Joanne the Coach

Freelance TV Work: Surviving and Thriving

A few years ago, there was a fairly vocal campaign to improve the lot of TV freelancers.  It seems to have gone quiet now, though from coaching TV people I don't get the impression that life is always rosy.

If you are a freelance TV worker (or are thinking of becoming one), you'll know that career support can be somewhat thin on the ground.  So have a look at this Freelance Survival Kit, which pulls together a range of resources to help you get started.

Other websites offering good pruck for TV freelancers include:

• Skillset
• BBC Training's free, downloadable  online courses
• The PACT directory, which will tell you who's doing what
• And the TV Controller Blog (yes it's back) will tell you who's doing who

Negotiating Rates: The Complete (ish) Guide

There was a really useful article on negotiating fees from Cath Janes in Press Gazette this week.  I find that the biggest mistake freelancers make is not to mention fees at all.  Why is that?  It's not exactly vulgar to expect to be paid a decent rate for the work you do.

The notes below are from the workshops I ran last year on Negotiating Rates.  I've posted a few of the main points before, but this is the full schamolie. Be warned, the last bit involves you writing stuff down.  That's right, on a page with a writing implement.  A very last century concept, I know, but believe me, it does make a difference.  Sometimes using your hands is the best way to get your brain moving in a new direction.

Hope you find them useful:

Negotiating Rates for Freelancers Notes

Why do so many freelancers find negotiating rates so hard?

Money’s an awkward subject for many people.  Part of the problem is that we tend to personalise money issues too much.  If you’re freelance it’s particularly easy to fall into the trap of measuring your own sense of self worth and self esteem by what you’re getting paid.  If you get a well paying job you feel great, if you’re having a dry patch then it’s easy to let your self esteem plummet. 

A recent survey of levels of happiness at work found that some of the people in higher paying jobs – the managers, lawyers and bankers - were the least happy, whereas those in the less well paid jobs said that they felt much more fulfilled. 

So having a higher salary doesn’t necessarily make you a happier worker.  But as a freelancer, depending on how you work, your income can be unpredictable – it’s easy to get into that feast or famine cycle, when you either have too much work or not enough.  And if that’s how you’re living and working, you have to be a fairly strong person not to internalise all of that to a degree.  It’s not surprising that many freelancers say that their confidence levels can go up and down depending on how things are going workwise.

Some of our day to day relationships with money can be very straightforward.  You go into a shop, you see a price on something and that’s what you pay.  Have you ever gone into a shop where they don’t have the prices on anything?  What runs through your mind then?  We tend to assume that it’s going to be too expensive.  And this can be a rather uncomfortable feeling – that sense of not knowing. 

And in a way that’s what can be hard about negotiating rates – we're right in the middle of that sense of not knowing.  You don’t want to quote too high and maybe lose the job, but equally you don’t want to quote too low and risk missing out.

And sometimes, if it’s a job you’re really excited about doing, especially if you’ve been pitching a lot and not getting any reply, it’s easy to forget to ask about rates.  Have you ever agreed to do some work without agreeing a rate?  I think we all have at one point or another.

Remember that if a potential client likes your work enough to hire you, they won’t say no just because you ask about rates.  That is how professionals operate - they clarify what the rates are.

The rate you get will depend on several factors, and sometimes one of those will be what the person hiring you thinks they can get away with.  So how you communicate, the confidence with which you discuss rates will also have a bearing on the rate you get.

There is always someone who will do the job cheaper than you.  Negotiating on price rarely ends well.  However, there may not be anyone who does the job better than you.  And people will pay more if they believe in the value of what you’re offering and if they want it enough.

Are you wearing the cheapest clothes you could find?  Are you using the cheapest computer you could buy?  You probably took lots of other things into consideration when you were buying, just as there are other factors that come into play when someone decides to buy your services.

Before negotiating rates:
• Write down what you want/need to earn in a year to work out your own daily rate. Be aware of what your own bottom line is – feel proud of the rates you charge.
• Do your homework – know what to expect before you pitch to a client.  Research both the client and current rates for the job.  Ask your colleagues or use online discussion groups to find out current rates.
• Be aware of industry rates in both the work you do now and the work you intend to do in the next few years.
• A website will build your credibility which will help you in negotiations.
• Be aware of your own money issues that may be holding you back from earning more.  You must have the conversation about rates with yourself before you have it with anybody else.  Asking for a particular rate should be done in as neutral a way as possible – as if you were saying your phone number.

