Tips for the life of a freelancer

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A freelancer is a person who is self-employed and is in charge of his own company offering services or products.

 

All the responsibility for the work activity falls on the same person and that often makes it difficult to have a work-life balance.

 

If you are self-employed, here are some tips that can help you:

 

1. Set clear objectives.

Mark the objectives you want to reach. These objectives must be specific, measurable, realistic and time-bound. This will lead us to set goals and sub-goals to follow day by day, in addition to guiding us and providing motivation.

2. Do not stop looking for opportunities.

Spend a few hours a week searching on work platforms. Even if you do not lack work, perform this search on a regular basis to stay informed of the state of your sector and, who knows, find a great opportunity for your company.

3. Collaborate with other freelancers.

Do not hesitate to join other freelancers in the same sector or complementary to yours. You can come together to share ideas, bigger projects… Plus, it’s a good way to know how other people work and learn from them.

4. Establish appropriate rates for your products/services.

It is necessary to have established rates and update them over time. Do not hesitate to find out about the prices of the competition in your field and consider what you can offer. Consider raising the price of your products/services if you have a higher volume of work than you can cover.

5. Impose a schedule and a vacation

Although being a freelancer is a very hard job, in which you have to work long hours even weekends, you have to force yourself to separate work from personal life. If you don’t, you may feel overwhelmed.

 

With these tips we hope to help you reconcile the life of self-employed with the personal.

 

We are the Business Center of Badalona, to give visibility and possibilities to your business.

In Espai 114 together we are a team; we want to inspire you and accompany you.

 

 

What is a marketing plan and what it is for?

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The marketing plan is a document where we find an analysis of the situation of the company, the objectives to be achieved, the strategies to be followed and the planning to carry them out.

It is the guide that guides the company when deciding the steps to be taken at all times. This document usually has one year of validity, since it is convenient to review it annually and renew it. We will need to develop new objectives, re-investigate and evaluate the market and the competition, our target, what we have achieved and what we have not. With all this, we will be able to re-propose a new plan that adapts to the new reality.

Although it is a fairly heavy and long process, we must take into account that it is important to validate the information to know if everything that had been raised has worked and evaluate the current situation.

Why is the marketing plan important?

– To know your market share and, therefore, to have a better view of the sector.

– To better understand your competition and your strengths.

– To better focus the objectives and guarantee a good resolution of these.

– To periodically evaluate whether or not your actions work.

Phases of the marketing plan

Within the plan, four important parts stand out:

This is a Silvia Mazzoli scheme with the most relevant phases and, within them, what are the steps to follow to complete a good marketing plan for your company. And as we have already mentioned, a good marketing plan is important since it helps to have a clearer view of the objectives and allows to optimize and achieve the objectives set in a more organized way.

We are the Badalona’s Business Center, to give visibility and possibilities to your business.

In Espai 114 together we form a team; we want to inspire you and accompany you.

The skills that companies demand the most

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Do you want to know what skills companies most ask for?

The work and way of carrying it out has changed in recent years. Not only in the increase of teleworking but also in the skills that companies seek in their employees.

 

 

The IEBS Business School has shared the skills that companies most ask for in 2021, and we share them below.

 

  • Resilience

Be able to adapt to adverse situations and stay patient, strong and calm in a crisis environment. In addition, we must know how to recover from complicated situations in order to continue advancing towards the future. It is a process of competitiveness where the person must adapt positively to situations.

  • Critical Thinking

Being analytical and curious helps us solve problems in a better way.

  • Commitment

Be committed to the vision, values and objectives of the company. In this way we will be more motivated, focused, productive and will improve the quality of our work. It is a factor that makes employees get involved both with the work and with the objectives and values of the company.

  • Flexibility

Have sufficient flexibility to adapt to changes, use new tools and adopt and promote new ways of working.

  • Teamwork

It is very necessary to demonstrate our ability to collaborate with team members. This also facilitates the achievement of objectives, increases motivation and stimulates creativity.

  • Constant and independent learning

It is important to have the ability to learn new programs, technologies, systems and tools so that companies work and are constantly evolving.

  • Digital skills

It is currently very important to be proactive in increasing these skills. They facilitate new needs, allowing the development of a critical and active attitude towards technologies.

 

We are the Business Center of Badalona, to give visibility and possibilities to your business.

In Espai 114 together we are a team; we want to inspire and accompany you.

Ways to break the ice in a video call

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The pandemic has meant a before and after in the world of work. One of the most significant aspects is the acceleration of the digitization of companies. This has meant a reduction in costs thanks to teleworking, easier to work safely and less stress.

