The Invaluable Freelance Flasher
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My presentation from 360Flex in DC, 9/21/2010. These are guiding principles I've found to be true over my 15 years in interactive.
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The Invaluable Freelance Flasher
- 2. Who @davidortinau davidortinau.com 15 yrs web, interactive, software development Flash, iPhone, .NET, WP7
- 3. experience
- 4. experience • 1995 BA English Literature, Professional Writing • 1996-1999 Audio Streaming Startup - Director • 1999-2001 Creative Agencies - Director, Developer • 2001-2002 Simply Profound • 2002-2007 Enterprise Healthcare Web Apps • Director of Product Development & Support • Developer • 2007-Present Simply Profound
- 5. who I work with • Advertising and Creative • Roster of 14 senior Agencies developers, designers, • Publishing copywriters • Education • Always looking for more! • Fashion • Beer
- 6. services i provide • Flashand Flex • General Web • ASP.NET • PHP • iPhone • Video
- 7. What are we talking about • The Business of Freelancing • Elevating The Freelancer’s Game • Money • Characteristics of Invaluable Freelancers
- 8. the business of freelance
- 9. All Together Now, Say It With Me
- 10. All Together Now, Say It With Me •I am a business owner
- 11. All Together Now, Say It With Me •I am a business owner • No matter what I wear, PJs or a Suit
- 12. All Together Now, Say It With Me •I am a business owner • No matter what I wear, PJs or a Suit • No matter how young or old
- 13. All Together Now, Say It With Me •I am a business owner • No matter what I wear, PJs or a Suit • No matter how young or old • I have profit
- 14. All Together Now, Say It With Me •I am a business owner • No matter what I wear, PJs or a Suit • No matter how young or old • I have profit • I have loss
- 15. All Together Now, Say It With Me •I am a business owner • No matter what I wear, PJs or a Suit • No matter how young or old • I have profit • I have loss • I can go out of business
- 16. All Together Now, Say It With Me •I am a business owner • No matter what I wear, PJs or a Suit • No matter how young or old • I have profit • I have loss • I can go out of business • I can expand my business
- 17. All Together Now, Say It With Me •I am a business owner • No matter what I wear, PJs or a Suit • No matter how young or old • I have profit • I have loss • I can go out of business • I can expand my business • Because freelancing is a business
- 18. the freelancer’s product is the freelancer “The emotional labor of engaging with the work and increasing the energy in the room is precisely what you sell. So sell it.” Seth Godin
- 20. non-negotiables of freelance • Know your stuff
- 21. non-negotiables of freelance • Know your stuff • Deliver on promises
- 22. non-negotiables of freelance • Know your stuff • Deliver on promises • Be available
- 23. non-negotiables of freelance • Know your stuff • Deliver on promises • Be available • Don’t bail
- 24. non-negotiables of freelance • Know your stuff • Deliver on promises • Be available • Don’t bail • Deliver on time
- 25. non-negotiables of freelance • Know your stuff • Deliver on promises • Be available • Don’t bail • Deliver on time • Deliver
- 26. prime directive Take care of your portfolio and your portfolio will take care of you.
- 27. storytelling
- 28. storytelling • Every project and client you take on is writing your story
- 29. storytelling • Every project and client you take on is writing your story • Is it a story you can tell in 6 months to win you new business?
- 30. storytelling • Every project and client you take on is writing your story • Is it a story you can tell in 6 months to win you new business? • What will potential clients think of you when they see or hear that story?
- 31. storytelling • Every project and client you take on is writing your story • Is it a story you can tell in 6 months to win you new business? • What will potential clients think of you when they see or hear that story? • Learn to see every opportunity and every project in these terms.
- 32. storytelling • Every project and client you take on is writing your story • Is it a story you can tell in 6 months to win you new business? • What will potential clients think of you when they see or hear that story? • Learn to see every opportunity and every project in these terms. • Act and deliver accordingly.
- 33. innerleprechaun
- 34. innerleprechaun
- 35. innerleprechaun
- 36. innerleprechaun
- 37. innerleprechaun
- 39. reputation is everything • Word of mouth
- 40. reputation is everything • Word of mouth • You are busy doing, so it’s hard to also be selling
- 41. reputation is everything • Word of mouth • You are busy doing, so it’s hard to also be selling • Let your doing sell
- 42. reputation is everything • Word of mouth • You are busy doing, so it’s hard to also be selling • Let your doing sell • Agency circles are small and they will talk about you
- 43. reputation is everything • Word of mouth • You are busy doing, so it’s hard to also be selling • Let your doing sell • Agency circles are small and they will talk about you • Employees seem to last 3 years at a gig and move on. Will they take you with them?
