What do we charge for our work?

Are our fees based on hourly rates?

Daily rates?

Project parameters?

Or whatever the market can bear?

The Free Birds’ pricing structures were probed and prodded at last month’s meeting by a remarkably astute guest bird.  This chick, a business consultant/coach, gave each of us (or pulled from us) specific actions that we could do to increase business and/or revenue.  From adding new services (and promoting those additional services) to contacting 20 clients that we haven’t heard from in a while, our guest bird charged us with energy and direction.  The challenge with some of our businesses is that pricing parameters are industry-established.  But that’s where we birdies need to think creatively and boldly.  Like proud peacocks, we mustn’t be afraid to acknowledge and promote the value of our talents and our experience.   We just need to reflect that confidence in our invoices.  And be big enough birds to deal with our clients’ squawking.

Some pricing sites:

AIGA’s Center for Practice Management (American Institute of Graphic Arts)

ASMP (American Society of Media Photographers)

Some humorous video commentaries on the challenges of dealing with clients:

Vendor Client Relationship

Web Designer Versus Cheap Client and a similar British version Graphic Designer Versus Client (rated X for language)

The Birds have your back.

When the Free Birds flock first came together last year, it was not intended to be a support group in that stereotypically needy way.

Rather, I saw us as a social group of like-minded and accomplished chicks who had successfully made careers for ourselves without benefit of a bi-weekly paycheck.

The fact that many of us were dealing with the effects of a downward spinning economy was just another common denominator.

But it seems that our flock is just awash in support for one another these days…without the twelve steps.

At our last meeting, we shared the disappointment of one bird’s exclusion from an anticipated opportunity and another bird’s anxiety over a potential business opportunity.  Rather than a gentle “there, there” pat on the back, the birds rallied with specific direction and creative suggestions.  We reviewed one bird’s collection of work and offered presentation options.  For another, in the development stages of a new venture, we volunteered to research her competition and report back.

Is this a Support Group?  Or just a little Bird Care?

Fear of flying?

Here’s the thing about staying in our comfort zone: it doesn’t get us anywhere.  Sure, there’s security but there’s also no chance of discovery either.  How can we soar to new heights if we’re scared to take that first step?  If we were birds, our first flight from the nest would be instinctive, a result of developmental changes in our neuromuscular systems rather than prodding from our mothers.

According to Wikipedia:

“One’s comfort zone refers to the set of environments and behaviors with which one is comfortable, without creating a sense of risk.

To step out of the comfort zone raises the anxiety level engendering a stress response, the result of which is an enhanced level of concentration and focus.”

Of course, there’s all sorts of tips to get you in a changing frame-of-mind and to lessen the anxiety that goes with change:

•  Take small steps
•  Try something new (wear something new, eat something new, drive a new way home, think NEW!)
•  Make a new friend
•  Take a friend with you
•  Educate yourself
•  Think positive thoughts
•  Make a plan

The Free Birds recently challenged each other to do a little stepping out.  For one shy bird, some on-line self-promotion was encouraged.  For another, we suggested she investigate other resources to market her wares.  For this bird, I may be landing a new business opportunity.  While I have the unbridled support and encouragement of my potential business partners, I struggle with the fear-factor.  Fear of flying?  Perhaps.

Last week, the flock hosted its first guest speaker who generously and enthusiastically shared her story of redirection and re-education.  After a career and a masters degree in the unrelated field of publication design, this chick changed course and is now pursuing a Doctorate of Natural Health. For her, it just seemed the natural thing to do.

For the rest of us, who are just trying to keep pace with technological advances within our industries, the need for continuing education is clear.  In the words of my late mother:  “What are you a dummy?  You don’t want to learn?”  Take a class, call a friend, google a question to the virtual universe….the information you need is out there.

I have become a huge fan and ardent student of the on-line instructional series lynda.com. For a monthly ($25) or yearly ($250) subscription fee, one can access about a trillion different self-paced software training tutorials as well as a selection of FREE courses.

I have been enlightened (or simply acquainted) with topics ranging from:

HTML CODING ESSENTIALS to

CREATING MAIL LISTS & LABELS IN MICROSOFT WORD to

EXPORTING EXCEL CHARTS TO INDESIGN to

PORTRAIT RETOUCHING TECHNIQUES IN PHOTOSHOP.

This distance learning system works for me.  I can start and stop, go back, take notes, go back, go back, go back til I get it.

The founder of lynda.com, Lynda Weinman, is also an inspiring example of a successful free bird who continues to soar to new heights. Here’s her common-sense advice to the aspiring entrepreneur:

“Stick to your core competencies – don’t just start a business to make money or leave a job you don’t like. Find your passion. Follow it, and the universe will open!”

Check out this short interview with Lynda Weinman on WomenandBiz.com, an e-Magazine dedicated to the woman-owned business.

To see Lynda live, check out this video of Lynda Weinman:  The lynda.com Story on lynda.com. And for all you birds trying to make ends meet, this video lesson is FREE.

My recent trek to central Mexico and the monarch butterfly’s winter roosting/migration grounds was simply magical.  Virtual snowstorms of hundreds of millions fluttering jewels.

What these amazing little creatures endure to travel to their ancestral home is nothing short of miraculous.  Especially given the fact that they had never set a single delicate leg in Central America prior to their landing.  You just have to admire that fierce drive and determination.

Even without this migration miracle, the monarch’s life cycle is awe-inspiring.  From its initial stage as an eating-machine caterpillar to the strangely beautiful chrysalis, the monarch emerges as nature’s iconic beauty.

