FreelanceSwitch

Why Controversy Can be a Good Thing

FreelanceSwitch.com — Wed, 16 May 2012 14:00:57 +0000

As a journalist, I sometimes write columns and blogs that people don’t agree with. Sometimes I feel so lambasted when people leave comments about what I’ve written that I literally can’t read them. I have a pretty tough skin, and I am aware that I’m not always right—but still, sometimes I get angry and hurt.

My goal in writing something controversial is to never regret writing it. I don’t expect everyone to agree with me, and I try to be as explicative as I can when I know I’m writing about a touchy topic. I don’t have all the answers to everything, but I know that posing the question to readers is usually the most important thing.

I feel really good when something I have written gets a ton of comments and shares—even if most of them are from people who completely disagree with what I have said. That’s what blogging is all about! Creating a dialogue with my ideas is the ultimate goal, whether I am praised or shunned. It’s good to have strong opinions, and having an outlet to share them is a wonderful thing.

I bring this up because of the recent TIME magazine cover with the young mother breastfeeding her 3-year-old son. You’ve probably heard about it as bloggers and columnists and mothers around the world are speaking out about it. And most of the stuff I have read is not praise.

This is most definitely a case where a photo is worth 1,000 words. And from now on, photographer Martin Schoeller is going to be known as the photographer who took the controversial cover photo for TIME magazine where Jamie Lynne Grumet, a gorgeous California mom, is breastfeeding her son who is standing on a chair.

“When you think of breast-feeding, you think of mothers holding their children, which was impossible with some of these older kids,” Schoeller said in an interview on TIME.com. “I liked the idea of having the kids standing up to underline the point that this was an uncommon situation.” —Time.com

Breastfeeding is a controversial topic in the United States. It’s much less so in other nations. Here’s the kicker—the article doesn’t even feature Jamie Lynne Grumet. It’s a piece written by Time staff writer Kate Pickert about Dr. William (Bill) Sears and his book about attachment parenting.

TIME knew exactly the effect this cover would have on the nation and it succeeded beautifully. News shows are all over it, Twitter is abuzz and it’s the top story in every paper. Mothers verses mothers, once again. Well played, TIME, this will surely be one of the best selling issues of the year. —TheHuffingtonPost.com

Here are some snippets from other news outlets about the cover photo:

Time magazine’s breastfeeding cover story asks: “Are You Mom Enough?” But it might as well ask: “Who Says Print Is Dead?”

The magazine is the talk of the nation this morning, dominating the morning talk shows, the radio shows, social media platforms, including Facebook and Twitter, and that gold standard of relevancy, Google. It’s the No. 1 search term there today. —LATimes.com

Time clearly picked this provocative cover image to sell magazines and attract media attention. The actual story inside the magazine is titled The Man Who Remade Motherhood and it’s about Dr. Bill Sears, an internationally recognized pediatrician who’s known as the leader behind the attachment parenting movement that calls for extended breastfeeding (as well as co-sleeping and baby-wearing).

But the grey-haired doctor isn’t pictured on the cover. Jamie Lynne Grumet, a 26-year-old California mom, and her breast-sucking son made the cover instead.

Makes sense from a need-to-sell-magazines standpoint. A mother nursing a preschooler is more arresting—and bound to spark a heated debate around the topic of extended breastfeeding. —SFGate.com

So, clearly, controversy is good for business—especially in this case.

Whether you agree with the topic or think a mom breastfeeding a preschooler is weird, it’s selling magazines. What has it done for TIME’s reputation? Good question. What has it done for the reputations of the photographer and writer? Well, they’re a heck of a lot more well-known now.

What I am happy to see is that the photographer isn’t getting thrown under the bus in anything I have read pertaining to the cover photo. Which is good, since Schoeller was just completing the assignment. I would say this cover photo is a feather in his cap and has clearly gotten him tons of press and publicity.

So being controversial isn’t always a bad thing, as long as you can stand by your decisions and live with them. If you are going to take a stand, like Time did by publishing this cover shot, you can’t waiver. You have to stick to your guns and take whatever flack comes your way. Apologies will just make you look weak. Stand by your decisions!

Understanding the Design Audit: Getting the Biggest Benefits for You and Your Clients

FreelanceSwitch.com — Wed, 16 May 2012 12:00:43 +0000

Signage, stationary and forms, oh my! Businesses can easily create enough visual material to fill up an ark. There’s a logo, of course, and everything it gets applied to, such as: brochures, catalogs, websites, print and e-newsletters, Facebook pages, ads, uniforms, vehicle graphics, and more.

