Breathe PR becoming a freelancer blog post

Thinking about becoming a freelance PR consultant? Here’s what you should know.

It takes a lot of confidence and guts to give up a full-time waged position to launch a career as a freelance marketing or PR consultant. Many people either start doing freelance work in their spare time, or make the leap after they’ve been made redundant.

It can be hard to know where to start. I was made redundant from a full-time editor’s position, and had already started making contacts and doing freelance work in my spare time. I had been re-thinking my career for some time so I was fully prepared to make the leap.

However, there’s so much that you don’t know when you start out as a freelancer. Do you set up a website and social media first? Where do you even find clients? There are many questions that run through your head.

See the below guide on setting up as an independent freelance consultant, and creating a business strategy that ensures you have a long and fulfilling career.

1. Think about what you offer

What are your core services and skills? Work out how they help businesses, and ultimately why someone would buy them from you. What value are you offering to that business? You should come back to this every year and refresh your whys and hows, as your skills grow as your business develops.

2. Admin and business set-up

Take some time to research how you want to set up your business. Many people start off as sole traders, then perhaps set up a limited company if they feel it would benefit them at a later date.

The Government’s website is the best place to start to ensure you have all the correct information about setting up as a sole-trader or limited company. There are pros and cons to both ways of setting up a business, but being a sole trader is by far the easiest initially in terms of admin and accounting.

3. Think about your accounts 

Even if you have no idea how to do your accounts when the time comes, make sure you get organised from the beginning. This can be as basic as keeping all your business receipts in an envelope and entering all your incomings and outgoings on a spreadsheet. If you don’t do this as you go along it can take a VERY long time to dig through all your bank statements and shaking old receipts out of bags to put together your accounts.

There are many good digital cloud-based accounting software option now, so it’s worth looking at Quickbooks or Xero. Find a good accountant who can ensure your tax return (and company accounts if you’re a limited company) are filed on time correctly.

Keep on top of your bookkeeping weekly or monthly and you’ll be fine.

4. Equipment – what do I need? 

You will need a decent quality laptop or desktop computer to work on, so if there’s an investment to be made, I would suggest it’s here! Most people already have a home computer, so it’s absolutely fine to just start working using the equipment that you have. Do not go and buy loads of new expensive computing equipment on a credit card – you’re probably better to earn the money before you start spending it.

5. Invoicing

If you’ve never invoiced anyone before, it can certainly be daunting. However, invoices are best kept basic – you can get set up either in a Word document, or using a template in your accounting software. The important information to include is:

  • Client name and address
  • Your business name and business address
  • Outline of what work the invoice covers and the month/ date of work
  • How much money is owed
  • Payment terms (this should already be agreed with the client before the work began)
  • Your bank transfer details (account name, account number and sort code)

6. Know your rates

Before you agree work with a client, you need to have an idea of what your hourly or day rates are. The best way to do this initially is to find out what other freelancers charge. A freelancer’s day rate will always be more than a waged salary divided into a day rate, because it also covers their tax, pension, holiday and sick days.

It’s fine to be flexible with your rates, but always know what your lowest rate would be and stick to it.

7. Get your finances in order

It’s a huge leap to make the move from a regular salaried wage, which is paid on the same date every month to the life of a freelancer, who has to regularly chase invoices. So, it’s time to get organised with your money. When you do get paid, make sure you allocate some of it to savings for tax and emergencies and decide how much you will pay yourself.

When you are properly up and running, it’s a better idea to pay yourself a regular wage on the same date every month, keeping anything that is left over for tax and NI payments, holidays and quiet times.

 

 

 

Freelance PR coffee shop working

Best coffee shops in Manchester for freelance working

Got your shiny Macbook? Thick black-rimmed glasses? At least one tattoo or piercing? Yep, then you’re ready for some coffee shop freelance working in Manchester!

I work from home a lot of the time, but at least once a week I like to get out the house and get into Manchester city centre. There’s a plethora of coffee shops around the city centre, which are perfect for tapping out an article for a client, or putting together a report. I tend to stick to the Northern Quarter a lot of the time because it’s right near Piccadilly Station, but I have been making the effort to head out to the rest of the city centre recently.

