WCP150 Archives Vol. VII, Company policies
10/26/21 • 18 min
1 Listener
Establishing company policies might sound like it would create distance from freelance clients, but it does the opposite, especially with your ideal clients.
Clear boundaries set a framework for clear expectations and positive work relationships and self care. If you know what you will and won’t do, it leads to better communication.
On the other hand, a lack of boundaries breeds feelings and behavior that tend to be regressive and that distances us from clients. I have a friend who’s a solopreneur with an online retail business. He does everything: designed the website, selects merchandise for sale, goes to the post office to ship something, replies to customer service messages, etc., without any outsourcing.
A customer asked him for something that he didn’t want to do. He wanted to say not but hesitated, as he thought the customer would perceive it as a personal slight. But saying, “It’s company policy” breathes some air into the situation. It’s not personal, it’s not about the client.
Many freelancers feel put on the spot with certain requests. They didn't realize they had a boundary or limitation until the other person crosses it, and then they feel compelled to say yes.
As a freelancer, you may not think of yourself as a company, even if you are incorporated. It’s useful to think of work boundaries as company policies that your inner entrepreneur created for you. If somebody makes a request, you can say no on behalf of yourself as an individual, or on behalf of the writing business.
In this week’s episode of the Writing Coach Podcast, we look at what policies you might consider, how to set them up, why to have them, and what to do if you notice that you're not actually following your own policies.
SHARE THE WRITING COACH PODCAST WITH OTHER WRITERS Subscribe and write a review of the Writing Coach Podcast on Apple Podcasts.
OR TAG ME WHILE SHARING ON SOCIAL MEDIA Follow me on Instagram: @freelancewriterbootcamp Follow me on Facebook: facebook.com/rebeccalweber Follow me on Twitter: @rebeccalweber Follow me on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/rebeccalweber/
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE ... Guide on how to pitch freelance articles WCP Episode 11: Money and negotiation blocks Deep work by Cal Newport WCP Bonus: Boost your bottom line as a freelance writer
WORK WITH ME: JOIN THE BOOTCAMP WAITLIST
Join the waitlist for the next session of my small group coaching program, and you’ll be the first to hear when applications open AND get special access to an early bird bonus: www.FreelanceWriterBootcamp.com
Break into your dream publications and get paid well while covering stories that matter. Alumni of my small group coaching program, Freelance Writer Bootcamp, have used these proven pitching processes to break into the New York Times, the Guardian, Bustle, Fodor’s, Condé Nast Traveler, Al Jazeera, the BBC, and many more.
Writers on the waitlist will be the first to hear when Bootcamp applications open up for early bird enrollment in the next session.
Click here to join the small group waitlist: www.FreelanceWriterBootcamp.com
More info and complete show notes: www.rebeccalweber.com/podcast148
Establishing company policies might sound like it would create distance from freelance clients, but it does the opposite, especially with your ideal clients.
Clear boundaries set a framework for clear expectations and positive work relationships and self care. If you know what you will and won’t do, it leads to better communication.
On the other hand, a lack of boundaries breeds feelings and behavior that tend to be regressive and that distances us from clients. I have a friend who’s a solopreneur with an online retail business. He does everything: designed the website, selects merchandise for sale, goes to the post office to ship something, replies to customer service messages, etc., without any outsourcing.
A customer asked him for something that he didn’t want to do. He wanted to say not but hesitated, as he thought the customer would perceive it as a personal slight. But saying, “It’s company policy” breathes some air into the situation. It’s not personal, it’s not about the client.
Many freelancers feel put on the spot with certain requests. They didn't realize they had a boundary or limitation until the other person crosses it, and then they feel compelled to say yes.
As a freelancer, you may not think of yourself as a company, even if you are incorporated. It’s useful to think of work boundaries as company policies that your inner entrepreneur created for you. If somebody makes a request, you can say no on behalf of yourself as an individual, or on behalf of the writing business.
In this week’s episode of the Writing Coach Podcast, we look at what policies you might consider, how to set them up, why to have them, and what to do if you notice that you're not actually following your own policies.
SHARE THE WRITING COACH PODCAST WITH OTHER WRITERS Subscribe and write a review of the Writing Coach Podcast on Apple Podcasts.
