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Section 6 – Personal Work Habits  |
Be willing to break away from old clients
Change is an inevitable part of any business. How you handle change, and when you choose to change, may determine if you maintain your income or break through to a new level. A client who has been with you since the beginning is hard to give up, but if the services you provide far exceed what you charge, you may soon resent your working relationship.
You have a few options. You can maintain your fee structure, gradually increase your fees and offer more services each time, or raise your fees and risk losing your client.
What you give away will always come back
In the dog-eat-dog world of business, the prevailing rule tends to be to fend for yourself and not stop to throw anyone a bone. If you do stop to help someone, the conventional wisdom goes, you may fall behind – or end up in the dog house.
When you receive a call asking for a donation of your time, the natural tendency may be to decline or to make up an excuse. Instead of taking the path of least resistance and immediately turning down a request, consider how many lives your decision will effect.
The benefits of helping others are not always apparent. It may take months, even years to realise how much you have helped others. Some people see charity events as a way to promote their businesses and secure tax write-offs. That's the wrong attitude and approach. Self-promoters' intentions are rarely kept to themselves. Eventually, the charity and the public become aware of their true motives.
You should volunteer your skills to a charity because you believe in the cause, not because you think it will help you increase your visibility.
Don't give your ideas away
Maintaining a professional yet profitable business means that you need to handle occasional requests for advice carefully. If you are short with the person calling, you could be perceived as arrogant. Yet, if you spend an inordinate amount of time on the phone, you may be inadvertently encouraging future calls. The key is to create a balance between what advice and time you are willing to give away and how you will be compensated for your time.
Work without a formula
Depending upon your working style, you may rely on a set formula that you implement with each client, or feel more comfortable with a “seat-of-the-pants” approach and plan as you go. Your familiarity with your clients and willingness to take risks will play a large role in how you proceed with a client.
Don't be left out In a corporate Turnover
In the revolving door of the corporate world, people spin in and out of jobs. Some leave by choice; others are discreetly removed from their positions. One day you may be dealing with the president of the company and the next day find him or her searching for a new job.
When your old contract is replaced with another, will you be kept in the loop and maintain the client, or will you be thrown for a loop?
Don't be afraid to change what isn't working
Determination is an admiral quality, and in many cases it is crucial to achieving success. In some individuals, however, it can prevent success. It is important to know when your determination gets in the way of fulfilling your goals and desires.
Change is difficult for many. It produces many emotions, from fear of the unknown to fear of failure. I also upsets many people by disrupting the routines that make them feel calm, comfortable, and balanced. But change does not have to be that way.
The way to feel comfortable with change is to do it a little bit at a time. Don't attempt to change everything at once; it can be terrifying and intimidating. Instead, make changes little by little, and when you feel more comfortable, move on to something else. When you face your feelings about change, you will more readily accept it even welcome it.
Get dressed as if you are seeing your best client
Videoconferencing from a home office is still new to many (although the technology is very affordable), so for now, home office professionals are safe from the office fashion police. Even though many outside offices have dispensed with a formal dress code, and home office professionals can wear whatever they like, some professionals still live by a dress code.
A few home office professionals feel that they can't truly be professional unless they put on a suit and tie or a dress and heels. To them, dressing for work is a habit, especially when they've worked in an outside office for years. These people tie their professionalism to their appearance, even though they may be the only ones who see themselves dressed for work.
On days when you do not feel confident or when you lack the motivation to work, put on your business suit. Sometimes a physical boost is more effective than an emotional one in getting you to work. |
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