Articles archived for December 2009
Freelancing can be a tough profession. No matter if it is artwork, Web design, or writing, each comes with an ebb and flow to financial security. Even veteran freelancers can have a rough month or two each year. The lifestyle we choose to live can be exciting or discouraging depending on the month. Showing children the passion behind the profession can encourage of love of work and yield unexpected results, if you allow.
Being a full-time parent has been mentally and oftentimes physically exhausting. Knowing that each day will bring challenges and celebrations once made it difficult for me to truly enjoy the freelancing world that is my own. With a little ingenuity (and direction from my oldest son) we found the opportunity to encourage proper work ethics in my home.
My husband was laid off work in November. Although he was able to draw on unemployment benefits, there was a mass amount of financial stress through our home. It was through a series of events and taking time to truly examine what it is that I want from my life and career that all began unfolding quickly…
I announced to my family,
“I am going to work a FOURTY HOUR work week.“
Dumbfound looks shot across the face of my husband and oldest. That is when my son candidly asked, “How are you going to work Mom? You don’t really have a job.â€
Step 1: Explain Your Work
So I sat that dear sweet child down and showed him various projects I had, assignments I needed to write and companies that paid me for my time, experience, and words. After about fifteen minutes, he said, “So you do work.†To my son, yes, I do work…
Step 2: To Work From Home?
And I work from home. I work out of the little room in the basement that has my dry erase boards upon the walls and a desk for my computer. That is my office. While I don’t go to a different building to work, I still work. As much as I would love to just sit at the computer and play games, there are bills that need to be paid – and what I do in that space helps.
Step 3: Answer the question, “Why do you just work in your office?â€
And that was difficult. My son is quite a smart lad for five. He sees the world through a much different lens than myself. So I pondered…
It isn’t necessary to work in my office. I can work from the kitchen table or the front porch, weather permitting. And I have. My son has had the opportunity to see me flip from book to website as I research and back into Word as I type, cite, and proof an article. Yes, it took longer to work that way. No, I don’t regret it.
Step 4: Encourage Brainstorming WITH Your Child(ren)
Some might consider that stealing intellectual property of a child, but truly, it’s great! As an adult, we tend to move from the carefree way of thought. A child loves to think. Telling stories about a dinosaur or asking for a story, tailored to a character they love is all brainstorming. It might not be exactly what you are looking for by means of what a client is requesting, but it does add a new sense of unity – even when it is just your name on an article.
TIP: Ask your children to create a character for a story. Spend an hour a day free writing that story for your children. When you have it complete, read it to them.
Step 5: Family Goals
Using effective communication with children that are just beginning to understand your working process is crucial in this step. Sit down, after a good family dinner, and ask what your children would like to do during the year. Let their imaginations run wild. While your daughter might not be able to visit Betsy Ross as she died many years ago, you might be able to afford a trip to a museum where Betsy Ross is showcased. Explain that the time you spend working will help attain that goal as you can set aside $10 a week to pay for that trip.
As your children begin to understand how finances are tied to working, a strong and stable desire to work becomes present. Through our own conversations with our son, we are planning on a couple short trips this year. And for the record, I got a kiss on the cheek this morning and told to enjoy my day working by that same five-year-old who thought I didn’t have a job.
Enjoy your career and lifestyle as a freelancer. Share those joys with the ones closest to you, so they can be encouragement when you find yourself in a freelancing slump.
Happy Holidays! Around the world there is a special celebration at this time of year. Whatever you choose to believe I hope you have the opportunity to enjoy peace, love, and the joy of giving with your family this holiday season. The holidays are a magical opportunity for writers to experience new wonders in their life. This holiday season, watch and listen for the beautiful stories that exist in every moment.
On behalf of all the writers at Writer’s Round-About, and especially from me, I wish you a very special holiday.
Merry Christmas!
You’re just wasting time blabbing to people you don’t know.
Get off that computer and get a life.
Why can’t you get a real job?
How much money can you make playing on the computer anyway?
These are just a few of the insults and sarcastic remarks freelancers often hear.
Add on to that the multi-job stress syndrome most freelancers endure and you’ll need more than a few natural remedies to calm you down!
Social Media = Less Stress?
Not only is Social Media an excellent way to market yourself and network your way to the top, it’s a learning process that improves with time. And during that time that you’re learning and building solid relationships, you are doing something else: de-stressing. That’s right!
