Indie Business Club

Ben McKinney and Mel Barfield discuss strategies for attracting clients during economic downturns, emphasising the importance of diversifying marketing efforts, posting on LinkedIn, and avoiding relying solely on one platform or approach. They also discuss the value of authenticity, consistency, and specificity in leveraging social media platforms for business growth, and share tips for managing challenging clients and projects, including taking a step back to assess situations objectively. Finally, they touch on various aspects of freelancing, including marketing oneself, managing clients, and finding work. Fractional CMO and Hat fan John Lyons gives his advice on how indie business owners should market themselves. Mel and Ben give an indie business owner a much deserved shout out. https://barfieldandmckinney.substack.com/ https://www.indiebusinessclub.com/ Produced by Ant HendersonTheme by Ant Henderson This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit barfieldandmckinney.substack.com/subscribe

Ben McKinney and Mel Barfield discuss pricing strategies for freelancers and small business owners. They emphasise the importance of understanding value propositions, having a sales process, and being confident in pricing. They also addressed gender disparities in confidence and pricing, with findings from Ben's call for writers revealing a consistent gap in rates charged by men and women. Mel and Ben also covered intricacies of pricing and payment, including managing client expectations, negotiating rates, and receiving upfront payment. They stressed the importance of setting fair prices, balancing flexibility with capacity, and prioritising the client's needs. Tom Garfield provides his take on pricing, and Mel and Ben give an indie business owner a much deserved shout out. https://barfieldandmckinney.substack.com/ https://www.indiebusinessclub.com/ Produced by Ant HendersonTheme by Ant Henderson This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit barfieldandmckinney.substack.com/subscribe

Mel Barfield and Ben McKinney have been learning all about podcasts.Especially about how microphones work. And how they don’t.First sound guy (and sound guy) Ant informed Ben his microphone was back to front. Then Ant insisted an episode be re-recorded because Mel’s mic was “way too hot”. All good fun though. This episode is “What’s The Story” - a shorter introductory episode to give some background to the podcast. Mel and Ben detail how indie business club came about and try to give one another's back stories. With mixed results.You can follow the podcast on…SpotifyApple podcastsAmazon MusicAudibleAnd follow indie business club on LinkedIn for random video snippets too. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit barfieldandmckinney.substack.com/subscribe

A podcast for independent creatives. Packed with tips, advice, and food for thought for freelancers, founders, and business owners in creative industries. Hosted by Mel Barfield and Ben McKinney. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit barfieldandmckinney.substack.com/subscribe

Hi, Mel here,Ben and I went back to our roots on Monday by using whatsapp voicenotes to record our recap. Hence the varying audio levels… SORRY 😬This was the last Barfield & McKinney in its current form because as of next month we’ll be recording proper podcast episodes under our new name…Indie Business Club PodcastWhich will be properly audio produced by lovely Ant Henderson, who’s also created us a bespoke theme tune. There’s a heavy 00s rock/indie influence as you’ll hear. Thanks to everyone who voted on our logo, there was a clear winner in option B (hooray, my preference too!)We’re working on the website, hopefully we’ll be ready to launch it soon. Back to the recap. When we spoke about balance, we concluded that (as with almost every topic we cover) it depends on where you draw the line. If you draw a line at all. Some people (me, I’m some people) advocate looking at it as one big mess of life. We both had some lightbulb moments though, which is a happy by-product of us doing these chats. Ben - oh dear, I need to find balance again especially with baby 3 on the way.Mel - lockdown life is partly responsible for my blurry lines between work/life.Do you have a good sense of balance between Business You and Family/Friends You?We’re now planning our first few episodes of Indie Business Club, so let us know which topics you’d like us to cover by replying to this email. 😊Speak soon,B&MFind us on LinkedIn here:Mel BarfieldBen McKinney This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit barfieldandmckinney.substack.com/subscribe