- 44. elevating the freelancer’s game
- 45. being a business owner
- 46. being a business owner • This skill set is different from the technical skills that brought you success in the past
- 47. being a business owner • This skill set is different from the technical skills that brought you success in the past • Do you feel like a fraud, a fake, a phony? Be confident enough to fake it with success.
- 48. being a business owner • This skill set is different from the technical skills that brought you success in the past • Do you feel like a fraud, a fake, a phony? Be confident enough to fake it with success. • Remember to spend time ON your business, not just IN your business
- 49. being a business owner • This skill set is different from the technical skills that brought you success in the past • Do you feel like a fraud, a fake, a phony? Be confident enough to fake it with success. • Remember to spend time ON your business, not just IN your business • “I didn’t learn this in a book” Well, why not?!
- 50. being a business owner • This skill set is different from the technical skills that brought you success in the past • Do you feel like a fraud, a fake, a phony? Be confident enough to fake it with success. • Remember to spend time ON your business, not just IN your business • “I didn’t learn this in a book” Well, why not?! • Are you getting better at what you do day in and day out?
- 51. it’s NOT about code
- 54. healthy relationships are built on • Preference - of the other over self
- 55. healthy relationships are built on • Preference - of the other over self • Deference - humble submission and respect
- 56. healthy relationships are built on • Preference - of the other over self • Deference - humble submission and respect • Trust
- 57. healthy relationships are built on • Preference - of the other over self • Deference - humble submission and respect • Trust • Communication
- 58. healthy relationships are built on • Preference - of the other over self • Deference - humble submission and respect • Trust • Communication • Commitment
- 60. what freelancers value • Freedom
- 61. what freelancers value • Freedom • Making money
- 62. what freelancers value • Freedom • Making money • Our craft
- 63. what freelancers value • Freedom • Making money • Our craft • Architecture
- 64. what freelancers value • Freedom • Making money • Our craft • Architecture • Patterns
- 65. what freelancers value • Freedom • Making money • Our craft • Architecture • Patterns • Latest Tech
- 66. what freelancers value • Freedom • Making money • Our craft • Architecture • Patterns • Latest Tech • IDEs
- 67. what freelancers value • Freedom • Making money • Our craft • Architecture • Patterns • Latest Tech • IDEs • Tools
- 69. what clients value • Money
- 70. what clients value • Money • Brand
- 71. what clients value • Money • Brand • Services
- 72. what clients value • Money • Brand • Services • Product
- 73. what clients value • Money • Brand • Services • Product • Relationships
- 74. what clients value • Money • Brand • Services • Product • Relationships • Clients
- 75. what clients value • Money • Brand • Services • Product • Relationships • Clients • Vendors
- 76. what clients value • Money • Brand • Services • Product • Relationships • Clients • Vendors • Achieving Business Objectives
- 77. up your relationship game • Find out what is important to your client on your project • Go deeper than scope requirements and deliverables to motivations • Know the business objectives of your project • Look beyond the insane request to the reason behind it • What outcome are you hoping for by doing ABC? • Know not only the people you are working with but their roles and relationships to one another
- 78. up your relationship game • How can you help your client succeed at their business objectives? They may be completely unrelated to the project objectives.
- 80. Tuaca Mod Your Bod
- 81. Tuaca Mod Your Bod
- 82. Tuaca Mod Your Bod
- 83. Tuaca Mod Your Bod
- 84. Tuaca Mod Your Bod
- 85. Tuaca Mod Your Bod
- 86. Tuaca Mod Your Bod
- 87. money
- 88. the art of the estimate • 2 estimates to consider on every opportunity • The Client Estimate • Consider what they want from it, typically max value for min cost • What is at stake for the client • Your Estimate • What this project is worth to you and what it will cost you to deliver
- 89. what to estimate • Deliverables • User stories can work well • It needs to be meaningful to the client
- 90. you will be wrong
- 91. other considerations • Pricing should ALWAYS be accompanied by Scope • Easier to ask for more money up front than at the end • Estimate only what is known, not unknown • Set expectations for your change order process up front • Refer back to scope and requirements throughout the project. Keep them visible. • Phone calls are great; always follow up in writing.
- 92. making sense of baby
- 93. making sense of baby
- 94. making sense of baby
- 95. making sense of baby
- 96. how i estimate cost
- 97. how i estimate cost • Write user stories & break into tasks of less than 4 hrs
- 98. how i estimate cost • Write user stories & break into tasks of less than 4 hrs • Factor by level of difficulty ( 1-2 )
- 99. how i estimate cost • Write user stories & break into tasks of less than 4 hrs • Factor by level of difficulty ( 1-2 ) • Haven’t done before
- 100. how i estimate cost • Write user stories & break into tasks of less than 4 hrs • Factor by level of difficulty ( 1-2 ) • Haven’t done before • Just plain difficult
- 101. how i estimate cost • Write user stories & break into tasks of less than 4 hrs • Factor by level of difficulty ( 1-2 ) • Haven’t done before • Just plain difficult • More can and likely will go awry
- 102. how i estimate cost • Write user stories & break into tasks of less than 4 hrs • Factor by level of difficulty ( 1-2 ) • Haven’t done before • Just plain difficult • More can and likely will go awry • Include QA, Implementation, meetings, etc.