When a company is successful, it grows and expands. As it moves from infancy to adulthood, its visual armaments grow as well. One location becomes three, then twenty and so on. Each one brings with it more of everything. More signs. More stationery. More forms. This can avalanche out of control. Hopefully, someone is keeping an eye on things. But, that’s often not quite the case.

Enter the design audit. “Audit” might be a word that puts the fear of the taxman into you, but don’t sweat it. This kind of audit is a good thing. And it’s an opportunity for freelance designers to expand their service offering.

What is a Design Audit?

A design audit is nothing more than a peek and perusal of all the visual materials used by a company, along with its core message to its customers, clients, vendors and other audiences. Okay, it should be a bit more than a peek and perusal; that’s what this article is all about.

A design audit is an analysis of all the visual elements used by a company. Beyond its visuals, also central to an audit is the company’s core message, sometimes called a slogan, value or branding statement. You can think of a design audit as something like psychotherapy – a type of headshrinking, but for a business. Without a process in place to monitor a business audiences’ touch points they run the very real risk of projecting an unfocused personality.

A design audit reviews visual style and message with a concern for uniformity.

A company’s visuals are indispensable. They play a key part in how a company’s audience and market view it’s brand. The public sees the face of the company as the logo and the clothes as its visual style. Quality customer service, ethical decisions, and other business issues work together with visual style to create a corporate identity.

While big businesses need design audits, so do small business. Successful companies, of any size, need to strategically align their business culture with their brand. It’s essential that companies manage their materials and message, so they control their identity, which is crucial in a competitive marketplace.

A design audit reviews visual style and message with a concern for uniformity. What does the overall identity look like? Are the design, color palette and typography consistent throughout all materials? What do the visuals communicate and are they reliably on target? Is the level of design and production quality where it should be? Does everything make sense or is it jumbled and confusing?

When a company’s brand fragments, there is an opportunity here for freelance designers to provide a much needed service. Let’s look deeper into this problem.

So, What is the Problem?

As companies expand, they often find the need to have materials created and printed in remote locations, rather than its main location. The next thing you know, a company has 15 or 20 versions of its letterhead and business card. It’s similar for other design elements. For the owner of a small business a mistake often occurs, though at a smaller scale. They may have business cards reprinted with the wrong font or not carefully apply colors consistently across their marketing materials.

Is this a problem? Definitely. When visual style is lost, so is branding, positioning, as well as mindshare and sales. Clients will get nervous if things keep changing. As this problem slides downward, they may not recognize the business as its brand cohesion slips.

An effective brand needs a consistent visual style. When you go into a Starbucks in Seattle, it’s looks the same as one in New York. The colors are consistent and the typestyles are the same (within the confines of its, signage, menus, etc). That’s comforting to people.

Research suggests that we humans communicate very little by spoken word — about ten percent. Most communication is made through body language, which accounts for roughly sixty percent. The rest is made up of our posture, clothing and such. For a company, it’s the same. What they say with words can often amount to little. What usually sticks in the customers’ minds is its logo, colors, sounds and sometimes even aromas.

If one part of the company has one message, while another is communicating something else, you’re left with discord. It’s the same if visuals don’t match the message, or if visuals aren’t consistent. Companies create anxiety in their target market when they stray from their message and drift from their dependable visual style.

Design Audit Deliverables

How does a design audit begin? It’s starts by gathering all the visual and brand elements a company creates. Then the designer, writer, or marketing consultant (often all three) study these and an analysis report is created.

The reports, along with the materials, are then presented to the client’s management. Many businesses are shocked when they see the visual elements together, as one fragmented, Frankenstein-like monster.

The point is to document it all and never, ever, under any circumstances, stray from it.

After all these inconsistencies are out in the open, it’s time to structure a plan to ensure that the company, its visuals and its message are presented in harmony.

You should place this harmonious style plan into a Standards Manual. This document shows how a company’s logo is designed and how to use it in different contexts. The manual documents the brand’s color system with exact RGB and Pantone colors. It gives specifics about the typefaces to use and often much more.

A Standards Manual can be just a few of pages for a small company or a large volume for a multinational. The size of the document depends on how large the company is and the number of variations in the style application involved. And frankly, it can depend a lot on money. A large company will need to show literature; stationery; website; Facebook; signage applications; uniforms; vehicle applications and several others. A small business may only need to show its logo, colors, stationary and a few forms. The point is to document it all and never, ever, under any circumstances, stray from it.

And, yes, when logo redesign time rolls around the process starts all over again.

