To start and build your own successful business you need special disciplines; disciplines that are practiced by all successful entrepreneurs and self-made business millionaires.
You can either learn and practice these disciplines early in your entrepreneurial career or you can learn and practice them later. Sooner or later you must become knowledgeable and skilled in each of these seven areas if you are going to build a successful enterprise. And the longer it takes you to master these seven areas, the longer it will take and the more it will cost, before you eventually achieve your financial and business goals.
You can get more insight into these special disciplines from Brian Tracy's new program, "How You Can Start Build, Manage or Turn Around Any Business."
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Saturday, March 21, 2009
The Best Way to Create a Secure Second Income
Like many people, you're probably worried about the current state
of the economy and how you're going to have enough money
to get through the rough period ahead.
Today, sudden expenses and bills that pop up unexpectedly
can make managing your finances even harder
Wouldn't it be great to have a little extra cash on hand each month
to cover these bills? Or a little extra money to put aside for the
special things you want? Well, there is a solution for both and it's to
create a second, "passive" income source. One that brings in
just enough money to take the edge off your money worries,
yet doesn't take away too much of your time from your
regular job and daily routine.
Today, more and more people are earning that extra cash with a
small Internet-based online business.
Now, I know what you're thinking. You've probably seen so many
of these Internet money-making schemes in your email box that you
think the only people making money are those selling
Internet courses!
Yes, they are making money. But so are thousands of others.
Ordinary people who have a particular passion for something –
whether it's a hobby, a sport, a collectible, or a favorite activity.
Believe it or not, thousands have turned their passion into a truly
profitable online business. One that brings in enough money on a
monthly basis to give them the breathing room they need in today's
tough economy.
Author and entrepreneur Nick Usborne is a good example. He's
built a thriving web business around his love for coffee, of all things.
His site offers helpful information on the best coffee makers, the
health benefits of coffee, coffee drink recipes and more. Believe it
or not, he's making a couple of thousand dollars a month just
from this one site.
Nick offers a free report on how he set up his site and how you
can do it, as well.
This probably isn't the first "how I made money online" report
you've seen. Maybe you've even checked out a few online
money-making courses but somehow haven't yet taken the plunge
into an Internet business. There are a number of people who offer
low-cost, easy-to-follow courses that can help you set up an
online business quickly.
Jim Edwards offers a way to set up "mini" money-making websites
without being a computer geek, or buying expensive software or
having to pay outrageous fees to a webmaster.
Alexandria Brown offers her Online Success Blueprint in a Box
that shows how any time-starved solo-preneur can use email and
the Internet to leverage their business and create extra income
on the side.
Bob Bly offers his Internet Marketing Retirement Plan, an easy
to way to generate extra money that also requires very little
work on your part to keep it going, once it's up and running.
These, together with Nick Usborne's approach, are all good first
steps into the world of having a money-making web business.
But here's the real secret:
It really doesn't matter which course you choose! Just pick one
and get started. Most people who start and run a successful online
business end up following the advice of many Internet marketers,
not just one. But you have to start somewhere, and taking the
first step is the most important one.
Having an Internet business is NOT an overnight, get rich quick
scheme. It does take time. And you have to make a habit of tending
to your Internet business like a garden – whether it's writing web
pages, sending emails to your customer list, writing blog entries or
articles – on an ongoing basis to make it work. But you can do as
little as one hour of work each day and make huge progress towards
creating a solid, steady second income. One that you can count on to
make life easier and more enjoyable even in these tough times.
of the economy and how you're going to have enough money
to get through the rough period ahead.
Today, sudden expenses and bills that pop up unexpectedly
can make managing your finances even harder
Wouldn't it be great to have a little extra cash on hand each month
to cover these bills? Or a little extra money to put aside for the
special things you want? Well, there is a solution for both and it's to
create a second, "passive" income source. One that brings in
just enough money to take the edge off your money worries,
yet doesn't take away too much of your time from your
regular job and daily routine.
Today, more and more people are earning that extra cash with a
small Internet-based online business.