By mingling on the various Social Media sites, all sorts of things can cross your virtual path. Think: inspirational quotes, new gigs, lasting friendships, encouragement, funny jokes, and so much more.
It can be so relaxing to be inspired, to inspire others, or to just have a good laugh. Social Media is more than a “waste of time†as many seem to believe, it’s a networking tool that allows you to share with the world who you are and what your business is about, while giving you a few minutes here and there to simultaneously take your mind off your work and just breathe.
It’s pretty easy to imagine that those who participate in Social Media frequently (or at least sometimes) aren’t as stressed and worn down as those who work non-stop, without a break of some sort – especially a mental one. And Social Media does provide a mental and emotional support system that surpasses anything most people could fathom.
Wind Down, Gear Up
Brain overload can happen fast. Your health is worth taking time out to regroup. You’ve heard many times through life (I’m sure) that you only have one body, one life, one mind — it’s your job to take care of yourself and cherish your time here on earth.
It may seem like nonsense, and some people may judge you for it, but I assure you that Social Media is not a waste of time!
By hopping on the Social Media circuits during “break time” you’re allowing your mind and body to wind down from work. You’re being refreshed in so many ways. And all this means that you’re mind will be gearing up to get back to work again.
New Friends, New Clients, New Sources
The bonus to your “play time” online is that you’ll (more than likely) eventually rub cyber elbows with future clients, editors, and even sources for your articles. It’s crazy to think that even though you’re taking a break from work and taking a few minutes to just enjoy life, that you’re actually continuing to represent your business. And if your Social Media following/friends grows over time (they usually always do) then your business is being exposed to hundreds, thousands, even millions of people while you sip your favorite drink and chat. I’d say that makes Social Media the perfect prescription for MJSS, wouldn’t you?
Did you enjoy this article? Feel free to visit the other articles Michele has written for Writer’s Round-About–or contact her to write for you.
Do you feel less stressed when you’re surfing the Social Media waves? Are you astounded that you can lightheartedly enjoy yourself while representing your professional services at the same time? What does Social Media mean to you? Have you gained new clients, sources, or lasting friendships? Tell us all about it!
Photo Credit: clix
Are you wondering why your writing business is stagnant? Why you were zipping through article after article, word after word, cashing check after check, and were living high on the writing mountain – and now you’re not?
You look around your freelance life to see that clients have dried up, emails have waned, the phone is quiet. Editors and clients have simply quit contacting you. It seems like your business is as stale as package of crackers someone forgot to close up.
There are many reasons our writing, and our business, can become stagnant. If you’re looking for solutions, you’ve come to the right place because I’m going to tell you what the root cause is for your business’ stagnation. Are you ready to hear it? The answer is one small word: you.
That’s right. The root cause of your writing – and your business – becoming stagnant lies within you.
Are you a one woman – or man – band? If you’re like most of us freelancers, you create your own invoices, write for various clients and editors, do all your own marketing and networking, and so on. It can become exhausting. It isn’t hopeless, though!
Stagnant Sources and Solutions
Let’s see what we can do to change your stagnant situation….
Source:
Lack of exercise. When we stop moving and just sit all day, not only is our blood not pumping through our bodies to make us sweat the impurities out, but our minds aren’t pumping those endorphins that bring us inspiration, creativity, happiness, and peace.
Solution:
Get moving! Invest in a small trampoline and start rebounding. Even if it’s a couple of minutes here and there, at least you’re moving and it’s quite addictive. Once you start bouncing, you feel like a kid again and want to just keep going!
Source:
Lack of reading. Sometimes we writers need to walk away from the blank page, curl up with a good book and cup of hot tea, and just read, become lost in someone else’s mind.
Solution:
Start reading again! Since your looking at a decrease in income from your stagnant business, it’s not really feasible for you to be spending money you don’t have on reading material. There is a way to read without spending money, though. First, your local library is a fabulous resource. George Angus, from Tumblemoose Writing Services, is always reminding us how we should be taking advantage of such a precious treasure of literature: your library. And Google Books is a fantabulous resource for readers. SwapTree and BookMooch are two sites where you can sign up and list books you don’t want to keep. Then you can trade books for books others have, that you’re interested in reading. From my understanding, the only cost to you is postage!
Source:
Lack of nutrition. Not eating enough – or eating the wrong things while tied to your desk – is a problem a lot of writers face each day.
