Do you use business cards? Some people are on the fence, they’re not sure if they’re worth the time and expense. Truthfully, I wasn’t sure about them myself,  until a few years ago. Now, I find business cards useful and important, and I’d like to share why.

My Experiences With Business Cards

When I began attending local professional events, I didn’t have business cards and it turned out to be a big mistake. The people I met wanted my number and email address and it was more professional for me to hand out a card than to scrounge up paper and pen and make them wait while I wrote it all down.

When I attended my first conference, I didn’t have a giant budget, so I used Vista Print‘s free business card (except shipping) offer. That did me fine, except that I didn’t really like the generic designs and the Vista Print logo on the back. Plus one thing I noticed at conferences was that many attendees had unique business cards that suited their personalities. This made them stand out – and I wanted to stand out too. So I contacted my friend Randa Clay and asked her to help a girl out.

Go ahead and click that link to read about how Randa approached the design, I’ll wait….

As you can see, I wanted a card that was different from the normal, rectangular, add your pertinent details here, type business card, and it worked. Every time I handed out my card, the recipient remarked on the design – either the color, the shape or the words on the back. I had a winner. People remembered me from my cards…and they called.

Having a business card means that I have something to give to someone I’d like to talk to again. I don’t push my card on anyone, especially those who don’t seem interested in getting in touch. However, it’s my experience that it’s much more important to have one than to not have one. People are in a hurry and they don’t want to stand around and wait for me to find something to write on or punch numbers into my phone, nor do they want to be told to “Google” you.

Personal v. Business Brand

I have another business card issue – I wear more than one hat. Besides being a professional blogger and social media consultant, I’m also the Conference Director for BlogWorld. My personal business card doesn’t represent my BlogWorld gig at all. At first, I gave out my personal card as a way to get in touch for BlogWorld business, but it only included my personal email address. and sort of made things more confusing.  Once I received an order of BlogWorld cards, it was easier to see which hat I was wearing.

Now, you may think it’s a hassle to have two separate cards, but I disagree. To have everything on the same card is sort of like mixing business with pleasure. I have the best job in the world, but I also enjoy doing my own thing from time. If I meet someone I want to get to know better in the social media world. I’ll give out my personal card. If I meet someone who I feel will be an excellent speaker for BlogWorld, I’ll give out my Conference Director card.  It’s not a hassle to carry  a small stack of each where ever I go.

Benefits of Business Cards

• Allows you to give your details to a potential client, employer, or just someone you want to know better.
• More professional than writing it all down.
• Allows the recipient to file away for when he may need your services.
• Light and compact.
• Eye catching cards leave a lasting impression.
• They’re mini advertisements

Should You List Your Blogs?

Notice something missing on this business card? Yup. There’s no URL. This was sort of done on purpose. At the time these were designed, I was trying to break away from my “freelance writing lady” image and push my expertise as a professional blogger and social media consultant. At the time, I wasn’t planning on selling my blog, but I did several months later. If I had listed my blog on this business card, it would be useless. I’d either have to design new cards, or tell people I know no longer own the highlighted blog. For me it made sense not to list my freelance writing blog because I wasn’t sure about the future of that blog.

However, unlike me, you might want to associate your brand with your blog’s brand, and if this is the case you should definitely list the URL on your business card.  I kind of wish I had something that I could hand out with the link to Komein, but we’ll add that in when it’s time to refill.

Worth the Investment

Are business cards worth the investment? Without hesitation, yes. Business cards offer a way to get in touch and have your details on hand for when they’re needed -even if it’s months from now. A free service will work in a pinch, but if you have the resources to have cards designed that are representative of you and what you do, that’s even better.  Unique cards stand out more than a cookie cutter freebie, but even the freebies have benefits.

Everyone is a potential client, advertiser or blog reader. The lady you’re talking with in the supermarket may be interested in hiring a writer for her blog, or your neighbor may be interested in hiring you to help with a social media campaign. Having a card at the ready, will help make their plans more immediate rather than a “some day” thing.

Do you use business cards? How have they helped your business?

Image: Randa Clay

I don’t know why it bugs me so much when I hear folks make reference to “working in pajamas.”  I think it indicates a certain laziness, really, and that’s the last thing I am when it comes to work. I also think it indicates a certain slovenliness, as if we don’t change much and sort of have a hygiene problem. I mean, if I were to hear someone hung out in his pajamas all the time it would indicate to me that he doesn’t get dressed too often and, also, may be in need of a serious shower.