Design Audit Opportunity

So, now that we know about design audits, what’s the benefit for the freelancer? It gives you one more service, a valuable one at that, to sell or use as a promotional tool. Many designers, both graphic and web, offer audits as a stand-alone service. As a matter of fact, larger firms and consultancies provide them as stand-alones, can charge hundreds of thousands of dollars, and take months to conduct them. Implementing changes, developing a Standards Manual and fixing what was found are usually extra. Do I hear a “cha-ching”?

The freelancer who offers design or communication materials audits can quickly move up the ranks from being a provider of hands on a keyboard to that of a highly valued consultant –- a partner, in many ways, with their client. That is, naturally, if they do them well and provide sensible recommendations.

As a freelancer, you might not realistically land a multinational in need of an audit to the tune of a half million or more. But, one never knows. Freelance teams can be as effective, if not more so, than an expensive — and sometimes sluggish — consultancy group. Nonetheless, odds are, you can find a few small and medium-sized businesses whose visual identity and message are in chaos. It just takes a bit of looking around.

If you’re a designer, you might consider teaming up with a writer and vice versa. The designer handles the visuals. The writer handles the words. Both work together to craft a sound strategy and set of recommendations for the client. You both make money and the client saves itself from potentially losing sales and share of mind. Plus, when it’s all over and done well, the client will likely enjoy a stronger market position.

Another approach is to use a limited audit as a complimentary promotional tool. Sure, you’ll need to invest some time, but you also would for any other marketing tool. For example, how much time is social media sucking up? Or, designing that promo brochure that never seems quite finished? An audit for a small company of, say, fewer than ten employees, could probably be knocked out in an hour or two, once you have the process down.

At the complete of a design audit, your client will have a set of standards in hand, they will be armed with a consistent identity, and be able to meet the market with a stronger brand. You’ll be in an ideal position to work with them. Having a strong standards manual will save you time and aggravation when you prepare additional designs for that client in the future.

Graphic credit: Some rights reserved by Reclameworks.

PR Professionals and Journalists: How to Make Everyone Happy

FreelanceSwitch.com — Tue, 15 May 2012 16:00:00 +0000

I got a telephone call today at the office from the wife of a certified public accountant. She was pitching me on a story that her husband had just written about the benefits of creating an LLC versus an S-Corp. I listened politely, then told her why I couldn’t run her husband’s obviously wonderful story.

I can’t tell you the number of times I get pitches that we would never publish—not because it’s a bad idea but because it just doesn’t fit in the pattern we have already created.

The magazine I edit is a regional publication that has a pretty narrow focus. We only publish stories that fall within our already established sections. I can’t tell you the number of times I get pitches that we would never publish—not because it’s a bad idea but because it just doesn’t fit in the pattern we have already created.

I often get advance copies of novels and CDs from publishers, authors, and musicians, asking us to please consider reviewing them in our magazine. We have never, in the six years we have been in print, reviewed a book or CD. Never. Yet I keep getting these lovely gifts in the mail on a monthly basis. And I always feel badly—these publishers and public relations people are clearly wasting money on sending me stuff.

In the case of this lovely woman who called me on the phone, I explained to her that we currently don’t have a place in the magazine where such a feature would appear and that we decide upon our editorial calendar 8 months to a year in advance. She proceeded to tell me how it would be a benefit to our readers. I didn’t argue that point—it very well might—but I can’t reinvent the wheel. I suggested that she contact the local daily and weekly newspaper, as they have much more flexibility to publish articles than I do.

Our company also does not accept unsolicited manuscripts—but I didn’t feel like I needed to get into that with her. She was clearly not used to pitching story ideas to the media.

What I wanted to tell her was that if she was going to pitch people her husband’s already-written story, to take a look at some back issues of said publications to see if it’s a good fit or not. If she had looked at ours, she would have seen that we don’t publish stories of that nature. I also wanted to tell her to not introduce herself as the wife of the CPA who wrote this wonderful article that I should publish in our magazine. It’s unprofessional—and of COURSE she thinks it’s a great article…her husband wrote it!

I did a little research online about the relationship between people who work in public relations and journalists, and I found this recent blog post on PracticePR.

Public Relations is about having a good relationship with journalists/bloggers, offering them material they might find useful and helping them get their work done. It is not about your brand, your business or your message. It is about them. Your aim is to give them something they will like and they will be able to use. If your product or story gets mentioned, that is super news. —PracticePR

Now I know a lot of wonderful PR professionals that I thoroughly enjoy working with. If you are trying to get some coverage on your own, there are some things to consider when it’s just not working out for you:

You are not sending them information in a timely manner

The magazine I work for has a great calendar of events section. People love it. And since we are a monthly magazine, we hit the newsstands in the second week of each month. For example: Our May issue was on newsstands in mid-April. The amount of events I get emailed to me for an issue that has already gone to print is astounding. I understand that sometimes things come up that you can’t plan for, but I can’t publish something for you when the magazine is already printed. Plan ahead as much as you can.