Save the date: Our next LI live audio event is on Monday 15th April at 12 noon. Topic: BALANCE. We’ll send the link nearer the time. The “Millennial Pause” at the start of this video is magnificent. At least I didn’t laugh though. Ben and I spoke about how and why some freelancers and small business owners might like to get their voices out there. As always, we’ve recorded a little recap. The benefits of public speaking are:* affirmation and attention!* it positions you as an expert* maximises networking opportunities at real life events - as a speaker you tend to talk to more people during the breaks* other opportunities can follow, like podcast appearances, being invited to deliver training, etc.* when delivering live talks, the energy in the room is an excellent legal high* you shorten the gap between you and your potential clients and your network* it can increase your revenue streams e.g. being paid to speak and/or offering consultancy work on top of your “day job”Things to be mindful of:* you don’t necessarily get instant ROI* maybe you don’t need slides?* likely you’ll have to do it free of charge to begin with* it takes brain space and takes time to create a decent talk* most people are rooting for you, but if you get the odd hater you’ve made it* the longer-term ROI isn’t just being paid to talk at stuff, it’s the broader rate increase, raised profile, wider audience, higher-quality clients, etc.How to dip a toe in:* put it out there that you want to speak at events and on pods (if you don’t ask…)* listen to other people talking at events/podcasts/webinars (e.g. TMM) is a really useful way to learn how to do it well* use Canva to record yourself (might be a pro feature, not sure) - the benefit is you can re-record each slide if you fluff up* prep a short talk so if you get interest you have an oven-ready bio, talk description and theme * talk in front of the mirror to build confidence* get along to Keynote Club run by Max Hopkinson, Becca Lamb and Becki Wilson for a gentle, welcoming space * record some videos to put out on LinkedIn, doesn’t need to be long (literally 30 seconds is fine) * record your voice and listen back - get over that gross bit of hearing yourself* no need for special equipment - send yourself a WhatsApp voicenote and listen to it on repeat as exposure therapyWho to follow:* Pascalle Bergmans for snackable videos about public speaking techniques* Jackie Goddard for her “Speak Like A Speaker” series* Bonnie Harrington for a 1:1 to improve your presentationsShameless self-promo:* Ben spoke at Copy Cabana when he was a baby copywriter* Mel has a dedicated speaking pageAnd finally, a huge thank you to our paid supporters Ralph, Nikki, Lorna and Jen. It blows our minds a little and we’re so grateful. Also, apologies for any nagging emails Substack sends about upgrading to paid - it has a mind of its own. Speak soon,Ben & MelCatch us in action…Ben is speaking at Creator Day in Poole on 25th AprilMel is speaking at CopyCon in London on 8th NovemberPS: Mel wrote more speaker tips here. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit barfieldandmckinney.substack.com/subscribe

Hi gang, Mel here. ⏰NEXT B&M (on public speaking): Monday 25th March 12:30-13:30⏰Here’s a recap we recorded just for audio (hence I’m not looking to camera) but then we thought hey, why not throw the vid out too? All in the interest of oversharing, of course.I spoke at Digital Women Live on Monday, on the topic of getting over yourself and posting more on LinkedIn. Nagged everyone not to be a #LurkinGherkin.After my talk, I was asked by a few people, “how much is too much?”It seems to be a consistent dilemma for people. On LinkedIn in particular, where’s the line? How far can you go before you get “this isn’t Facebook!” comments?Ben doesn’t post about personal stuff. I do. And in the great tradition of Barfield & McKinney, we ended up not coming to a firm conclusion either way 🤔Benefits of sharing personal stuff:* it shortens the space between you and your potential clients/peers* allows people to relate to you more* you can pre-qualify and pre-disqualify potential clients* it sets client expectations e.g. if you only work within the school day, like me* shows you as a fully functional 3D/4K humanDownsides of sharing personal stuff:* could risk being seen as a Mumpreneur/Dadpreneur/Parentpreneur/Pupreneur if all you do is post about your children/doggo* oversharing about family life means you lose your business being a “space” for you and only you* if you post something vulnerable and it gets huge reach, the engagement isn’t necessarily from your clients* can make you look less polished (also a benefit - it can put off clients that might not suit you)* face recognition tech might mean your children’s faces get deepfaked (hey, it could happen)We also covered the shocking news that not only has Ben never had Facebook, he also never had a MySpace page. #TomWasMyFirstFriend - IYKYK.An “excessive generosity of information” is a lovely phrase Ben dug up when doing his research for the show. I guess it all depends on your definition of “excessive”. Timing matters too. Molly Scanlan and I discussed the subject at Digital Women and agreed perhaps a good rule of thumb is not to post while you’re vulnerable. To wait until you’re through it before posting about the situation. Partly for your own protection but also to retain the confidence of your clients. And in case you missed it, I have to mute myself every time Ben does an intro. I don’t know why, but it cracks me up. Our next LinkedIn audio event is on Monday 25th, 12:30-13:30 UK time. We’ll be discussing how you can use PUBLIC SPEAKING to promote your business. Make sure you click “join” on LinkedIn then add it to your calendar to get nag-reminded. See ya,Mel & Ben This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit barfieldandmckinney.substack.com/subscribe

