Have a plan before you go. Figure out why you’ve chosen this event and how it will help your brand. You may be looking to build referrals, meet potential clients, find subcontractors, get spillover work from other businesses or build buzz. Maybe you’re even there to make a friend, partner or colleague look good. Maybe you want to meet 400 people in a year. Whatever it is, make sure you have a plan.

Know your weaknesses. Networking isn’t for everyone. If you know you can’t stomach networking alone, take a friend or two. Contact a few people ahead of time and say you hope to see them there. Volunteer to help at the door – it’s a great way to meet people without having to put yourself out there.   

Eat before you go. Seriously. If you’re sticking close to the appie table, you’re not going to have a chance to talk. It’s fine to eat at the event, but don’t show up so hungry that the tapas table becomes homebase.

Go easy on the booze. It’s fine to have a few drinks, but getting plastered at a business event likely won’t go well. I’ve been at business events where people started doing body shots. (You can Google that on your own. I’m not posting a link!) What’s appropriate in your regular social life may well be an unforgivable faux pas in a business circle. So go easy on the alcohol, so that you can maintain control over your brand.

Smile. Introduce yourself to others. Look for other people who haven’t quite found their place. Chat with them. Take the opportunity to introduce them to other people at the event.

Be ready. When someone asks what you do for a living, make sure you can answer. It’s going to happen. It’s a rare mixer where you can go an entire evening without being asked what you do for a living.

Take a deep breath. Smile. Know that this is an opportunity to build a relationship and get the word out about what you do. This is not the time to take a belt of your Cosmo or pop a mini Greek salad skewer in your mouth. It’s your chance to make a connection.

Answer. Tell them what you do for a living. But make it about your business. Better yet, tie in the conversation so far, so that there’s more context for what you do, how you do it and what it does for people. Avoid saying things like “I work for Client X”. You’re self employed – talk about your own business and how it can help others. Sure, it can help to have an elevator pitch, but it will sound like less of a spiel if you can tie it into the conversation at hand.

Continue the conversation. Make sure it isn’t all about you. Ask about the other person. Build the conversation. Offer to introduce them to someone else in the room. Look to build connections.

Pay attention. Just like in dating, if the other person just isn’t that into you, look to end the conversation and move on. You can do so by thanking them for their conversation and saying you don’t want to dominate their time and hope to see them again. Or introduce someone else you know and look for a chance to exit. In some cases, you can just shake hands, thank them and move on. Some people like to say they’re off to get a drink or food and shake hands and move on. Pay attention to the conversation – you usually won’t have to duck out to the washroom just to get away.

Follow up. These days, it’s just as easy to send a LinkedIn invitation as it is an email.  Whatever means you use to build your profile, do it diligently, within a few days of the event. Be sure to be polite and to follow up on any promises, such as to provide information or send someone a website link. Keep it light and friendly. The connections you make may surprise you – sometimes even helping you to find new clients.

What tips would you give?

For me, I just want a basic set. Nothing fancy. But I would like to be able to concentrate on my work and not be able to hear the jackhammer or cement truck or whatever-the-heck else is down the road from me. About 15 years ago, when I first started consulting, there was a pile driver going. I kid you not. It went on for months. Fortunately, I no longer live in the middle of a major construction zone, but it’s pretty clear there is still going to be a lot of noise from roadwork.

So, if you’re got any tips, I’d love to hear them. If you have tips for using something other than noise canceling headphones, I’m open to that too. Today, I ended up listening to MP3s with my Skype headset. I usually reserve that for business calls and telecoaching sessions, but I like to think I can make technology work for me.

How about you? What do you think I should do?

I can’t work when it’s sunny.

The glare hits my computer screen. My office heats up. Margaritas on a deck beckon. It doesn’t help that I live near the water. A quick glance reveals that the water is just beyond…nearly within my reach.

Oh, and that sun….today, I found myself stretched out on a bench in the park at 3 o’clock. The temperature was positively balmy. I couldn’t get enough.