During negotiations:
• Ask lots of questions about the job before you get to rates – clarify what’s involved, deadline, etc.  Show that you are interested in the quality of the project.  Don’t just focus on the rate.   Find out what the client needs to feel they have made a good investment.
• Don’t assume what the rate will be, always ask.  Other wise, you may only get the minimum payment by default.
• Avoid being the first one to name a figure.  Always ask ‘What is the budget? /what are your usual rates' etc.  Depersonalise your language.
• If pressed for a rate, give a fairly broad range and don’t quote anything until you’ve established the parameters of the job. Be business-like – don’t just pluck a figure out of the air. 
• If you believe a job is worth more, say so and stick to your guns.  If what you’re offered is fair and in line with what you were expecting, accept it.  Don’t assume that you need to haggle every time. 
• Don’t be afraid to say no if the rate is not up to scratch – and there are times that you will have to say no, in order to have space to pursue better paying work.
• For a new client, find out immediately what the payment and accounts process is.

If you’re offered a low rate:
• Don’t necessarily dismiss it out of hand if there are other attractions to the job.  But never feel obliged to accept it either.  The client who prefers to pay low rates will always be able to find someone who will do it for less than you.
• Always be thinking about how you can use the same base material in a number of different ways – make the most of your time by selling your work to a variety of markets, or selling more to the same client.

How other freelancers successfully raise their rates:
• They arrange a regular performance review and collect concrete evidence as to why they deserve a raise – positive feedback, raised circulation etc
• With regular clients, they simply state that from X date, the rate will be going up to Y, and invoice accordingly.  April is a good time of year to do this, as you can legitimately say that you are reviewing your rates in the light of the new financial year.
• They don’t necessarily accept the first rate offered. 
• They’re not afraid to walk away from low-paying jobs.

                                 

To explore your attitudes to money, grab a pen and write down:

10 things I know about money

10 things my mother taught me about money

10 things my father taught me about money

This is a really powerful exercise, and you might be surprised by the thoughts that come up. 

Now look at these attitudes and consider how they might affect how you behave around money today.  Which beliefs are holding you back and which are supporting you?  What needs to change?

 

FURTHER INFORMATION:
For coaching to help you become a fearless negotiator, get in touch or visit the MediaLifeCoach website.

Going Underground: More on Searching For Case Studies

The good thing about looking for case studies is that you'll rarely reach a dead end.  Yes, sometimes it might feel like you're wading uphill through custard, but it's rare to come to a complete stop.  Obviously some stories are easier to find than others, but in general there is always somewhere else to try, another number to call.  Don't just give it 15 minutes' Googling then give up.

But what if you've got a particularly niche topic to research?  Say you're looking for people who believe themselves to be descended from lizards, and www.lizardgrandad.com happens to be offline.  What's your next step?  Well, you could always think about:

• Special interest groups your potential case study might frequent - seach under Google Groups or Yahoo Groups , Facebook or MySpace to see what's out there.
• Do an archive search to see which articles have already been written about the topic you're researching.  LexisNexis is great for archive searches, but you do need to be a subscriber - if you're a freelancer it's worth asking if the publication you're working for has a subscription.  And the BBC News archives are always worth a shuffle too.
• Think about which professionals your case study might work with, like coaches or psychologists.  A decent professional won't put you directly in touch with their clients, so don't even ask.  But they may be able to pass on a message to their professional network, or give you some useful pointers on where else to try.
• Have a look on Amazon to see who's written books on the subject you're writing about.  Many authors now have their own individual websites, so they're fairly easy to track down.
• And there will always be blogs, the safe haven of the new millenium for thoughts that really should have stayed in your own head.  If you can think of it, somebody somewhere will have blogged about it.  You may have to do some persuading to get your happily anonymous blogger to talk to you, but rest assured that you'll never be stuck for a case study whilst blogs exist

Digging For Gold - Useful Links for Finding Case Studies

When I worked on TV chat shows, finding case studies was a fairly straightforward process.  An appeal would be broadcast at the end of each show.  People interested in taking part would call in and leave their details.  A researcher would ring back and do a quick interview, and from that we would choose interviewees to film.  It's amazing how the people who think they have a great story, rarely have one, and the people who think there is nothing remarkable in their story usually turn out to have the greatest stories of all.

But if you don't have access to lists of people eagar to talk to you, where is a freelance journalist to start on their hunt for the perfect case study?

First of all, set up your own email group of people who won't mind you asking around for case studies - build your list as you go along, maybe including people you have interviewed before.  Think about the people you know that The Tipping Point calls "connectors" - people who know a lot of other people.  After all, it's not so much about who you know, but about who you know knows (if you follow me).  Each person is estimated to know at least 200 people, so you don't have to have a big list to be reaching out to thousands.  But as much as possible fill it with non-media people.  Always look to widen your circle of connections.

Use your list sparingly - your friends are going to get mightily hacked off if the only time they hear from you is when you're after something.  And make it easy for people to remove themselves from your list if they want to.

