In this episode, Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from wedding florist Esme Ford.

Esme says: 

“Hi Frankie & Steve!

I am giving a 10 minute talk next week and I need your help.

Public speaking is something I never do, so I had a little practice and filmed myself doing my talk and my voice is soooooo wishy washy. I hate it when I ‘ummm’ a lot so try to actively pause instead, but then the flow of the talk is all wrong?

I just feel like my voice has no authority!

How do you both make your voice sound so clear and confident? Have you always been good at speaking or have you just improved with time?

Thanks!

Esme”

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.
 

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In this episode, Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from Detective Babs Harris aka Anonymous.

“I work with corporate clients around workshop facilitation and keynote speaking. My question is around pricing transparency. 

I am finding that I am getting lots of enquiries (which I am very grateful for!). Most of the time I respond via email with my fees and the potential client doesn't have the budget. I would say this happens three quarters of the time. 

My fees are probably higher than average but I'm happy with the price point and the value I offer and I have lots of repeat clients that I work with closely. It's not a major admin task to respond to each enquiry individually but collectively over a month or so it can take up quite a bit of time. 

So I am looking at reviewing how I do things. 

I'm keen to understand what others do and why. 

Do they: 

1. Display prices on your website? 

2. Send fees in response to an enquiry, prior to setting up a meeting with the potential client? 

3. Meet with the potential client first and then send prices after? 

Which approach do you think is best for maximising revenue, building relationships but also protecting time?"

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.
 

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In this episode, Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from Detective Roxanne Maxwell aka Anonymous.

She says…

“I had a situation recently where I responded to somebody who I know really well offering to help me with something. I said yes, appreciated the service they did for me and I paid them for that service.

Afterwards, they asked if I’d be happy to give a testimonial and I said, ‘sure — how about you draft something and I’ll tweak it?’ 

They sent me something. I tweaked their words so it was more like me and shortened it so it wasn’t so gushy because… you know how some services just go the extra mile and they’re brilliant and you were wax lyrical about them because you loved them so much? Well, this wasn’t one of those situations. But nor was it a shit service. It was just… bang for your buck type stuff.

Since then my endorsement has been used as a propeller for this particular service in online spaces and it’s just made me feel really uncomfortable.

It’s made me really think about how we ask people for testimonials, but also, how we use those testimonials and how that lands with the person we’ve asked. 

Now I know it’s really important to get testimonials, and I know it’s really important to bang our own drums and promote ourselves — but is there a way to do that without making the people we’ve asked feel icky?

I mean, should have I said — ‘happy for you to use this, but could you not plaster it everywhere, everyday, for 50 weeks of the year?!’ (which is how it feels at the moment) 

Because, if I’m honest, this experience is going to make me reluctant to give testimonials in the future and I would hate for any of my clients to feel like that.”

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.
 

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In this episode, Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from project management expert Nina Lenton.

Nina says: 

“As well as my work as a freelance project director and manager, I have a blog on the subject of everyday joy (in life and work), which I write on every now and then.  

I’d like to do more with it, but am afraid I could easily spend all of my time doing that instead of paid work, which of course isn’t really sensible!

How do people who have similar side projects (blog, podcast etc) manage to balance it with paid work (or even manage to get paid something for doing the side project)?”

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.
 

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Nina Lenton's website
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In this episode, Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from Lametta Truffleballs AKA Anonymous.

They say…

“Hi Frankie & Steve,

I see a lot of freelancers ‘doing good’ with their business, donating x % to the planet or to another good cause. I really like this idea, but — with two small children, one of which is still in a private nursery — I feel like I just don’t have the spare money to do this? Should I just suck it up and do it anyway??

Help!”

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.
 

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Steve's podcast - Being Freelance

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In this episode, Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from Colin Parks AKA Anonymous.

They say…

“Hi Frankie and Steve

I’ve worked for a company (employed) for over 12 years. 
It’s grown from 50 people to a 5,000+ strong agency.

I work with digital technology as an Account Director and I’ve managed some decent clients. My key skills are listening to, understanding and challenging client requirements, and then translating them into actionable, achievable outcomes. I have the soft skills of technology, but I don’t code. 

I’m now fed up with the increasing internal hierarchy, unnecessary process bollocks and the required emphasis on being seen to do things (like PowerPoint decks) rather than actually achieving valuable outcomes for clients.

