Well, there I was, about 30mins ago wondering what to put in my weekly newsletter. I was thinking that I needed to put in what’s gone on in the world of Zzing this week but was aware that it was starting to sound very similar to all of the other weeks – nearly there, another proposal sent out, no news yet, fingers crossed on this tender etc. etc. I could see why my Mum and Dad were getting worried that I had made the right decision to go freelance.
Then BAM!
Email comes in.
I WON A TENDER FOR A PIECE OF MARKET RESEARCH!!!!!!
Yes, you read it right - my first ‘official’ tender won. An actual tender which I completed for a company that I had never met before and they decided that my approach to the project was the best one!
I am sure I am close to how Amy Williams who won the Olympic Gold medal in the skeleton this week felt – all that hard work (OK, only two months in my case, I know she has been training for years) has finally paid off. (That little jig I did last week when I got a contract and then lost it, I am convinced is jinxed so have remained firmly in my seat, just bounced up and down a lot.)
It’s one small step for Zzing, one giant leap to hitting the annual budget!
Actually, it has capped off a very good week. I met with a really nice recruitment agency this week and they are looking for help with their PR and Marketing. This company have grown to a very stable organisation over the last few years, are expanding with focus and want some help in raising their profile. I met with the MD who was a really nice guy and, if he likes my ideas and costs, I think he and his company would be a really nice project to work on. I’m also meeting with a construction company early next week to discuss some possible freelance work for them, again PR and Marketing. I’m hoping that my previous experience in construction and recruitment will help me win some work for both of these companies, looking at what they want to achieve, I know I can help – I have my fingers, legs and eyes crossed that they want to work with me as much as I want to work with them.
As I was up in London meeting the recruitment agency this week, I took the opportunity to pop in to Mum and Dad’s on my way back and also managed to invite myself to tea too – it would have been rude not too. I know Mum and Dad support me but they are worried that I have left a good job to start up on my own (that thought goes through my head on a regular basis too!) but I still feel that I have done the right thing (most days!) Especially today – wooop, woop woop! (Yes, still bouncing up and down in my chair, the neighbours must be wondering what’s going on)
I think I must be Lloyds TSB Banks best friend at the moment, they keep phoning me and asking for me to take part in some telephone research on their services, customer support, how they communicate with me. Obviously, being at home, I can take these calls and I think that as I agreed to take part in the first 5min telephone survey, I am on some ‘golden list’ which means that I am in when they phone and happy to take part. Mind you, I should have asked them to phone my friend Vicki from Tiger Ink for feedback, she has not had a brilliant time with Lloyds it is safe to say. In fact, I think if Lloyds called Tiger Ink and asked for a printing quote for all of their UK business, she may tell them where to stick it – well, maybe not, but she is really not happy with them. I think if I had been mucked around the way Vicki has been, the pens clamped by short wires to the cashiers desks would have been swiftly uprooted and placed in an appropriate place on the Business Bank Manager using a forceful upward movement!
So who knows what next week will bring? I know what this weekend will bring - bruises. Got a tough hockey match tomorrow with a very physical side that no one in the league likes playing AND on top of that, they have changed the match time from the morning to the afternoon. Right in the middle of the 6 nations rugby matches! Honestly, what were they thinking? England really need to win against the Irish to keep alive my dream of seeing the deciding match of the six nations live in Paris in four weeks time.
Let’s hope a few more tenders come good as if England win, the bar bill in Paris may be a bit high!
Right, best sort out my diary and work calendar for next week – this could be the start of something beautiful!
Friday 26 February 2010
Friday 19 February 2010
Pouncing Tiger, sleeping proposals...
It’s been a week of up’s and down’s in the world of Zzing – and, to paraphrase Ronan Keating, (I never thought I would say that) “Life is a rollercoaster”.
Monday was full of up’s and downs. After getting back from a meeting with Vicki at Tiger Ink about her website, I got back to find out that one of my proposals had been accepted! Delirious excitement ensued with and a very odd jig undertaken around the office – you would have thought that I had won gold in the downhill skiing.
45 minutes later though, got a call saying the work was on hold, one of the Directors wasn’t sure... rollercoaster indeed. Perhaps I should refrain from jigging, it’s obviously a jinx.
Still, onwards and upwards.