OR TAG ME WHILE SHARING ON SOCIAL MEDIA Follow me on Instagram: @freelancewriterbootcamp Follow me on Facebook: facebook.com/rebeccalweber Follow me on Twitter: @rebeccalweber Follow me on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/rebeccalweber/
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE ... Guide on how to pitch freelance articles WCP Episode 11: Money and negotiation blocks Deep work by Cal Newport WCP Bonus: Boost your bottom line as a freelance writer
WORK WITH ME: JOIN THE BOOTCAMP WAITLIST
Join the waitlist for the next session of my small group coaching program, and you’ll be the first to hear when applications open AND get special access to an early bird bonus: www.FreelanceWriterBootcamp.com
Break into your dream publications and get paid well while covering stories that matter. Alumni of my small group coaching program, Freelance Writer Bootcamp, have used these proven pitching processes to break into the New York Times, the Guardian, Bustle, Fodor’s, Condé Nast Traveler, Al Jazeera, the BBC, and many more.
Writers on the waitlist will be the first to hear when Bootcamp applications open up for early bird enrollment in the next session.
Click here to join the small group waitlist: www.FreelanceWriterBootcamp.com
More info and complete show notes: www.rebeccalweber.com/podcast148
Previous Episode
WCP Early bird applications for Bootcamp opening soon
Early bird invitations for Freelance Writer Bootcamp will be sent out soon. If you are keen to work with me in my small group coaching program, you’ll definitely want to register now and snag a juicy early bird bonus only for those writers on the waitlist.
Break into your dream publications and get paid well while covering stories that matter. Alumni of my small group coaching program have used these proven pitching processes to break into the New York Times, the Guardian, Bustle, Fodor’s, Condé Nast Traveler, Al Jazeera, the BBC, and many more.
We cover all the external skills to improve your pitch acceptance rate, and the internal mindset work to keep you from getting in your own way.
The next session begins in January 2022. We will have pods at two different times to accommodate freelancers all over the world so that you can get live coaching and live feedback in the pitch workshops. (Of course, all calls are recorded too.)
Join the Freelance Writer Bootcamp waitlist: www.FreelanceWriterBootcamp.com
Next Episode
WCP 151 But, but, and
Today we are talking about goals. I’ve talked again and again about being aware of your potential obstacles when setting a goal. There are going to be challenges and so it’s important to plan on how to deal with those challenges.
When we’ve created an internal obstacle, we also have the power to shift it.
It’s about changing your perspective, shifting your narrative, and managing your mindset.
In this episode, I’ll teach you how you can shift your “but” to “and” and see how that one switch could really change things that will point you where your next action step is.
MENTIONED ON THIS EPISODEWCP 1: What’s your problem? WCP 20: Setting freelance writer goals WCP 32: Setting freelance writer goals, Vol. II WCP 45: Setting freelance writer goals, Volume III WCP 59: Setting freelance writer goals, Vol. IV WCP 97: Setting freelance writer goals, Vol. V: Celebrations
Episode Quotes
“If it is not outside of your comfort zone, it is probably not much of a goal.”
“Changing your perspective to what happens next, that is what helps you get started.”
“With a close mindset there are limited possibilities.”
“The best solution is to do an honest solution.”
Listen to Learn
00:17 – Planning how to deal with challenges
02:20 – Rewriting your narrative – “You as the protagonist”
04:20 – Examples of changing your “but” to “and”
12:05 – Ways to start to gain more awareness
WORK WITH ME: JOIN THE BOOTCAMP WAITLISTJoin the waitlist for the next session of my small group coaching program AND get special access to an early bird bonus: www.FreelanceWriterBootcamp.com
Break into your dream publications and get paid well while covering stories that matter. Alumni of my small group coaching program, Freelance Writer Bootcamp, have used these proven pitching processes to break into the New York Times, the Guardian, Bustle, Fodor’s, Condé Nast Traveler, Al Jazeera, the BBC, and many more.
We cover all the external skills to improve your pitch acceptance rate, and the internal mindset work to keep you from getting in your own way.
Writers on the waitlist will be the first to hear when Bootcamp applications open up for early bird enrollment in the next session.
Click here to join the small group waitlist: www.FreelanceWriterBootcamp.com
More info and complete shownotes: www.rebeccalweber.com/podcast151
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