Your 10 Most Hair Grabbing Entrepreneur Pet Peeves and How to Conquer Them

YOUR 10 MOST HAIR-GRABBING (OR SCALP-SCRAPING) ENTREPRENEUR PET PEEVES

AND HOW TO CONQUER THEM Presented by E.i. Geek April 17, 2012

Copyright Mellissa Thomas 2012. Image source: http://www.publicdomainpictures.net/

As an entrepreneur, you’ve accumulated some sharp pet peeves…

⧠  with clients

⧠ with family and friends’ misconceptions about your work (or the perceived absence thereof)

⧠ and even with yourself

But there’s good news: you can conquer them. "

Here are the ten most common pet peeves, and how you can overcome them all.

Image source: http://www.publicdomainpictures.net/

‘Trep Pet Peeve #1: Poor Social Media Etiquette

Natalie Sisson, author of The Suitcase Entrepreneur blog, detailed the type:

⧠  they only use boilerplate LinkedIn blurb for invitations and recommendation requests

⧠ they spam your Facebook wall with irrelevant stuff

⧠ they only tweet and retweet their own stuff (no varied content of value) or rob your Twitter links

Ever dealt with people who are lazy with social media, but want to connect with you?

Sources: “Don’t You Dare Do These 5 Things on Social Media.” July 2011. http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/entrepreneurs/don%E2%80%99t-you-dare-do-these-5-things-on-social-media/ Facebook Dislike button: http://www.techthebest.com/2012/03/06/should-facebook-add-dislike-button/ LinkedIn and Twitter buttons: http://designrfix.com/freebies/social-media-icons

‘Trep Pet Peeve #1 Solution: Clean House

Your other option: correct the perp, as Natalie Sisson did in her article.

Sometimes people really don’t know the error of their ways until you point ’em out.

Just be sure speak the truth in love, okay?

Redhead Writing author Erika Napoletano put it quite simply in her SocialMouths guest article: remove counter- and unproductive friends, connections, and followers.

They only clutter your accounts and don’t lead to any conversions anyway.

Sources: “4 Simple Ways to lose Traffic and Build your Business.” March 2012. http://socialmouths.com/blog/2012/03/07/4-simple-ways-to-lose-traffic-and-build-your-business/ Image source: http://www.publicdomainpictures.net/

‘Trep Pet Peeve #2: Docs, Docs, Docs!

Mike Michalowicz’s The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur blog lists this among the most prevalent complaints about owning a business.

What kind of legal entity is your business? If your business is still in the planning stages, have you chosen an entity yet?

How do you invoice your clients?

Are your business taxes in order?

How about business insurance?

How are your legal documents?

How do you manage your contacts? Your social media presence?

How’s that marketing plan?

If you have employees, who’s doing your payroll?

Who handles your IT issues?

Sources: “The Biggest Complaints About Owning a Business.” November 2011. http://www.toiletpaperentrepreneur.com/getting-clients/the-biggest-complaints-about-owning-a-business/ Image source: http://www.publicdomainpictures.net/

‘Trep Pet Peeve #2 Solution: ⧠  Plan as far ahead as you can

⧠  Keep neat, accurate files at all times

⧠  Outsource what you can’t do to freelancers (via LinkedIn, Elance, Guru, oDesk, SideSkills, etc.)


Doc solutions: ⧠  FreshBooks (invoicing)

⧠  Intuit QuickBooks or I Heart Forms (bookkeeping)

⧠  Clockodo or Harvest (time tracking)

⧠  Dropbox, YouSendIt (cloud file management)

⧠  LegalZoom (legal documents)

⧠  H&R Block, TaxSlayer (business taxes)

Other solutions: ⧠  SproutSocial (social media/content marketing and CRM)

⧠  Hootsuite (social media/content marketing via Twitter)

⧠  BufferApp (social media/content marketing)

⧠  Google+ Hangouts/Google Wave (CRM)

‘Trep Pet Peeve #3: "Jealous or Ignorant Misperceptions

Jaime Mintun of FreelanceSwitch lists all the annoying stereotypes you’ve dealt with before…

“Oh, you’re so lucky…”

“…Must be nice to work in your PJ’s every day…”

Sources: Jaime Mintun’s FreelanceSwitch article: “You Know You’re a Freelancer When…” July 2010. http://freelanceswitch.com/humour/you-know-youre-a-freelancer-when/ Jaime Mintun’s FreelanceSwitch article: “You Know You’re a Freelancer When… Part 2.” September 2010. http://freelanceswitch.com/humour/you-know-youre-a-freelancer-when-part-ii/ Image source: http://www.publicdomainpictures.net/

“Oh hey, since you’re home anyway, can you babysit my kids for me until I come back from work?”

