every month based on response from such emails.
And also, I think boobs's idea is simple but sound.