Solution:
Make your health a priority. Don’t live on donuts, chips, fast food, sandwiches, pizza, ice cream, or any other processed food you can grab on a whim. I’ve already mentioned that fueling your body helps you fill the page. It’s amazing what keeping healthful foods within reach, and in your tummy, can do! So eat up on the healthy stuff! Prepare veggies and other healthy options ahead of time so when you reach for something, you’ll grab a healthy choice — at least most of the time.
Source:
Lack of joy. How can you crank out happy words if you aren’t happy?
Solution:
Don’t allow your joy to fade away. If you have, take it back! What used to make you happy and bring you joy before you started freelancing and lost yourself in your work? Did you have a hobby? Did you volunteer somewhere? Are you a painter? Did you take time to read or garden or spend time with family? Would you go shopping? Visit the gym? Would you see the latest movie with a friend?
Source:
Living a friendless life. Not having friends can make for a very lonely, sad life.
Solution:
Make friends or rekindle friendships you used to have. When your writing business took off, did you leave your “Real Life” friends in your dust? Think about it. If you did, bring them back into your life. And if you didn’t have friends before freelancing consumed you, go out and find some.
Source:
Isolation. It’s hard to come by inspiration, motivation, and joy when you’re isolated.
Solution:
Force yourself to get out of your comfort zone! No ifs, ands, or buts. Just do it.
I hope these ideas and tips have helped you realize that when our lives become stagnant, our minds and creativity do as well. If we’re unhappy, isolated, alone, stagnant in our hearts and souls, our clients and editors will read that in our stale, lifeless words. Oh, you’ll be able to hide it for a while. Maybe for a long, long time. If you’re really talented, you’ll probably even fool yourself. But do you want to? Do you want to become a burnt-out-fried-to-a-crisp-mushy-brain kind of freelancer? I don’t. And I don’t believe you do either.
Do you suffer from any of these stagnant sources? Do you feel like your writing business is stagnant right now? Are you going to follow any of these tips to turn your business from stagnant to successful again? Have I forgotten anything? Can I glean wisdom from you? I know WRA readers (and I!) would love to hear from you!!
Photo Credit: bizior
*jaw drops* Ok, my head must have been in the sand yesterday because I didn’t hear about this until late this afternoon (5 hours ago). It’s taken me that long to read, let it sink in, ride the comment wave through 343 amazing, deep, and emotionally motivated comments, and still get kids fed, bathed, and into bed.
So, the Men With Pens James Chartrand is actually a woman…
My initial reactions were heartbreak, anger, and frustration. Like others have mentioned, my anger wasn’t directed at James for any sense of ‘deception’. Writers use pen names all the time. I have another name, another persona for a different aspect of myself, there is nothing wrong with choosing to put a different label on one compartment of your life.
What I was angry about is the “need” to use a MAN’s name and the YEARS I’ve put into building my business under my own name. I had no idea that my being a woman could play a significant role on how others treated me. Blind, naive, and perhaps just a little stupid. I let it sink in. I let myself feel the anger and resentment and yes, even jealousy that James had figured out that key early on and found success by presenting an alternative image. I let myself feel it and examined those emotions and motivations.
I pulled out a notepad and wrote angry and heart broken rants. I snagged comments that I resonated with as I read down through them all. I examined my feelings and the reactions of others.
James has always commanded my respect but even I am guilty of gender bias. I held off reaching out to establish a more personal friendship with James because I thought he was a man. I don’t feel as confident of myself when I deal with men, and I often feel a sense of resentment when I consider men doing what I do. Freelancing men.
In one comment, Andrew Lightheart said, “Why should it matter to me that you’re a woman? But it does – I’m amazed at my hidden sexism. Not in a ‘I’m never going to read her writing again’ – more that it changes the way I read it.
And not in a bad way, but it *shouldn’t* make *any* difference.”
Me too. And I’m disappointed with myself for the same reason. Gender shouldn’t matter, but it does. It completely changes our perception. It even changes each word she’s ever written. We see it differently. That fact, underlines exactly why we need to be aware of this issue. It SHOULDN’T be so, but it is.