Anyway, I’m currently on 3 months of gardening leave so I have some time to plan my goals, brush up on skills, and, of course, do some gardening…

Ultimately, I want to go freelance, but I don’t want to be known as a “C” word (Consultant) as I intend to actually roll my sleeves up and do work such as designing Proof of Concepts, helping their development teams and deciding on the right technology.

What advice can you give someone wanting to go freelance when it’s about services and outcomes rather than outputs? That is, I don’t create, say, graphics or videos. Instead, I help clients define their problems and investigate solutions. 

Any thoughts? Thanks, Colin”

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.
 

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

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In this episode, Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from Grace Abell, designer at Abell Design — a brand and digital creative studio.

She says…

“To cut a long story short — I’m a seasoned freelancer who is just getting back into working evenings as I’m caring for twins during the day.

My problem is this: 

As I do not have the capacity for project work, I’m now taking on small tasks from one agency whose fingers are in many pies. I have a set of ethical views which are privately held. These tend to overlap with what this client does, but not always. 

Therefore, I need some tips on turning down work on topics which are icky for me personally, but aren’t icky for other people. The client always asks “are you available?” and doesn’t usually disclose what the task is. This kind of work is often under NDA. 

I’m just very scared I’ll agree to a job based on my availability, then the content will arrive in my inbox and I’ll have to turn it down there and then. 

I’ve considered writing my list of no-gos in a contract, but then I don’t really want my views to be known by every client. I’m not ashamed of my opinions — I just think it’s more professional and mature to keep them to myself. What do you think?”

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.
 

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Abell Design website
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Steve's podcast - Being Freelance

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In this episode, Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from Emma Roberts, director at Social Qual.

Emma says:

“You know when you stumble upon someone fab, and your brain goes ‘ooh, collaboration potential’? 

Perhaps we meet on LinkedIn and then organise a cuppa or intro call. We chat, we laugh, we bond over work joys and woes... and then we part with that cheerful, 'let's collaborate soon' but then… often our busy lives take over. 

I'm on both sides of this — an instigator of these types of calls and also someone who people reach out to.    

So, I'm wondering...

How can we make these cuppa-time conversations transform into actual collabs? Or should we even bother with these sorts of meetings?

It feels like I need to be more strategic about which invites I accept and who I reach out to.  

The social side of me responds to new folk with a Pavlov-dog response of ‘let's arrange a call’ but I’m increasingly feeling a bit unsatisfied with that approach.  

Anyone else? How do I get more strategic about these calls without being a nob?”

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.
 

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Social Qual website
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Steve's podcast - Being Freelance

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To celebrate 100 episodes of DIFTK, Frankie & Steve answer a bunch of quick fire questions! 

And a HUGE thank you to everybody that has listened, reviewed, sent in a question or a comment. Wouldn't be the same without you. Thank you.
 

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

Doing It For The Kids website
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In this episode, Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from Lucy Critchley, founder of Untold Creative Services.

Lucy says:

“I use Canva A LOT. My clients find it super simple (mostly!) so it just makes sense. I’ve never learned how to use Illustrator/Photoshop etc but I feel like I should…? 

I think it would be a good skill to have and could be a benefit to my business in terms of being taken seriously with design/graphics/socials work. 

But I haven’t a clue where to start! Or if it’s even a good idea or not. 

It probably also stems back to being told I wasn’t very creative when I was younger… hello imposter syndrome!

Any thoughts welcome!”

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.
 

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Untold Creative Services
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Steve's podcast - Being Freelance

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In this episode, Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from Anonymous, AKA Lotus Vanreisel.

Lotus says:

“Hello freelance friends!

I'd like your opinion on an email I’ve received from one of my longest and most favourite clients…

After months of no work and no contact, she asked me last month if I have any availability in the next few weeks. I said ‘yes’ and also told her that my rates had gone up since we last spoke.

Here is her reply:

"So I'd love to be able to put some work your way but the hourly rate is a bit high — is there any flexibility? I know you don't really do full days because of your daughter. Let me know."

This irritates me no end as it implies I should charge less because wI have childcare duties. (I also know she worked part-time and didn’t earn much when her kids were younger.)

How do you handle situations like these?

I'll also add that another long-standing client just asked me for a lot of work over the next couple of months, so while I could fit her in, I don't have an awful lot of availability.

Would love your thoughts.

Thanks, Lotus”

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.

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

Doing It For The Kids website
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