Now, truth be told, none of you would be very impressed at what passes for balmy in Vancouver in May. 21C or just under 70F. But it was a gorgeous day. Kids were running around at the park. It was impossible to get parking near the beach. The sun season has arrived and I’m already shifting into long weekend mode – and I’ve got four more days to go.

Well, three, actually. I’m ditching work Friday too. And I sort of made a half-hearted attempt at work today.

But that’s okay. As I’ve mentioned recently, it’s important to practice self care when you run a business. And my recent guest post author, Ryan Rivera, said it’s important to take time off before exhaustion hits. Breaks are good for us.

Besides, I can’t work when it’s sunny. I suppose it’s a good thing I live in Vancouver, though, and not California. At least sun is a rare gift in Vancouver – work isn’t usually so tough.

But today…today was about the sun. And I feel good about that.

Jane has been an independent consultant for 2 and half years now, working for various business firms who seek her expertise on identifying and determining management flaws and problems. She analyses data and prepare reports, citing the difficulties and improvements the company should and must implement. Her job description also involves creating a detailed and quality long- and short-term management tactics to help increase efficacy of management control as well as increase productivity and profitability of the whole enterprise.

For years, she has been the ideal independent consultant companies can truly rely on. But for the past 6 months, subtle changes have showed how her work demeanor has changed. She no longer radiates positivism to her work family. Frustrations quickly creep up on her. Sick days have filled her time record, citing a number of nagging illnesses and excuses. Fortunately for Jane, her friends recognized that her job’s demanding and fast-paced responsibilities are causing to her burn out.

Stress at work is something that all workers face and handle differently. But there are those jobs, by definition, that tend to be slightly more stressful than others. Working in highly stressful conditions can impact productivity and performance. An example of those jobs is Jane’s job ─ working as an independent consultant. So, how can Jane and other independent consultants in her field should and must deal with everyday job stressors? Here’s how.

1. Take Time Off

Do not wait for exhaustion to hit you. Plan your vacation regularly. It doesn’t even have to be grand. It can be as simple as a two-day "I don’t care about anything else these days but myself". You need breaks in between work to refresh and avoid burn out.

2. De-clutter and Organize

An organized space invites productivity. You can find things easily. It is a great way of saving time wisely. De-cluttering frees up space and a tensed environment. Organizing work files and cabinets helps increase the sense of control over things. Working with a realistic to-do list and accomplishing these priorities greatly help as well.

3. Share Your Worries

One of the best ways to keep stress from invading the mind and body is through talking it out with someone. Letting all the worries of the day and days to come is an excellent way of blowing off steam. The support and empathy conveyed by your listener simply reduces stress.

4. Have Allies in Your Field / Industry

Tasks will seem easier to fulfill when you know that someone is willing to offer their advice. Having one or more friends in the same industry helps reduce your burn out levels tremendously. Just knowing that you’re not alone in the successes and struggles is an immense help.

5. Be Realistic.

Unrealistic expectations can lead to restlessness and job dissatisfaction.  Hence, stop obsessing over every detail. Just give your best and everything else will fall into place.

Consulting is a competitive industry. Your success depends not only in your expertise but also in your ability to handle the roadblocks ahead. Do not let stress and worries consume you. Give yourself time to breathe.

Ryan Rivera faced anxiety-related conditions that have prevented him from fulfilling his potential. But through appropriate stress management techniques, he has overcome them. To learn more ways to manage anxiety, visit www.calmclinic.com.

