“

Somehow it’s all worked out. We’ve continued to pay the bills. There’s no shortage of requests for work. And I’ve enjoyed recapturing my evenings and Saturdays, filled with family and personal time.

Thus, here are 10 things learned over the last 6 months. This topic has been exhausted elsewhere by many others, so I hope I’ve avoided duplicating what’s already been said.

1. Err on the side of abundant contact. If choosing among infrequent contact vs. abundant contact with clients, always offer more than less. Currently only 2 of my clients reside in Utah. The rest are scattered abroad. That typically means a remote working environment, in which email, IM, and phone replace traditional face-to-face or in-house interaction. Do whatever each project requires to ensure clients feel cared for and attended to. I’ve even held daily phone calls with clients over an extended period of time when it meant keeping a project on task.

2. Care for the future. It’s extremely easy to get caught up in client work in the present and fail to give proper attention to the marketing of one’s business in the future. Roughly 90% of my work comes as a result my site, and I’d be foolish to fail to author articles or other fresh content. However, my writing has slowed at times because of workload, and it’s a constant battle to ensure I keep a fresh presence. Set aSet aside at least one-half day a week to promoting your businessside at least one-half day a week to promoting your business, whether that means cold calling, blogging, direct marketing, or other forms of self-promotion.

3. Care for the present. A charge to care for the future comes only with the harsh reality of caring for the present. It’s impossible to be concerned about future business without first successfully executing what’s already on the table. Work in progress is by far the better revenue stream when compared to potential prospects that may or may not pan out, so treat existing clients with care.

4. Avoid Monday deadlines. A while back I asked many of you to test 37signal’s newly launched Writeboard by answering the question, “Mondays: Excellent or lousy for deadlines?” (You can still access the board here by entering the password “authentic”.) I’m not certain this is the best use of Writeboard, but the exercise was worth the effort. Some of you argued for Monday deadlines, others against. My take? Unless the thought of spending your weekend behind a PC gets you giddy, you’d be wise to avoid Monday. I, for one, made the leap to freelance precisely to avoid working the weekends. A Monday deadline is anything but elusive of weekend client work. Sure, I’ve had to work my share of Saturdays since making the leap — it’s inevitable at times. But when I have any say in a deadline or the preparation thereof, I avoid Mondays at all costs.

5. Be cautious responding to emails outside business hours. Though I typically check email on Saturdays and evenings, I tend not to respond unless urgent. I’m cognizant of the fact that if I respond on a Saturday at 2pm or a Wednesday evening at 9pm, that gives every reason for others to assume I work any and all hours of the day. Again, I made the leap to avoid hectic work schedules, and I make every attempt to let others know that my availability comes without restriction during normal business hours but on a limited basis after hours.

6. Say ‘no’ as often as you say ‘yes’. I quoted Michael Porter in my ALA article and I’ll do so again here: “The essence of strategy is choosing what not to do.” Realize that every project you say ‘yes’ to inevitably locks up time that may or may not be better spent elsewhere in terms of project revenue, portfolio depth, and overall work satisfaction. It’s a game of opportunity cost, so be sure you’re choosing those projects that maximize a) the talent you offer clients and b) what you take home at the end of the day.

,,