I’ve been working on a really lovely project this week, writing the website body-copy for Tiger Ink, an independent printer who I have worked with for over 10 years. It was a great brief as Vicki wanted it simple, to the point and with some humour. There were, I admit, some cheesy references to Tigers (Wikipedia did itself proud for facts) but they all linked to the work so I think it worked. Sent the first draft of the copy back and thankfully, Vicki loved it so we’re just waiting to see how it looks laid out on the pages and once it’s finished, I’ll let you all know the link.
Also been doing a couple of quotes for an old acquaintance this week too so I hope that I’ve managed to get them a good deal. It was good to speak to them though and really nice that they thought of me.
Still waiting to hear back on a couple of proposals, one should be today or Monday so fingers crossed as that will be a nice piece of market research.
I did get a call however, from a really interesting guy who runs his own recruitment company in London and is looking for a contract marketing person to help out with some work for 3-4 months which would be great for me as it’s an industry I know and also it’s mainly home based. After a nice chat with him, am meeting him next week so let’s hope he likes my work and me! Perhaps I should take some homemade brownies....
I’ve been working from home now for nearly two months and I am proud to say that I have never once switched on the TV in all that time (not sure if that says much for the state of daytime TV or the strength of my willpower), however, this week I am sooooo glad that the winter Olympics are being held in Vancouver and none of the coverage is live during the day. If it were, I think I would be an expert on snow-board cross (I so want to do that) and cross country sprint skiing rather than a marketing professional. Mind you, the late nights of watching the Olympics coverage is starting to take its toll – the bags under my eyes each morning are growing ever bigger – attractive.
I have to say I am normally not stuck for adding lots into my blog entry, but this week, I’m a bit stuck, mainly as I have had my head down doing some ‘proper’ work and also I have one eye on the clock as I have some chocolate cookies in the oven, my friend Mia is coming round shortly so don’t want to burn them.
So apologies for the short and sweet entry this week, I’ve got a few other pieces of possible tender work to get out before this week has finished, but will fill you all in next week.
Remember – it don’t mean a thing if it ‘aint got that Zzing!
Monday was full of up’s and downs. After getting back from a meeting with Vicki at Tiger Ink about her website, I got back to find out that one of my proposals had been accepted! Delirious excitement ensued with and a very odd jig undertaken around the office – you would have thought that I had won gold in the downhill skiing.
45 minutes later though, got a call saying the work was on hold, one of the Directors wasn’t sure... rollercoaster indeed. Perhaps I should refrain from jigging, it’s obviously a jinx.
Still, onwards and upwards.
I’ve been working on a really lovely project this week, writing the website body-copy for Tiger Ink, an independent printer who I have worked with for over 10 years. It was a great brief as Vicki wanted it simple, to the point and with some humour. There were, I admit, some cheesy references to Tigers (Wikipedia did itself proud for facts) but they all linked to the work so I think it worked. Sent the first draft of the copy back and thankfully, Vicki loved it so we’re just waiting to see how it looks laid out on the pages and once it’s finished, I’ll let you all know the link.
Also been doing a couple of quotes for an old acquaintance this week too so I hope that I’ve managed to get them a good deal. It was good to speak to them though and really nice that they thought of me.
Still waiting to hear back on a couple of proposals, one should be today or Monday so fingers crossed as that will be a nice piece of market research.
I did get a call however, from a really interesting guy who runs his own recruitment company in London and is looking for a contract marketing person to help out with some work for 3-4 months which would be great for me as it’s an industry I know and also it’s mainly home based. After a nice chat with him, am meeting him next week so let’s hope he likes my work and me! Perhaps I should take some homemade brownies....
I’ve been working from home now for nearly two months and I am proud to say that I have never once switched on the TV in all that time (not sure if that says much for the state of daytime TV or the strength of my willpower), however, this week I am sooooo glad that the winter Olympics are being held in Vancouver and none of the coverage is live during the day. If it were, I think I would be an expert on snow-board cross (I so want to do that) and cross country sprint skiing rather than a marketing professional. Mind you, the late nights of watching the Olympics coverage is starting to take its toll – the bags under my eyes each morning are growing ever bigger – attractive.
I have to say I am normally not stuck for adding lots into my blog entry, but this week, I’m a bit stuck, mainly as I have had my head down doing some ‘proper’ work and also I have one eye on the clock as I have some chocolate cookies in the oven, my friend Mia is coming round shortly so don’t want to burn them.
So apologies for the short and sweet entry this week, I’ve got a few other pieces of possible tender work to get out before this week has finished, but will fill you all in next week.
Remember – it don’t mean a thing if it ‘aint got that Zzing!
Friday 12 February 2010
Seeing it from the other side...