I have this insidious voice in my head that says, “Men have it so easy.” Some of that comes from having been raised by a mother who struggled to make it in a man’s world. By having a father who paid lip service to parenting, who barely acknowledged me as his daughter and instead gave his all to raising someone else’s children. By being divorced, having an ex-husband who rarely bothers to contact his two children. By having experienced in my own life men who “had it easy”, walked away from responsibility, and accomplished in stride what I struggle to achieve every day.
But not ALL men are like that. On a conscious level I know that. On a sub-conscious level “knowing” doesn’t silence the voice.
James followed up with: “This was very often one of the reasons I *hated* telling people who I was. I didn’t change, my work didn’t change, NOTHING changed…
Except *their* perspective of me. And I disliked becoming someone else in their eyes in that way. I wasn’t that person. You know?”
And yet, the person James DID appear to be created an image, a perspective too. I’m not the only one who mentioned that ‘his’ being a man, influenced the way I treated him.
I think we all have our little voices. We all react from the prejudices and imprints our personal experiences have left on our soul. We all treat people differently, even when we “know” we shouldn’t.
How important is gender for freelance writers?
Would being a man, improve a female writer’s chances of success? If she were a man would she have landed that gig?
It’s scary to wonder the implications. What do you think?
When James asked, “Are Bloggers Creating Their Own Sweatshop?” we discussed what a blog is, and what it isn’t. Ok, so our blog isn’t our product, it’s our platform, right? Why put so much time into maintaining a dynamic site? Couldn’t a static website be just as effective as a business card, portfolio, or sales rep?
Yes… & No…
A site’s effectiveness is measured on many scales. One must consider visibility, function, conversion, and return on investment. All of these factors are influenced by your readers and your content.
A Static Site
- The Business Card
- The C.V. or Resume
If your site offers your contact details and a description of your services/business, it is a business card. But, as with the cards you keep in your pocket, the best way to get your card into the hands of your potential customers and clients is to give it to them. This is 100% “push” marketing. Almost everyone who visits your site already knew about you and what you do. They may even be existing clients/customers.
If you’ve added details of your past success, gigs, clips, testimonials, etc. you’ve taken your business card site one step further. Now you’ve got a C.V. or Resume. This is where you not only give your existing contacts a way to reach you but also a way to see what you do. With this additional information they can evaluate your services/products and decide to contact you to get more information or place an order. 80% “push”, 20% “pull”. You’re still doing the majority of promotion but the site is making more conversions and your portfolio will begin to bring “loose change” traffic based on key words (ie. keywords) in your services and products.
A Dynamic Site
Now you’ve decided to step up another notch. This is where you can take one route or the other. The first maximizes your return on investment, it puts in place your potential income streams, and begins promoting product from the beginning. The second is usually done first, because most people don’t realize they need the first to make the second’s ROI (return on investment) profitable or they begin as a hobby and later realize their hobby could make them money.
- The Catalog
Before you develop your blog, I recommend you establish your catalog. A catalog site is not necessarily a list of products with a fully integrated shopping cart. In the simplest terms, a catalog is a showcase of marketable goods and services. Each good/service should have its own sales page, optimized for search with clear calls to action and compelling copy.
Your products/services don’t even have to be your own. If you can recommend useful things to people who would be interested in your CV/Resume you can affiliate and make money in commissions.
Once you have a solid catalog your site is ready for a fourth dimension.
- The Blog
The purpose of the blog isn’t to sell content. It’s soul reason for being is to give your potential customers exactly what they initially arrived at your site seeking. Your blog content is written in a way that encourages indexing and sharing. You want to maximize your blog’s reach.
A blog has the greatest potential for “pull” marketing. You can spend less time actively handing out business cards because your customers are handing them out for you. You’re giving each visitor exactly what they want and word-of-mouth fires up with positive reviews and natural testimonials. Friends tell friends, who tell friends, to the full six degrees of separation.
And, because you update frequently, search engines tell everyone who asks about something you write about that you’re in the know, right now. Search engines LOVE fresh content, in the eyes of those little bots if it’s new its news. If your site was established ten years ago and hasn’t been changed since the search engines don’t come back to look at you. It assumes you’ve said all you’re going to say. It wants to see what people are saying today, not ten years ago.
And, because you’re giving away your blog content for free, customers are getting what they need, loving what they get, signing up for more of what they want, and giving you free access to the upsell.
