The Art and Science of Solving Problems in Your Writing Business

Like the course of true love, running a writing business — or any small business — doesn’t run smooth, especially for solopreneurs trying to do it all themselves. As well as being a service provider, product developer, marketer and financial expert, you have to be a troubleshooter, solving the problems that come up as you go.

As a small business owner you needs lots of hands to solve problems as they arise.

In my business, problems usually fall into two categories:

a) technical problems

b) everything else

Every household has one person who serves as unofficial tech support for everything from reinstalling an operating system to working out why the sound isn’t coming on. In my house, I am that person. That means that in my business, when it comes to tech support, it’s a DIY affair. While I’m pretty savvy with these things, I have to admit that if you make your living online and need to be connected a technical problem can seriously screw up your mojo.

So for me the ability to solve technical problems quickly or to have a workaround if I can’t directly affects the bottom line. If I can’t type or dictate, I can’t earn.

Case Study: Computer Failure

A couple of weeks ago my Windows PC died suddenly — all I got was a black screen and a cursor. I started with the usual tricks:

1. Booting into safe mode — didn’t work

2. Booting from the Windows CD — didn’t work

3. Shed a few tears — well, that was never going to work, but losing the computer was SOOO upsetting!

Then I escalated:

1. Hassled my local repair shop for a quick fix — didn’t work.

So I had to leave it in the shop — for three freakin’ days!! — and find another way to complete my work.

Problem Solving Lesson 1

But you know what? It was OK, because some years ago I learned lesson one of problem solving:

Be prepared for the unexpected.

I’ve had a computer crash before and have even lost some files so my backup procedures are pretty robust.

1. I use an online backup service so that my client files are backed up as I go (and I even remember to check that it’s working from time to time)

2. I also back up to a portable hard drive (although as it happened I was overdue for a backup when it crashed)

3. I had drafted a bunch of content for clients and — here’s the important thing — saved it in their client folders so it was automatically backed up. (A filing system is no good if you don’t USE it.)

4. I borrowed my daughter’s laptop (the one I’d passed onto her when I got the PC), downloaded the files, worked on them and re-uploaded them to the backup site, as well as saving a copy in Google Docs.

I did have to do without a couple of tools that I take for granted such as Windows Live Writer and Dragon NaturallySpeaking. That made everything take longer, but overall I was pleased with the fact that the regime I had in place allowed me to deliver all my work on time without any impact on clients even if it was slightly less convenient for me to work without my favorite tools.

It’s not the only technical problem I’ve faced but it’s the one that would have most affected my income had I not planned for it.

A 7 Step Problem Solving Process

But what about when the problem isn’t technical and it’s more to do with dealing with clients in the actual business you’re in? This could be something like making sure that a client brief is clear, chasing payment or one of those issues. That’s a more nebulous affair, as every case is different, but here’s what I do to work out how to handle things and, hopefully, achieve the desired outcome. It all starts with a conversation with yourself followed by a negotiation with the person you need to talk to.

1. Outline the situation — what is the real problem? There may be a number of things going on but there is usually one major aspect of it that is giving you grief. It is important to identify that before moving onto the next step.

2. Decide on the preferred outcome. In a case of payment, obviously you want to get all the money that is coming to you. If it’s a case of managing client relations you want to get your point across without actually losing the client and have the client accept your viewpoint.

3. Decide on the minimum outcome you will settle for. Sure, you don’t want to lose out in a particular way but perhaps you would be happy if you settle the situation with your client without anyone badmouthing anyone else. Or maybe you want to get enough of the bill paid for you to meet your own financial commitments.

4. Script some possible conversations or drafts of emails, noting the key points you want to make, thinking about possible comebacks and working out your counter arguments. But also think about what will make the other person happy — if you each get something, it’s likely to go well.

5. Confront the person or issue, making sure to keep calm and to work through your agenda. If possible avoid responding to provocation.

6. Walk away and leave the other person time to consider what you have said. However, make sure that you set a deadline for resolution of the issue so it is not eating away at you for weeks.

7. Once the issue is resolved (even if it’s not your ideal resolution) let it go. But before you do, do a post mortem to work out how you could have changed things to achieve a different outcome. Use that as the basis for putting new procedures in place.

I’ve used this procedure effectively to change the parameters of working with particular clients, to switch them to new services or even to end a client relationship amicably. Sometimes those same clients have even come back later to offer other kinds of work. That’s a win, in anyone’s book.

Oh, and in case you’re wondering: the science is in having procedures and the art is about how you carry them out.

What’s the biggest problem you face in your writing business?

This post is part of the Word Carnival, a monthly group blogging event for small business owners. The carnival is the brainchild of Tea Silvestre (yay!) and you can read the rest of the fabulous posts here. Don’t forget to check out all the previous collections of carnie goodness on my free marketing ebooks page.

Photo credit: Artotem