Another week, another round of proposals out for potential work and another life lesson learnt.
I spent nearly twelve years working for one of the leading construction recruitment agencies, Hill McGlynn – or should I say Randstad Construction, Property & Engineering (well, I did work on the rebrand so guess I should call it by its proper title!). When I worked there the main gripe from candidates was that recruitment consultants never called them back, never acknowledged their emails and when they did phone, the person you needed to speak to was always ‘on another call’ or ‘out of the office’. Working with the consultants I knew that many of them did work really hard and sometimes you don’t want to take the call as you have a) no news for them or b) not even with divine intervention would they get the job.
However, after scanning the plethora of job boards, there are actually quite a few marketing freelance positions out there. So, thinking it may be a good idea to have a back-up plan in case none of the proposals come off, I duly replied to all those positions which were suitable and contract based for 3-6 months. I’ve applied to 9 in total, 4 of which are exactly the same job as I had done before at Hill McGlynn – sorry, Randstad CPE – so I thought I may be in with at least a shout of an interview.
Hmmmmm, I have had ONE reply email, and that was automated. Called all 9 agencies – funnily enough the consultants are a) on the phone and will call back, b) away from their desk or c) out on a client visit. Perhaps I’m just considered as ‘unemployable’
It’s a very different world sitting on the other side....still, I plough on.
Went to the 3Market Social Enterprise exhibition this week, mainly to catch up with Linda from Total Coverage who has been a gem in passing leads of possible work onto me (oh, and apologies, I linked her website wrong last week, its www.totalcoverage.coop) and also to catch up with my mate Vicki from Tiger Ink who is my printing guru – www.tigerink.co.uk (what Vicki doesn’t know about printing is not worth knowing or they haven’t invented it yet). To be honest, the event wasn’t what I had expected, most people seemed to know each other and so there wasn’t really much networking, however, there was a seminar from Wayne Hemmingway (Red or Dead fame now an urban designer) which was actually very good. He was presenting on how to grow and build your business within the social enterprise sector and told the audience that he had never had to pitch for work in his life – he obviously got hit with the lucky stick on the way out, mind you, he does produce excellent work.
Not much else really to write about this week though as three of the days I’ve spent cold calling businesses – eughhhhh! Hate cold calling. Still, building up a nice little database of ‘we may have something in the future’ companies. Don’t worry, I’ll be bothering you next month, and the month after that, and the month after that....you WILL have a newsletter written, you just don’t know it yet!
I guess love is on the air this weekend with Valentine’s Day on Sunday (yes, to all the boys reading M&S is open until late) but more interestingly the England Rugby team will be giving the Italians a little lesson in love over in Rome (33-6 my prediction) after their campaign got off to a good start last weekend against the Welsh. Also the start of the Winter Olympics and as I have no hockey match to play this weekend, in between cooking a sumptuous valentine’s meal for the boy (thanks Jamie Oliver) I’ll be stuck on watching sport.
However, for those of you who think Valentine’s Day is a commercial ploy, you could instead celebrate Pancake Day and to get you in the mood, here’s the following (apologies to my Irish friends, especially Eoin who will lynch me for posting an Irish joke).
A Scotsman, an Englishman, a Welshman and an Irishman are in a bar, talking about their children.
The Scotsman says:
“My son’s called Andrew. We called him that ’cause he was born on St Andrews Day.”
The Englishman speaks up:
“What a coincidence – my son was born on St George’s Day, so we called him George.”
The Welshman replies:
“That’s incredible – my son, David, was born on St David’s Day”.
The Irishman, who has been listening in growing amazement, bursts out:
“I can’t believe it – wait till I get home and tell Pancake!”
Happy Valentines / Pancake Day x
I spent nearly twelve years working for one of the leading construction recruitment agencies, Hill McGlynn – or should I say Randstad Construction, Property & Engineering (well, I did work on the rebrand so guess I should call it by its proper title!). When I worked there the main gripe from candidates was that recruitment consultants never called them back, never acknowledged their emails and when they did phone, the person you needed to speak to was always ‘on another call’ or ‘out of the office’. Working with the consultants I knew that many of them did work really hard and sometimes you don’t want to take the call as you have a) no news for them or b) not even with divine intervention would they get the job.
However, after scanning the plethora of job boards, there are actually quite a few marketing freelance positions out there. So, thinking it may be a good idea to have a back-up plan in case none of the proposals come off, I duly replied to all those positions which were suitable and contract based for 3-6 months. I’ve applied to 9 in total, 4 of which are exactly the same job as I had done before at Hill McGlynn – sorry, Randstad CPE – so I thought I may be in with at least a shout of an interview.
