14 Responses

1. Your website
   Hi Ria

   I would concentrate on what you can do for the potential customer visiting your website, and not worry too much about your history. If your potential customer likes YOU then this will increase your chances of winning the work. Not sure why i’ve just said that as you’re the Sales Trainer…:) Why not offer a free or discounted seminar, or free half day session to a company you know to help improve your training skills and confidence? They can also then assess your qualities and give you some honest feedback. You could then put the feedback from that company on your website to show others that you have delivered courses.

   Also take a look at my website, http://www.pentlandtraining.com where you may pick up some ideas. Always put your phone number at the top of your webpage.

   cheers

   Jamie

2. What to put on my web site
   Hi Ria,

   Congratulations on taking that really scary step into freelancing.

   The most important thing to put on your site is your courses that you deliver, what levels, the duration and the content of the courses, and your contact details or a way to contact you with a query.

   If you can incorporate a diary system then that would allow potential clients to see your availability.

   You may choose to add your prices, so that any prospective client knows what they are getting and how much it will cost them, before contacting you.

   As a freelancer myself, you might want to have a look at my site, to give you some ideas of content:

   http://www.maximumimpactsolutions.co.uk

   Good luck

   Julia

3. website
   Hi Ria

   There are a number of things to consider but the most important thing is to think about who will be viewing your website, e.g. potential clients.
   I have found this link useful http://www.eberlin.co.uk/whatmakesagoodwebsite.html‏.

   A good website company is http://www.rubbercheese.com , i’ve used them previously.

   Good luck

   Blake

4. Your position
   Ria

   Have you undertaken a business planning process to determine what your reason d’etre is for being a freelancer. Out of this will come a ‘position’ or ‘positioning statement’. This position will form the foundation for your marketing and communication strategy which will then inform what you put on your web site.

   We are aware of many (possibly most) trainers who ‘drifted’ into training (in that it was now what they set out to do). A significant percentage of these trainers (who are bl**dy good trainers, are c**p at the ‘business’ stuff.

   Email or phone if you would like more thoughts.

   Peter
   Chief Executive
   The Learning Practitioners’ Association
   incorporating TrainerBase

5. freelancing
   Hi Ria

   You may find it useful to visit the http://www.trainerstrainingcompany.co.uk lots of help and support for newbie trainers to freelancing
   —
   Charlotte Mannion
   http:www.quicklearn.co.uk

6. Website
   Actually – before you start building a website you should ask yourself why exactly you want one in the first place. Who is going to look at it? What will they want to see there? Do you need to keep the content updated? My advice to you would be to run a blog for a few months to see what you can attract to your postings. Blogger is very easy to use and does not require you to pay for a website address etc etc.
   Of course look at other trainers’ websites and blogs- but don’t assume any of them are creating work for their owners.

7. Website content
   Thanks everyone for your comments and advice. I am so new to all of this I am concerned that my website might look bare. I’ve looked at loads of other websites including some of the ones posted through your answers and they all seem to have so much information on them. I’m worried that because I am just starting out, I can’t have any pages with examples of different companies Ive trained for. Apart from the course that I want to run and how to get in touch with me, I don’t know what else I can have on there.

   Fahmida

8. A site is only part of the answer
   Hi
   its not about a site being bare – it must do what you want it to do for you.
   as others have said – what is your plan? what will you offer/ specialise in? why should people buy from you?

   Once you have done this you need to think about what you want the site to do for you. most trainer and freelance sites get listed in Google or other search engines – so once you have built it you need to have a plan as to how you are going to market both the site and yourself.
   but that assumes that you NEED a site.

   Having a website is only part of your marketing strategy but allow 2+ days a week for sales and marketing activity.
   good luck
   Mike

   ps sites take 10 times longer to develop that you think – can cost double – and take months to start delivereing – often years – so go into this for the long game.

   Often a blog is a great place to start – its easy and can grow with you. then when you are ready you can grow it into a full site.

9. New Business Advice from Capitential LTD
   Hi Ria,

   Welcome to the scary but brilliant world of being self employed! I will try to read between the lines of what you say and provide some advice that may hopefully help you or others in your circumstance.

   Firstly, don’t think of yourself as purely a trainer anymore, think of yourself as a Business Owner & Entrepreneur; to be successful at self employment, this frame of mental reference is crucial. You are skilled, you have talent at training, else you wouldn’t think about making a business out of it. But it is a business, and it pays to approach it that way. Basics of any business include sales & marketing, order/ office/ training administration, IT, and HR&D as you expand – if of course your aim is to grow past only you as the trainer on the books.

