Overcoming Shyness?

[DavidGiant]

Hi,

I am a freelance web developer/designer. I have been somewhat blessed to have both the creativity to create good looking designs and the patience and comprehension to build complex web applications.

What I do not have is the confidence - or apparently the ability - to market myself. I am here looking for some ideas. This is my story in a paragraph..

I decided to freelance because I wanted to keep my destiny in my own hands. I started off with little web knowledge and provided rock bottom prices while I built a portfolio and further developed my skills. The problem has been that while my skills have improved maybe 10 fold, my pricing hasn't risen much at all. I currently charge £10-15 an hour. Realistically it should be £25-50.

The problem is that I have a stutter, I am not great on the phone and for the past few years I have really been so shy that I have waited for opportunities to find me instead of going out and finding them.

What I need to do is market my services for the right price. I need to get better clients and ideally I want to go from freelancing to managing people and outsourcing additional work.

Does anyone have any tips or pointers that could help me with this?

 

[3cellhosting]

Hello David,

If you get a chance give me a call or PM me. The stutter is your achilles heel as you already see it as a problem, therefore it is a problem.

Nobody has ever been born with a stutter. As a qualified hypnotist/therapist I can give you some pointers to counter the stutter and confidence issues.

My primary business is also web design.

Regards

David

 

[thebigIAM]

How about business networking clubs - the sort that have breakfast meetings or evening get-togethers?

If they are the sort of groups that have a speaker, it will give people a focus to discuss and take away some of the pressure you might feel to 'perform'. You might find some interesting people there, too.

 

[Gavin Harris]

Hi David,

You could outsource your marketing - particularly if it's telesales that you're put off because of your stutter. If they can generate an appointment for you, you can then go and meet the person to "close the deal" and you don't need to worry about picking up the phone and cold calling.

 

[Mystro]

Can i Just say here, the stutter is not a problem.

In all of my working career the most influencial manager i ever had came to us with a stutter, he lost his stutter within weeks as he found his new confidence which i think took his mind off his anxiety.

Give 3cellhosting a call as its only a perceived problem and will not be an issue this time next month

Good luck

 

[virtuallysorted]

Good ideas here. But phones don't necessarily need to be part of your marketing. Couple of ideas:

1) Can you design some off-the-shelf type products/websites that people merely buy online and customise? This negates the phone altogether.
2) Put lots of online touches into your marketing - so emails, tweets, weblinks, Live Chat boxes on the website etc. This will build up your reputation in terms of your voice, without really speaking!
3) Outsource - great suggestion for outsourcing the marketing, you could also outsource answering your telephones too.

 

[Mystro]

Good ideas here. But phones don't necessarily need to be part of your marketing. Couple of ideas:

1) Can you design some off-the-shelf type products/websites that people merely buy online and customise? This negates the phone altogether.
2) Put lots of online touches into your marketing - so emails, tweets, weblinks, Live Chat boxes on the website etc. This will build up your reputation in terms of your voice, without really speaking!
3) Outsource - great suggestion for outsourcing the marketing, you could also outsource answering your telephones too.

Although a great idea, i would love the OP to cure his problem and do all the above hiimself, its nothing but a psychological problem where 95% of the time a person can be helped to over come this situation

Agreed not all will be cured but please don't see a stutter as a stumbling block its not even if you cannot cure it people will hold this against you if your work is of quality.

 

Can i Just say here, the stutter is not a problem.

In all of my working career the most influencial manager i ever had came to us with a stutter, he lost his stutter within weeks as he found his new confidence which i think took his mind off his anxiety.

what makes you think its related to anxiety.

a quote from Winston Churchill.

"Sometimes a slight and not unpleasing stammer or impediment has been of some assistance in securing the attention of the audience.."

Earl

 

[Mystro]

what makes you think its related to anxiety.

a quote from Winston Churchill.

"Sometimes a slight and not unpleasing stammer or impediment has been of some assistance in securing the attention of the audience.."

Earl

I don't know is the honest answer, but in the case of my last manager it was his, did not stutter when in his comfort zone, did when out of it,

Once he got into his role and knew he was doing a good job the stammer went as his confidence grew....

 

[DavidGiant]

A stutter is not something that can be just turned off. Many people loose it as they grow up. However for a small percentage it persists into adulthood. I am one of those people. I have had a variety of therapy, all helpful but none is a cure.

Thanks Caroline for the advice, I will certainly look to employ some of it.

The issue is not trying to cure my stutter, its more about finding a way to creatively market myself which doesn't all hinge on what is usually a negative first impression on the telephone.

 

[SusanP]

Practise saying 'My fee is £30 an hour' until you feel comfortable and confident asking for this amount. Don't add anything else to this sentence when dealing with potential clients. I notice that often people say 'My price is £X, is that ok?' which shows their nerves and lack of confidence.

 

[Rockpig (Ali)]

Hi David. I totally understand where you are coming from as I have a stutter and have had so since I was 5.

I used to be very bad when dealing with new customers/people I didn't know (still am in some cases)

My advice if I may

1. Plan ahead on phone calls.

2. Write down it is what you want to say on the telephone.

3. Write a list on most of the words you stutter on and try to find alternatives that help you out during the telephone conversation, sounds stupid but it works for me!

4.Believe in yourself and your buisness, if people can't see beyond a stutter then they are not worth knowing nor working for.

I wish you all the success in your buisness.

 

[martin33]

David,

I have a stammer, but i can control it most of the time. I used to be pretty bad, as it used to by always on the mind and I avoided people completely. I went on a stammer course - http://www.starfishproject.co.uk/ a few years back and it certainly helped. You meet up with loads of other people with the same problem, and they teach you a breathing technique when you a speaking. When i speak now, i'm calmer, slower, and remember to use the breathing technique. Its take a while, you just need to keep practicing and persevering with it - eventually you will use the technique without thinking. Also, when you come to a word that you have difficulty with, try not to avoid it -take a deep breath out and say it! If you keep avoiding words, you won't improve - just keep practicing with your self.

By the way, i'm in no way affiliated with this course. I just attended it. Its a non-profit organisation, take a look at the site.

If you want any more info about it, pm me.

 

[Direct Print Int]

Hi David,

You just need to put your thick skin on, dive straight in at the deep end and get on to that telephone to potential clients.

Set yourself a target of one good response in a hundred phone calls and expect every call to have the nastiest, rudest person on the other end! You will find that people will be more responsive than you think after all your selling an excellent service right? The more your on the phone to new people the more your confidence will grow.

Your stutter is not the problem, it's your confidence.

I say go full steam ahead into telemarketing!!!