Hmmmmm, I have had ONE reply email, and that was automated. Called all 9 agencies – funnily enough the consultants are a) on the phone and will call back, b) away from their desk or c) out on a client visit. Perhaps I’m just considered as ‘unemployable’
It’s a very different world sitting on the other side....still, I plough on.
Went to the 3Market Social Enterprise exhibition this week, mainly to catch up with Linda from Total Coverage who has been a gem in passing leads of possible work onto me (oh, and apologies, I linked her website wrong last week, its www.totalcoverage.coop) and also to catch up with my mate Vicki from Tiger Ink who is my printing guru – www.tigerink.co.uk (what Vicki doesn’t know about printing is not worth knowing or they haven’t invented it yet). To be honest, the event wasn’t what I had expected, most people seemed to know each other and so there wasn’t really much networking, however, there was a seminar from Wayne Hemmingway (Red or Dead fame now an urban designer) which was actually very good. He was presenting on how to grow and build your business within the social enterprise sector and told the audience that he had never had to pitch for work in his life – he obviously got hit with the lucky stick on the way out, mind you, he does produce excellent work.
Not much else really to write about this week though as three of the days I’ve spent cold calling businesses – eughhhhh! Hate cold calling. Still, building up a nice little database of ‘we may have something in the future’ companies. Don’t worry, I’ll be bothering you next month, and the month after that, and the month after that....you WILL have a newsletter written, you just don’t know it yet!
I guess love is on the air this weekend with Valentine’s Day on Sunday (yes, to all the boys reading M&S is open until late) but more interestingly the England Rugby team will be giving the Italians a little lesson in love over in Rome (33-6 my prediction) after their campaign got off to a good start last weekend against the Welsh. Also the start of the Winter Olympics and as I have no hockey match to play this weekend, in between cooking a sumptuous valentine’s meal for the boy (thanks Jamie Oliver) I’ll be stuck on watching sport.
However, for those of you who think Valentine’s Day is a commercial ploy, you could instead celebrate Pancake Day and to get you in the mood, here’s the following (apologies to my Irish friends, especially Eoin who will lynch me for posting an Irish joke).
A Scotsman, an Englishman, a Welshman and an Irishman are in a bar, talking about their children.
The Scotsman says:
“My son’s called Andrew. We called him that ’cause he was born on St Andrews Day.”
The Englishman speaks up:
“What a coincidence – my son was born on St George’s Day, so we called him George.”
The Welshman replies:
“That’s incredible – my son, David, was born on St David’s Day”.
The Irishman, who has been listening in growing amazement, bursts out:
“I can’t believe it – wait till I get home and tell Pancake!”
Happy Valentines / Pancake Day x
Friday 5 February 2010
Getting ready from the scrum down...
Blimey, it’s been a busy week and hopefully next week even busier! With the Six Nations Rugby tournament kicking off tomorrow, it feels like I’m getting nearer to that try line to secure that first elusive signed contract.
Kicked off the week with my speed dating networking event. Imagine the most random business people in one room and you have two and a half minutes to talk to them about your business and they then do the same. After an hour and a half of this, I was shattered – seriously, there are only so many times you can say ‘Hi! I’m Penny from Zzing Marketing etc etc etc’ whilst keeping a fixed smile on your face before you get lock jaw. Still, it was a good event and I have spoken to several of the contacts I met, some for possible supplier work and one which may come to fruition for some work – fingers crossed.
Also went to the ‘Meet, Greet and Prosper’ networking event – hmmmmmmm. Not as useful as the other networking event, the seminar was more like a TV American Preacher (“let’s give each other a big round of applause...”) but still, you have to try these things.
Had an interesting day in London with Steve Garratt of the Giggle Group on Wednesday – Steve is a great guy, (fantastic animation work from the Giggle Group – take a look at their Giggle Spots www.thegigglegroup.com) and he very kindly has got me compiling some proposals for some projects he’s working on so have been busy working on them. Lovin’ Steve’s work!
Next week I’m off to the 3Market event with my mate Vicki from Tiger Ink Print. It’s a social enterprise /trading exhibition and event for community enterprises and groups – a different world from the normal corporate clients I work with but one of my other contacts who has been really helpful in passing on leads for potential work, Linda Bratcher of Total Coverage Design, www.totalcoverage.co.uk is exhibiting there. As I’m learning very quickly, different markets and sectors work so differently and demand and expect different ways of working, but once you get in, you’re in. Fingers crossed and here’s to the next box of business cards being used.