“Oh, I told so-and-so about what you do, and that you can help him out for free. Is that okay?”

‘Trep Pet Peeve #3 Solution: "Shut ‘em up with the ugly truth.

Explain your entrepreneurial responsibilities so they have a clear picture of what it’s like to run your business (even if you do work in PJ’s)

As for those “work for free” referrals: explain to your folks that you are in fact running a business, which requires revenue.


If the problem persists, tell them to stop the referrals altogether.

They’ll back off.

‘Trep Pet Peeve #4: Slow Periods/Droughts

The entrepreneur life is always feast or famine.


‘Trep Pet Peeve #4 Solution: "Hustle your hardest during the feast.

Sources: Elfers, J., & Greene, R. (1998). The 48 laws of power. New York , NY: Penguin Books. Image source: http://www.publicdomainpictures.net/

⧠  foster as many relationships as possible during the high periods

⧠  monitor financial peaks and time your marketing accordingly (2nd and 3rd quarters can be most fruitful; 4th quarter usually lowest due to holiday spending)

⧠  get more referrals from existing clients (if you’ve never done this, start now)

⧠  offer/divide your services in a way that guarantees repeat clients

How to foster relationships:

⧠  attend seminars, webinars, and workshops

⧠  connect with online thought leaders (via blogs and social networks)

⧠  go to conferences ready to appeal to people’s self-interest, not their mercy or gratitude (Robert Greene’s 13th Law of Power)

‘Trep Pet Peeve #5: You Never Really Clock Out


Your business is your baby. And like a real infant, it demands all your attention, even when you’re taking a breather – especially if you carry your office with you everywhere.

‘Trep Pet Peeve #5 Solution: De-stress.

⧠  Step 1: Cut the fat out of your schedule

⧠  Step 2: Get important tasks done ahead of time using your newly freed time from Step 1

⧠  Step 3: Delegate what you can’t do to professionals you can trust


When planning your vacation (or staycation), notify family, friends, and clients accordingly to curtail work-related calls or emails

Discipline yourself to stay away from your work once you’ve done the above so you can actually enjoy the break (unplug from the ‘net and social media for a while)

‘Trep Pet Peeve #6: "A Good Employee/Contractor is Hard to Find


You do your usual interview(s) with background and occupational checks, but you’re realizing it might not be enough.

Flaky folks have burned you before, so you’re extremely protective of your baby now.

‘Trep Pet Peeve #6 Solution: "Scare applicants straight.

Why?

It’s easy for applicants to look and sound impressive in an HR, resume, or online vacuum, but you’ll see their true colors when they have to interact with their spouse, relatives, and/or kids (especially the kids) in front of you.

If your applicants have a household of more than one, ask the whole family out.

The way they treat their household will speak volumes to how they’ll treat your baby.

‘Trep Pet Peeve #7: Sparse Publicity


It’s tough to build buzz for your business or that next company project on the horizon, huh?

‘Trep Pet Peeve #7 Solution: Do recon on your audience and bring what you’re offering to it.

Press releases and updates on your social media accounts are necessary, but passive.

Ubiquitous marketing blogger Danny Iny’s November 2011 release Engagement From Scratch offers more proactive ways to get noticed:

⧠  Submit guest posts on top niche blogs (or hire a writer to do it for you)

⧠  Create a launch strategy while you develop the new product or project, not afterward

⧠  Run polls, contests, deals, or giveaways relevant to what you’re launching to build anticipation

⧠  Hunt your audience down on its most prevalent social network(s) (Tumblr, Facebook, StumbleUpon, Twitter, Pinterest, Youtube, etc.) and share content your audience will find useful as well as your own content

Source: Iny, D. (2011). Engagement from scratch: How super-community builders create a loyal audience and how you can do the same!