- 103. how i estimate cost • Write user stories & break into tasks of less than 4 hrs • Factor by level of difficulty ( 1-2 ) • Haven’t done before • Just plain difficult • More can and likely will go awry • Include QA, Implementation, meetings, etc. • Other similar projects from history
- 104. how i estimate cost • Write user stories & break into tasks of less than 4 hrs • Factor by level of difficulty ( 1-2 ) • Haven’t done before • Just plain difficult • More can and likely will go awry • Include QA, Implementation, meetings, etc. • Other similar projects from history • Talk to others that have done similar work
- 105. how i price
- 106. how i price • Find out what the project means to the client
- 107. how i price • Find out what the project means to the client • Find out the client budget
- 108. how i price • Find out what the project means to the client • Find out the client budget • Often budget drives scope
- 109. how i price • Find out what the project means to the client • Find out the client budget • Often budget drives scope • Find out the timeline
- 110. how i price • Find out what the project means to the client • Find out the client budget • Often budget drives scope • Find out the timeline • Timeline can drive scope and price
- 111. how i price • Find out what the project means to the client • Find out the client budget • Often budget drives scope • Find out the timeline • Timeline can drive scope and price • Know the value of your services to the client and negotiate an agreeable price
- 112. how to get paid
- 113. how to get paid • Negotiate and accept terms in writing before you start work
- 114. how to get paid • Negotiate and accept terms in writing before you start work • Ask for a portion up front
- 115. how to get paid • Negotiate and accept terms in writing before you start work • Ask for a portion up front • Or a pay schedule associated to deliverables
- 116. how to get paid • Negotiate and accept terms in writing before you start work • Ask for a portion up front • Or a pay schedule associated to deliverables • Deliver & Invoice
- 117. how to get paid • Negotiate and accept terms in writing before you start work • Ask for a portion up front • Or a pay schedule associated to deliverables • Deliver & Invoice • Follow up with a friendly reminder as soon as invoices come due
- 118. how to get paid • Negotiate and accept terms in writing before you start work • Ask for a portion up front • Or a pay schedule associated to deliverables • Deliver & Invoice • Follow up with a friendly reminder as soon as invoices come due • Relationship helps you get paid
- 119. characteristics of invaluable freelancers
- 121. • Passionate for our clients, for our craft, and for our portfolio
- 122. • Passionate for our clients, for our craft, and for our portfolio • Always growing and learning
- 123. • Passionate for our clients, for our craft, and for our portfolio • Always growing and learning • Communicates often and effectively
- 124. • Passionate for our clients, for our craft, and for our portfolio • Always growing and learning • Communicates often and effectively • Puts a premium on relationship
- 125. • Passionate for our clients, for our craft, and for our portfolio • Always growing and learning • Communicates often and effectively • Puts a premium on relationship • Brings value to clients, not just a service
- 126. • Passionate for our clients, for our craft, and for our portfolio • Always growing and learning • Communicates often and effectively • Puts a premium on relationship • Brings value to clients, not just a service • Finds ways to make clients better at what they do
- 127. • Passionate for our clients, for our craft, and for our portfolio • Always growing and learning • Communicates often and effectively • Puts a premium on relationship • Brings value to clients, not just a service • Finds ways to make clients better at what they do • Engage at a business level
- 128. • Passionate for our clients, for our craft, and for our portfolio • Always growing and learning • Communicates often and effectively • Puts a premium on relationship • Brings value to clients, not just a service • Finds ways to make clients better at what they do • Engage at a business level • Doesn’t complain openly about clients
- 129. • Passionate for our clients, for our craft, and for our portfolio • Always growing and learning • Communicates often and effectively • Puts a premium on relationship • Brings value to clients, not just a service • Finds ways to make clients better at what they do • Engage at a business level • Doesn’t complain openly about clients • Perceives opportunities to capture value or create it for the client
- 130. • Passionate for our clients, for our craft, and for our portfolio • Always growing and learning • Communicates often and effectively • Puts a premium on relationship • Brings value to clients, not just a service • Finds ways to make clients better at what they do • Engage at a business level • Doesn’t complain openly about clients • Perceives opportunities to capture value or create it for the client • Learns from clients
- 131. FDT Pure Giveaway