But that’s just me.

It’s not even a matter of looking clean or smelling nice. I like to have some balance in my day. I have my sleeping clothes, my exercise clothes and my get down to business clothes. I feel lazier in pajamas. Plus, I spend more time wondering if I should get changed, and feeling as if I should get changed, that I’m not completely focused on my work.

Now, I’m not saying I should put on a power suit to write up a blog post or interview a potential speaker, but I am saying that getting dressed helps me to separate work from home. I don’t know how it is for other telecommuters, but for me it’s important.  The lines are blurry enough as we work longer hours, or our laptops beckon during family time. When I’m dressed, it makes me feel as if I can face the day. I’m not distracted. I’m not wondering if I should take a shower or talking myself out of going back to bed.

This isn’t to say, that I don’t have moments when I’m laying on the couch in my plaid flannels, laptop on my knees, getting ‘er done. However, that’s not the norm. The people who pay me to do a job, pay me to put my all into it, and I can’t do that if I’m in my pajamas.

Mostly I find the people who talk about working in pajamas are the ones who are trying to sell you a lifestyle. They’re making this life attractive, carefree and easygoing, and they want you to pay big money for them to tell you how to do so.  Before you buy into it, let me share some details that aren’t in those ebooks and courses.

For the record, here are some of my other observations about working at home:

• I don’t know too many people who work on the beach. The sun glare, even with an umbrella, makes it tough and no one wants sand in the laptop. Most people who say they’re bringing work with them to the beach or on a picnic, may be bringing it along, but they’re not getting much done.
• It’s extremely difficult to work during soccer games or piano recitals. I mean, we can, but not everyone is wired. Plus by the time we get ourselves set up, we have to pack up and go home again. I do bring the laptop to taekwondo on extreme occasions, but it’s too noisy and other moms want to chat. Plus, our kids want us to see their latest brilliance. I can’t work while heeding calls of, “Look, Mom!!!” Even responding to phone calls and email can be a challenge. We’re portable, but that doesn’t mean we can work anywhere.
• While many freelancers do work flexible hours, most of us have no choice but to work during business hours because our clients need us. Telecommuters who work for an employer especially have to make themselves available during the regular business day. We’re flexible and productive but most of us work the same hours as before we left our office jobs.
• Most people who work at home spend more hours working than those who commute. We start earlier and we end later.
• There are more distractions at the coffee shop than in the home. While many of us do enjoy getting away and enjoying a different environment now and again, many of us prefer to be home where it’s quiet. I find the library to be a better place to work when I need to get away.
• Despite your best intentions, you can’t work at home while the kids are awake, alert and unoccupied. Once you pick up the phone or get into your project, they’re going to want your attention. If you have children in the house, you’re going to end  up stopping what you’re doing at least a dozen times. You can’t focus solely on the matter of hand with kids in the house.
• It’s harder to work at home than in an office. No one is standing over you making sure you’re focused, no one comes along and offers to help when they have a light load, and the communication between you and the people you work with isn’t always 100% when you don’t see them at the office all day.

Whenever someone tells me they wish they had my carefree lifestyle, I want to laugh. There’s nothing carefree about working at home. Yes, we can sort of work whenever we want. Certainly we don’t have to worry about someone yelling at us for being on Facebook or Twitter, and we can wear whatever we want. However, if you’ve never done this, it’s not what you think.

Distractions abound. Even something as simple as working in pajamas or having a cluttered desk can be a distraction. We’re not hanging out in our bunny slippers and pecking at the laptop when the urge hits us. Most of us are spending at least eight to ten hours each day focused on a job.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not complaining about anything. I love my job and I love my life. Instead of ditching my job(s) early to start my weekend or rush off as soon as all my projects are complete, I keep going. I love what I do so much, I don’t want to stop doing it. Still, I roll my eyes sometimes when I read about how many people live a “pajama lifestyle.” We all have relaxing days, but it’s not the norm at all. Working out of your home creates a whole different set of issues and politics and not everyone can handle it.

What are some of your favorite myths about working from home?

