There’s a big part of me wishing that I’m there running the Workshops…. after all, the Workshops and the whole concept of The Trainers Training Company is my creation, my baby. It feels very strange to be handing it over to someone else and I must admit to feeling a bit worried as to how it’s all going to go even though I know it’s all going to be fine and both Nicki and Angie are sure to do a great job!

But there’s another part of me that feels proud to have achieved my goal of rolling my Workshops out around the UK and taking my business to the next level. The reality is that to run 2 Workshops in different parts of the country in the same week would have taken so much planning and organisation to work around family commitments. I’m SO glad I’m not on that Virgin train down to London on Thursday night! It feels nice – and a lot less stressful to be making money from home this week instead.

One of the biggest traps you can fall into as a freelance trainer and business owner is thinking you have to do everything yourself. As I’ve just proved, you don’t have to. And there are massive benefits to be gained from using other people to do things that they can either do quicker and better than you or to just free up your time so you can concentrate on your core business activities.

Why not start by doing a simple exercise?

Get a piece of paper. Write down all the activities you need to do to run your business, everything from delivering training to answering the phone to printing off training manuals.

Once you’ve done this draw 2 columns on a new piece of paper.

In the left hand column write down all the things from your first list that only YOU can do, this might include training delivery, coaching calls, attending networking meetings etc.

In the right hand column list everything that can be done by others. And be really ruthless. Do you really need to spend hours printing off training manuals or hours on the web searching for training venues for example? Is it really essential that you write your own newsletter?

Once you have identified all the things you need to outsource FIND A WAY TO MAKE IT HAPPEN. Don’t say you can’t afford it. The question you should be asking yourself is ‘How can I afford not to?’

Next week I’ll be sharing with you some great people and resources I’ve found that enable me to spread the load and focus on my business.

In the meantime ….

UPCOMING EVENTS

How To Create A Successful And Profitable Training Business – The Easy Way! 

Next Workshops in EDINBURGH, MANCHESTER AND LEEDS.

Also just announced a NEW DATE for LONDON in April.

I also knew nothing about selling and marketing.

This was the main reason why I did so much low value associate work in the first year which was keeping me busy but doing nothing for my confidence or my bank balance. When I was delivering associate work I didn’t really have to face up to my fears about selling and marketing. Work just kept turning up and I could quite happily keep avoiding the issue of how to get clients of my own.

Many of my Mentoring clients or Workshop attendees tell me they are frightened to death of marketing. They love being in the training room but don’t enjoy the marketing bit at all.

How do you feel?

One of the biggest breakthroughs I had that really helped me to get to grips with the whole thing was to realise that there is no mystique to the marketing and sales process. Think of the last time you bought something from someone. Why did you do it? Yes, you needed the thing in the first place but your decision was probably based on the fact that you liked the person who sold it to you. You felt they listened to you and understood your needs. You warmed to them. Eventually you trusted them.

Selling and marketing is really just about building relationships and I bet you’re really good at that. You should be – as a trainer!

Taking the time to get to know people, earning trust and building relationships with them is the best way I know to attract new business. Yes, it takes time – but this approach always pays dividends in the end.

BEFORE I GO …..

Here’s a reminder of our upcoming Events in February and March :

How To Create A Successful And Profitable Training Business – The Easy Way!  

Last minute bookings still being taken for Bristol, London and Birmingham.
Early Bird Discount now on for Edinburgh, Manchester and Leeds

Trainer Talk Live

Almost FULL but I can squeeze in just a few more people ….

I know exactly how that feels. When I first started out I’d just moved into a completely new area, I’d left all my contacts behind and the situation wasn’t really as ideal as I would have liked. I really had so start building my network again from scratch.

So here’s some of the things I did:

1.      Sent my CV off to as many training companies as I could to see if I could get work as an associate. Some never replied, some said thanks but no and others said yes we’d like to meet you – I managed to get some work from some of them I met – not all of them came through but it was good initially in terms of making contacts.

2.       Used my existing network ( most of them in London) to see if they had any contacts in my new area of the Midlands - and it was amazing how many did – and how many new contacts I made that way

3.       Started a Trainer Network in my new area - as nothing seemed to exist – it started out as a few of us in a pub and grew to more formal events with speakers

4.      Went to as many networking events as possible to make new contacts and then followed up with individual meetings

5.       Joined my local Women In Management group and then ended up taking over as Chair for 2 years – I made loads of contacts and got loads of work that way

And here are 5 other ways of increasing your network:

1. Make a list of everyone you know, and I mean everyone
- friends, colleagues, past colleagues, family, Mums and Dads of your kids friends, doctor, dentist, hairdresser
Prioritise into the most useful and contact them to let them know what you do. You’ll be amazed at what comes out of this exercise!

