Doing It For The Kids

This week Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from Detective Casey Gunn aka Anonymous. They say:

“What advice do you have when your clients habitually deliver things late which then completely messes up your planning and diary?

For context, I’m a social media manager. I have three big clients — all contracted for minimum three month periods — and two of my three clients do this! Usually, these clients are good — we have a good relationship, they pay on time (ish), pay a rate I’m happy with... BUT the constant lateness is making things really tricky for me.

My diary gets booked up well in advance (especially at the moment with no childcare!) and their lateness means I have to cram work into already scarce time. I can’t just move the work until when my diary clears, because then the campaigns I’m working on for them become irrelevant as often they are attached to a particular calendar event.

I build in ‘wiggle room’, send reminders and prompts but.... NOPE, still late. I don’t know what to do!!!

Do I charge more if work has to be completed post-deadline? Like, the equivalent of ‘overtime’? How do I protect myself from this situation in my contract?

It means that next week, for example, I have to build three advertising campaigns (when my planning says I was supposed to only be working on one) and write two campaign analysis reports, alongside my day to day duties with another client... oh and homeschooling my two kids aged 6 and 8 because — PANDEMIC.

Basically, I’M FUCKED AND I WANT TO CRY. End.”

What would your advice be? Let us know your thoughts using #DIFTKpodcast on Twitter and Instagram, and join in the conversation via the DIFTK Community on Facebook.

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This episode is supported by Penfold.

The flexible pension for freelance parents. Penfold provides freelancers with an online pension that’s simple to use and completely flexible.

Sign up with the code DIFTK and get a £25 bonus into your pension pot. Penfold are also offering up to a £1,000 top up on pension transfers until the 31st of March 2021, so you can earn more from your old pension pots!

Penfold is regulated by the FCA. When you put money in a pension, it’s an investment, and like all investments, your capital is at risk. Check for benefits before transferring.

Go to www.getpenfold.com/diftk

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Frankie Tortora's website
Steve Folland's website
Steve's podcast - Being Freelance

Doing It For The Kids website
DIFTK Facebook Community
DIFTK Instagram
DIFTK Twitter

Support DIFTK on Ko-Fi

This week Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from designer and web developer Laura Ockenden. She says:

“As a newbie full-timer, I'm struggling a bit with planning in work and knowing how much I can take on and when.

I've got a few jobs on now but often find myself procrastinating under the guise of waiting for clients to get back to me — should I be looking for more work? Should I book in clients for next month? How long will a job take? How long is a piece of string?!

I've been quite lucky that things have sort of just fallen into place recently but it feels like I need to start giving this whole idea some brain-space now it's the thing that actually pays my mortgage!"

What would your advice be? Let us know your thoughts using #DIFTKpodcast on Twitter and Instagram, and join in the conversation via the DIFTK Community on Facebook.

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This episode is supported by Agorapulse.

Managing social media has never been easier. Schedule your content, get reports, and engage followers with one simple tool. Try Agorapulse FREE for 1 full month.

Go to www.agorapulse.com/diftk

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Lauren Ockenden's website
Frankie Tortora's website
Steve Folland's website
Steve's podcast - Being Freelance

Doing It For The Kids website
DIFTK Facebook Community
DIFTK Instagram
DIFTK Twitter

Support DIFTK on Ko-Fi

This week Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from podcast producer Dave Howard. He says:

“I develop and make podcasts for people — universities, PR companies, businesses, charities. I’m largely a one-person operation, with a few trusted freelancers available to take on odd bits of work here and there when things get busy.

But now there is just too much work. I seem to have won a lot of business all at once, and I’m finding myself constantly racing to edit people’s programmes, to meet deadlines. Some things are getting rushed and some things are a bit stuck on the back burner.

There’s no time for working on the business, updating the website, socials, etc. (Accepting that home schooling is also happening — and is a shitshow).

So, is it some sort of pipeline management strategy I need? Do I just need to learn to say no – or even ‘I can help with that but not until April’? To adjust my prices? Move to a model of bringing in subcontractors?

(I’ll be honest, I don’t really want to become someone whose day-to-day work is managing and overseeing other people — been there, done that, didn’t enjoy it. But I can see that being a way forward).”

What would your advice be? Let us know your thoughts using #DIFTKpodcast on Twitter and Instagram, and join in the conversation via the DIFTK Community on Facebook.

•••

This episode is supported by Penfold.