Now, I know what you're thinking. You've probably seen so many
of these Internet money-making schemes in your email box that you
think the only people making money are those selling
Internet courses!
Yes, they are making money. But so are thousands of others.
Ordinary people who have a particular passion for something –
whether it's a hobby, a sport, a collectible, or a favorite activity.
Believe it or not, thousands have turned their passion into a truly
profitable online business. One that brings in enough money on a
monthly basis to give them the breathing room they need in today's
tough economy.
Author and entrepreneur Nick Usborne is a good example. He's
built a thriving web business around his love for coffee, of all things.
His site offers helpful information on the best coffee makers, the
health benefits of coffee, coffee drink recipes and more. Believe it
or not, he's making a couple of thousand dollars a month just
from this one site.
Nick offers a free report on how he set up his site and how you
can do it, as well.
This probably isn't the first "how I made money online" report
you've seen. Maybe you've even checked out a few online
money-making courses but somehow haven't yet taken the plunge
into an Internet business. There are a number of people who offer
low-cost, easy-to-follow courses that can help you set up an
online business quickly.
Jim Edwards offers a way to set up "mini" money-making websites
without being a computer geek, or buying expensive software or
having to pay outrageous fees to a webmaster.
Alexandria Brown offers her Online Success Blueprint in a Box
that shows how any time-starved solo-preneur can use email and
the Internet to leverage their business and create extra income
on the side.
Bob Bly offers his Internet Marketing Retirement Plan, an easy
to way to generate extra money that also requires very little
work on your part to keep it going, once it's up and running.
These, together with Nick Usborne's approach, are all good first
steps into the world of having a money-making web business.
But here's the real secret:
It really doesn't matter which course you choose! Just pick one
and get started. Most people who start and run a successful online
business end up following the advice of many Internet marketers,
not just one. But you have to start somewhere, and taking the
first step is the most important one.
Having an Internet business is NOT an overnight, get rich quick
scheme. It does take time. And you have to make a habit of tending
to your Internet business like a garden – whether it's writing web
pages, sending emails to your customer list, writing blog entries or
articles – on an ongoing basis to make it work. But you can do as
little as one hour of work each day and make huge progress towards
creating a solid, steady second income. One that you can count on to
make life easier and more enjoyable even in these tough times.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
A Glimmer of Hope
I don't have to tell you that things are tough right now. You hear about it every day in the newspapers, on TV, and in talking with your friends.
What we don't get enough of is some good news. News that this mess will in fact pass, and that we will survive and thrive again.
And that's why I'm writing to you today. First, to mention that there are already some hopeful signs on the horizon. Banks are beginning to have more cash on hand and be able to lend (at least here in Canada). Housing starts jumped upwards in the U.S. last month, the first increase in over a year.
But what I really want to mention is how you can get through this economic crisis … make more money … and most importantly, never feel as worried or exposed financially, again.
The best way to do that is to never have to rely on just one income source. Today, more than ever, it makes sense to "diversify" your family's income.
That means having several sources of income, some big, some small. And not just a salary (or two salaries). Whether it's a small business on the side … a self-employed spouse who has multiple clients … or even a part-time job that brings in a little extra cash if you're retired (and keeps you active!) … today, you've got to "Outsource Yourself."
That's why I'm pleased to tell you that I have re-launched my website, Outsourcing-Yourself.com and totally revised my book about earning extra income. The new version has several important new chapters, including:
-Why you need to "Recession-Proof" your income and the best way to do it
-How to start your own business even if you don't have any "business" skills or anything to sell
-The best way to earn extra income if you're retired or semi-retired
-The top part-time jobs for retirees and your possible earnings
-How to break through the billable hours ceiling if you're a freelancer or consultant
-Why an internet business MUST be part of your multiple income streams. Plus, the best Internet business models to follow
-The secret to getting cash in the door in a jiffy
-And much, much more
I mention this because in the weeks and months ahead, I hope to bring you more good news instead of gloomy predictions. And more ways to pull yourself out of this economic tailspin and enjoy the kind of life you dream about.
I hope you'll join me for this journey back to prosperity.