   A potential route for freelancing isn’t so much ‘business to consumer’ as it were, but maybe ‘business to business’. What I mean is, if the above is intimidating, maybe you should consider offering your freelance services to established training companies, to deliver their courses in their venues whenever they have more demand than they can fill with their current trainers. Work may be less consistent coming to you but it would probably be easier to build up experience this way – and build your own confidence.

   A website should only be seen in the context of your business strategy, e.g., as part of an overall marketing, sales/ order and/ or training administration strategy. These strategies will drive your website content, since what’s important to include depends on the purpose of your website:
   * If it is for marketing, then figure out who your target market is (training companies needing trainers? companies needing training? individuals needing training?). What information would they need from you in order to either decide to hire you or prompt them to pick up the phone and talk to you further? If your experience is light, then is it your style of delivery, unique content, location, etc., that makes you attractive to hire? Then put that on your site.
   * If the website is for sales, then a menu of products/ services, course outlines, a calendar of training dates/ venue info, etc., needs to be there, along with order forms and support for online purchasing of training course places.
   * If the website is for training administration as well, then you’ll need online mechanisms for online learning participation, evaluation questionnaires, and maybe mechanisms for businesses to keep track of who’s had what training – and thus what skill set they have.

   Freelancing can be a little lonely at times. Consider joining organisations like the Federation of Small Businesses or BusinessLink to help you understand your training as a business – and to network with potential clients.

   I hope all this advice helps you. By all means contact me if you’d like further input ‘offline’.
   —
   Tiffany Nairne
   Director & Senior Consultant, Capitential LTD
   tiffany@capitential.com
   http://www.capitential.com

10. That’s a great idea Tiffany-thank you!
    I like the idea of maybe starting out working for other training companies, delivering their courses to begin with. That way, it might help me build up confidence to perhaps go it alone one day. Do you know how I can go about doing this? Do other companies specifically go out and recruit or do you think I should be getting in touch with them and sending them my CV and other details?

    Regards,

    Fahmida

11. Freelancing for other companies
    Hi Ria,

    Some companies do advertise, but usually that’s for permanent roles; only on occasion will they advertise to attract freelancers. Most of the time, you as a trainer need to approach them with your CV, outlining what you can offer and at what price.

    Bigger training companies like Pitman use in house trainers for all except when they are overstretched, but the larger companies are probably a good way to start. And I think several here have recommended TrainerBase, a website where you can get in touch more easily with those needing trainers.

    Hope this helps, I’m sure being on TrainingZone has helped your profile as well.

    Happy hunting, Tif

    —
    Tiffany Nairne
    Director & Senior Consultant, Capitential LTD
    http://www.capitential.com

12. Build own empire or be a full time associate?

    Hi Ria,

    Just to let you know that some of us who started out as freelancers ended up being ‘associates’ for other training companies. Many training companies run on an associate model, where much of the trainng is delivered by trusted freelancers. In fact, after 11years on my own, most of my training work (design and delivery) is on an associate basis.

    It suits me because I get to do what I love – design and deliver training and my partners handle all the ‘boring but necessary’ sales, marketing and it’s associated paperwork 😉

    If you decide to go down this route, it takes time to develop relationships and you’ll probably have to have more personal clients while these relationships develop. It can also be a little more stressful because you are dependant on others finding the work and winning the contracts.

    Good Luck, it’s a great life being a freelance trainer!

     

    ===============================================
    I blog at http://www.brainfriendlytrainer.com
    Follow me on twitter at http://www.twitter.com/cheekturner
    Hook up with me at LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/allymcc

13. Working As An Associate

    Hi Ria,

    Charlotte has already very kindly mentioned my site in a previous post, however just wanted to answer your q’s on associate work, there is a free download on my site http://www.thetrainerstrainingcompany.co.uk on How To Get Associate Work.

    It will give you lots of free tips. If you have any further q’s after listening to it, please contact me – I’d be pleased to help.

    Kind Regards,

     

    Sharon  

    Sharon Gaskin

    The Trainers Training Company

    Helping Trainers Create Successful Businesses

    http://www.thetrainerstrainingcompany.co.uk

14. finding out what you want to do…

     hi Ria,

    lots of great answers on here already… so i’ll try not to rehash them.! My view is that you need to spend some time really getting under the skin of what and how you love to train… you then need to do as much as possible to build your confidence!

    Try to find training companies that fit with your style and talent!

    I see lots of freelance trainers (and employ some!) and, from personal experience, i can tell you that although there are some fantastic, inspirational people in the mix there are also a lot of average trainers out there earning a living from going through the motions. 

    Concentrate on being one of the fantastic ones… be memorable, be humble and always be your own biggest critic…

    have a look at our website http://www.twobaldblokes.com    for some inspiration… we’re not all blokes and we’re definitely not all bald!!

    good luck

    tim

     tim@twobaldblokes.com

    http://www.twobaldblokes.com