Building On Firm Foundations
Blogs have the potential to grow larger still. They break out of blog bindings into networks and communities. Every stage increases visibility, functionality, conversion, and return on investment. But you can see why blogging for free isn’t really blogging for free at all. If you approach your site with the mind of building a marketing platform, you build a business, not just a blog.
Want to take your site to the next level? Yep, that’s the business I’m in. Contact me to find out how to put together, the best showcase for your products and services, the best web solution for your business.
Rebecca recently wrote a moving post asking: How do YOU meet and greet people? I commend her for sharing her heart and insecurities with the world, reaching out for guidance and wisdom.
Here’s a snippet of her heartfelt post:
“I’m not sure if you’re aware of it, but I suffer from social phobia. For those who aren’t familiar with the term, social phobia is a fear of people, social situations, or the judgment of others. It goes beyond merely being shy to full-out anxiety attack with all the nasty side effects. My fear of people and social situations has left me feeling like I’m at a disadvantage when networking and building my business. The truth is, I don’t KNOW what I think most would consider common social niceties. So, I’m turning to you, can you help me?”
I can help you, Rebecca.
My Battle with Social Phobia
Many of you may not know that I’m a survivor of domestic violence. Even after I escaped and was back home with my family and had a strong support system, I found myself unable to leave the house, unable to face the world, and was even on anxiety – and depression – medication. I had full-blown anxiety attacks when I left the house – even just to go to the grocery store.
I thought it would be best to lock myself away and never go outside. Even when I went outside, I didn’t want to leave the yard.
Side Effects of Social Phobia
Although wrapping ourselves up in a cocoon might feel comforting at the time, suffering from social phobia actually makes for a very lonely lifestyle, I know. And realizing that you’ll probably have to endure a grueling anxiety attack when you try to face your phobia demons makes it that much harder to try to overcome. Add to it the fact that you want a successful career and it equals a stressful disaster.
Social Phobic vs. Social Butterfly
I won’t lie, social phobia continues to be a never-ending war within me. I still struggle with the inner demons like Rebecca — I’ve merely found ways to overcome them.
- Just start somewhere. In the Dos and Don’ts of Social Networking, I shared a few things you need to be aware of while surfing the social media circuits. While these tips may seem unattainable for some of you who are at a loss when it comes to socializing, they are certainly reachable. You have to start somewhere. I did, and that’s how I’ve learned these things.
- Dig deep to muster up the courage that’s dormant. It’s there. You just have to find it. I’m not a bold, courageous kind of gal, but I’ve forced myself to look within and absorb strength and drive I didn’t know I even had. That’s how I met an Editor and an Editor-In-Chief this year.
- Want to be a social butterfly? Start writing down everything you aspire to be. When I was locked away in my home, terrified of the world, I found myself journaling more than ever. Writing down my dreams and goals seemed to drudge up determination like never before. Everything from “I will lose over 100 pounds” to “I will be a published writer” graced the pages of those cheap notebooks. Write your social etiquette desires into reality!
- Learn from others. Do you see other freelancers bouncing around the Social Media sites, chatting casually with editors, making small talk with CEOs of companies? What are they saying? Do they share networking tips on their blogs? Learn from them.
- Learn from your mistakes. It’s what I do! Since I first started freelancing, I’ve learned which types of emails or Social Media comments I’ve crafted that get a positive response — or a response at all. I’ve found that most of the time it’s the simplest techniques that help you find the courage to sell yourself , really.
- Move outside of your comfort zone. Force yourself. Plan to attend a local writing event or other event. You never know where you’re going to meet potential clients, editors, or even fellow freelancers you can glean wisdom from, and become sincere friends with. Rebecca has already done that herself! Remember Swan Valley?
- Baby steps lead to social success. It’s not that there’s one specific answer to conquering social phobia and enhancing your business, but the fact that all those little things you do add up to increasing your courage, self-esteem, and network: emails, Social Media accounts, comments, and mingling with people in the real world.
Happy Ending Beginning
I’ve discovered that the rewards of putting myself out there and either introducing myself in person or emailing someone or any of the other things that come with the social aspect of freelancing, far outweigh the fears and insecurities I might be feeling at the time. Thankfully, each day represents a fresh, new opportunity (several, actually!) for us to try again. I believe social etiquette is forgiving and there isn’t a mold set in stone that we’re required to follow in order to succeed. We each have different personalities and a myriad of knowledge and humor and interesting stories to tell.