2. Connect with people on Linked In and make a point of meeting up with people face to face or phoning at least one person every day.

3. Choose one Linked In Group to join.Actively participate. Connect with as many people as you can in the Group and follow up with face to face contact.

4. Connect other people to each other who you think may benefit from the connection. 
This encourages other people to do the same and is a great way of bringing people into your network.

5.  If you are going to an Event invite someone else to come along with you.
 People are generally much happier to go to events with other people particularly if they feel a bit anxious about going on their own and it will really be appreciated!

On Friday morning I’ll be running the first of my monthly Trainer Talk sessions. Trainer Talk is an opportunity for freelance trainers to come together to learn, share and collaborate in a live and interactive training session. As it’s run via the phone or web there’s no need for you to leave home or the office, meaning that you can quite easily slot into your schedule. I have been running Trainer Talk Live events for the past 18 months and Trainer Talk seemed like the next logical progression. It’s something that’s been on my agenda for a while now. When I thought about the launch date my first thought was to leave it till January. After all no-one’s interested in anything in December – right?

But then for me – personally – there is a very good reason for NOT putting it off till January.

There is more chance that it will actually get done. I don’t know about you, but it always takes me a while to get back into the groove again in January. It’s not until the second week of January with kids safely back at school that I really feel ready to get back to work again  brain into gear. And in reality this means that anything new I’d be planning for January will slip into February.

So what could you be doing in the next 2 weeks that you had planned for January but you could be doing now? Or do you think we should all just shut down in December?

I’d love to hear your views!

A question I get asked a lot from freelance trainers who are thinking of working as an associate is ‘What’s a ‘good’ training company to work for?’. In fact it came up just recently again on one of my Webcasts.

There are so many training companies out there and when you first approach them it can be difficult to know for sure if they will be a reliable source of work or if you will be treated right! I had a couple of bad experiences myself in my first year, mainly due to companies not paying travel expenses even though they had promised to do so beforehand.

Generally I’ve found that the small training companies are better to work for than the large ones. They tend to have less trainers on their books and so you are able to build up a much better and closer relationship with them. You can end up feeling like you are really part of their team and organisation rather than a nameless associate – it can help to replace that sense of teamwork that you inevitably lose when you go out on your own as a freelance trainer. In my experience and those of other freelance trainers I know, smaller training companies tend to pay more too. Whether it’s the fact that they have less overheads or the fact that they value their relationship with their trainers more I’m not sure, but it does seem to be true.

If you want to work for any training company as an associate always remember that it’s a two way relationship. It’s just as important for you to decide if you want to work for them as it is for them to decide if they want to hire you. Here are some key questions you should ask:

1. What’s the daily rate?

2. Do you pay travel expenses?

3. How many days work can your provide? is it likely to be on a regular or ad-hoc basis?

4. Do you have to design as well as deliver? Are you paid for design? At the same rate?

5. What is the recruitment process? Are you paid for attending any Train the Trainer programmes?

It’s really important that you find out the answers to these kinds of questions at the earliest opportunity, even before you commit yourself to a face-to-face meeting. The answers sometimes may not be what you want to hear but it could save you time and money in the long run.

Here’s another question I had from my recent Webcast on How To Get A Steady Stream Of Clients and it’s one that seems to often come up.

What advice could you give me re pricing strategies?

If you have just started out it’s very important to decide on a basic daily rate and a basic daily rate for associate work and make sure that you stick to that. It’s very difficult to change later on.

Be confident and charge what you are worth. One of the biggest problems amongst new freelance trainers is undervaluing themselves and their services. In the eyes of a potential client cheaper is not always best!

In terms of what you charge there is an exercise in my Fast Track to Freelance Training Programme, it’s also in the E Book How To Launch A Training Business in 30 Days. Going through the exercise will give you a realistic picture of what you must charge to have a sustainable business.

There are also many factors affecting pricing, for example industry sector, whether there is potential for future work and you can therefore offer a package price, or whether you are offering a specialist service which people would pay more for for example.

Q: How do you feel about offering a short lunchtime session to companies who you are interested in as a calling card?

A: For a freelance trainer it’s a good strategy as it gives your potential client a taster and it’s low risk for them in terms of money and time. It also gives you a specific reason to call/email as you are giving them something of value.

However, I think there are dangers in offering too much for free – in terms of your own time – and you don’t want any potential client to get used to free/low value stuff.

Limit the amount of free stuff you do. Decide which type of client would be worth doing this for. Have specific criteria, etc industry sector, location, size of company….You don’t want to do it for just anyone. And then stick to it!

Also be very clear on your objectives for the free session. This should be part of your planning process. Are you going to offer a specific programme to them at the end of it and give them a package price? How are you going to follow it up? Etc etc….