‘Trep Pet Peeve #8: Chasing Delinquent Clients


This one requires no explanation. You deal with this often enough.

What a time suck.

‘Trep Pet Peeve #8 Solution: "Get everything in writing from the start.

Image source: FreeStockPhotos.biz

FreelanceSwitch suggests that you establish a payment plan that includes upfront payment prior to the work and payment upon completion.

An additional option: incorporate a kill fee. This fee covers your man hours on a project in the event it’s ultimately declined or discontinued.

If the delinquency continues, serve ‘em up. Neither you nor your client want to deal with legal costs, but he needs to know you’re serious, and legal accountability will cement that.

‘Trep Pet Peeve #9: It’s a Lonely Slog


Entrepreneurship isn’t for everyone, so it can seem like a lonely road; and Pet Peeve #3 reminds you that not everyone understands how entrepreneurship really works.

However, considering it a lonely journey is a matter of perspective, which you have the power to change.

‘Trep Pet Peeve #9 Solution: Amass mentors and join business associations in your niche.

Mentors

⧠  Research people you admire and reach out to them (provide them with value on their blogs and engage them on social networks)

⧠  Mentors encourage you one-on-one, hold you accountable, answer your tough questions, and leverage their own network to assist you

Business Associations/Networks

⧠  Surround yourself with inspiring like-minded people that can also give you fresh ideas

⧠  Associations grant you exclusive access to other freelance professionals you can hire on contract or as full-time employees

‘Trep Pet Peeve #10: The Dreaded Infanticide


Remember that fun forecast of most small businesses dying within their first two years?

No one wants to see their baby die, but it’s an unfortunate reality for many entrepreneurs.

‘Trep Pet Peeve #10 Solution: "Have a business plan with an exit strategy.


Exit Strategies:

⧠  Sell the company

⧠  Dissolve the company and move on (without mourning too much)

⧠  Bring in new leadership and staff without selling or sacrificing the company so you can bow out gracefully (do this behind the scenes while the company is thriving)

⧠  Sell your shares in the company to the other shareholders

You may not need to present a plan to anyone to raise funds or launch your business, but you need one for every corner and contingency of its operation, including its end.

In the end, it all comes down to planning. "

Having a detailed plan from before the birth of your business alleviates Pet Peeves #2, #7, #8, and #10 (and even

#5 to a certain extent).

Anything relating to your business will involve a process, so be prepared to go through one – don’t rush anything.

Resources Elfers, J., & Greene, R. (1998). The 48 laws of power. New York , NY: Penguin Books.

Erika Napoletano’s guest article on the SocialMouths blog: “4 Simple Ways to Lose Traffic and Build Your Business.” March 2012. http://socialmouths.com/blog/2012/03/07/4-simple-ways-to-lose-traffic-and-build-your-business/

Jaime Mintun’s FreelanceSwitch article: “You Know You’re a Freelancer When…” July 2010. http://freelanceswitch.com/humour/you-know-youre-a-freelancer-when/

Jaime Mintun’s FreelanceSwitch article: “You Know You’re a Freelancer When… Part 2.” September 2010. http://freelanceswitch.com/humour/you-know-youre-a-freelancer-when-part-ii/

Iny, D. (2011). Engagement from scratch: How super-community builders create a loyal audience and how you can do the same!

Mike Michalowicz’s article: “The Biggest Complaints About Owning a Business.” November 2011. http://www.toiletpaperentrepreneur.com/getting-clients/the-biggest-complaints-about-owning-a-business/

Natalie Sisson’s article: “Don’t You Dare Do These 5 Things on Social Media.” July 2011. The Suitcase Entrepreneur blog. http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/entrepreneurs/don%E2%80%99t-you-dare-do-these-5-things-on-social-media/

WHAT PET PEEVES WOULD YOU ADD TO THIS LIST? "

Leave a comment on the E.i. Geek blog: "http://eigeek.blogspot.com/2012/04/your-10-most-hair-grabbing-or-scalp.html

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