Dan Furman
09-06-2008, 03:12 PM
There has been a definite shift in my business demeanor over the past two to three years - I have gotten a little more selfish with my time, and a little more stern with my scheduling. Maybe it's that I finally feel I am doing well, and (somewhat) confident enough that it won't all go away... here, let me explain it a little better:
Recently, a large corporate web development company started talking to me about copywriting. Basically, an online friend of mine worked for them, and pointed them in my direction.
They come to me three to four weeks ago, and briefly discuss a large project. They want to check my credentials, references, etc - I'm a little put off, because I don't like auditioning (I wasn't chasing them - they were chasing me), and I feel my website / book / DnB/BBB rating speak for themselves in regards to credentials. But whatever, it's no biggie - I send them stuff.
2 weeks go by, and I figure they didn't like me (I was definitely a little "didn't you even look at my website?" while we were on the phone.) No loss... but then I get a call from them - they DO like me, and want to move ahead on this project. Great, I say - send me some details, and I'll send a proposal / deposit requirements. They agree...
Another week goes by, and I finally get some details. The stress a deadline of the end of Oct... kinda short for a large project, especially since I'm fully booked for Sept already, plus have a large ongoing project, plus have a book to finish (it's in the editing stage, but I'm sure I'll have some touchup work.) My Sept schedule has filled in the last three weeks - if they were so concerned about this deadline, why not, oh I dunno, GET MOVING THREE WEEKS AGO???
So I send them my proposal Wednesday - I figure I can do this project starting the first week of Oct, and can finish by the end IF THEY GET ON MY SCHEDULE RIGHT NOW (that means a deposit - nobody gets on my schedule without one.) Like I said, I send this out on Wednesday, and tell them explicitly in the e-mail "I will hold the time on the proposal until the end of business Friday. If you are not on my schedule by then, I have to start filling it with others.")
Sure enough, I hear nothing. So Friday evening, I send proposals to two other potential clients who also want work done - I'll likely start filling October in the next few days.
Now, here's what's going to happen - I'll fill the first half of October by Tuesday / Wed, and this corporate web developer is going to get back to me after that and insist on the end of October deadline they wanted all along. The "Old Dan" would have somehow shoehorned it in, and then stressed over my impossibly busy October. I would have been miserable, because turning down paying clients was something the Old Dan would never do.
The New Dan??? He says "Sorry... you guys need to be more nimble". And the New Dan then explains he has also scheduled a week off in the beginning of November, and then there are holidays, December is a short month, etc (I also always shut down from about 12/23 to about 1/3) ... bottom line: I can get your project done by year's end if you get on my schedule now.
Really, I'll let the big project walk before I stress myself out by over-booking. I simply don't need it - it's a confidence shift, really - I have come to realize/truly believe that I am good at what I do, and business will be there for me without my overbooking and getting all stressed out.
Here's the really funny part - business has actually gotten BETTER with this demeanor. I've created a sense of urgency (Want me? Get in line.)
I like the New Dan a lot :)
I'm posting this here because what I used to do is common to entrepreneurs - they can't turn away the paying client, and will even overbook their time to where they aren't enjoying themselves anymore. Basically, I found out it's ok to stop doing that.
Recently, a large corporate web development company started talking to me about copywriting. Basically, an online friend of mine worked for them, and pointed them in my direction.
They come to me three to four weeks ago, and briefly discuss a large project. They want to check my credentials, references, etc - I'm a little put off, because I don't like auditioning (I wasn't chasing them - they were chasing me), and I feel my website / book / DnB/BBB rating speak for themselves in regards to credentials. But whatever, it's no biggie - I send them stuff.
2 weeks go by, and I figure they didn't like me (I was definitely a little "didn't you even look at my website?" while we were on the phone.) No loss... but then I get a call from them - they DO like me, and want to move ahead on this project. Great, I say - send me some details, and I'll send a proposal / deposit requirements. They agree...
Another week goes by, and I finally get some details. The stress a deadline of the end of Oct... kinda short for a large project, especially since I'm fully booked for Sept already, plus have a large ongoing project, plus have a book to finish (it's in the editing stage, but I'm sure I'll have some touchup work.) My Sept schedule has filled in the last three weeks - if they were so concerned about this deadline, why not, oh I dunno, GET MOVING THREE WEEKS AGO???
So I send them my proposal Wednesday - I figure I can do this project starting the first week of Oct, and can finish by the end IF THEY GET ON MY SCHEDULE RIGHT NOW (that means a deposit - nobody gets on my schedule without one.) Like I said, I send this out on Wednesday, and tell them explicitly in the e-mail "I will hold the time on the proposal until the end of business Friday. If you are not on my schedule by then, I have to start filling it with others.")
Sure enough, I hear nothing. So Friday evening, I send proposals to two other potential clients who also want work done - I'll likely start filling October in the next few days.
Now, here's what's going to happen - I'll fill the first half of October by Tuesday / Wed, and this corporate web developer is going to get back to me after that and insist on the end of October deadline they wanted all along. The "Old Dan" would have somehow shoehorned it in, and then stressed over my impossibly busy October. I would have been miserable, because turning down paying clients was something the Old Dan would never do.
The New Dan??? He says "Sorry... you guys need to be more nimble". And the New Dan then explains he has also scheduled a week off in the beginning of November, and then there are holidays, December is a short month, etc (I also always shut down from about 12/23 to about 1/3) ... bottom line: I can get your project done by year's end if you get on my schedule now.
Really, I'll let the big project walk before I stress myself out by over-booking. I simply don't need it - it's a confidence shift, really - I have come to realize/truly believe that I am good at what I do, and business will be there for me without my overbooking and getting all stressed out.
Here's the really funny part - business has actually gotten BETTER with this demeanor. I've created a sense of urgency (Want me? Get in line.)
I like the New Dan a lot :)
I'm posting this here because what I used to do is common to entrepreneurs - they can't turn away the paying client, and will even overbook their time to where they aren't enjoying themselves anymore. Basically, I found out it's ok to stop doing that.