Best regards,
Barnaby Kalan
What we don't get enough of is some good news. News that this mess will in fact pass, and that we will survive and thrive again.
And that's why I'm writing to you today. First, to mention that there are already some hopeful signs on the horizon. Banks are beginning to have more cash on hand and be able to lend (at least here in Canada). Housing starts jumped upwards in the U.S. last month, the first increase in over a year.
But what I really want to mention is how you can get through this economic crisis … make more money … and most importantly, never feel as worried or exposed financially, again.
The best way to do that is to never have to rely on just one income source. Today, more than ever, it makes sense to "diversify" your family's income.
That means having several sources of income, some big, some small. And not just a salary (or two salaries). Whether it's a small business on the side … a self-employed spouse who has multiple clients … or even a part-time job that brings in a little extra cash if you're retired (and keeps you active!) … today, you've got to "Outsource Yourself."
That's why I'm pleased to tell you that I have re-launched my website, Outsourcing-Yourself.com and totally revised my book about earning extra income. The new version has several important new chapters, including:
-Why you need to "Recession-Proof" your income and the best way to do it
-How to start your own business even if you don't have any "business" skills or anything to sell
-The best way to earn extra income if you're retired or semi-retired
-The top part-time jobs for retirees and your possible earnings
-How to break through the billable hours ceiling if you're a freelancer or consultant
-Why an internet business MUST be part of your multiple income streams. Plus, the best Internet business models to follow
-The secret to getting cash in the door in a jiffy
-And much, much more
I mention this because in the weeks and months ahead, I hope to bring you more good news instead of gloomy predictions. And more ways to pull yourself out of this economic tailspin and enjoy the kind of life you dream about.
I hope you'll join me for this journey back to prosperity.
Best regards,
Barnaby Kalan
Wednesday, October 05, 2005
Can your book help an IT consultant?
Hi Barnaby,
Thanks for your emails over the past few months and for your keen support ofself-employed consultancy. I would like to get your e-book but have a couple of questions for you.
I was originally an IT contractor here in the UK with Project Management of a large infrastructure setup being my last major role. The company went belly-up and my contract ended. This was back in 2002 and the IT market was dire so a colleague of mine and I set up an IT consultancy for small/home based businesses.
Over the years it's done OK but nothing marvelous as whilst we have done some nice consulting/project work for clients, a lot hasbeen fixing 'silly' problems and ordering items like network adapters and so on which results in very little profit and doesn't really feel like a consultancy. In this regard, we've been charging by the hour for work we do which to me smacks of being a 'virtual employee/contractor' without the benefit of continual hours being accrued?
I decided to leave the partnership in June this year because of my frustration described above and 'operational differences' with my partner and am desperately trying to get back into the normal job-world so as to stabilize cash-flow and give me a little breathing space to clear my head for a while.
I am however conscious that that move may well not be 'secure' so to speak and need to bear in mind that a successful home-based business might still have to be considered; (in fact I used to like the idea of being home-based but have found the admin, lack of contact, et al a real headache to deal with!) My questions therefore are:
1. Does your book address some of the issues I've described here; particularly, is an IT consultant something that you believe can be operated in the fashion your book is suggesting, (without becoming a low-key support person)?
2. I may well not find full-time work in a hurry so may have to retry the 'business' my way, would your book help and would you in fact recommend trying to do so?
3. Does the book cover areas of confidence and sales? The experiences over the last few years have given my confidence a bit of a knock and I've never really been a sales-y person which makes it hard to promote one's own business. (With the job-hunting however, my confidence is improving).
Dear S______,
Yes. It offers advice for going out on your own in a safe, secure way, with an "anchor" client and contract. Plus ways to promote yourself and get your first clients and projects.
My advice to you would be to definitely stay away from small businesses. They're great people... but cannot pay the type of fees that will give you a steady six-figure income. You need clients at medium-sized and particularly large companies. A good contact at a big company can lead to multiple projects during the year, plus great referrals to other people in his/her company who can use your services as well. The danger lies in becoming too concentrated in just one big company, which my book discusses. You become a de facto employee again, at great risk of losing everything.