You are not sending them information they can use

There is a lot we don’t publish. I mentioned some of them above. When I get things that don’t fit our demographic, geography, or mission, I delete it immediately. If I continue to get things that are not useful to me, I politely ask the person who keeps sending it to me to please stop. I’m sure many people have a master contact list of journalists that they send blanket emails to, but perhaps 1 in 10 of those emails are meaningful to me. Once that name keeps coming up in my inbox over and over again with content that doesn’t pertain to my publication, I stop listening.

You’re not making it easy

Don’t fill your press release or query with a lot of jargon. Keep it short and sweet and tell me what I want to hear. Focus on the five W’s and H: who, what, when, where, why, and how. Why is this story important to my readers? In what section of the magazine do you see this piece appearing? If you are pitching a story about you or your business, what makes you stand out from everyone else that does the same thing? And please, do not send in the story already written for me. When people write stories about themselves it often sounds like a very long ad. If your story is worth telling, the editor will figure out how to share it with their audience.

Getting the Most Bang for Your Buck with Shared Office Space

FreelanceSwitch.com — Tue, 15 May 2012 14:00:08 +0000

Many freelancers work out of the house. But there are situations in which at least having access to office space is important: Maybe you need a place to meet with clients. Maybe you need a place where there aren’t kids demanding attention. Maybe you just need a safe place to keep gear that pets can’t get at. Sure, for many of these purposes, you can just head to your local coffee shop. But it’s worth considering office space, especially if you can get it inexpensively.

Shared office space, whether we’re talking about a coworking space, a conference room you can rent, or even just a cubicle that you can use in a bigger office, can make a lot of sense for freelancers, especially considering you can get a lot out of a small space.

Choose Your Space Based on Community

Communities add value. They make it easier for you to land local clients, because you can get more referrals and recommendations.

When you’re looking for a place to set up shop, it’s tempting to choose a quiet office where no one will ever talk to you. But you have to balance that quiet work environment with a community that actively networks, attends or even throws events, and generally makes an effort to get to know one another.

Communities add value. They make it easier for you to land local clients, because you can get more referrals and recommendations. They also make it easier for you to find the resources you need to grow your freelance business, whether that’s help with a project or finding a new accountant.

If you’ve got a lot of options for where to get your office space, take the time to tour them. Check what events are on the calendar. If possible, try to get a list of who else is using the space — and then run those names through a search engine. Make sure that you’re joining the best community in the area. The right community can even be worth spending a little more than you might for other work space.

Decide What Amenities You Really Need

Most office space that you’ll be able to access will come with certain amenities. Landlords choose perks like free coffee to be able to justify their prices, especially if they’re a little higher than other space in the area. You have to make sure that those amenities are worth the effort: a lot of business suites and virtual offices still consider free long distance calls to be an amenity worth advertising. For some businesses that’s important, but most freelancers are practically glued to cell phones with free long distance already built in.

You want to check the internet speeds to make sure that the work you need to do isn’t going to be a problem, but just about everything else comes down to a matter of personal preference. What do you need to get your work done every day? Are you willing to bring in your own drinks and other creature comforts? You need to take a look at what you consider important.

There are certain amenities that, in my own experience, are worthwhile. Most freelancers only need copy machines or fax machines very rarely — but when we need them, we need them immediately. Choosing an office space with that sort of hardware can save you a late night run to the copy shop.

Use Your Space As Much As Possible

If you’re paying for office space, make sure you’re getting as much out of it as possible. That means that if you have a certain number of hours that you are allotted, make sure you’re in the office the whole time. If you’ve got the conference room a certain number of times per month, make sure you’re using each one. If you find that you’re not managing to use your space to its full potential, get creative.

Don’t be afraid to ask to sublet or share with another freelancer — you probably won’t get permission, but there’s no harm in asking. But you can take other steps. If, for instance, you have access to a conference room every month, why not teach a small class or hold a seminar for prospective clients? Think about how you can use your office space beyond getting work done. That alone will ensure that you get more out of the expense.

Photo credit: Some rights reserved by pezflash.

5 Principles to Better Networking for Freelancers

FreelanceSwitch.com — Tue, 15 May 2012 12:00:12 +0000

Networking is more than just attending events and swapping business cards. Freelancers, in particular, can find fellow collaborators, future partners, prospective clients, and a tribe of fellow freelancers when they network. Networking is about building relationships and like all relationships it takes trust and personal contact built over time.

