Sunday, March 21, 2010

Price Yourself Right and Freelancing

Following on from my last post about being a commodity, here is a nice article by marketing guru, Seth Godin, on why a freelancer should aim to be more than a commodity in the eyes of their clients.

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Price Yourself Right: Are you a commodity?

"There will never be another YOU. Be you!"

"You are unique", is the message of many self-help books BUT in the marketplace you are a tool, a solution, a product, call yourself what you will but rarely are you eligible to be paid for your uniqueness.

There will nearly always be another plumber, accountant, doctor or fitness trainer you can go to. She may not be your preferred supplier, Deirdre Dare To Be Different Dumbell, but that other person can still fix your problem.

How special are you really?

The only time you are not a commodity is when it is only you who can do what you do, and will be valued for that uniqueness. (Like in your role as a mother, brother, husband, daughter, friend etc).

Unless you wield the brand franchise power of J K Rowling, Miley Cyrus, Venus and Serena Williams, Hugh Grant (who according to the May 2003 issue of Vanity Fair commanded a $3 million fee for a ‘barely’ 20 minute speech to a conference meeting of thoracic surgeons) you are, in the marketplace of life, a solution-provider. You are in other words, a commodity... humbling, isn’t it?


©2010 Jane Francis is the author of Price Yourself Right: A guide to charging what you are worth (ISBN: 0-595-38601-6) available at Barnes and Noble (USA), WH Smith (UK) or online at amazon.com or amazon.co.uk

Tuesday, March 09, 2010

Price Yourself Right and desperation

What is the best advice you have received from a book?

I read a lot, and always have, but just the other day I was thinking about which books have actually changed my life?

One book in particular stood out. I read it when I was in my early twenties when I was working for a pharmaceutical company where I (along with the rest of the all female sales team) was being harassed by a male sales manager who offered to share expenses by sharing the same room. It was my first ‘real job’ and I got a company car (yeeha!) But I was vulnerable, I didn’t want to quit but I hated the impossible situation of going on away trips with that creep…. Anyway, back to the book: What they don’t teach you at Harvard Business School by Mark McCormack. The single most major piece of advice I took from that book was start saving some ‘Go Jump’ money so that you don’t need to worry about staying on in order to get a good reference and so you can quit any time you like.

In business and in life you never want to be desperate for the money. There have been many times in my life when I have been grateful for the ‘Go Jump’ advice.
Not many books inspire people to take action but this was one that did it for me. Of all the books you have read which ones introduced you to an idea that was so profound that it changed your life in some way?

Life changing books are a good investment, ne c’est pas?

If you wish to copy this article please include this acknowledgement: ©2010 Jane Francis is the author of Price Yourself Right: A guide to charging what you are worth (ISBN: 0-595-38601-6) available at Barnes and Noble (USA), WH Smith (UK) or online at amazon.com or amazon.co.uk