1. Get rest. Sleep and rest regularly – and properly. Trying to run a business on a few hours of sleep won’t work for long.
2. Eat right. Your body is a machine – give it the best possible fuel.
3. Exercise. You’ll keep your health in check, build positive endorphins and burn off steam. For me, exercise is often a way to clear my mind – and then great ideas start to slide in when I’m more open to them.
4. Relax. Make time to sit around and do nothing. Goof around. Go for a walk. Lie on the sofa. Swing in a hammock. Sleep in. Linger over a meal. Savour a drink. Toss a ball around with a friend. Just hang out. Like Frankie says, "Relax!".
5. Get in touch with your values. Feeling connected to your core values can help you feel more connected to your life and your work. If you feel like the work you do is aligned with your values, your personal beliefs may sustain you through good and bad times.
6. Review your expectations. If you’re used to being successful, you may think you can have it all. And, hey, you can have it all – just not all at once. Sometimes, you may need to revise your expectations to meet the challenges of time, money, family, talent and even the economy.
7. Manage your time. Whether you feel overloaded, stretched, conflicted or under the gun, you may be able to turn things around through time management strategies. Make a to do list and go over it to see what you really need to be focusing on. Look for things to drop, postpone, delegate and outsource.
8. Have fun. If you’re not having fun – in both your business and personal life – find ways to change that. You’ll have more energy all-round if you make time to enjoy what you do.
9. Ask for help. Turn to your friends, family, business colleagues and extended network for help. Consider outsourcing things you dislike or just don’t have the energy for.

If you’ve chosen entrepreneurship for the value the lifestyle brings, you’ll want to be especially mindful of self care. In my 15 years as a business owner, I’ve seen many entrepreneurs run into burnout – even ones who chose their businesses because of lifestyle! In many cases, these entrepreneurs found that letting go of expectations and obligations was the key to turning things around. Some of them were trying to run businesses while working full-time jobs or working as full-time homemakers. While you may still want to work a full-time job or be a stay-at-home parent, making healthy choices, such as enlisting the help of your partner or families and hiring housecleaners, grocery delivery, meal preparation, part-time sitters, dog walkers and other services may give you a much-needed break. If you’re tight on money, you may want to see if you can use barter to meet those needs. Or ask yourself if it’s all really that important – where can you let go? Do you really need to put your all into your business right now? Think outside the box and you may find yourself free again.

What tips would you add?

 Related Posts

• Small business training
• Stay at home mom returning to work
• Starting a consulting business is cheap
• How to become a consultant (series)
• Small businesses by gender
• How I became a consultant
• Setting up a home office
• Your reasons for becoming a consultant
• Avoiding work at home scams
• Income for stay at home mom
• Consulting Fees: A Guide for Independent Consultants
• Discover Your Inner Consultant
• Discover Your Inner Entrepreneur (for moms)

And that’s okay. Speaking notes are pretty common, actually. When I was in university, I had a job writing speaking notes for the Minister of Citizenship & Immigration Canada. One guy in our office was his full time speech writer and the rest of the staff handled public and media relations. You can bet that the head of a government department  has a huge amount of support behind them, even when they’re positioned as an expert.

Steve Jobs, one of the foremost visionaries of our time, had support too. It’s easy for anyone to lose track of their timing, words or flow while speaking. But the folks at Apple made sure that he had a strong safety net by putting together a spiral-bound notebook that guided Jobs through the iPhone launch.

Sadly, Steve Jobs is gone now. But it’s important to know that even an expert like Steve Jobs needed a little planning to be an expert. It’s easy for any of us to think that experts, even geniuses, just wing things all the time. (Or even that they might get by with some dog-eared notes.)

But being an expert just takes some planning. If you prepare before you speak, write, meet or otherwise "put yourself out there", you’ll sound a lot better. Heck, even when I get a call from the media, I always ask if I can call them back in a few minutes. I quickly think through what my main points are, review any relevant media stories or websites, and jot down some good ideas. I’ve been known to do this in the space of a few minutes, when it’s a prominent outfit such as Entrepreneur or CBC on the line, although I usually like do do a little more preparation.

So, if you’re reading this and thinking becoming an expert is beyond you, remember that it just takes a little preparation and a little risk taking. Putting yourself out there – even if you’re just publishing a PowerPoint, writing for your blog, speaking on a panel at your trade association or sending out a newsletter – helps define you as an expert. And doing it well will go a long way, so do your best to prepare.

What steps are you taking to bolster your expert status?

I made a small donation – enough to buy one of Caine’s fun passes. A kid like that deserves a chance to go to college. If you look at the ticker on the right side of the page, you’ll see that it’s as if the entire Internet has bought a fun pass.