Some studies show that 80% of workers enjoy working at home more than in the office, claim to be less stressed and think they are more productive. This factor positively affects the company, since they are less costs and consumption of office supplies.

Working from home and meeting by video call has proven very useful for the daily management of tasks, since it saves us both costs and time (travel, materials, work trips…).

 

It is important to stay connected to colleagues/partners/clients in our working day and we must try to stay focused to be productive. Breaking the ice helps us, provides a good atmosphere, involves everyone and encourages comfort in the video call.

 

Here are some ways to break the ice in a video call:

  • The presentation is a good first step to break the ice.

Introduce yourself with your name, where you are, what your workplace is… Say everything that is interesting and important to everyone else. In addition, we must also take into account nonverbal communication, since it can convey the opposite of what you are saying. So be careful with that look. Try to maintain the correct posture and tone of voice, adequate clothing… As the communications expert Tessa Aparicio-Curreen states, it is very considerable to take into account the way we address the public.

  • Comment on a current affair.

It is easy and also a good way to break the ice. It is an opportunity to engage all participants and involve them all in the conversation.

  • Create teams.

You can divide the meeting (in the case of being a large group) and make them participate with each other or another option is to make the members participate in the chat.

In short, the most important thing is to create a good working climate at the meeting, since this will make people comfortable, the ice will break spontaneously and no dynamics will need to be done because it will come out alone.

 

We are the Business Center of Badalona, to give visibility and possibilities to your business.

In Espai 114 together we are a team; we want to inspire and accompany you.

 

How to Motivate the Work Team

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How to motivate the work team?

A leader who guides his team contributes to trust among its members, knows how to act in difficult times and gets people to have autonomy and work with greater performance.

The motivation of the team is a fundamental factor for a group to work with the optimal resources and there are favorable results. The leader brings confidence and respect to achieve productive and efficient work.

Here are some tips to maximize your team’s motivation:

 

  • Reinforcement of motivation

The objective of this activity is to learn to keep your employees motivated and encourage them to share motivational tips with other team members. For example, make a video call with the work team where each one shares their knowledge, wisdom and experience to overcome their obstacles and achieve their goals and goals.

  • Set goals

With the objectives you can encourage teamwork. It is a good exercise to carry out this task. You can ask what are the goals of each of the workers at the end of the session and then contrast with the rest.

  • Rewards

 

These help to promote a positive relationship both with the company and among workers. It’s a way of thanking the team and increasing motivation by showing gratitude.

 

  • Life stories

For this activity each worker must share a personal story with the whole team or in small teams. The worker or team wins with the most captivating story. To avoid intimate stories, these will have to be related to labor affairs.

 

  • Points in Common

They will have to try to find points in common with the team. They will have to be divided into smaller groups and list the things each group has in common. The group that has the most things in common wins. It will be necessary to help the group that fewer things in common have to discover more points in common.

 

We are the Business Center of Badalona, to give visibility and possibilities to your business.

In Espai 114 together we are a team; we want to inspire and accompany you.

Tips for working as a freelancer after Covid-19

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Below, we share three tips to work as a freelancer after the pandemic.

After Covid-19, both companies and workers face a very different scenario in all industries. Most sectors are affected by the pandemic, some have even been forced to change many aspects such as their strategies and processes. Sectors such as transport and deliveries are hiring workers with record rates.

As a result of the pandemic, a large number of workers are choosing to work as their own. As with all jobs, this has positive and negative aspects.

 

 

  • Learn to promote yourself.

As we have already mentioned, self-employed work has many benefits, but this entails a challenge when it comes to getting customers.

Currently, social networks play a very important role in the relationship between customers and companies. Joseph Bennett, director of Trade Skills 4U,explains: “Anyone who has a business should use the platforms to increase the reach of their customers.”

 

  • Have a space to work

One of the biggest challenges of being self-employed may be the change in working conditions. Those who plan to work from home should make sure to separate their personal life from the professional to find a balance. This is sometimes a difficult process and many choose to work in coworking spaces that allow them to have the same atmosphere in an office.

 

  • Manage your contacts

Over time you will generate a lot of contacts that will have to be managed.

The information of these contacts is very valuable if managed correctly.

Using customer management tools, called CRMs, we will be able to store, filter, manage and work on all this information and transform it into useful for our business.

 

In Espai 114 we have a coworking with individual tables for exclusive use. It is characterized by being a dynamic and efficient workspace, designed for entrepreneurs, freelance workers and independent professionals.

 

In addition, we have a multipurpose room that can be used for meetings, training, etc. and is equipped with WI-FI, projector, videoconferencing system among other things.

We also offer office rental in the same building for those professionals who need a more intimate space to work.

 

We are the Business Center of Badalona, to give visibility and possibilities to your business.