The week hasn’t all been sweetness and light – Tuesday was rubbish, got knocked back on three tenders within the space of an afternoon, all a bit depressing and made me wonder what I had got myself into with this world of freelance marketing but then Wednesday with Steve reaffirmed why I started off on this crazy journey. The buzz and challenge of working on several projects in totally different market sectors is what floats my boat.
And with that, I’ve got to go! Most Friday’s have been a wind down to the weekend so writing this weekly newsletter has been a bit of a labour of love each week, but with the proposal work and research list ever increasing, I’ve got stuff to do before clocking off!
Enjoy the rugby this weekend if you are watching – I’ll be catching up with one of my business guru’s, Sylvain Boutellier of the venue finding company Nexus Venue www.nexusvenue.co.uk next week. Not only does Sylvain kindly check in with me each week to see how I’m getting on in business and provides me with brilliant words of wisdom and advice, but he is also a huge French Rugby fan, so we’ll be dissecting the games results early next week! (Nexus Venue is also on Twitter too now so follow them to keep up to date on the latest news and offers in the venue industry). England vs Wales is the big match for me though, for those of you not into rugby and can’t quite understand what the fuss is all about, here is a quote from Elizabeth Taylor who is obviously a classy lady.
"I prefer rugby to soccer. I enjoy the violence in rugby, except when they start biting each other's ears off." - Elizabeth Taylor (1972)
Kicked off the week with my speed dating networking event. Imagine the most random business people in one room and you have two and a half minutes to talk to them about your business and they then do the same. After an hour and a half of this, I was shattered – seriously, there are only so many times you can say ‘Hi! I’m Penny from Zzing Marketing etc etc etc’ whilst keeping a fixed smile on your face before you get lock jaw. Still, it was a good event and I have spoken to several of the contacts I met, some for possible supplier work and one which may come to fruition for some work – fingers crossed.
Also went to the ‘Meet, Greet and Prosper’ networking event – hmmmmmmm. Not as useful as the other networking event, the seminar was more like a TV American Preacher (“let’s give each other a big round of applause...”) but still, you have to try these things.
Had an interesting day in London with Steve Garratt of the Giggle Group on Wednesday – Steve is a great guy, (fantastic animation work from the Giggle Group – take a look at their Giggle Spots www.thegigglegroup.com) and he very kindly has got me compiling some proposals for some projects he’s working on so have been busy working on them. Lovin’ Steve’s work!
Next week I’m off to the 3Market event with my mate Vicki from Tiger Ink Print. It’s a social enterprise /trading exhibition and event for community enterprises and groups – a different world from the normal corporate clients I work with but one of my other contacts who has been really helpful in passing on leads for potential work, Linda Bratcher of Total Coverage Design, www.totalcoverage.co.uk is exhibiting there. As I’m learning very quickly, different markets and sectors work so differently and demand and expect different ways of working, but once you get in, you’re in. Fingers crossed and here’s to the next box of business cards being used.
The week hasn’t all been sweetness and light – Tuesday was rubbish, got knocked back on three tenders within the space of an afternoon, all a bit depressing and made me wonder what I had got myself into with this world of freelance marketing but then Wednesday with Steve reaffirmed why I started off on this crazy journey. The buzz and challenge of working on several projects in totally different market sectors is what floats my boat.
And with that, I’ve got to go! Most Friday’s have been a wind down to the weekend so writing this weekly newsletter has been a bit of a labour of love each week, but with the proposal work and research list ever increasing, I’ve got stuff to do before clocking off!
Enjoy the rugby this weekend if you are watching – I’ll be catching up with one of my business guru’s, Sylvain Boutellier of the venue finding company Nexus Venue www.nexusvenue.co.uk next week. Not only does Sylvain kindly check in with me each week to see how I’m getting on in business and provides me with brilliant words of wisdom and advice, but he is also a huge French Rugby fan, so we’ll be dissecting the games results early next week! (Nexus Venue is also on Twitter too now so follow them to keep up to date on the latest news and offers in the venue industry). England vs Wales is the big match for me though, for those of you not into rugby and can’t quite understand what the fuss is all about, here is a quote from Elizabeth Taylor who is obviously a classy lady.
"I prefer rugby to soccer. I enjoy the violence in rugby, except when they start biting each other's ears off." - Elizabeth Taylor (1972)
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