ABC Challenge for

Success in Freelance Training

I’m a great believer in taking action. The most successful freelance trainers I know are the people who don’t complain about how difficult business is, they just get on and do things that will move their business forward. These are the people who are constantly seeking out new learning opportunities, grasping new ideas and concepts and taking action as a result of what they have learnt.When you decide to take action, you have already set yourself apart from the rest of the crowd who just plod along hoping for things to get better. You are making a statement that your business isn’t just a hobby – you are serious about making it work!

 'A' IS FOR ACTION

One of the best ways to get in front of clients and ultimately get work is to build good solid relationships with people. People buy from people who they know, like and trust. So, any freelance trainer trying to sell their services is going to have to be prepared to put a lot of time and effort into developing and nurturing these relationships.And the key words here really are time and effort. Don’t think that just by going to a networking event and collecting a few business cards you are well on your way to getting work. The chances of someone calling you after an event and saying ‘Hey, come in and run a management development programme for us’ are practically nil. You have to be patient.

'B' IS FOR BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS

When you are just starting out as a freelancer or when times are tough there is a big temptation to take any piece of work that comes along regardless of its value. But there are many good reasons why you should only charge what you are worth:- Low day rates will not pay the bills- You will have to work more days to achieve your financial targets- When a great piece of high value, rewarding work comes along you won’t be available to do it- Your confidence and motivation will become eroded as you get stuck in the trap of low value workSo you need to stick to your guns and charge what you are worth right from the start!

'C' IS FOR CHARGE WHAT YOU ARE WORTH

Freelance training can be a lonely business and it’s all too easy to feel like giving up and heading back to the relative security of corporate life when you’ve had a bad day.Like any self-employed person and business owner you are going to need determination by the bucket load if you are going to succeed.When you feel down try focusing on the things you have achieved, no matter how small, rather than the things you haven’t. It always works!

'D' IS FOR DETERMINATION

Don’t try and be all things to all people. Specialize in one area and put all your efforts into building your expert status. It will pay dividends as it will:- Streamline and sharpen up your marketing activity – you will be clearabout who your target market is and where to find them- Enable you to charge a premium for your expert knowledge and skill- Get clients to seek you out and come to you rather than the other way round!

'E' IS FOR EXPERT

Ask any freelance trainer and they will tell you one of the main challenges they have is feast and famine syndrome. You know, that situation when you are either staring at your blank diary wondering how you are going to pay the mortgage this month whilst keeping half an eye on the job ads or feeling desperately stressed out because you are training 5 days a week and can’t cope with the workload.People often describe this scenario as something that just happens to them, almost as if it’s an inevitable part of being self employed and that there’s nothing you can really do about it. But there are things you can do to avoid it.The most important action you can take is to develop the right mindset about marketing.Marketing is an ongoing activity, something you should do every day, not just an afterthought when you are not out delivering training.So make sure that you plan marketing activity into your daily and weekly schedules

'F' IS FOR FEAST OR FAMINE

Many freelance trainers tell me that they hate marketing.It makes them feel stressed and they wish they didn’t have to do it. The thought of making a cold call brings them out in a cold sweat. They work themselves up into such a state by the prospect of going to a networking event and walking into a room full of strangers that they end up getting nothing from it or not going at all.I can understand this and I used to feel like this too.But if you don’t market your business you won’t have one – it’s as simple as that.So start focusing on marketing activities that you actually enjoy. As you start to think about all the potential marketing methods that you could use there will be some, I promise you, that you will feel more naturally drawn to than others. Some people absolutely love public speaking and if that’s you – then go for it – use it to your advantage.It’s so important to make your marketing fun and enjoyable – because it’s such a fundamental part of your business

G' IS FOR GRIN AND BEAR IT

When you start your own business it is your opportunity to create your way of working and your own life.One of the best things about being a freelance trainer is the fact that you are in control. You have complete freedom to do what you want to do. If you have an idea you can just go with it instead of having to run it by countlesss decision makers and work through tedious office politics.So use your opportunity – think about the work you really love to do, that really gets you out of bed in the morning and work on ways of getting that type of work.It’s much easier to run a business when you are passionate about what you do and you will find that people are naturally attracted to you because of it.

'H' IS FOR HAPPINESS

I’m sure you’re all aware of the current trend for creating information products as a way of adding multiple streams of income. It seems to be everywhere at the moment. I’m coming across more and more business owners who are providing products such as Special Reports, E Books, and Teleseminars.

'I' IS FOR INFORMATION PRODUCTS

Try this simple exercise.Keep a diary for 30 Days. Every time you have contact with one of your clients listen carefully to what they are saying about their current problems and challenges.Or ask them ‘What’s the biggest issue that you are facing right now that you would love to find the answer to?’Write down all this information in your diary. At the end of the month you will have a topic for your information product. And if your clients want, need and can afford your product then they will buy it

Now you may be thinking here this is all very well but what on earth could I create an information product on? What topics would grab people’s interest?