In Espai 114 together we are a team; we want to inspire and accompany you.

The 5 “A” Marketing

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The 5 “A” of marketing is a new marketing strategy is the new proposal of Cyberclick (is a company specialized in attracting potential customers online through online marketing and digital advertising), this strategy consists of 5 “A” that is linked to boost sales for greater profit, revenue and attract people. This approach often does not go through all phases, the objective is to understand the behavior of your audience and know how to direct your campaign to achieve sales and loyalty of who buys your product or service.

The 5 “A” are:
– Contribute
– Help
– Anticipate
– Adapt
– Automate

 

Below we will explain what each of these concepts consists of and how to apply them.

  • CONTRIBUTE

    Add value to the user, we must create valuable content for the client, it must be attractive, of interest and that resolves the possible doubts that may arise. For example we can take advantage of social networks, blogs, web, emails… to add value to our service or product and establish a relationship with the customer.

  • HELP

    Help the client, this step must be what we have to focus on, since it is our main objective, help our client to cover their need or solve their problem. We have to connect with the client and understand the needs, we must guide and accompany him. In this step we must take care, we must ensure that the customer experience is the most satisfactory.

 

  • ANTICIPATE

    Anticipate needs and demands, we must foresee the needs that the client can have in the short / medium term. In addition, we must keep up with market trends, what are the interests of our customers, what is best for them…
    With this we will be able to adapt our service / product to your needs.

  • ADAPT

    Adapt to our target audience, we must know who consumes or can consume our product or service, what their interests are, concerns and adapt it to what we can offer. This is a step that must be taken every day, as customers change and we have to adapt to them.

 

  • AUTOMATE

    Automate processes, we must incorporate technology both to save time, costs and streamline work. According to Strategic IC, companies that have incorporated the technologies have increased their profits by 10% in about 6 to 9 months. We must try to use a more conscious and integrating marketing that not only aims at the benefits for the company but also for the client and his environment.

 

Therefore, from Espai 114, we offer advice, entrepreneurship tools, consulting, continuous training, financial solutions to help entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs with their company. Contact us without any commitment.

 

 

We are the Business Center of Badalona, to give visibility and possibilities to your business.

In Espai 114 together we are a team; we want to inspire and accompany you.

Barcelona and Badalona as a business center

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Barcelona is a global benchmark for startups, although the most important cities in the business field are New York (United States), London (United Kingdom) and Paris (France). These cities are the ones leading the top positions.

 

In this world ranking,the city of Barcelona is ranked 8th, because it is one of the cities where there is more ease to do business and entrepreneurship.

 

 

Why is Barcelona a good option for doing business?

Barcelona, leader of southern Europe

 

It is a leader in the adaptation of ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) and a world reference in the application of mobile technologies to improve quality of life. This recognition is due to the fact that the city hosts important events such as the Mobile World Congress.

 

In addition, in terms of creativity, it has been recognized by UNESCO as “Creative City of Literature” and is expected to be celebrated soon on unesco’s “International Book Day” in the city.

The Catalan capital stands out in the cosmetics, fashion and technology sectors. Every year Barcelona attracts a large amount of talent due to its funding offer, firmness of the population and entrepreneurship support organizations, such as us at Espai114.

Barcelona has more than 477,000 companies and hosts the silks of large companies that turn over about 65 billion euros a year, such as: Gas Natural, Seat, Volkswagen Group Spain, Caixabanc…

 

Other curiosities to highlight:
  • It is an active city in the measures adopted in terms of construction, infrastructure and energy.
  • The Port of Barcelona is the main port in Europe and the one that exports the most.

 

 

As for Badalona, it is one of the most important cities in the Barcelonès region and where the industry sector and the business sector are very present.

 

It is expected that by 2030 Badalona will agree on an agenda focused on global action based on research, the eradication of poverty, the protection of the planet and the achievement of sustainable prosperity. This will give the city a solid position to access the funds provided within the new European funding framework.

From Espai 114, in the center of Badalona, we work to be a support space for entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs.

 

We are the Business Center of Badalona, to give visibility and possibilities to your business.

In Espai 114 together we are a team; we want to inspire and accompany you.

What is a startup?

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Startup in Spain: in 2021 our country has multiplied by four the investment in startups to reach 1.9 billion euros. In Spain there are currently more than 10,500 startups and 300 scaleups (innovative companies that are growing).

 

It should be noted that ours is the fifth European country with the highest number of startups and Barcelona is one of the cities where this type of company invests the most.

 

What is a startup?

A startup is a emerging company, which has been created recently or does not have a long history in the world of work. This company is usually in the development phase, presents high growth possibilities and sells products or services through ICT.