Here’s my favourite places in Manchester for a cup of tea and a spot of freelance PR working:

1. Fig & Sparrow
Set on Oldham Street, right in the heart of the Northern Quarter, Fig & Sparrow is a briliant place to work. I can usually get my favourite table (the booth opposite the till, that’s mine, so don’t sit there), they have lovely fresh leaf tea, Trove bread and great food.
The food is right up my street – salads and sandwiches – with some great veggie options, as well as Greek yoghurt with toppings if I’m there early for breakfast.
When it opened, there was a big focus on very desirable & trendy home products. This section has been reduced to make way for more tables, which we can only thank them for, but there are still plenty of homewares on display, as well as beautiful greeting cards and wrapping paper.
Fig & Sparrow, 20 Oldham Street, M1 1JA.
www.figandsparrow.co.uk

2. Trove
Not strictly in the city centre, but Trove is just one hop on the train from Piccadilly and it’s one of my regular working spots. I lived in Levenshulme for seven years and Trove was the first decent coffee shop that opened there, so it was BIG news. They then opened their own bakery and sell bread, croissants and cakes from the Levenshulme coffee shop.
They have a brilliant range of breakfasts, including my favourite, the vegan breakfast, as well as loads of veggie and vegan food. I always ask for a sourdough loaf to be put aside so I can take it home as well.
Trove is just 20 minutes walk from my home office, so if I need to get out the house quickly, that’s always where I head.
Trove, 1032 Stockport Road, M19 3WX.
Update: There is now a Trove in Ancoats, Manchester, just a short walk from the city centre, so check that out too.
www.trovefoods.co.uk

3. Evelyn’s Cafe & Bar
Evelyn’s is a new one on my schedule of Northern Quarter venues, and one that I will be going back to loads. Tucked away just next to where Simple Bar used to be, Evelyn’s is a beauty of a coffee shop and restaurant, with greenery hanging all around and a handy bar and stools area, with a view out to the street. I’ve not tried the food yet, but everything looked and smelled amazing, with brilliant veggie options, so I’ll be back soon. The waitress was really incredibly friendly and helpful and told me all her favourite things on the menu.
Additionally, the owners have opened a members club downstairs called The Daisy, which they are marketing towards freelancers to use during the day. I’ve not had a look round yet, but will report back.
Evelyn’s Cafe & Bar, Tib Street, M4 1NB
www.evelynscafebar.com

4. Manchester Central Library
The Central Library is a beautiful place to work, and has a cafe and plenty of seating space with free wifi throughout the whole of the library. The library closed for refurbishment in 2010 when I was still working in the city centre, and the four years it needed for the £50m refurbishment felt like forever. But here we are eight years later, and it’s amazing to see such a stunning, busy, bustling place.
The library is quiet in the mornings, but does get pretty busy as the day goes on, although you can always find a quiet corner if you look hard.
Manchester Central Library, St Peter’s Square, M2 5PD.
www.manchester.gov.uk/centrallibrary

5. The Pen & Pencil
This is my go-to stop off at the end of a busy working day in Manchester, sometimes when I’m waiting for my husband to finish work at his studio at the top of Fourways House. I like to grab a booth, order a G&T and finish off my last few bits of work before we head home. This ultra-cool industrial style bar, set in a beautiful Edwardian former warehouse, does get pretty busy, always plays good music and is right near Piccadilly Station, so thumbs up all round.
The Pen & Pencil, Hilton Steet, M1 2EJ.
thepenandpencilnq.co.uk

6. Grindsmith
Based right on busy Deansgate, Grindsmith is a great coffee shop. Now I don’t drink coffee at all, but from what I’m told, their freshly-ground coffee is VERY good. This is a brilliant spot if you’re ever at a meeting at the Deansgate end of the city centre and I like to perch on the high table and stool right at the front so I can watch the world go by as I’m working.
This cafe also has a free hireable space, which is brilliant for putting on events.
231-233 Deansgate, M3 4EN.
www.grindsmith.com

 

Freelance PR carolyn hughes

Breathe PR – A new business name for 2017

So, I finally decided to change my business name from that of a freelancer to a small PR consultancy. And so, Carolyn Hughes Communications Ltd became Breathe PR at the end of 2016, which was timely for a fresh January start.

The name Breathe PR reflects a way of life that is probably opposed to the way most PR agencies work. As a former stress-head, my new business name is a reminder to just breathe. And as stupid as it may initially sound, sometimes we all need to remember to just breathe in these stress-filled office-based lives.

I initially set up as a freelance PR consultant in 2008 and since then I have run my own business and worked for quite a few PR agencies on long-term contracts, which has meant some very busy and stressful times. I then had two children in quick succession so the busy times got even busier.

I feel that the new business name reflects a shift in mindset to remember to enjoy life instead of being stuck in a head-down work mode. This can be hard when you enjoy your work and really enjoy getting stuck into a project. But I’ve (finally) realised that it’s better to be fresh and work smarter having taken a proper break from work at the weekends and evenings.

The name Breathe PR also takes into account my love for nature, gardening outdoors as well as growing indoor plants, so I used a terrarium shape for my new logo to reflect that part of my personality. I have also decided to specialise in doing PR and marketing for environmental, horticulture, interiors & homes business, independent businesses as well as arts organisations and charities.

I work with all kinds of clients, and also do some white-label work for some larger PR agencies and digital agencies. Although I’ve named my business as a PR agency, I actually have just as many copywriting, SEO and social media clients as PR.

Follow me on my new business pages for updates and over-sharing on growing a small business.
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