Do You Blog In Your Pajamas?

(Photo by Chaparral [Kendra] via Flickr)

I see so many blog graphics with the WAHM in their pajamas. Do people really work that way? Or is it a treasured caricature of what we think we look like?

I personally can not write a word without at least having my hair and teeth brushed, coffee in hand, and a pair of respectable jeans adorned. I've tried working in my PJ's. (Have you seen my PJ's?) No, it just doesn't work for me.

Maybe it's because I'm still at the point in my biz where I really care what other people think. When I'm set for a conference call, I prepare 10 minutes beforehand, with my chair height perfectly adjusted, my favorite black pen in position, and my call-waiting disengaged. To be doing all of this in my flannel striped pajama bottoms with the hole in the crotch won't do anything for my confidence.

It's been while since my black silk suit has even left my closet. I believe I last wore it to a funeral (one where everyone else showed up in shorts and tankinis.) So to me, just wearing jeans is a stretch to do business in.

What about you? Do you have a freelance "dress code?" Are you comfortable writing that very important email to the Editor-in-Chief while lounging in a bath towel? Or are you like me, nervous, slightly superstitious, and in need of a little grooming to get your business groove on?

Pay Rates for Freelancers

For those of you stumped on what to charge for your freelance services, check out this poll over at Freelance Writing Jobs (FWJ.) You can see that many of us are being completely taken advantage of. Others are being paid well. Only you can decide which category you will be in.

I have found that writers who only write will be paid poorly. Writers that can sell, market, network, and use their brilliant personalities to dazzle their clients will be paid as much as they ask. For inspiration on how to do this, I suggest the Well-Fed Writer books, as well as several blogs, including:

Freelance Switch
Men With Pens
And of course, FWJ

What do you think? With the economy being what it is, and with freelancers amounting to a fabulous deal for companies (i.e. no benefits or Social Security to pay out), why wouldn't we get more?

Email Marketing Gaffe Leaves Me Scratching My Head....

(Photo by tigerpuppala_2 via Flickr)

Email marketing can be a valid way to introduce your product. In fact, I've used it a time or two to with amazing success. There is a certain element of it all that has recently gone unnoticed: the brevity of that blasted subject line. It can literally make or break your next email blast.

Today I received a regular promotional email from Spiegel. I can't even remember the last time I shopped there, but occasionally, I dig their clearance pricing and love to "window shop" online. Today's email caught me a bit off guard. In the preview pane of my email program, I could see the subject line:

Fall's Luxe List: 8 Must-Have Pieces You Don't Want

I'm thinking... OK. So you're going to tell me about these "must-haves" but then tell me how I don't really want them. Strange marketing technique, indeed.

Ah, but when I went to open the email, I could see the complete subject line, which added these few words to the equation:

... To be Without!

Changes things, doesn't it?

The moral to the story is this -- Preview any emails to potential clients to see what important words may be missing from your subject line. It could kill the deal before it even begins.

Twitter Twubble...

OK, Twitterers, can anyone help me? Am I the only one who has recently felt the pressures of politics creeping into my Twitter feeds to the point of Unfollowing some of my favorite real-life people? Is this freedom of one-way communication too much to bear?

Recently, I have found myself dreading to catch up with my favorite bloggers. I always enjoy reading what Darren Rowse has to say. He has a nice mix of "I'm tired, I'm going to bed" tossed into updates on his latest posts and a few other professional tips. His Twitter feed is benign, helpful, and pleasant. I also dig Peter Shankman's HARO feed. Exclusive news and meetup requests? I'm so there.

Then there are others who are not so nice. An unnamed colleague of mine is great to chat with on the phone. He will talk about weather, give me super professional advice, drop names when needed, and brighten my day at least a little at each chat. His Twitter feed, however, is abominable. "Candidate X is a lying sack of what?" "Polital Party Y has their head up their where?" Yada. Yada. And a bit of professional blabber tossed in for good measure. I have Unfollowed him, and think a bit less of him for his lack of discretion in Twitter. Here's why:

I know that some people use Twitter as a social tool. They aren't intending it for business purposes, but there are some rules I would like to suggest to keep things kosher for those of us who just want to have a productive day and reach out a bit:

1. Twitter all you like, but remember we can see you. I'm surprised at how many people aren't aware of what they Twitter. If I email you later in the day, referencing how your kid pooped on the carpet, don't be surprised that I know. You Twittered it.

2. BizTwitter is meant for business. If you have a very professional webpage or blog for your business, and stick a nifty "Follow me on Twitter" badge up top, understand that people may try to follow you -- for business purposes. Realize that clients, competitors, and prospects will read your every word. Even the part about how you hate someone who would have eventually been a great-paying gig -- had you not Twittered how big their thighs were.

3. Twitter at your own risk. Twitter is not a substitute for having meaningful conversation at your leisure. You cannot (no matter how hard you try) pack a weekly productivity report into however many characters they give you per Tweet. Some of us don't like hearing really important news in text-speak. Likewise, don't Tweet when you should be driving, making meaningful eye contact, or listening. Mobile applications can cause you to look vile and self-absorbed. Tweet on your own time, please.

You don't have to follow my rules. You can certainly tick off large groups of really great business contacts with your snobby Twitter ways. But be prepared for the backlash, and understand that you have a choice in the matter. Find a Twitter user who inspires you, and use them for a good Twitter rold model. You can only get better.