The flexible pension for freelance parents. Penfold provides freelancers with an online pension that’s simple to use and completely flexible.

Sign up with the code DIFTK and get a £25 bonus into your pension pot. Penfold are also offering up to a £1,000 top up on pension transfers until the 31st of March 2021, so you can earn more from your old pension pots!

Penfold is regulated by the FCA. When you put money in a pension, it’s an investment, and like all investments, your capital is at risk. Check for benefits before transferring.

Go to www.getpenfold.com/diftk

•••

Dave Howard's website
Frankie Tortora's website
Steve Folland's website
Steve's podcast - Being Freelance

Doing It For The Kids website
DIFTK Facebook Community
DIFTK Instagram
DIFTK Twitter

Support DIFTK on Ko-Fi

This week Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from Detective Mel Horn, AKA Anonymous. They say:

“How do you cope with "Client Ick"? Like that physical cringe you experience when you see someone you snogged at a staff party years ago but this time, it’s because your client is calling you and you secretly hate them.

Clients are good. Clients pay the bills. I should love that I have this client. Times are hard and I shouldn’t be ungrateful — after all I worked hard to get them in the first place.

But the honeymoon period of this client has died a death. My dilemma is that despite being a nice (but very insecure) person, as a client they are a royal pain in the bum. Which is fine when you are being paid for the service but right now we are in limbo between projects, so I’m officially off the books.

It’s a culmination of lots of little things that have started to grate on me. But after months of working with them and recently having some issues with bill payments, I now see their name appear on my phone or receive an email and I want to hit the gin (before responding in a professional manner, obviously!).

I hate that they annoy me (I need them!) and hate that they suck my time even when I’m not charging for it (look at me writing to you about them right now!)

Should I just accept that our relationship is tainted, move on and hope that a better client comes along? Is this the end?? Or am I just being a dick, battered after a year of sodding covid draining all my patience and humility."

What would your advice be? Let us know your thoughts using #DIFTKpodcast on Twitter and Instagram, and join in the conversation via the DIFTK Community on Facebook.

•••

This episode is supported by Agorapulse.

Managing social media has never been easier. Schedule your content, get reports, and engage followers with one simple tool. Try Agorapulse FREE for 1 full month.

Go to www.agorapulse.com/diftk

•••

Frankie Tortora's website
Steve Folland's website
Steve's podcast - Being Freelance

Doing It For The Kids website
DIFTK Facebook Community
DIFTK Instagram
DIFTK Twitter

Support DIFTK on Ko-Fi

This week Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from Detective Jason Chase, aka Anonymous. They say:

“My question is about professional 'ghosting'... spooky!

I was recently in touch with an old acquaintance who now works with a big organisation that I have been interested in working with for a while. This person encouraged me to pitch for quite a big contract, chatted through the project with me on the phone and even read through my ideas and made encouraging suggestions before I submitted.

But — I didn't get the gig.

I was really gutted but assumed I was up against some tough competition. The acquaintance apologised, and told me that there would be further opportunities coming up really soon and also offered — unprompted — to give me some feedback on a call. Great, I thought!

But when I replied to schedule a time to chat I didn't get a reply. A week or so later I sent a follow up message and again... silence!!

I think this professional ghosting is becoming more and more common and I hate it! How hard is it to send a quick message to someone, especially if you have volunteered to share the information in the first place?

I would love to move on from this, but feel a bit embarrassed, and also annoyed, and a bit like a ditched date! I'd love a chance to work with this organisation, and to have the feedback that was offered up. Would love to hear what you think! Any advice?”

What would your advice be? Let us know your thoughts using #DIFTKpodcast on Twitter and Instagram, and join in the conversation via the DIFTK Community on Facebook.

•••

This episode is supported by Penfold.

The flexible pension for freelance parents. Penfold provides freelancers with an online pension that’s simple to use and completely flexible.

Sign up with the code DIFTK and get a £25 bonus into your pension pot. Penfold are also offering up to a £1,000 top up on pension transfers until the 31st of March 2021, so you can earn more from your old pension pots!

Penfold is regulated by the FCA. When you put money in a pension, it’s an investment, and like all investments, your capital is at risk. Check for benefits before transferring.

Go to www.getpenfold.com/diftk

•••

Frankie Tortora's website
Steve Folland's website
Steve's podcast - Being Freelance

Doing It For The Kids website
DIFTK Facebook Community
DIFTK Instagram
DIFTK Twitter

Support DIFTK on Ko-Fi