1. Do a head check first and look inward.

The first relationship to consider before you jump into networking is the one you have with yourself. Can you deliver commitments and handle setbacks in a professional way? Do you recover quickly when things don’t go your way? Do you truly enjoy your work? You’ll need to get comfortable with your lifestyle as a freelancer to have the right interactions with others. Learn how to lead a more relaxed freelance lifestyle and ask yourself if you should really be freelancing.

A more appropriate self-image for a freelancer is someone who is self-employed. Remember, you are, in fact, a business owner– with all the perks and headaches.

Establishing your self-identity (and confidence) as a freelancer sometimes takes time and practice. The term “freelancer” often has negative connotations that many people new to the business can’t shake. Leaving a well-established career and shifting into being a free agent can be both an ego boost and ego deflator.

A more appropriate self-image for a freelancer is someone who is self-employed. Remember, you are, in fact, a business owner– with all the perks and headaches. For one thing, you have to wear a lot of hats. Not only are you a professional in your field, but you are also a project manager, a customer service rep, a marketer, a sales agent, a secretary, and an accountant. Don’t let anyone fool you into thinking freelancing is an easy life.

So, the next time you present yourself to others, hold your head high, and remember that you are a professional. If you treat yourself with respect, the rule of karma will follow you into that room when you present yourself to others and network.

2. Focus on quality, not quantity.

Freelancers don’t need to win over dozens of people to call themselves networked. A network is best assessed by the quality of the relationships, not the quantity of names in your contact list. Build solid relationships with your connections by following up with phone calls or e-mails. Thank people you meet for their time and offer to help them in the future.

If you promised to send information or exchange ideas, do that. Even if you don’t work directly together, keep in touch routinely with these key people. And don’t expect too much too soon; it takes time for you to build the trust in relationships and establish a professional, friendly rapport.

Focus on giving not getting. Show an interest in the needs of others, rather than always being driven to make that sale or procure that business lead. Try to help others with referrals, introductions, information, and feedback. The rewards from sowing strong connections will come naturally over time.
Listen well. It helps when you genuinely enjoy the company of the contacts in your network. Take the time to ask questions and provide constructive input. Showing interest usually leads to others showing interest in you. Find out more about someone’s business, which usually makes it easier for you to offer your services later or to ask for relevant leads. Don’t be a hit-and-run networker. Maintain contact either through social media on a fairly regular basis or on a more personal basis (in person, for example) several times a year.

3. Cast your networking net far and wide.

You might not realize it, but you’re actually already a member of multiple networks. Some may be so obvious you probably hadn’t thought to consider them as potential sources for leads and work partners. Here are several groups never to take for granted:

Family and friends. From parents to distant cousins and your pals from grade school, family and friends can be wonderful source of contacts and work leads. Someone always knows someone who might need your services. Make sure you announce to the world your freelancing business and encourage family members and friends to spread the word.
School. Classmates and former professors can all be wonderful sources of information. Keep up your ties to your alumni network.
Colleagues at work. Never burn your bridges, even to the old job you left behind to become a freelancer. Assuming you left on good terms, former co-workers, even old bosses, can be excellent sources for leads for your freelancing business. Just be sure you’re not competing in the same space. Learn how to handle non-compete clauses.
Meetups and volunteer events. Join a group around an activity you enjoy.
Professional groups are good for networking, but potential clients can be found in recreational and social groups, as well. Try attending a brown bag talk or after-hours event at a local coworking space.

4. Reach out, even if you have to cold call.

We all think we can hide behind our computers, but first contact is often better made over the telephone or in person. Many experts agree that the telephone is your best bet to reach someone and secure a favor or ask for a job.

E-mails can be ignored, mailers and letters trashed, but once you have someone on the phone, you can engage them more directly and get to the point. Here are several ways to minimize the sting of first contact:

Prepare an opening script. This technique may sound a bit stilted, but one way to settle your nerves is to produce a snappy short outline of what you plan to say. Write down the person’s name clearly in your notes and include any personal details that may help you frame your conversation in a lighter, more personal way.
Prepare a list of questions. Surprisingly, most calls will lead to the person asking you to provide more context about your request. Seize the opportunity they’ve given you by asking meaningful questions to get the important information you need to develop or pursue a lead.
Practice how you would react in different scenarios. People may respond to you in a gruff way, or they may ask you to set up a meeting on the spot. Be prepared for the objection or the enthusiastic offer to help.