If you have a solid skill set, and if you know there's a demand for the problems that your skills can solve, then the task becomes identifying people in large organizations who are involved with these types of issues.
Activities such as personal networking at association events, speaking, giving a workshop for managers (at medium to large companies), are good avenues for finding these types of clients.
My book focuses particularly on sales and marketing your services -- through easy, low-cost way such as simple sales letters, emails, referrals, etc.
As my book points out, you only need one anchor client to get started down a path that will ultimately give you far more job security (and income) than you could achieve as an employee.
If you're anxious about the future, I would recommend pursuing both directions at the same time (50% of your time devoted to each -- getting a full-time position as an employee, versus landing one solid client as a consultant).
Even if you land a full-time position, you should spend the next year thinking of how you can parlay the contacts you make in this job into a consultancy in the future. Sometimes being part of a large organization is a great launching pad.
Thanks for your emails over the past few months and for your keen support ofself-employed consultancy. I would like to get your e-book but have a couple of questions for you.
I was originally an IT contractor here in the UK with Project Management of a large infrastructure setup being my last major role. The company went belly-up and my contract ended. This was back in 2002 and the IT market was dire so a colleague of mine and I set up an IT consultancy for small/home based businesses.
Over the years it's done OK but nothing marvelous as whilst we have done some nice consulting/project work for clients, a lot hasbeen fixing 'silly' problems and ordering items like network adapters and so on which results in very little profit and doesn't really feel like a consultancy. In this regard, we've been charging by the hour for work we do which to me smacks of being a 'virtual employee/contractor' without the benefit of continual hours being accrued?
I decided to leave the partnership in June this year because of my frustration described above and 'operational differences' with my partner and am desperately trying to get back into the normal job-world so as to stabilize cash-flow and give me a little breathing space to clear my head for a while.
I am however conscious that that move may well not be 'secure' so to speak and need to bear in mind that a successful home-based business might still have to be considered; (in fact I used to like the idea of being home-based but have found the admin, lack of contact, et al a real headache to deal with!) My questions therefore are:
1. Does your book address some of the issues I've described here; particularly, is an IT consultant something that you believe can be operated in the fashion your book is suggesting, (without becoming a low-key support person)?
2. I may well not find full-time work in a hurry so may have to retry the 'business' my way, would your book help and would you in fact recommend trying to do so?
3. Does the book cover areas of confidence and sales? The experiences over the last few years have given my confidence a bit of a knock and I've never really been a sales-y person which makes it hard to promote one's own business. (With the job-hunting however, my confidence is improving).
Dear S______,
Yes. It offers advice for going out on your own in a safe, secure way, with an "anchor" client and contract. Plus ways to promote yourself and get your first clients and projects.
My advice to you would be to definitely stay away from small businesses. They're great people... but cannot pay the type of fees that will give you a steady six-figure income. You need clients at medium-sized and particularly large companies. A good contact at a big company can lead to multiple projects during the year, plus great referrals to other people in his/her company who can use your services as well. The danger lies in becoming too concentrated in just one big company, which my book discusses. You become a de facto employee again, at great risk of losing everything.
If you have a solid skill set, and if you know there's a demand for the problems that your skills can solve, then the task becomes identifying people in large organizations who are involved with these types of issues.
Activities such as personal networking at association events, speaking, giving a workshop for managers (at medium to large companies), are good avenues for finding these types of clients.
My book focuses particularly on sales and marketing your services -- through easy, low-cost way such as simple sales letters, emails, referrals, etc.
As my book points out, you only need one anchor client to get started down a path that will ultimately give you far more job security (and income) than you could achieve as an employee.
If you're anxious about the future, I would recommend pursuing both directions at the same time (50% of your time devoted to each -- getting a full-time position as an employee, versus landing one solid client as a consultant).
Even if you land a full-time position, you should spend the next year thinking of how you can parlay the contacts you make in this job into a consultancy in the future. Sometimes being part of a large organization is a great launching pad.
Tuesday, August 02, 2005
How much should I charge?