Tweet responsibly!

Time's a Wastin'

(Photo by Laffy4k via Flickr.)

In the course of freelancing, it almost inevitably happens that you waste time. I don't mean by checking emails or reading celebrity gossip -- I mean by entertaining potential clients with their whim and fancy -- and getting nothing in return.

I do my share of job applications. I apply via the traditional methods of Problogger boards, FreelanceSwitch rumbling, or even via Craigslistings... I even do phone interviews. I actually do a few during an average week. Most jobs are decided after one or two emails, one phone call, and the signing of a contract. Most.

Then there are the ocassional gigs that eat up more time for little or no return. Email after email. Two to three phone calls. More emails. Back and forth of endless contract negotiation. And more emails. These should be the high-paying jobs that put bread, butter, and a few T-bones on the table. Sadly.. they usually end up being the mayo on my BLT, and nothing more.

Before you set out to get that gig, ask yourself a few key questions... they may save you more than headache and frustration. They may also save you precious time:

1. Do I really want this job? If you're answering every call for a writer, photog, or dog-walker, you will eventually be forced to ask yourself this question. Yeah, it's great when your inbox is brimming with potential opportunities, but with each one comes great responsibility (plus 5-10 minutes in email replies.) If it's not something you will grateful for later, skip it.

2. Do I know what I'm getting into? I've admittedly spent hours on phone calls to form some kind of ill-defined alliance with a potential employer/partner/colleague. I've walked away with an inkling of what I was being hired for, and not much more. This is not only a bad way to do business, but a colossal waste of time. Get in, get the facts, and get it done. Chit chat can come when the cards are all out on the table.

3. Am I giving too much away? Consultative selling is an art -- As long as you are merely consulting. Don't tell them everything you will do before you do it. Otherwise, they could just do it themselves (and many will try.) Form solid expectations to deliver upon, and leave a little to the imagination. You have a skill they desire. Let them desire it.

You've made it as a successful freelancer (writer, artist, programmer, whatever) when you can turn down work and feel better for it. Not every job is the bees-knees, so take what you can, and leave the junk for someone less disciplined.

Double-Check Those Links!

(Photo by Kafka4Prez via Flickr.)

I don't know why I don't do more of this myself... but after this week, I will never skip it!

I send hyperlinks in many of my emails, include them in my resume, and sport them on my website. Most of them are links to past work, newspaper mentions, and my current projects. Today, I was alerted to the fact that one of my links to a Buffalo News piece was outdated. Apparently the story was archived, and it could no longer be accessed except through paid access. Bummer.

Lucky for me, a client was working on a press kit, and scored a screen-shot for my records. I vowed to ALWAYS capture screen-shots of my media mentions. It is ignorant to assume that they will always be there. I will also take time weekly to double-check my links against being outdated.

Things could have been worse. I'll tell you how:

A good friend and colleague of mine asked me to review a friend's resume. It was a favor, and I promised I would check it out later in the week and provide a little feedback. Less than a minute after I received the document, I got another email... "Check out the blog... @ www... someobscureblog.com....." You get the picture. I could tell this little message was handpecked from a Blackberry or something. So I clicked the link. Then I screamed.

It's not that I'm naive. I've seen web P*rn. Unfortunately, it used to pop-up more frequently (back when web security and ad blocker were in their infancy.) However, I was not prepared for this, and my 3 year-old son was next to me. He didn't notice, but I sure did. WOW! Was this really this chick's blog? If so, she could probably skip the resume. Her photos said it all....

I shot an email back to my friend. "Dude, Are you kidding me? Just checked out your friend's blog." He replied, "I know it's bad. It has only been up for a week." Uh... don't think we're looking at the same blog. (Besides, Little Miss Webcam had her site up for years...)

He's obviously offsite, so I'll send an email later. Should've checked his links. Could have easily happened to me.

Are You Fulfilling Your Promise?

(Photo by Manuel Roberto Garcia-Salazar via Flickr)

Today I sat the children in front of a movie prior to 10 am... yeah, I know. Lazy. But they had colds, I had colds (and deadlines) and the movie was pretty good. As they sat digesting Nim's Island for the 2nd time in two days, my son scowled. He trotted over to me with all his 4-year-old gumption and began a series of questions I was not prepared for:

"Mom, why did they break their promise?"

"How come the parts they promised aren't in the movie?"

"Where did all the good parts go to?"

Apparently, he was referring to the movie's trailer (which we had seen a few weeks ago.) There were parts of the movie hinted at in the trailer that never came to fruition. He was disappointed, and used the word "promise" repeatedly to show his disapproval. He wanted to see what he was told he would see. I thought about my writing in the same manner.

How many times do I say that I'm going to write something ahead of deadline, or with a certain style, or with X amount of features? While I rarely fail to follow through to editors of outside client projects, my blog sometimes suffers from my failure to deliver. Do I tell my readers that they'll be a guest post and then push it off another week? Do I sometimes tell myself that I'll rotate my ads better and then let it go a bit longer?

Whenever we tease our readers or our clients with a taste of what they will get, we are essentially locking in expectations for future work. And we had better get it done. Broken promises (whether covered by contract or not) leave a bad taste in everyone's mouth.