5. Be the expert.

A great way to network is to present yourself as an expert in your field. Volunteer to give a lecture or presentation. Most likely these events will be attended by potential clients who might be interested in your freelance services.

Small business events are helpful; check with your local chamber of commerce. Or, look into organizing a Meetup, or hold a Skillshare or Udemy class. Make sure you get a list of the attendees and their contact information. Include your contact information on all hand-outs and materials you give out.

Photo credit: Some rights reserved by mKrukowski.

How to Legally Work With an Intern

FreelanceSwitch.com — Mon, 14 May 2012 16:00:04 +0000

School is coming to an end for another year, and many students will be participating in internships for the summer. An internship can be a real win-win situation—the hirer (you) gets low cost or even free help while the intern gains valuable work experience.

I did a number of internships in my college days. I’ve also managed interns in my professional days. When I worked for a small, post production company in Boston, we had an intern in our office every day of the week. They helped us with tasks such as blacking out tapes, burning DVDs and videotapes for our clients, assisted in shooting projects, and brought a great, young energy into the office.

What did they get out of it? They got to use state-of-the-art professional shooting and editing equipment for free. Many of these students couldn’t even get their hands on stuff this awesome at their colleges. Plus, they were encouraged to create their own projects when the equipment was free, which happened often since we were such a small shop.

In graduate school I was an intern at both PRWeek and Inc.com—two business publications where I learned a tremendous amount. The best part of going to grad school was that it allowed me to take advantage of some stellar internship opportunities.

I know I have been lucky, especially when I read about interns who are worked to the bone and aren’t learning much. This recent article in The New York Times shares some horror stories.

Many students who are graduating are having a tough time finding work, and thus are turning to unpaid internships in the hopes it will help their resumes. Many are finding that the internships aren’t all they’re cracked up to be—that they’re working 12 hour days doing menial tasks like grabbing lunch and cleaning, which, if the internship is unpaid, is actually against the law.

If you’ve been thinking about hiring an intern, here are some things you should think about:

Keep it Legal

In order for an internship to be legal, it has to fall under certain criteria. You need to either pay the intern or the intern must receive college credit.

The Labor Department says that if employers do not want to pay their interns, the internships must resemble vocational education, the interns must work under close supervision, their work cannot be used as a substitute for regular employees and their work cannot be of immediate benefit to the employer. —The New York Times

I found the following information about the Fair Labor Standards Act at YFS Magazine:

If an internship is unpaid, it must qualify as a trainee program and meet the following criteria:

Intern must receive on the job training.
Intern can’t be sued to displace other workers.
Interns can’t be offered a guarantee of employment once the internship is completed.
Intern must be taught skills which could transfer to other career opportunities.
Intern must receive industry-specific training.
Intern must be aware that he/she is not entitled to wages or compensation.
You can’t receive immediate benefit from the intern’s activity (though you should expect to get some productive work by the end of the experience).

Paid internships give employers a little more leeway, since the intern is benefiting monetarily. Still, you shouldn’t use your intern as your personal cook/shopper/laundry person, but if you have them pick up lunch or coffee, you’re less likely to be sued if they’re being paid.

Hire Wisely

When you look to hire your intern, do so like you would any other employee. Have interns submit a resume and samples of work, if they have them, and interview them. It’s good practice for them and it means you can pick and choose who you want to work with.

You want to make sure your intern is the right fit for you, since you’ll be spending time teaching them the ropes and trusting them with responsibilities. Find someone who is excited about learning and anxious to work. You don’t want to hire an intern who calls out sick once or twice a week or doesn’t show up on time. That’s more frustrating than it’s worth for you.

Create a Plan

You can’t just have your intern answer your phone and make photo copies for you. Those are things regular employees can do and don’t offer much benefit to interns. What you should do is come up with a plan for what an intern should be able to accomplish during their time with you.

Depending on what it is that you do, create a plan so the intern doesn’t show up every day not knowing what to do. Whether it’s writing blog posts or updating your website to working on crafting press releases, let them shadow you. Give them something meaningful to work on and critique them once they are finished. If they create a killer press release, use it!

Having an intern isn’t always easy, but the benefits can be great. You get to mentor the younger generation and teach them the skills they will need to succeed in the “real world.” And the right intern can benefit you, too! They may have a certain skill set that you want to tap into and even learn. Creating the right program and hiring the right person can be a very rewarding experience.

Photo credit: Some rights reserved by xilius.

5 Ways to Write Your Way Out of the Lousy Economy

FreelanceSwitch.com — Mon, 14 May 2012 14:00:42 +0000

Remember the good old days before 2008, when freelance writing gigs seemed to just fall out of the trees at you? It’s been a long slog through a tough economy since then, and there’s still no end in sight.