Hi, Mel here. On 14th February we shamelessly crowbarred in a Valentine’s Day theme - Client Relationships 💞We spoke about how to foster a great relationship with your clients before, during and after a freelance project. It all relies on the foundations you’ve laid and how well you’ve managed expectations. On both sides. We spoke about…* how your marketing/personal brand/reputation is the start of the relationship and your first chance to manage those expectations* onboarding, and how I’ve changed my process to start with a briefing form so the client has to prove they’re serious early on* using templates for emails, both for ease and to keep you in control* how it’s important to establish in advance how you check in with the client throughout the project (all the more important when it’s a long one)* the difference between being an employee and a freelancerWe also bigged up Tom Albrighton, who’s just released his book The Freelancer’s Business Brain. We’ve both met Tom (I interviewed him for Freelancer Magazine, Ben’s met him IRL coz NORWICH crew) and can confirm he’s a lovely man. So knowledgeable about all things copywriting and freelancing.Tom talks about the importance of meeting with clients, at least on a Zoom. Ben then recounted his experience visiting an agency to discuss their project in person, and how on reflection it put him on the back foot a little. I’ll stick to Zoom calls I think.A slightly abrupt end to this recap. Soz. We were trying out AudioJack and had a 10min limit, but still ended up using the Zoom recording anyway because of echo echo echo. We spoke more in the audio event (but not the recap) about how to keep the conversation going with clients after the project ends:* make keeping in touch less gross by sending genuinely helpful info e.g. “saw this blog and thought it might be useful” now and then* build a project review into the project e.g. a 1:1 zoom call three months later* Jodie Newman speaks about “sowing seeds of delight” into your processes, and how important it is to ask for feedback and testimonials (bleugh!)So, what do you do to keep your clients happy?Huge thanks to our paid subscribers including long-time listener Lorna Smart who recently supported us. We’re edging ever closer to this moving from “podcast experiment” to just “podcast”. We haven’t yet set the next audio event date. We both have half term next week *shudder* so we’ll give it a ponder and let you know as soon as we know. Won’t be long though, promise.See ya,B&MFind us on LinkedIn:Mel BarfieldBen McKinney This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit barfieldandmckinney.substack.com/subscribe

Hi, Mel here. Before the recap, huge thanks to Ralph Cunningham and Nikki Pilkington for being our first paid subscribers 🥹💖And on the subject of love and appreciation, our next LinkedIn audio event is on Valentine's Day Wednesday 14th February at midday (UK time). Our topic is CLIENT RELATIONSHIPS. Join our LinkedIn event here so LinkedIn nag-reminds you. Last week we were joined by Dave Harland, Ben's Copy Or Die copywriting agency cofounder. We talked all things SUBCONTRACTING including a bit of back story on how Copy Or Die came about. Ben and Dave met on Twitter (RIP) ages ago, and became pals. More recently, Dave was only able to take on around one in twenty inbound enquiries (lovely problem to have) and was giving away the rest of his leads. Ben suggested he'd happily take the leads and pay commission on those that converted. So he did.Subcontracting is part of the Barfield and McKinney origin story too; I answered a call Ben put out on Twitter (RIP, again).We worked together on a couple of projects, and Dave also subcontracted to me separately. Presumably after Ben confirmed I'm "not a below average copywriter" - direct testimonial from him this week 😏Then Ben and Dave also jointly subcontracted to me as Copy or Die, so it's all just one big subcontracty sandwich with me as the premium copywriter smoked salmon, who you should totally hire.I can get away with saying that coz Copy Or Die and Dave have had a collective TEN mentions and counting in this supposedly BARFIELD & McKinney Substack 🤔Anyway, we spoke about the BENEFITS of subcontracting work:* you get rewarded for your marketing efforts* you can take on projects outside your niche/preference* you get to collaborate with (hopefully) awesome, "not below average" people* it's the only way to grow when you're a company of one* you get a fresh perspective and ideas* it's win-win-win for client, subcontractor and subcontractee (I stubbornly refuse to accept this isn't a real word)And things to BE MINDFUL OF:* will the end client know work's subcontracted? * subcontract to people you trust (we both highly rate Bonnie Harrington jussayin)* ideal scenario - the person doing the work gets direct access and can use the work in their portfolio* include it in your contracts/agreements* profit isn’t icky - you’re running a business so you should get paid for your part in the process* make sure you add a large enough buffer of time for deadlines to comfortably review subcontracted work before it has to go to the client* it's not a get rich quick scheme - subcontracting out work involves a fair bit of graftWriters can fill in a form to be considered for Copy Or Die projects here: www.copyordie.co.uk/writers And for advertorial balance, clients can be considered for Mel Barfield copywriting projects by completing this here google form. 😉See you on V-Day,B&MFind us on LinkedIn:I’m here. Ben’s here.Dave’s here.Barfield & McKinney is a reader-supported publication. To be super cool like Ralph and Nikki you can join our paid up backers club (we need a better name…) This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit barfieldandmckinney.substack.com/subscribe