Hi,
I am not sure what I should charge, I hope I could get some guidelines from you but am still not sure. I don’t want to price myself out of the market but at the same time, do not want to under price myself and have the company take advantage 8 the reason I left in the first place).
Dear _____,
First of all, thank you for ordering the book. I appreciate it, and yes, would like to help you in any way I can.
The best answer for how much to charge is on page 35 of the book. In other words, think how much you want to earn each year and work backwards.
There's a simple formula for calculating your hourly rate. For example:
CALCULATING YOUR
HOURLY RATE
Target annual salary:
$100,000
48 work weeks per year
(4 weeks of vacation)
25 billable hours/week
(5 billable hours per 8-
hour workday)
48 weeks x 25 hours =
1200 billable hours per
year
$100,000 ÷ 1200 =
$83/hour rate
The key thing to remember is that you are not going to work every week of the year (especially living in beautiful Switzerland). And you are not going to be able to "bill" every hour of every day. There's what I call "slippage". Time spent on phone calls with clients or prospects. Chores you must do, such as billing, routine paperwork, etc.
You'll be working very efficiently if you can bill for 60-75 percent of your time.
Once you have your target hourly billing rate, you simply estimate the cost of projects for clients by how many hours you think it will take you to complete them. Don't forget to "pad" each project with an extra 2-3 hours to account for unexpected changes, etc.
Here's another reason I recommend picking a target annual income and using this formula to set your hourly rate. You want to earn an income that makes YOU happy and gives you the freedom to live the life you want. Otherwise, what's the point of taking on the risk and uncertainties of being on your own?
Here's one more tip: If you're just getting started or re-establishing yourself in the marketplace after an absence of time, you might want to start with a more modest hourly rate, build up your clientele, and see what kinds of projects you're getting. Then, after a year or so and assuming business is solid, you can gradually inch up your hourly rate by $5 or $10 per hour to add significantly to your income without losing clients. It's a subtle change for them but a big jump for you. As one expert puts it -- you give yourself a raise.
I hope this helps and please feel free to email me with any other questions as time goes on.
Oh, and one more thing. If you haven't already signed up for my free ezine, please do so at www.outsourcing-yourself.com You'll get a few more bonus articles plus ongoing tips and great resources for building your busines.
All the best for success,
Barnaby Kalan
www.outsourcing-yourself.com
I am not sure what I should charge, I hope I could get some guidelines from you but am still not sure. I don’t want to price myself out of the market but at the same time, do not want to under price myself and have the company take advantage 8 the reason I left in the first place).
Dear _____,
First of all, thank you for ordering the book. I appreciate it, and yes, would like to help you in any way I can.
The best answer for how much to charge is on page 35 of the book. In other words, think how much you want to earn each year and work backwards.
There's a simple formula for calculating your hourly rate. For example:
CALCULATING YOUR
HOURLY RATE
Target annual salary:
$100,000
48 work weeks per year
(4 weeks of vacation)
25 billable hours/week
(5 billable hours per 8-
hour workday)
48 weeks x 25 hours =
1200 billable hours per
year
$100,000 ÷ 1200 =
$83/hour rate
The key thing to remember is that you are not going to work every week of the year (especially living in beautiful Switzerland). And you are not going to be able to "bill" every hour of every day. There's what I call "slippage". Time spent on phone calls with clients or prospects. Chores you must do, such as billing, routine paperwork, etc.
You'll be working very efficiently if you can bill for 60-75 percent of your time.
Once you have your target hourly billing rate, you simply estimate the cost of projects for clients by how many hours you think it will take you to complete them. Don't forget to "pad" each project with an extra 2-3 hours to account for unexpected changes, etc.
Here's another reason I recommend picking a target annual income and using this formula to set your hourly rate. You want to earn an income that makes YOU happy and gives you the freedom to live the life you want. Otherwise, what's the point of taking on the risk and uncertainties of being on your own?
