I ran across quite a few resources on specializing and focus this week. Or maybe it’s just something on my mind.

Enjoy!

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Double and half (freelancer math) (sethgodin.typepad.com)

Seth Godin has great advice for setting your rates. I’d argue the 4x-5x is for most industries once you account for the risk of business, marketing time, and time spent getting better at your craft.

12 Things I Learned in 12 Years of Freelancing (christopherhawkins.com)

There are some excellent points made by Christopher Hawkins in this article. There’s something for everyone: new, established, busy, famished… Definitely worth the read.

Want to start freelancing in a month? (theadmin.org) SPONSOR

If you’re just getting started or you need to restart your freelance business, having a day-by-day guide can get started on the right path. Don’t waste your time doing the things that don’t matter.

Should you ask for a deposit? (freelancersunion.org)

Maybe it’s my field (software development) but I always require a deposit or payment upfront. I can’t imagine building a business without knowing if a client is going to actually pay you or not. (And I’ve heard horror stories of even the most upstanding clients skipping out on payments)

The Business of Freelancing, Episode 22: Philip Morgan on Positioning (doubleyourfreelancing.com)

Brennan Dunn talked with Philip Morgan about positioning. I’ve read an early version of Philip’s book and pulled a lot of great advice out of it to put into action later this year.

Lets Get Visual: 7 Reasons to Add Video to Your Marketing Mix (bidsketch.com)

Video can be a great marketing medium. There’s seven reasons in this article by Tom Ewer but let me give you an eighth: you can record video and then convert that content into other sources easily.

Extract audio for a podcast. Transcribe to text for an article. Transcribe, outline, and format into a handout or opt-in incentive. Transcribe as background information and give to a write to produce unique content…

Trust Marker #1: Branded Email (theadmin.org)

Your email address can tell a client a lot about you and your business. In this article I examine how having a branded email address can help improve your client’s trust in you.

Should you be a freelance Jack of all trades? Niche or Generalist? (nusii.com)

Hannah Moyer examines the niche or generalist decision and arrives at some very good points for each. From what I’ve seen, generalists have more flexibility and specialists have a lot more upside (in the right niche). But there isn’t anything stopping you from switching between them at will.

How to Become More Productive By Doing Less (consultingsuccess.com)

Michael Zipursky writes how you can become more productive by reducing what you offer to clients. This reminds me of when I focused only on Redmine development and built my niche in there.

Quick Links

How to procrastinate like a pro (freelancersunion.org)

Good Communication: The Backbone of an Online Business (envato.com)

The Best of Freelance Freedom (envato.com)

You failed if the client asks for an update (curtismchale.ca)

Thanks, I’ll see you next week

Eric Davis (@edavis10)