Take a few moments to watch it and remember the sheer joy of building something because you imagined it was possible.

Do you remember ever having that joy? I remember being 7 or 8 years old and spending hours working on a handwritten newspaper. Or on franchising my lemonade stand. I never went into the detail that Caine did, but I do recall how much I loved working at something and seeing my imagination turn into reality.

From newspapers and lemonade stands, I suppose it’s no wonder I’ve moved on to run a business consulting firm and Consultant Journal, a blog. My passions and interests are still part of what I do every day.

When you love doing something, you’ll put your heart and soul into it. You’ll do it just because. And that makes it easier to weather the storms – and to celebrate the good times.

But, while most career experts will tell you your work must absolutely be what you love to do, I disagree. I believe in getting to know what you love in life – and then building a life that connects with that. So it’s okay if you just have a strong like for your work – if it means you can get to what you love at the end of the day. Maybe that’s time with your family, time for the ski slopes, money for that Hawaii trip, a chance at an early retirement, a flexible schedule or something more. I once met a man who’d started a booming tech firm simply because it let him hit the mountains by late afternoon and go snowboarding. He loved snowboarding and it drove him to work hard at his business. I imagine he still had a strong like for his work, but he made it clear that snowboarding was what he lived for. Not surprisingly, many of his employees loved snowboarding too.

Connect with your life’s passions. Remember when you were willing to take the risk of doing what you loved. Take a look at Caine’s story and learn from it. Maybe it will shape your business.

So I’m in a great position to point out six easy mistakes many people make with their consulting businesses.

6 easy mistakes consultants make with their businesses

Only go to networking events that involve their competitors. If all you do is go to events where your competitors are, where will business come from? Only so many competitors are going to refer business to you, if at all! Get out there and make connections with the people in your target market, not just your industry.

• Mistake # 1 – Stop networkingas soon as they get a contract. If you aren’t developing your business, what exactly are you going to do at the end of that contract?
• Mistake # 2 – Remain uninformed about finances. You need to declare your income, keep on top of your taxes, be aware of tax write offs, invoice regularly, make sure you get paid and more. It’s not all that hard, but, if it gets the better of you, hire an accountant or bookkeeper.
• Mistake # 3 – Don’t use contracts. Sure, a contract is only as good as your ability to enforce it. But if you at least have the contract on paper, it’s a lot easier to enforce than an oral agreement, even in areas where oral contracts are binding. Having a good paper trail can help you if a client doesn’t pay – many clients will pay up when you remind them they signed a contract.
• Mistake # 4 – Ignore scope creep. Some clients will push and push, while others make tiny, incremental changes. But those changes add up and they take away from either your earning potential or your time off. Use a contract, remind the client of the scope and be sure to offer to accommodate their needs – but make sure you know what you’re trading away or else get more money. Take some time to learn about managing consulting client behavior.
• Mistake # 5 – Rely on one source of income, rather than having multiple income streams. Time and time again, some consultants rely on one income stream. For many consultants, this means having just one client (which makes me wonder about your 1099 status) or just doing one kind of consulting. While there are huge benefits in being an expert and specialist in a niche, you may sleep better at night if you have more than one way to bring in money. Many of the most successful consultants I know also teach, coach and write, among other things. It keeps them fresh, gives them more financial security and improves their networking and expert status too.
• Mistake # 6 – Neglect to think strategically about consulting fees. Your consulting fees are a complex signal about the value you offer, your position in the marketplace and even how easy it is to push you around (see scope creep). Pricing is one of the four P’s of marketing – and  setting your consulting fee is thus an important part of your business strategy. Make sure you take the time to set and get a fee that reflects the value your solutions offer.

What are the biggest mistakes you see consultants making?

Update: Chip Camden at TechRepublic has added his own list. @Chip, I appreciate your ongoing shout outs.

Related Posts

• List of office supplies
• Office gadgets I can’t live without
• Small business training
• Consulting Fees: A Guide for Independent Consultants
• Discover Your Inner Consultant
• Discover Your Inner Entrepreneur (for moms)