Here's one more tip: If you're just getting started or re-establishing yourself in the marketplace after an absence of time, you might want to start with a more modest hourly rate, build up your clientele, and see what kinds of projects you're getting. Then, after a year or so and assuming business is solid, you can gradually inch up your hourly rate by $5 or $10 per hour to add significantly to your income without losing clients. It's a subtle change for them but a big jump for you. As one expert puts it -- you give yourself a raise.
I hope this helps and please feel free to email me with any other questions as time goes on.
Oh, and one more thing. If you haven't already signed up for my free ezine, please do so at www.outsourcing-yourself.com You'll get a few more bonus articles plus ongoing tips and great resources for building your busines.
All the best for success,
Barnaby Kalan
www.outsourcing-yourself.com
Thursday, June 30, 2005
Proofreading for Profits
Hi,
Can you give me some advice about how to get work as a freelance Proofreader without any previous experience?
Dear ____,
Thank you for your email and great question. Proofreading can be a great way to earn extra money as a freelancer. Especially if you are already working as a freelance writer or designer or simply want to work from home.
I use a freelance proofreader who charges between $30/hr. (for regular jobs) and $40/hr. (for rush jobs that require evening or weekend work), with a minimum charge of one hour. Other proofreaders charge by the page.
I’ve been working with her for years, and have recommended her to many clients, yet have never actually met her! We just fax or, more recently, e-mail a copy deck or PDF of the final designed piece to her and she sends us a marked-up version.
It doesn’t matter how many people look at a piece at my client’s organization or even if people who have never seen the copy take a look at it. This proofreader ALWAYS finds typos, omissions, facts to check and more. She may suggest grammatical changes, which we can follow or not, depending on how we want the copy to sound.
Now for your question – how to get started as a professional freelance proofreader.
STEP 1. First you’ll have to educate yourself about proofreading techniques. Proofreading is a lot more than just reading carefully. As you know, there are special “proofreader’s marks” which you will use to show mistakes and changes. And there are a number of special techniques to use. One is reading a document “backwards” after you’ve read it through the first time. At the very least, you’ll want to:
- Make sure the document has been spellchecked.
- Read the document aloud to check for complete sentences and flow of thoughts. - This also helps you find missing words.
- Make sure ideas are organized and in a logical order.
- Check that every sentence begins with a capital letter and ends with the correct punctuation mark.
- Check that periods and commas are used correctly
- Apostrophes are used correctly for contractions.
- Quotations are punctuated correctly.
- That names of people and places have been capitalized.
- Each word in a title should be capitalized, except for: and, but, or, a, an, the, and prepositions that are less than five letters long (from, to, in, out, on, over, etc.).
- The first word of a title is always capitalized.
- Make sure the use of common homonyms (there, their, they're; to, too, two, your, you're) is correct.
- Check the accuracy of numbers used in newsletter articles.
- Numbers one through ten should be are spelled with letters. Numbers over ten are written as numbers unless they begin a sentence.
- Accurate abbreviations and acronyms.
- Book titles are italicized.
- Quotations are in quotation marks or italicized.
- You may want to eliminate the use of jargon and clichés.
You should probably do a google search on “proofreading courses” and invest in one course to learn the techniques from a professionally-accredited organization. Ideally, this should be a “distance learning” course that you can complete at home, via the Internet, at your own pace. It would also be good if it gave you some sort of certificate or designation, upon completion of the course. Here are a few resources you might want to check out:
Basic proofreading by distance learning:
http://www.train4publishing.co.uk/content/distance/basproof.htm
Writing trainers
http://www.writingtrainers.com/center/proof.htm
Many of the leading courses seem to be in Great Britain, which is not surprising, given the love of the English language and the popularity of shows and books on grammar in the U.K.
STEP 2. Once you’re trained and qualified as a professional proofreader, you’ll want to check out your competition. Do not be discouraged to learn that it’s a crowded field. Yes, you’ll have to compete for business. But the fact that there are many proofreaders also shows the ongoing demand for this service.