Learn to tap into your heart’s reservoir, reach out to your online community (like Rebecca) and you’ll become the Social Butterfly you’ve been admiring in others. That’s a happy beginning, if you ask me!
Did you enjoy this article? Feel free to visit the other articles Michele has written for The Craft of Writing Fiction or contact her to write for you.
Have you dealt with social issues? How do you try to resolve them? Do you have special tricks to share? Or, are you bold and have never had to deal with social phobia? Let’s discuss!
And stay tuned, to discover more inspiration and ways of coping with social phobia while striving to achieve freelance dreams….
Photo credit: Joana Croft
On Monday, James of Men With Pens, challenged the idea that bloggers ‘must’ post their content for free. He asked, “Are Bloggers Creating Their Own Sweatshop?” Well? Are we devaluing ourselves? Why aren’t we charging readers to read our blog posts?
I left a detailed comment expressing my thoughts in the moment, but there is so much more to this topic than surface opinion. James isn’t the first or the last to question “Free” as a business model. Let’s face it, as a statement toward the financial viability of a business it doesn’t seem particularly sound.
Why “Free” Works
Over hundreds of years, society has been opening the door to free thought. Now, more than ever before, every person is invited to express their opinion, to have their say, to participate in an expanding global community. This exchange of thought has always been free. Every man, woman, and child is allowed to share openly. The only bar to communication is an unwillingness to “give”.
Freelance writers, and professional bloggers, put a new slant on the freedom of self expression. The difference, primarily, is motive. Everyone could blog, that is hobby blogging. Professional writers/bloggers write with an intent to earn. They may still write because they love to write, in fact, it is almost a pre-requisite in this industry, but they don’t write to be heard.
Professional writers write for the dollar. Freelance writing is a business. (If you don’t acknowledge that you’re in for a hard haul toward profit just like in any other business.)
So, why does “free” still work for freelancers? Because…
Let me stress that again, blogs are a “platform“, NOT a product. Your blog is a showcase, a portfolio. It is your business card, the company logo on your car, the mass mail campaign fliers, the t.v. commercial, the full page newspaper ad, the press release, etc. Your blog is your advert, the quarter inch of niche you’ve carved out where you can say whatever you want.
How are you using your Ad space?
The real question is, “How are you using your ad space?” Choosing to blog is not the only way you could fill your ad space, but it is one of the most effective. Each post puts your ad into a fresh print run with a potential circulation in the millions. What is more, many of your readers WANT to read your ad. They’ve subscribed or searched specifically for you or the information you’re offering.
You have the opportunity to run as many ads as you have time to write, or funds to outsource. But you must make good use of your content. Remember, each post is an ad space; an opportunity to reach your target audience with an offer they truly want or need.
Your content is free because it is not your product. Your blog is your commercial and blogging is one of the most cost-effective ways to advertise. The great thing about your blog, from a business perspective, is that it is a jumping off point for your products and services.
The Blog As A Marketing Funnel
Have you ever heard of the term upsell? It’s a marketing term. Let me describe it with a story.
One day, you decide to go to your local bedding store to buy a new quilt set for the master bedroom. The store has a broad range of products that seem daunting so you approach a salesman for assistance. The salesman is a friendly bloke (man to the non-Aussies), he is happy to help you find what you need, but to get there you have to walk past the king and queen bed frames. He ignores those, you asked about linens not frames and that need is his focus.
As you walk to a far wall where the bed linens are arrayed, this salesman, lets call him Bob, talks with you about the linens you’ve had in the past. Bob asks how you have been recently, he asks you about your favorite materials and fabrics, he asks you about the colors you love and the other decor in your home. He asks you about the bed, it’s size, etc.
When you reach the bed linens, Bob knows exactly which quilt sets to recommend, that you suffer heart-burn and back ache, that your mattress is sagging to the left, your queen-sized bed is several years old, you prefer 100% cotton sheets in shades of purple, your bedroom has apricot tones, twin bedside tables, a large recliner in one corner, and that your name is Jill. But, you came looking for linens so that is what he pitches you. He knows what to show you because he’s canvased your preferences so what he shows you on the shelf is exactly what you’re after. You’ve had a pleasant experience and found exactly what you wanted so you grab the quilt set and head for the counter.
Then comes the first upsell. “You know,” Bob says, “from time to time beautiful 100% cotton sheets in a range of purple colors and patterns are marked down. I could send you an email/letter or give you a call when we have something you’ll love if you leave your contact details with me.” Snag, ‘the list’, the right to contact you in the future.