Being a freelance trainer has many advantages and many people (myself included!) love it so much that they never go back to a ‘proper’ job again. However, there are just as many people who head back to the corporate world after deciding it’s not really for them.

Being a freelance trainer can be tough, particularly in the current economic climate with more and more trainers coming onto the market chasing too few opportunities. It’s not for everyone. So, before you take the plunge it’s important to
think about the downsides:

Lack of a ‘regular’ income
There’s no monthly standing order in your bank account and you may have to juggle your cash flow from month to month.

Feast and famine syndrome
You might have weeks when there are not enough hours in the day and others where you have no work at all.

Constant pressure to fill your pipeline
You have to balance delivery against sales time – you are under constant pressure to create your own future.

Feeling you have to do everything yourself
Marketing, selling, finance, admin, web design, IT, as well as research, programme design and delivery.

Money needed to set up as well as sustain the business
Balancing cash flow, marketing, paying out for all those things you used to take for granted in corporate life like self-development and professional subscriptions.

Poorer work life balance
If you’re not careful, you end up working
more hours not less

Distractions of working from home
The friendly neighbour stopping by for a cup of tea through to the dishwasher or those soulful eyes of the dog asking you to take him out for a walk

Slow payers
Not all clients will pay you according to your terms – just have a think how your old company may have paid their invoices!

Loneliness and isolation
No team colleagues to share ideas with or just have a chat to.

Lack of self-motivation
Without a boss giving you deadlines to meet, you have to be disciplined to make those goals yourself!

It’s not my intention to put you off completely, just to give you a realistic perspective on what your new life could be like.

Try working through this Exercise to help you decide:

First write a list of your strengths.
(If you find this difficult to do, ask your partner, friend or colleague for some feedback). Once you have made a list,
think through how each of the strengths you have listed will specifically help you to run your business.

Now consider your weaknesses and challenges.
What are the things that could, potentially, hold you back? What can you do to overcome them?

Make a positive commitment to change.

Write down any conclusions you have reached about yourself. Make a proper business plan, look at the financial, social and further implications.

Then, ask yourself this simple question:

Do you have what it takes to be a freelance trainer?

A few years ago I was sitting having coffee with my friend who had been a freelance trainer for a couple of years or so. We were discussing ways of getting new business and she said to me:

‘You know what Sharon I love the thrill of the chase involved in getting new business but once I’ve got it I kind of lose interest and move on to the next one’.

Even though that conversation was 4 or 5 years ago I’ve always remembered it. It opened up my eyes to one of the traps freelance trainers can quite easily fall into. There can be a constant pressure to find new clients and you can find yourself running round and round trying to get new leads and opportunities.

But don’t forget that it’s so much easier to get work out of existing clients. If you’ve done a great job for them, if you can deliver what they need and they know, like and trust you why would they look anywhere else?

So make an effort to stay in touch. Have a system where you call them once a month or once every 3 months. Send them stuff that may be of interest to them. Just build a great relationship with them. And make sure if that person leaves the company that you find out where they have gone and carry the relationship on there

One of the most popular questions I get asked by my clients is

‘What could I be doing to find more clients and more business?’

9 times out of 10 these freelance trainers are doing all the right things – networking, social networking, public speaking, seeking referrals etc yet they tell me they are still struggling to attract clients.

Once I’ve delved a little deeper into what they’re doing I then ask how often they follow-up with their potential prospects that they meet through all these activities.

9 times out of 10 they tell me rarely, if ever.

This is the biggest mistake that I made when I first started out as a freelance trainer. I’d meet someone at an event and took away their business card. I had every intention of calling them and arranging to meet but either I was too ‘busy’ or if truth be told slightly embarrassed and afraid of being seen as pushy if I made contact.

And of course the more time that went by the more embarrassed I got and the call was never made. Opportunity lost.

If you have a lead you MUST follow up on it straight away.

Warm prospects are always better than cold ones and if you’re following up it’s because you’ve already touched this person once before.  Therefore they are warm and more receptive to you.

If you are out networking and you meet someone interested in learning more about your services that is a lead which should be pursued. If you promised them something during your initial conversation, write it down so you don’t forget it, and then contact them immediately as soon as you are ready and able to deliver on that promise.

If you have a potential client requesting a proposal, email them back with the relevant information. If you don’t hear from them over the next week or so, then take the initiative and follow up with them yourself, don’t wait around hoping they’ll email you first.

Often you’ll find that your proposal is still sitting on their desk or waiting to be discussed with someone else. You know what the corporate world is like!

Your gentle nudge serves as a reminder that it needs to be moved off their desk and a decison made. These gentle reminders might realistically need to happen once or twice more, and then if you still haven’t received the positive response you’d hoped for, it may be time to move on.

BUT that is something you would never had known if you’d chosen not to follow up on the original lead.  So the moral of the story is always, always follow up!