Check out how much they’re charging, how they promote themselves, what kind of clients they list, how they work, turnaround times, etc. You might as well model a successful proofreading business to get started. Here are a few websites to check out:
http://www.perfect-proofreading.com/
http://www.papercheck.com/
http://www.assistant-for-hire.com
STEP 3. Create your own simple professional proofreading website. Today you can create a simple website for $50 a year. For this tiny investment, you can have an instant business with a very professional appearance to anyone who’s thinking of using your services.
STEP 4. Promote your services. You’ll want to write up a bit of background copy that answers these important questions:
“Why should we use a professional proofreader?” Many people think they can just pass a document to “a fresh set of eyes” and catch mistakes. But, as you now know, a professional proofreader will always uncover more than an amateur.
“What could happen if we don’t use a proofreader?” One of the biggest challenges is convincing people they should really take the time and spend the money to do it right. But the horror stories of people who failed to proofread should help convince them otherwise.
I know of one case where the word “savvy” was misspelled “saavy” and an entire seminar mailing had to be reprinted at a cost of more than $10,000. In another case, the toll-free phone number for a direct mail promotion wasn’t checked. The mailing went out and all the calls went to a wrong number. The entire campaign – tens of thousands of dollars – was completely wasted, simply because of a proofreading oversight.
I’m sure your friends, colleagues and clients have their own horror stories that they can share with you to really help build your case for professional proofreading.
“What makes you so good?” The answer to this, of course, is your special training, certification, your reference materials, and, as time goes by, your experience for a wide variety of clients.
Finally, you will want to hand out or email your background document to prospective clients. This information will also form the basic content for your website. You’ll build on it over time, with articles, client lists, testimonials, etc.
And you’ll start promoting your business through your email signature, writing and posting articles online, emails and mailings to businesses in your area, pay-per-click advertising and more.
Best of all, you can often do this work part-time, nights and weekends, until you build up a clientele. Or full-time from home, with great flexibility. It’s a good way to earn extra income.
Regards,
Barnaby Kalan
www.outsourcing-yourself.com
Can you give me some advice about how to get work as a freelance Proofreader without any previous experience?
Dear ____,
Thank you for your email and great question. Proofreading can be a great way to earn extra money as a freelancer. Especially if you are already working as a freelance writer or designer or simply want to work from home.
I use a freelance proofreader who charges between $30/hr. (for regular jobs) and $40/hr. (for rush jobs that require evening or weekend work), with a minimum charge of one hour. Other proofreaders charge by the page.
I’ve been working with her for years, and have recommended her to many clients, yet have never actually met her! We just fax or, more recently, e-mail a copy deck or PDF of the final designed piece to her and she sends us a marked-up version.
It doesn’t matter how many people look at a piece at my client’s organization or even if people who have never seen the copy take a look at it. This proofreader ALWAYS finds typos, omissions, facts to check and more. She may suggest grammatical changes, which we can follow or not, depending on how we want the copy to sound.
Now for your question – how to get started as a professional freelance proofreader.
STEP 1. First you’ll have to educate yourself about proofreading techniques. Proofreading is a lot more than just reading carefully. As you know, there are special “proofreader’s marks” which you will use to show mistakes and changes. And there are a number of special techniques to use. One is reading a document “backwards” after you’ve read it through the first time. At the very least, you’ll want to:
- Make sure the document has been spellchecked.
- Read the document aloud to check for complete sentences and flow of thoughts. - This also helps you find missing words.
- Make sure ideas are organized and in a logical order.
- Check that every sentence begins with a capital letter and ends with the correct punctuation mark.
- Check that periods and commas are used correctly
- Apostrophes are used correctly for contractions.
- Quotations are punctuated correctly.
- That names of people and places have been capitalized.
- Each word in a title should be capitalized, except for: and, but, or, a, an, the, and prepositions that are less than five letters long (from, to, in, out, on, over, etc.).
- The first word of a title is always capitalized.
- Make sure the use of common homonyms (there, their, they're; to, too, two, your, you're) is correct.
- Check the accuracy of numbers used in newsletter articles.
- Numbers one through ten should be are spelled with letters. Numbers over ten are written as numbers unless they begin a sentence.
- Accurate abbreviations and acronyms.