The concept of metamorphosis, the act of transforming oneself into something new, came up at the last meeting of the Free Birds.  Armed with enthusiasm and a marketing plan, one member of our flock shared her vision of a totally new career for herself that would take her from the confines of her office and out into the street.  Another chick is considering repackaging her experience and knowledge into a new identity and business model.  What is old is new again.

In both cases, the need for market research, competitive analysis and planning is mandatory when contemplating a career shift; some deep soul-searching won’t hurt either.  The Small Business Administration website offers some tools for new business ventures, especially their Write a Business Plan outline complete with sample business plans.  And the site even has a section called Getting Out should your venture go south with the monarchs.

Happy New Year, now back to business.

At the last productive meeting of the Free Birds, we reviewed the flock’s assorted biographies and résumés.  This is what we liked:

• Testimonials

• Indentations, bullets and clean organization

• Brevity

• Third-person narrative rather than first-person voice

• Chronological ordering starting with most recent entries

• White space

Of course, unique paper stocks, distinctive imagery and beautiful typography and graphic design were also appreciated.  Like a crow with a shiny object, we creative birds may have been caught up in the pretty things a bit.  But each of us left with a specific to-do list for improving the content of her résumé.

Some references to consider that I borrowed from the local library, yes, LIBRARY:

“Perfect Phrases for Résumés” by Michael Betrus – came in handy when I ran out of ways to say “Experienced”.   Some favorites:

•  Instrumental in….

•  Extensive involvement in….

•  Personally responsible for….

•  Consistently….

•  Expert in developing…..

“101 Great Résumés” by Ron Fry -  As a graphic designer, visual organization is second-nature to me, so it was interesting to see the array of organizational approaches and visual styles that the birds presented at our meeting.  This book lists 19 tips to a “great looking résumé” including:

1.  Limit your résumé to one or two pages.

7.  Don’t mix typefaces.

11.  Use generous margins.

18.  Shorten your line length.

As with everything, there are no absolutes and a grain of salt may be taken with any of these “perfect tips”.

So the one thing that I took away from the Contractor’s Job Fair (besides a canvas bag) was that in today’s economy, one needs to distinguish herself from the rest of the flock.  It’s that simple.

The challenge, especially among many free birds, is to get over the idea that we are bragging about ourselves or that we are unworthy of unabashed praise.   While many of us dedicate our work day to promoting stuff, organizations and other people, we find it uncomfortable to sing our own songs.  On key.

With that in mind, the latest homework assignment of the Free Birds United group is to write/rewrite/update and then share our bios (or résumés) with the rest of the flock.  Call it a hunch, but I have the feeling the birds will encourage each other to crow a bit more loudly.

Here’s a resource I came across recently that may help get you started: CeeVee.  This free, online résumé management service creates tidy resumes for web or print.  Of course, you’re still going to have to fill in the blanks.

Government Procurement Fair - October 20th

* BRAC = Base Realignment and Closure = $

CONNECT WITH PRIME CONTRACTORS TO PROCURE GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS.

On October 20th (my 2nd wedding anniversary, btw) I may be flying down the beltway to check out the Annual Baltimore/Washington Region Government Procurement Fair.

Looks like the perfect environment to flaunt my new Woman Business Owner certification.

Sponsored by the Baltimore/Washington Corridor Chamber (BWCC), this event offers:

•   One-on-one counseling sessions

•   Exhibits & Sponsors (including such big acronyms as IBM, EPA, NASA,  MVA, U of MD, etc)

•    Presentations on connecting with the Fed Government, State of MD and Prime Contractors

Unfortunately, according to  BWCC, the Pre-Procurement Fair Workshop scheduled for October 7th has been sold out, but there is a wait-list:  www.bwcc.org

Lessons in social media from the Gray Bird

This past Wednesday, the Free Birds were enlightened on the finer (and general informational) points of social media courtesy of our very own Gray Bird, Renée Lemley. Renée’s imaginative and informative power point presentation was a tour de force and elicited thoughtful questions from the other birds.

ALL the birds flew away with the motivation and resolve to take control of their social presence as it relates to their business/identity through various social media applications.

Some next steps for the flock – aka Renée’s Homework Assignment:

1.  GOOGLE your name and your business to access your online presence.

2.  Setup Google Alerts on Your Name & Relevant Business Keywords.  Receive email updates when someone googles you OR be updated on topics of interest to you.

3.  For those birds still in the shell, setup your LINKED-IN account.

4.  For those with websites, review your site KEYWORDS.  Open your site and check the Source Code/View Code in the browser.  Descriptive?  Geographic?  Correct?  You may need a tune-up on your website.

5. Subscribe to GrayMatter Minute, and follow Renée’s blog for more on social media…it’ll be “time well spent”.

I received a voice mail message from a representative of the National Women Business Owners Corporation asking to schedule a site visit.  The purpose of the visit is to verify that I am indeed a woman, and that I am running a business out of my residence.

I speak with Ms L (full-time employee of Downtown Baltimore Partnership) and we schedule a visit for later in the week.   She assures me that there will not be a physical exam.  WBOC humor!  Apparently, there are some unscrupulous, wanna-be women out there who are only fronting businesses for their male buddies to win lucrative contracts.  Can you imagine???

This visit gives me the opportunity to tidy up and vacuum the fluffs of cat hair on the stairs leading to the WalkeWorks War Room.

Ms L’s visit only lasts 1/2 hour.  She checks out my spacious office and we retire to the kitchen table for some additional questions.  She is simply verifying my answers on the application.  The most challenging request is to describe a typical day.  I left out the Facebook lurking.

I’m told that my application is 80% complete at this stage and that she gives her official blessing that I am a woman.  Hear me roar.