Next month, you get an email, “Special deal, today only, purple 100% cotton bed sheets for your queen mattress. Buy two and get one free.” Upsell! Now you’re interested in paying for two bed linen sets to get one free.
A month later, “Did you know, aged mattresses can cause heartburn and backache?” (Remember, you mentioned suffering those symptoms to Bob.) “Improve your health and get a better night’s sleep with any of our wide range of circulation support queen-sized mattresses.” Upsell! Now, instead of linens you’re considering buying a new mattress.
This upsell action is one of the true powers of blogging. You’re blog is that first salesman. Blog Bob greets your potential customer, finds out why they came to you, and gives them exactly what they want, regardless of the depth of their pocket. That initial salesperson offers to give the customer more of what they want by leaving contact details (subscribing). It is then the platform for an upsell and can be combined with other promotional tools for maximum effect.
The most important thing is to provide the service that discovers what the customer initially wanted, delivers that, convinces them to subscribe, and continues to target their individual needs over time.
Is your blog your sweatshop or your sales representative? How could your blog more effectively showcase your products or services? Do you think this method is effective or could blogs be used in other ways to return a profit?
Yay! It’s DECEMBER!
*starts singing* “Chestnuts roasting on an open fire…” I love December and the holiday season. I’m wrapped in the excitement and community spirit of Christmas. Despite the queues at the store, the impatient bustle of traffic, and a sudden dip in my bank account balance, there is something magical about December.
Did you know, however, that almost all of the fresh, new content that fills the world this month was written months ago? The advert for those holiday sales, the gift catalogs of your favorite stores, and the press releases announcing this party and that holiday event were put together at least several weeks past, usually around August/September.
Guess what that means for seasonal writers? You should be working on content for Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s, and even Easter. The only people who get to write about December in December are bloggers (ok, I guess the “breaking news” journalists do too, sometimes). Which is another awesome reason to blog don’t you think? We can write about the holidays when we’re fired with the passion and excitement of the moment. Or, if you’re fired in the moment, consider writing in advance of next year’s holiday season.
What are you writing about this December? And how do you prepare in advance for seasonal writing?
“Organize your life around your dreams – and watch them come true.†– Anonymous
When I first blogged about a common problem many freelancers suffer from (MJSS), I also told you I’d be sharing various, natural ways to cope with the syndrome.
One of the incredible ways to prevent – or treat – multi-job stress syndrome is to get yourself organized, if you aren’t already. It can make all the difference in the world to wake up each morning knowing that when you make your way to your office or desk in the corner, that your files will be neatly categorized, separated, and within quick reach and that your duties for the day are carefully outlined in a calendar or notebook.
Here’s a few tips to help you get started
- Designate a room (or even the corner of a room) as your work space. Even if you take your laptop to the coffee shop, park, or out on your deck, you’ll have one main place to keep your files and any other tools you need for your business.
- Find a filing system that works for you. You can do this by color coding, alphabetizing, or separating your work load via date, company, or category.
- Use Google calender, Microsoft Office, a notebook, or even a good old desk-size calender to organize your time. If you have a list or calender showing you what you need to do for the day, you’ll have a feeling of stability that can calm your frazzled nerves. But even if you don’t accomplish everything on your list or calender for that day, you’ll at least have a sense of direction.
- Unsubscribe from any junk mail, newsletters, or other emails you receive. By minimizing the amount of email that you’re not going to read anyway, you’ll feel much less stress about checking and responding to emails.
- Take advantage of the categories and tags your email account offers. If you work with certain companies, clients, and/or editors, make a category (or file) for each one. And then use tags to make searching for your correspondence with them a snap. Use that same filing system for all of your contacts. Separate them according to family, friends, business, etc. If you read an email and need to keep it for future reference, simply file it accordingly before you move on to something else. This will clean up your inbox and make your life so much easier.
All of these tips can quickly and effectively help reduce your multi-job stress syndrome symptoms.
Did you enjoy this article? Feel free to visit the other articles Michele has written for Writer’s Round-About–or contact her to write for you.
Do you find that organization helps keep your stress to a minimum, or is your office space a disaster area with all your creative endeavors (and invoices!) strewn all about? ‘Fess up!
Photo Credit: lusi