After that, try some of these avenues:

• Many websites like this one or this one exist specifically to broadcast case study requests from journalists.  The down-side to these sites is that they do tend to attract the sort of person who is actively seeking fame for fame's sake (think Big Brother contestants).  But depending on the story, that could be what you're looking for. 
• You can send a request round a variety of PR's using ResponseSource.  This won't put you in touch with 'real people' case studies, but rather those with something to promote.  But if that sits well with your story then it's a useful resource to reach a lot of people at once. 
• This website is along similar lines, but exists to broadcast your appeal to a wide variety of charities at once.
• There is a media request section on the talk boards at the parenting website Mumsnet.  Actually, many forums (fora?) have media request boards, but this is one of the busiest sites if you want to reach women with children.  You do have to pay £30 to post a message, so it might be worth saving until you have a few requests to make at the same time.
• If you're a member of MediaWomenUK or Journobiz, you'll know that members have a huge variety of life experience and are always happy to help with case study requests.  Just make sure that sometimes you help others as well - groups like this work best when you give as well as take.
• There is a journo case study request group on Facebook which is growing quickly in membership (about 500 last time I looked).
• Some journalists distribute postcards like this one as a way of gathering real life case studies.
• Others operate websites like this one as a way of trawling for stories.
• If that's too elaborate, try adding a line about who you're looking for to your email signature or blog.
• This may sound shockingly retro, but one of the best ways of all to get stories is to TALK TO PEOPLE.  Or, more importantly, listen when they talk to you.  Case studies are all around you.  I wrote this story for The Guardian's Experience section, after a friend casually mentioned his mate who'd come back from the dead.  Like you do. 

The big caveat with all of this is that if you are using predominantly online methods to find your stories, it's important that you pick up the phone and talk to your prospective interviewee as soon as possible.  Often people will email a journalist on a whim, and won't have considered the reality of talking publicly about their experience and being photographed until you mention it to them.  If you want case studies who will not pull out, it's important that you speak to them ASAP and ensure that they're clear about what's involved.

And above all, thank the people who help you when you're looking for case studies.  It's disappointing how many journalists don't.  It doesn't take much time, and it will make a difference when they choose whether or not to help you next time.

Press Gazette Networking Interview

I am in the Press Gazette this week, talking about why networking is important for freelancers.  Full text of the feature is also here on FWT. 

Really, I should get a new topic of conversation.  But whilst some still treat networking as if it's akin to having a dose of the hairy heaves, I still feel it's neccessary to point out that relationships make the world go round, so it makes sense to develop yours.

Negotiating Rates - The Direct Way

You've already had my tips on how to negotiate money and raise your rates.  The clip below shows you a more direct approach.

This lovely rant is for every freelancer who's ever been faced with a tightwad client (that's all of us, right?):

Networking Not Working

Just off to London to go to the Women in Journalism party and enjoy ye ancient sport of big cheese stalking by drunken freelancers.  Last year's do was an absolute classic example.  The editor of the Guardian women's page was looking resplendent in some mighty fine shoes.  A crowd of increasingly inebriated freelancers gathered behind her, looking like they'd happily lick said shoes for the chance of a commission.  None of these people actually spoke to her, they just swayed together like woozy starlings.  I doubt she was aware of their presence at all.  And then I got talking to an orgasm coach - though really what do you say to someone who's got Orgasm Coach on their business card?***

I know some people find this event a bit intimidating, precisely because of the big cheese presence, and the fact that many people come in groups, so it can feel like everyone else knows someone but you.  But that's not the case.  All those people striding purposefully round the room are really only doing just that - striding round the room and hoping desperately to meet a friendly face. 

Having done the striding round thing on several occasions, I have come to the conclusion that standing in one place is usually better.  That way it's more obvious that you're alone, and one of the striding round people is more likely to stop and chat.  Just don't stand outside the loos, as you will think that many people are coming over to talk to you, when really they're just on their way for a slash.

~

***that'll bring up a few interesting Google hits.  he he.

'Tis The Season To Go Networking (FaLaLaLaLa La La La Laaaaa)

With all the events and parties coming up, even the most reluctant networkers will be coming out to play. Actually, I think I would like to ban the word 'networking' because it gets such a bad press - people dismiss others as being a 'shameless networker', as if it is something you should feel ashamed of.

It's really all about relationships - build relationships first, and as you get to know people, you'll attract more work.  So don't just suck up to somebody because they're an editor - they can smell it a mile off.  The media world is really very small, and you never know where your next connection will lead, so it makes sense to treat everyone with the same respect.

Being part of a community is a natural human condition and just because you're a freelancer doesn't mean you have to do it on your own.  The more relationships you build with others, the easier you will find work and life.

People often forget that making connections within your peer group is also important - nobody is at exactly the same point in their career, so everyone you meet can either teach you something, or you can teach them, or both.  Look to help others and they will be more inclined to help you when you need it. Get to know other freelancers in your area and arrange a meet-up.  People often want to come to these things but don't want to arrange it, so sometimes you have to be the pro-active one.