 

 

What differentiates a current company from a startup is the development of business from original and innovative ideas. The objective of startups is to cover the need for an offer that does not exist yet or is not fully developed.

 

General characteristics of a startup

– Is a new creation company.

– It is innovative to differentiate itself from the competition.

– Needs to grow rapidly.

– Sells a product or service.

– The equipment is mostly small and its components have little work experience.

 

 

Positive points of startups

  • Close interaction with the client. Since the team is small and is a small company, the relationship between startup and customer is very direct.
  • Innovation. One of the main characteristics of these companies is the process of evolution in projects thanks to their innovative power. They’re always looking for a way to differentiate themselves from the rest.

 

  • Teamwork. Being a small working group, everyone has their tasks and responsibilities, but they all help and cooperate in the team’s tasks. Therefore, everyone learns and acquires an overview of the company.

 

How do we help startups from Espai 114?

One of the purposes of Espai 114 is to offer a support space for entrepreneurs and businessmen, where they can enjoy a set of services and services that will help them develop their projects.

Some of the services we offer are:

Consulting

– Legal

– Tax

– Labour

Company and professional activities domiciliation

– Management of electronic notifications

– Tax address

– Commercial address

– Virtual office

Financial Solutions

– Savings management

– Business and private financing

– Financing via Crowdlending and Invoice Discounting

– Public financing

Business Center

– Rental of space Espai 114

– Rental of the Meeting and Event Room

– Entrepreneurship

– Administrative and commercial center

– Consulting and business management

Workspaces

– Private office rental

– Coworking space 24h/7dies

– Meeting space

 

 

We are the Business Center of Badalona, to give visibility and possibilities to your business.

 

In Espai 114 together we are a team; we want to inspire and accompany you.

Advance professionally with Linkedin

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LinkedIn currently has 727.6 million active users. 43% of these users are women and the remaining 57% are men. Of these, 727.6 million people use LinkedIn daily.

 

Spain is in the seventh country with the most users in this social network with 14 million people. The country that ranks first is the United States, with 170 million users.

 

But what is Linkedln?

 

Linkedln is a platform that was founded in 2002 to put professionals in contact with other people or companies. The objective of this social network is not only to look for work but you can also find ideas, people with which to do business or promote your service, product or knowledge about a topic.

 

 

How does Linkedln work?

The first utility that Linkedin provides us is to use it as a repository for our personal curriculum. The first thing that asks us when we create a user is to fill in all the work, academic, competence and knowledge information we have. Linkedin itself guides us step by step to fill each of the sections in the best way, and tells us the level of precision of our CV according to the amount of information we have added.

 

We could say that the most important utility of this social network is the capacity and ease it gives us to connect with other professionals. The type of contacts and their professional relationship with us are what makes this network different from the rest.

 

 

Once we have our profile filled in and we have connected with colleagues, professionals or customers in our sector, the next step is to generate activity on the social network commenting and making publications.

 

In order for these publications to be useful and generate interest, they must be focused on the professional field: news about the sector, advances in research, job offers, personal opinions on some work environment, etc. They can contain text and can be combined with photos, videos, links or surveys and our contacts will be able to interact with it. Publications must provide some value.

 

This is the best network for networking since, in addition to being able to create and share content, it allows you to send and receive private messages that can help you find new customers, actively search for staff or create synergies with other professionals or companies.

 

On this platform you should avoid topics about your private life (that is why other social networks such as Facebook or Instagram are already available), since this is not the objective of this network.

 

We must use Linkedin to define our personal brand, so we must be clear about the knowledge we want to disseminate and set clear objectives.

 

 

If you’re interested in getting more features from your Linkedin account, you have the option to subscribe to different Premium plans at a monthly cost.

 

Here are the differences between your free account and Linkedin Premium plans:

FREE PLAN

– Find and reconnect with work colleagues and classmates.

– Request and provide recommendations.

– Search and visit the profiles of other LinkedIn users.

– Receive an unlimited number of private messages.

– Save up to three job searches and receive weekly alerts about these searches.

PLANS PREMIUM

– Premium Career: it helps you to be hired and advance in your professional life.

– Navigator Rooms: it helps you generate potential customers and create your own clientele.

– Recruiter Lite: it helps you find and hire candidates.

– Premium Business: it helps you obtain detailed information about companies and further expand your business.

– LinkedIn Learning: it helps you improve your skills and learn new ones.

 

Using strategically all the tools and possibilities offered by Linkedin, we can achieve our professional goals.

 

We are the Business Center of Badalona, to give visibility and possibilities to your business.

In Espai 114 together we are a team; we want to inspire and accompany you.