Procrastination can be the curse of many freelance trainers, particularly as many of us work from home with all the distractions that that can bring!If you are to succeed in your business you need to have a disciplined approach to work, know exactly what you need to achieve in a day and let nothing get in your way.However, that doesn’t mean that you should be restricted and feel that you should work between 9 and 5 if you don’t want to. One of the best things about being self employed is that you can set your own hours and agenda, it doesn’t really matter WHEN you do things as long as they get done in the end.

'J' IS FOR JUST DO IT!

Let’s face it, being a freelancer can be very lonely and it can be very easy to beat yourself up when something goes wrong. If you’re not careful you can get on a downward spiral of self doubt – when that happens you may feel like giving up and going back to corporate life.One way round this is to build up a group of people who you know, like and trust, people that you can be really open and honest with and that you can talk to about your business and how you are feeling. And of course you can do the same for other people too – it works both ways.

'K' IS FOR KEEP GOING!

Too many freelance trainers limit themselves unnecessarily by thinking they have to do everything themselves. It’s perfectly natural to assume – especially if you have just started out – that it costs too much money to get other people to do things.But if you want to grow your business and get it to where you really want it to be you have to find ways of contracting out some of the things that other people can do better than you. It will free you up to do the things that you do really well, the things that you enjoy doing and will allow your business to grow and develop.

'L' IS FOR LETTING GO

You have probably heard the saying ‘It’s a marathon – not a sprint.’ How many times have you heard that one?But in the case of freelance training it happens to be true.If you are expecting to get quick and easy work from going to a few networking events and making a few calls for a few months you are probably going to be very disappointed.Training consultancy is a people business, when people buy your services they are buying you – and they will only buy from you when they know, like and trust you.And that process takes time.

'M' IS FOR MARATHON

It can be very easy (particularly in the early stages of a training business) to get carried away and spend money on a web site, glossy brochures, logos, business cards and advertising.I’m cringing now at the memory of spending around £1000 on an ‘advertorial’ that didn’t bring in any interest and about the same again on leaflets that just ended up being taken down the tip.But the good news is that there are plenty of no cost and low cost marketing methods that you can use that don’t involve digging a large hole and pouring large amounts of cash into it!The best and simplest one I know is just to make a list of people you know. And I mean everyone; family, friends, friends of friends, past colleagues, other trainers. This gives you a great starting point for referrals and introductions. For free!

'N' IS FOR NO COST MARKETING

When you first start out as a freelance trainer it’s natural to assume that you shouldn’t really mix with other freelance trainers – after all, they’re the competition and there are only so many opportunities to go round!But my own experiences have proved that other freelance trainers can actually help provide great opportunities and leads for you and therefore you should make it a priority to actively build links with them.I also believe that there is more than enough work to go round for everyone and that if you share, support and reciprocate with others then opportunities

'O' IS FOR OPPORTUNITIES

‘ Passion is more powerful than motivation. Once you are passionate about something, the motivation to pursue it will already be present. Therefore, rather than looking externally for motivation, look within to find something that you are passionate about achieving.Passionate trainers produce passionate employees. Passion is contagious. When it is present, it is impossible to ignore. If you came into the training business with the goal of becoming rich and famous, you are in it for the wrong reasons. Passion isn’t something that can be faked. It is either there or it’s not. Those around you will know. You may fool some people initially, but the truth will eventually come out.

‘P' IS FOR PASSION

‘Do I want to work with these people?’ And if the answer was no he didn’t pursue it any further even though it may have meant a massively lucrative deal.This is a pretty amazing attitude to take, especially in the competitive financial services market. His philosophy was that it just wasn’t worth the hassle of getting the wrong type of customer. They waste your time, cause you stress and divert your attention away from dealing with the customers who will genuinely appreciate your efforts.Not all customers are good for business!Spend some time thinking about your ideal client and don’t bother chasing after anyone who doesn’t tick all the boxes. If you attract the people who you want to spend your time with, they are more likely to be clients who value you and your business. They will be more likely to pay your invoices on time, more likely to agree to a plan of action and stick to it and more likely to buy something that will add value to their organization.

'Q' IS FOR QUALITY

The responsibility of a trainer goes beyond teaching material in a classroom. A trainer who is going to be great has to look at how training makes a difference. We have a responsibility to our profession, because almost anyone can stand in front of a room and call him or herself a trainer. The reality when you train people is this: Are you helping them become more professional representatives of our industry? I guess when you stop and look at the responsibilities of a trainer there are several, but I believe one of the biggest is caring about the people you train. When you are blessed with the opportunity to stand in front of a classroom or train one-on-one, next time just remember what a great responsibility it is. We as trainers have the ability to make our industry and the people we work with better.