If you write for an editor but have never met them, make a point of asking them out for coffee or calling in to see them.  It will strengthen your relationship.  If you live outside London you might have to take a day or two out to do this, but it will be worth it because you will learn things in a face to face meeting that you never would have picked up over phone or email.

IT’S NO PARTY OUT THERE
Networking events can strike fear into the hardiest of hacks’ souls.  First you arrive at a venue on your own.  You clutch a glass of wine for dear life, partly hoping that someone will talk to you but also that the ground will swallow you up at the same time.  Then if you’re really lucky some bloke with a shiny face and an even shinier suit will come along and bore you senseless talking about stuff you no more understand when you’ve heard half an hour of spiel about it than you did before.  You go home and you cry and you want to die.

Some networking events come disguised as parties, but there are crucial differences.  For a start, you don’t have to wait for it to warm up.  If you’re nervous about attending a networking event on your own, be brave and arrive early.  It’s generally the keen beans who arrive early, so you won’t be alone for long.  A room that’s packed full of people already deep in conversation is a harder place to plunge into. 

If there’s free booze, don’t over-indulge.  The setting may be casual, but you are still at work to a degree.  Don’t get carried away by the fact that the drink may be flowing & insult the person who just became your next potential ex-boss. 

To get the most out of any networking event, it helps to have a particular goal in mind for the night.  This might be:  speaking to at least 3 new people or giving out 5 of your business cards. 

Remember that you’re not there to sell (though if someone wants to buy, that’s great).  Get business cards from everybody you talk to.  Send them an email in the few days after you’ve met saying hello – this is how you start to take a relationship beyond the chitchat stages

ONLINE NETWORKING
And for those of you who really can’t bear to tear yourself away from your hot desk, there’s always online networking.

When you meet people online, again don’t try and sell your services straight away – this is the equivalent of rushing into a party and forcing your business card on everyone, without stopping to find out if they’re interested in what you’ve got to offer.  Lurk for a while to get the feel of how various online environments operate – read other people’s messages to get a feel for the culture:  is it serious and businesslike all the way, or is there a space for humour?

One thing to remember with online networking is that it probably won’t replace good old face to face networking entirely.  Many people still don’t like to do business with others until they’ve looked them in the eye and had a face to face conversation.

So take a deep breath, be brave, go forth and connect.

Media Events - It's All Going On

Lordy, if the weather weren't so biblical out there, a freelancer might never stay home.

This week's Women in Journalism seminar promises to give you the inside scoop on how some of the top female editors made it to their lofty perches.  Also WiJ's Xmas party is coming up on the 29th November (see you there if you're going).  Tickets for both still available, details on the website.

The Rocliffe New Writing Forum takes place at BAFTA in London on Monday 26th November and is open to directors, writers, best boys, trolley dollies etc.  It's a chance to network with the grandest fromages of the UK film industry.  They do fancy peanuts at BAFTA too.  Worth braving the elements for.

And the Brighton-based Women in Media project have their Xmas drinks on 6th December (see you there, provided I have recovered from the WiJ do.  As I get older, recovery takes longer.  I can do staying up late or drinking, but both is a challenge).

Procrastinating Freelancers - Your Days Are Numbered

I've mentioned before that I don't think the odd spot of procrastination is all that bad, provided you get your work done when it needs to be done.  Well, apparently there's a name for people like me - we're Positive Procrastinators. 

According to AnnA Rushton's new ebook, PPs need to take a reality check, because trusting it will all turn out fine in the end is no substitute for actually doing something about the situation.  Oh dear.  I knew it seemed a bit too good to be true.

Within half an hour of finishing this book today I had tidied up my office (a job which had languished on the 'to do' list for so long it was gathering dust.  As indeed was the office).  Had also made two phone calls I was putting off and chucked out two bin bags of clutter.  Wow.  How's that for a result?

And what, you may be wondering, is an ebook?  Basically, it's a book which can be delivered electronically.  The file pings into your in-box as soon as you order it.  So no trudging out in the cold to Borders, or waiting to see if the postie can fit that Amazon parcel through your letterbox.

What I like most about this book are the practical exercises.  There's lots of self-examination via filling out lists and other written exercises.  The fact that it's an ebook means that you can read it onscreen and write out your answers at the same time.  Not as leisurely as curling up with a paperback, granted, but then the whole point of this book is to get you taking action, so it fits. 

So many people read personal development books, but only get half the benefit because they don't do the practical stuff.  That's not really an option with this book.  And there was quite a spooky moment when Rushton wrote about procrastinators slumping down in their chairs, just as I was (you guessed it) slumped down in my chair.  Sat up straight, quick smart, after that.

~

Procrastination - How To Stop It Right Now by AnnA Rushton is available here.