But here’s the thing: you are free to ignore the bad economy and continue to earn a good living.

How do I know? I’ve earned more as a freelance writer each year since 2006. That’s right — straight through the downturn.

While the overall freelance writing market may have shrunk in the crummy economy, if you are that rare freelance writer who is aggressively markets your business, you can still find plenty of work. In the great big world of all freelance writing assignments, there’s enough work left in there for one little ol’ you.

If you know where to look.

How can you use your skills to write your way to a good income despite the lousy economy? Here are my five best strategies:

Target recession-proof industries. Not every organization has been hurt equally by the downturn. Some — including healthcare, financial services, gambling and other “sin” industries, and the federal government — have kept chugging right along. Identify thriving industries and focus more of your marketing on them. On the publications side, scan publishing-industry blogs for news of which magazines are still thriving.
Focus on boomtowns. Not every geographic area has been equally devastated by the recession. Armed with the Internet and your computer, you can market yourself to businesses and publications based anywhere. Focus on thriving markets for better luck finding prospects ready to commission freelance writing assignments.
Follow layoff notices. When you see a company is down-staffing, that doesn’t mean the work they need done has vanished. It means their remaining staff is stressed to their limits, and shortly they are going to realize they’ve got to do something about it, or more staff will quit as well. These shrinking companies will outsource more of the writing work to freelancers. So reach out to their marketing managers and see if they have writing projects they need to assign.
Spot the startups. During downturns, more people are out of work. Some of them get sick of searching in vain for a job, and they start businesses. If you’re a new writer, reaching out to these owners can be a great way to get those first published writing samples.
Write your own ebooks. Whether the economy is up or down, you always have the option of writing a quick how-to ebook on a topic you know well, and selling it. It’s a great way to fill any downtime in your schedule. You could sell it on your website as a PDF, on Amazon for the Kindle, or print it up through a print-on-demand publisher such as Lulu or Cafe Press. Each book you create may not sell a lot, but they each create a new income stream for you that can help tide you over between freelance gigs.

Where are you finding good-paying writing work in the downturn? Leave a comment and share your strategies.

Photo credit: Some rights reserved by thampapon1.

Freelance Freedom 258: Hyperfocus

FreelanceSwitch.com — Mon, 14 May 2012 12:03:13 +0000

Once a week, we feature a fantastic freelance-themed comic from the talented N.C. Winters. Why not also take a look at our comic archive?

How Coffee Shops Can Make the Best Substitute Offices

FreelanceSwitch.com — Sun, 13 May 2012 13:00:10 +0000

Imagine a quiet office space. There are only a few people around – not enough to distract you, but enough to ensure that you don’t feel isolated from the world. Mostly they are freelancers, typing away at their computers.

You like the music playing in the background because it is almost like someone copied your own playlist. The coffee is delicious, there’s plenty of food to choose from, the view is not bad at all…And the best part? The rent you pay is the price of the things you eat and drink.

It sounds good, doesn’t it? I’ve just described at least three of my favorite coffee shops. You might think that working in coffee shops is an obvious choice, albeit not a very convenient one. After all, several other FreelanceSwitch writers made pretty good cases about why libraries make better offices than coffee shops or why co-working spaces are the best office alternatives. But what if there aren’t any co-working spaces near where you live? And most libraries don’t really allow you to eat or drink something around their computers.

So what’s a freelancer to do? Sure, most freelancers, including me, run home offices. But working in one place for a long time decreases productivity, creativity and frankly, it gets boring and lonely.

So every time I need a change of scenery, I take my stuff and go to one of my favorite coffee shops. And if you choose correctly, they can make the most fun and positive office substitutes. Whether you don’t feel comfortable in libraries or you don’t live near co-working spaces (or just don’t want to pay $25 or more for them), here is a guide to what to look for in coffee shops so that they provide a satisfactory office experience:

The quiet hours. I know many people who work more effectively with noise in the background. While I appreciate a little noise, I can’t concentrate with children running around screaming. But many coffee shops have their quiet hours.

If you can detect them, it will feel like the whole place is yours. It will feel peaceful yet social. After all, there will always be a fellow freelancer who is taking advantage of these times, or a ferocious reader who just enjoys his book more with his favorite coffee.
Comfortable chairs and tables. Sofas are lovely, but I personally work more effectively with armchairs and high tables. They are comfy while still providing the feeling of professionalism. Then there is the perk of not getting neck or back pains from sitting for so long.
Friendly staff. Some places are self-service, but you might have found your work haven in a place with waiters. Whatever the case, it is important that they are friendly and don’t give you weird looks because you are spending so much time there or aren’t ordering something new every 30 minutes. Yes, you will be ordering things, but they shouldn’t expect you to spend a hundred bucks every time you are there.