Repurposing is sort of a buzz word for 2010.  Everyone is talking about repurposing content in order to freshen up past bits of writing to use again. It’s also a fancy term used for “I got nothing, Bob. Let me rewrite that post that I wrote six months ago because it brought in a bunch of comments.”  My problem with  many bloggers is that they’re not saying anything new, they’re just writing what they wrote last year, or rehashing the same things as that other guy.

If you’re truly going to repurpose:

• Make sure you’re saying something different as before, otherwise you’re only copying what you wrote the last time.
• Don’t write the same exact post as another blogger. Think about how you would add your own spin or point of view. Certainly your perspective isn’t exactly the same as others.
• Rather than repurpose, update. Say “this is what I wrote back then, here’s how things have changed since that post.”
• Ask yourself why you’re repurposing. Is it because you don’t have anymore original ideas? If so, you might want to consider bringing in guest bloggers for fresh blog posts, taking a break or finding a new topic to blog about.

There’s a difference between repurposing and copying. Copying means you’re saying the same exact thing, you simply changed around a few words. Repurposing means you took an old topic and breathed new life into it. You added an update, noted how things have changed, offered a new look at old trends, and created an entirely new, fresh piece of content.

It’s a given that you’re going to write about the same topics, even magazines and newspapers do this. However, there’s a major difference between offering a fresh twist on an old story, and copying from yourself. Before you decided to go on a repurposing mission, ask if you’re saying anything new. If not, see what you can do to change that.

Content isn’t king if it’s stale and rehashed.

It’s no secret that I heart my Kindle Wireless Reading Device. I love that I can take multiple books and subscriptions with me anywhere I go and not be bogged down by the weight of it all. And though I love browsing through bookstores, I appreciate receiving books immediately via Kindle when I don’t have time to shop or wait for books to come in the mail.

As a blogger and a blog reader I’m beginning to dig my Kindle even more.

Publishing a Blog on Kindle

I recently learned how easy it is to publish my blog via Kindle. It’s a simple process, all you have to do is sign into Kindle Publishing and enter in the necessary information including RSS address, title, subtitle or tagline, and tax information. Since there’s a charge to read blogs via Kindle, publishers get to share in the profits. It’s a 30% -70% split with Amazon (not surprisingly) receiving the best end of that stick. Still, it’s one more way for people to read your blog and for you to profit from it.

I can’t see why anyone wouldn’t want to have his blog published on Kindle as there’s really nothing to lose here. The Kindle publishing account (a separate entity from your other accounts) allows you to see how many people subscribe to your blog using this method, but doesn’t feature a lot of heavy stats. I’m pleased to say Kommein does have a few Kindle subscribers and while I’m not earning huge amounts of money, I’m happy to provide readers with another way to access my blog.

Reading Blogs on Kindle

So yeah, thousands of blogs are available via Kindle giving you another way to read your favorites. You might be asking, “why bother, when I can read blogs online?” True, except that it comes in handy on plane rides, car rides, while you’re waiting for your son to get done with his taekwondo lesson, and when you’re at your mother in law’s and you left the laptop at home because she doesn’t have any kind of Internet connection. (I know!) As long as the Amazon wireless connection on your device works, you don’t need to worry about being in a place that’s wired. However, I recommend you turn the Amazon wireless on once per day to receive subscriptions and then turn it off to prolong your battery charge.

It costs between .99 and $1.99 per month to read a blog on Kindle. For me, it’s worth the convenience. I like having blog posts to read when I’m on a plane and train, though the downside is that I have to wait until I’m back online to comment. I also find that it’s terrific for reading frequently updated blogs like Mashable, and I do this in the evening when I’m relaxing. Also, Amazon offers a free two week trial for all subscriptions so if it doesn’t work out for you, you can cancel.

In Conclusion…

Kindle offers bloggers another way to publish blogs and, also, to read blogs. It’s not a huge effort to to have Amazon carry my blog, and other than the cost, it gives readers another way to access my blog.  So far I haven’t seen a downside.

Do you publish your blog or read blogs on Kindle? Tell us about your experience.

P.S. That’s an affiliate link at the top.

Feel free to use this link to subscribe to Kommein using your Kindle.

You might also be interested in:

• Kindle Review: For What’s it’s Worth
• 10 Publishing Options for Your Blog
• Does the Library Have a Future?

Last year I started a fitness routine. Thanks to my Cardio Trainer app and an invitation from some of my neighbors,  I walk several miles with friends each school morning. This makes my body feel good, and it makes my mind feel good. The problem with me is that if I stop for a day or two, it’s difficult to get back into the routine.