‘R' IS FOR RESPONSIBILITY

Social networking sites such as Twitter, Facebook and Linked In are fantastic ways to build your profile, get known for what you do and build relationships with people.Despite the reservations that some trainers seem to have regarding social networking I personally believe it is very powerful, it’s going to get more so in the next few years and we certainly can’t afford to ignore it.!

'S' IS FOR SOCIAL NETWORKING

There are few of the effective ways ( Videos , Podcasts, Webinars )to train using technology and get your message across with today’s diverse workforce. There are many other methods, such as texting, company blogs, videos for mobile devices, photos for mobile devices of “before and after” scenes, etc. The ways to effectively train using technology are endless and exciting. Many of you are likely using some or all of these methods already—and maybe even some I haven’t thought of. The point is that almost every company has the ability to conveniently and methodically train and inform employees with technology. The goal of this tenet is to inspire your imagination and create an awareness of the many tools at your disposal to provide creative training.

‘T' IS FOR TECHNOLOGY

Sometimes I think that in our efforts to continually feed our pipeline and chase new business it can be easy to miss out what is already under our nose. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that this isn’t important, of course it is, and your business needs this to be successful year after year.But what about the clients you already have? You already have a relationship with them. They already like you, know and trust you. You are already half way there to your next piece of work.So, spend some time thinking about your clients. Who are they? When did you last speak to them? What strategies do you use for continually building and maintaining a relationship with them? Do you stay in regular contact or only think about them in your quiet times when you are not delivering training?

'U' IS FOR UNDERSTANDING YOUR CLIENTS

A really good way of making you stand out from the competition and keeping your client coming back to you is to add value.When I was a buyer of training, I had a budget to work to for sure but often my decisions were made on factors other than price. Added value – things like knowledge of the business and credibility with people within the business, flexibility and reliability were much more important to me. So think about ways you could add value to your clients:- Introducing new contacts- Providing a little ‘extra’ that they were not expecting- Recommending and finding a trainer for them to work on a project you can’t source- Giving them a no charge meeting to discuss business issuesThese little things can often mean a lot and will go a long way to ensure that your client keeps coming back for more.

'V' IS FOR VALUE

Different people use different methods to create a positive atmosphere. They also have their own methods for preparing properly and setting up the sessions to succeed.Good mentors, for example, often create a stimulating sanctuary. They help people to feel valued and the centre of their world. They create an environment in which people feel able to talk about their hopes.Good workshop facilitators create an environment in which people feel at ease. The physical things – such as room, chairs and food – have to be right. They then open the workshop in an inspiring way.Why? Creating a warm environment encourages the participants to explore and work hard to reach their goals. Warmth – rather then sternness – is more likely to deliver great results.Good professionals also prepare properly and mentally rehearse the session. They focus on how to build on people’s positive energy and help them to achieve success.

'W' IS FOR WARMTH

Adult learners are a valuable resource because they bring the richness and diversity of their lives with them.They should be given the opportunity to use their existing knowledge and experience, which they can apply to new learning experiences.Adult learners:have diverse experience and knowledgemay have ingrained ideas about thingsapply their life experience and knowledge to new learninguse their problem-solving, reflecting and reasoning skills.

‘X' IS FOR XPERINCE

One of the questions I get asked a lot when people are setting up their training companies and websites is ‘Should I try to make out I’m bigger than I am in order not to put the big companies off?’What they mean here is should they use the word ‘we’ rather than ‘I’ on their website and promotional material to give the impression that the company is not just a one man or one woman band?I would say it’s up to you. But one thing I would say is that ultimately when people buy training services from a freelance trainer they are buying your skill, your expertise, your personality – you as a person. You are your USP so make the most of it!

'Y' IS FOR YOU

Each of us have days when we look a lot less than our best, when we get a lot less than the best, when we perform a lot less than what is our best…the bad days!But we need to make it through these bad days…Your zeal will give you the confidence to shine in rain!Be zealous.Be ardently devoted to your purpose.Be at the peak of enthusiasm!Whenever you lose your zeal, remember the below lines:

“One of the main reasons that we lose our enthusiasm in life is because we become ungrateful..we let what was once a miracle become common to us. We get so accustomed to his goodness it becomes a routine..”

‘Z’ IS FOR ZEAL

This one-day course is essential if you have just been promoted to a training or coaching role or you wish to refresh your training skills. It is full of practical tools and techniques that include:a. Fundamentals For Becoming A Trainerb. Running A Training Coursec. Delivering A Training Session Successfullyd. How To Write And Structure Traininge. Factors For Effective Training Skillsf. What Makes A Good Trainer?g. Effective Training Practice And Procedureh. Body Language And Voice Projection Skillsi. Classroom Training Versus One-to-one Training

Train The Trainer Course

This course will also benefit those who have become Training Managers and wish to know the fundamentals of developing organizational training programmes focusing on implementing training policy and improving staff competency levels.Mail us at asktraininginc@gmail.com to book your seat for the workshop