It also helps that there is someone nice to chat to. Just as you like a friendly attitude, most employees also appreciate the friendly customer they can complain to about their nightmare customers.
Taste and price of coffee (and food). I love my coffee, and like many freelancers agree, coffee is also good for productivity and a must-have. I can’t work without good coffee, and it raises my spirits more when the cost doesn’t put dents in my wallet. And I have to admit, I can never make the killer mochas my favorite places do. It’s just not the same.
Fast and free internet. As much as turning off the internet for the sake of concentration and flow is recommended, we still need it for a lot of things. A coffee shop without a good and free internet connection, in the long run, is a no-no.
Vicinity. It really helps if it is a walking distance from your house or at least takes only a short ride. It’s nice to take breaks, but you don’t want to get exhausted and lose a lot of time trying to get there. Time is cash after all.
Other freelancers. If the coffee shop has several of the characteristics I listed above, there will be other freelancers. I actually made a couple of close friends just by saying hi, or answering a question they might have about the place or about anything.

We even started a Facebook group to connect and arrange get-togethers. Recently, both my freelancer friend’s schedule changed, as well as my own. But even though we can no longer work together, we still meet there for the occasional coffee and brainstorming.
Lots of sockets. You will need to charge your laptop from time to time, a it’s frustrating when you need to fight for one of the few sockets with the other freelancers.

So there you have it. Coffee shops don’t need to be avoided by freelancers. With new ones opening every day, it might make sense to try out the independent ones. Unfortunately, franchised coffee shops like Starbucks usually get to be more crowded. And even if you have an office, it doesn’t hurt to get away from it every once in a while.

How about you? What’s your favorite substitute office?

Photo credit: Some rights reserved by pmaguire.

3-Step Risk Management for Freelancers

FreelanceSwitch.com — Sat, 12 May 2012 13:00:46 +0000

Freelancers have to step outside their comfort zone for a number of reasons. You might be offered a collaborative project with a larger team than you are used to working with, or asked to take on a far bigger project than you would usually, or you want to create a side project, such as writing a book or launching a new enterprise.

Although you are excited about the new opportunity, it can be stressful, even scary, thinking about the implications if something goes wrong, but that shouldn’t put you off taking the plunge.

So what can you do to get a handle on problems that could derail your project, while keeping the risks in perspective?

How will you not let fear get in the way of enjoying your new challenge? How will you plan ahead before you go charging in, full of enthusiasm, only to get tripped up by something unforeseen?

What you need is a bit of basic risk management.

1. Get the risks in perspective

Before you start your project, it’s worth sitting down and brainstorming what risks your project faces, from bad weather, to software problems, to reliance on outside factors, such as other work being completed on time. If you have a team it can be worthwhile sitting down with them: they will have different experiences you can learn from.

Some events, such as a snowstorm disrupting a winter event, might be more likely than others, such as your whole team being affected by illness, but it could still happen. The important thing is that you are thinking of the risks at this stage, while there is still time to plan your way out of trouble.

2. What could you do instead?

The next step is to think of what you might do for the factors that are likely to go wrong. For example, you might want to have a list of back-up caterers for a big event you are organizing, or allow extra time if you are reliant on the weather, or provide extra training to ensure more than one person of your team can use vital technology you are dependent on.

3. To plan or not to plan

Once you have thought through the risks, you can then decide how far ahead to plan. Working through your list of risk factors, you can assess how likely each is to happen. For less likely risks, it may be enough that you have identified them and thought of a back-up plan: as a conference organizer you might have a list of freelance photographers at hand in case your photographer is ill or unable to make the event.

How far you need to plan will depend on each risk factor, and it is up to you (and your team) to decide how much time and resources to commit to covering your back in case of problems.

For the more likely risks, or for factors that are essential to the success of your project, you might put more time into initiating the plan: you could contact your back-up freelancers to check their availability, or work extra resources into your budget to ensure that you are covered in case of breakages, non-working equipment or needing spares.

How far you need to plan will depend on each risk factor, and it is up to you (and your team) to decide how much time and resources to commit to covering your back in case of problems.

In many cases, the simple process of setting time aside at the planning stage to think through problems that could crop up further down the line can go a long way to helping you feel more in control of a project. You’ll be less likely to panic if things do start to go wrong.