I’m the excuse lady and will look for anything I can to get me out of exercising. As I’m traveling more, and for some trips I’m gone for several days to a week, it’s easy not to workout. It’s especially not easy when I’m out late the night before and don’t want to deal with waking early. Still, I do find that I’m able to encourage myself to get my exercise on more often than not.

Here are my favorite tips for getting exercise in when you’re away from home:

• Walk - When I’m out of town, I still try and walk as much as possible. For example, if I take the train into New York City and I don’t have a very heavy load, I might walk to my hotel or destination from Penn Station. I might also wake up early and go for a long walk before meeting my team for breakfast. Also? Sometimes with the right partner meetings can be healthy as well. When in NYC for BlogHer recently, Jonathan Fields and I opted to take our coffee on the go and walk to Central Park for our “meeting” rather than sit in the hotel lobby.  Walking in a city like New York or Las Vegas isn’t a chore and doesn’t feel like exercise because there’s so much to do and see. If your hotel is not in a central location, grab your iPod and walk the perimeter several times.  You may find you did a couple of miles without realizing it. The good thing about walking is that you can find a way to do it no matter where you go.
• Hotel stairs: Want something a little heavier? Run up and down the hotel stairs. Make no mistake, running up 30 flights of stairs isn’t for the faint-hearted, but even walking up ten flights is terrific exercise.  Personally, I don’t enjoy walking or running up a lot of flights of stairs, but I’ve done it the morning after over indulging to counteract the junk that will inevitably fall into my trunk.
• Workout rooms: Most hotels and resorts have a workout area that is open to residents and guests. Sometimes you’ll have to pay a fee or deposit to use the workout room, other times all you’ll need is a key.
• Pool - The hotel pool is an excellent place to get your workout on. If it’s laps you’re going for, it’s best to get them in early or later in the day before the masses begin cannonballing in. As with the workout area, as long as you can prove you’re a guest – usually with a key – you’re welcome to use the pool as often as you like.
• DVDs or TV fitness programs – Bring your favorite workout DVD with you and exercise in the privacy of your own hotel room. If your room doesn’t come with a DVD player, use your laptop. If television fitness programs are on, take advantage of them as well.  If you’re working out before most people are awake, do be mindful not to bounce around too much and wake the guests in rooms under or next to you.
• Airport - If I get to the airport too early, I do one of two things: Work or locker up my stuff and go for a walk from one end of the terminal to another, as often as I need to.  (During my last flight, I walked 3 1/2 miles in the Continental airlines/Newark terminal until it was time to board for my flight.)

I have decided 2010 and 2011 are the years I’m going to lose a significant amount of weight. It’s taking a lot of discipline on my part and isn’t easy at times. My biggest challenge is in working out. Fortunately, I’m learning to get creative with my walks and workouts because if I skip one day, I’ll want to skip two and then three. Making it a normal part of my routine isn’t always convenient, but it’s the most convenient way for me. Finding ways to keep it up while on the road is essential for reaching my goals.

What are some of the ways you keep fit while on business trips?

Twitter is more than just idol chatter, it’s an important tool for research, learning, sharing, and, yes, even finding social media jobs. Those of us who spend a fair bit of time on the social networks know that they present some amazing opportunities. Using Twitter to find social media jobs doesn’t have as much to do with searching for listings as it does with engaging with others and acting the professional.  Here are my favorite tips for using Twitter to find work:

1. Everyone is a potential client or employer

Everyone on Twitter has the potential to either hire you or know someone who is hiring. That means the people who you’re discussing the weather or parenting tips with might one day need your services. And you know what else? When it comes time to hiring someone, many people would much rather say, “Hey so & so  who I talk to on Twitter every day really knows his stuff, wonder if he’d be up for the challenge?” than have to deal with resumes and Craigslist listings.

2. Think about who is following you and what you’re saying

So if everyone is a potential client or employer, that means they’re probably paying attention to what you’re saying.

• If you talk about your work or projects but spend the whole day on the social networks, they may think there’s a lot of goofing off happening.
• If all your Tweets are assaults on companies, brands or individuals, they may wonder when you’re going to publicly turn on them.
• If you swear or you’re racy with your Tweets they may wonder if you’re the right person to represent their business or brand.

