Five must-read books for contractors and freelancers

1)   Eat That Frog by Brian Tracy

This book is a must-read for any contractor who struggles to prioritise or puts off the bigger, more important tasks. We are all guilty of procrastination, but as a contractor your job is to deliver a service and result for your client. Therefore, it is important to ensure you put the most important and often the most difficult tasks at the beginning of your day.

Eat That Frog by Brian Tracy demonstrates the best way to hone in on the critical tasks of the day, organise them and get them completed. The book is based on the old saying by Mark Twain that if the first thing you do each morning is to eat a live frog, then you will have the satisfaction of knowing that it’s the worst task you’ll do all day. Furthermore, the worst task on your to-do list is complete; everything else that follows will be a breeze.

This book is useful for anyone looking to achieve more, get things done faster and get the right things done. Read this book today and don’t lose another minute on tasks that do not matter.

2)   How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie  

Dale Carnegie was an American writer and the developer of courses in self-improvement, salesmanship and interpersonal skills. In this book, named the most famous confidence-boosting book ever published, Carnegie shares his advice on:

• making friends quickly and easily
• being more popular
• persuading people to follow your way of thinking
• winning clients and customers
• improving your speaking skills
• improve your interactions with everyone in your life

This book will be handy for contractors at all levels, whether you’re a seasoned professional or are just starting out and want to know how to win a new contract.

3)   Guerrilla Marketing by Jay Conrad Levinson

Not just for marketers themselves, this book provides a fantastic insight into marketing for small businesses and since its publication in 1983 it has become a classic in the field of business.

Offering hundreds of marketing ideas that really do work and a road map for small business success in a global marketplace, this book is great for contractors starting their careers.

4)   One-minute Manager by Kenneth Blanchard

Many managers in Fortune 500 companies have followed the principles in this book and achieved very real results. This concise and easy to read story reveals three practical ways to increase productivity, job satisfaction and personal prosperity.

The key points to take away from this book are one-minute goals, one-minute praising and one-minute reprimands. This book highlights the importance for managers to be clear on the goals and what is going well, and when something does go wrong ensure that immediate feedback is provided rather than several weeks later. This is a great read for anyone that manages a team or works as a contractor who may need to guide subordinates.

5)   The First 90 Days: Critical Success Strategies for New Leaders at All Levels by Michael D. Watkins

Acknowledged as being a bible for leadership and career transitions, this book gives you the key ways to negotiate your next move, whether it is a promotion or a new contract role. The book guides readers through tactics and strategies to get you to a ‘break even point’ where the company needs you as much as you need the job.

With sections on how to take charge quickly and how to make your input effective within 90 days of a new role, you will find this book to be a must-read whether you are mid-career or the director of your own business.

If you are a contractor and want to achieve success with your own contractor business then these books will help you. They are also great reads for anyone looking to grow in confidence and eventually set up as a contractor.

Another great way to manage your contractor business with ease is to appoint an accountant to help you. Using the service of a specialist contractor accountancy service, you can reap the benefits of having your own company, without the stress of taking care of the bookkeeping, invoicing and payroll.

Here at Churchill Knight & Associates Ltd, we provide just that for contractors. Dedicated to the contractor and freelancer workforce, we specialise in understanding and meeting your needs. Our experienced account teams have helped thousands of contractors each year to maximise their take home pay and make the most of their careers by operating a limited company.

If you need a little more support in managing your limited company accounts, then contact us on 01707 871622 or email enquiry@churchill-knight.co.uk. You can also use the buttons below to get in touch with us or to find out more about the service we offer.