- Book titles are italicized.
- Quotations are in quotation marks or italicized.
- You may want to eliminate the use of jargon and clichés.
You should probably do a google search on “proofreading courses” and invest in one course to learn the techniques from a professionally-accredited organization. Ideally, this should be a “distance learning” course that you can complete at home, via the Internet, at your own pace. It would also be good if it gave you some sort of certificate or designation, upon completion of the course. Here are a few resources you might want to check out:
Basic proofreading by distance learning:
http://www.train4publishing.co.uk/content/distance/basproof.htm
Writing trainers
http://www.writingtrainers.com/center/proof.htm
Many of the leading courses seem to be in Great Britain, which is not surprising, given the love of the English language and the popularity of shows and books on grammar in the U.K.
STEP 2. Once you’re trained and qualified as a professional proofreader, you’ll want to check out your competition. Do not be discouraged to learn that it’s a crowded field. Yes, you’ll have to compete for business. But the fact that there are many proofreaders also shows the ongoing demand for this service.
Check out how much they’re charging, how they promote themselves, what kind of clients they list, how they work, turnaround times, etc. You might as well model a successful proofreading business to get started. Here are a few websites to check out:
http://www.perfect-proofreading.com/
http://www.papercheck.com/
http://www.assistant-for-hire.com
STEP 3. Create your own simple professional proofreading website. Today you can create a simple website for $50 a year. For this tiny investment, you can have an instant business with a very professional appearance to anyone who’s thinking of using your services.
STEP 4. Promote your services. You’ll want to write up a bit of background copy that answers these important questions:
“Why should we use a professional proofreader?” Many people think they can just pass a document to “a fresh set of eyes” and catch mistakes. But, as you now know, a professional proofreader will always uncover more than an amateur.
“What could happen if we don’t use a proofreader?” One of the biggest challenges is convincing people they should really take the time and spend the money to do it right. But the horror stories of people who failed to proofread should help convince them otherwise.
I know of one case where the word “savvy” was misspelled “saavy” and an entire seminar mailing had to be reprinted at a cost of more than $10,000. In another case, the toll-free phone number for a direct mail promotion wasn’t checked. The mailing went out and all the calls went to a wrong number. The entire campaign – tens of thousands of dollars – was completely wasted, simply because of a proofreading oversight.
I’m sure your friends, colleagues and clients have their own horror stories that they can share with you to really help build your case for professional proofreading.
“What makes you so good?” The answer to this, of course, is your special training, certification, your reference materials, and, as time goes by, your experience for a wide variety of clients.
Finally, you will want to hand out or email your background document to prospective clients. This information will also form the basic content for your website. You’ll build on it over time, with articles, client lists, testimonials, etc.
And you’ll start promoting your business through your email signature, writing and posting articles online, emails and mailings to businesses in your area, pay-per-click advertising and more.
Best of all, you can often do this work part-time, nights and weekends, until you build up a clientele. Or full-time from home, with great flexibility. It’s a good way to earn extra income.
Regards,
Barnaby Kalan
www.outsourcing-yourself.com
Sunday, May 22, 2005
Becoming a Website Designer, Part II
Hi,
I just posted a more detailed article answering a previous question from a subscriber about a fast, easy and low-cost way to become a website designer.
The ability to create simple, attractive and functional web pages is a highly marketable skill. There is a huge and growing demand for websites and web content, especially for smaller organizations who often can’t afford to hire a full-service web design firm.
For details, check out: http://www.outsourcing-yourself.com/becomingawebsitedesigner.htm
All the best,
Barnaby Kalan
www.outsourcing-yourself.com
I just posted a more detailed article answering a previous question from a subscriber about a fast, easy and low-cost way to become a website designer.
The ability to create simple, attractive and functional web pages is a highly marketable skill. There is a huge and growing demand for websites and web content, especially for smaller organizations who often can’t afford to hire a full-service web design firm.
For details, check out: http://www.outsourcing-yourself.com/becomingawebsitedesigner.htm
All the best,
Barnaby Kalan
www.outsourcing-yourself.com
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