If you’re using Twitter as a job search tool, or in hopes of landing a new client, what you say can (and will, in some cases) be used against you. That isn’t to say you shouldn’t enjoy yourself, just be mindful of what you put out there – and how others might view you.

3. Use Seesmic or Tweetdeck to follow job-related search terms

Take advantage of the search function on your favorite Twitter apps.  Keep search windows open so you can view Tweets from job boards, search terms such as “social media jobs” or “community manager jobs.”

4. Use Twitter Job Search

Twitter Job Search is a search engine aggregating all the job listings around Twitter. Use it for your favorite search terms. It’s quick to load and will bring up some awesome results. However, some of the results aren’t really having to do with the search term, but that happens with just about all job search engines.

5. Follow the people who share job opportunities

There are so many people and profiles who share links to gigs. Learn who they are and follow them. Here’ s a list to start you off:

• @jobangles
• @jobstwit
• @problogger
• @socialmediajob
• @twitjobsmedia
• @imediajobs
• iCareerPortal
• @jaridsmediajobs
• @top_seo_jobs
• @jobsdirectusa
• @twitjobsusa

Do you have any great Twitter accounts to follow for job search? Please share in the comments!

6. Follow the brands and businesses that interest you

If you’re hoping to be hired by a particular brand or business, follow them. Learn about them. Engage with them. A few years ago, when I was in the running for a community manager job, I cinched the gig by following the CEO of the company. Not only did we interact but he was impressed by how I interacted with the online community and the job was mine. This isn’t to say you’re guaranteed a job simply because you follow the right people, but it doesn’t hurt to learn about a brand and the way they do business by reading their tweets and watching them engage with others online.

7. Don’t spam people with your job requests

Spending all your Twitter time asking others for work is annoying, spammy and reeks of desperation. If you learn of an available job, it’s OK to ask for details. Find out where to send your resume and cover letter. Don’t Tweet out about how you’ve been unemployed for 8 months and you’d like someone, anyone, to give you a job. Besides, desperation means you’ll get lowballed.

8. Take care with your Twitter page & bio

If the people who hire are online, they’re checking you out as well. Don’t forget to update your Twitter page and bio in a professional manner. Make sure your contact details are current and you list your areas of expertise. Have a friend look it over to make sure it’s clean, error free and professional.

9. Don’t be a pain in the butt

Don’t follow people on Twitter specifically to ask them the status of your application or resume as it gets kind of annoying. It takes time to choose a worthy candidate and if your details weren’t rejected right away it means you didn’t suck right out the gate. Give the hiring agent time to go over all the applications and make an informed decision. It’s fine to be enthusiastic about wanting a job, it’s a while other story to pester someone on Twitter to make a decision.

10. If necessary, create two Twitter accounts

If you like to be negative, racy, ranty or unprofessional, create a second Twitter account for only friends who are interested in that side of you. Having a second, professional Twitter account will help a potential employer to see your responsible side. My preference is to manage one Twitter account only. However, it depends on your purpose. For a job seeker, two will allow you to cultivate your different personalities, and also, your friends who aren’t interested in your job search don’t have to deal with job-related Tweets. Keep in mind that there is always a chance your potential employer will see those Tweets while searching for you online. If you’re going to truly X-rated, you might want to go the protected Tweets route.

Do you use Twitter as a job search tool?  What are some of your tips?

With the exception of restaurant work, every single job I held throughout the past twenty plus years could have been done on a telecommute basis. Of course there are bits and pieces throughout those years that would have required me to come in once in a while like filing (way back in the day) and in house meetings, but, for the most part, I could have done my work at home with the help of some Wi-Fi and a few networking tools.

Though I freelanced for most of the past eight years that I’ve been working out of my home, I’ve also held a full time job and currently hold a full time contract, all while working out of my home office. In fact, my current job is based in California and I talk with people all over the country.Would it be convenient for me to pop into the main office to take care of business rather than wait for a good time to schedule a conference, call? Absolutely. Is it necessary for me to be close by to do my job well? No.

So here’s what I can tell you about telecommuting:

• I’m more productive when I work at home. I’m more focused on my tasks and not distracted by the goings on of my co-workers. I’m not subjected to the latest gossip, nor do I have to deal with the co-worker who is always talking loudly into the phone or someone else’s bad hygiene.
• I work better alone. I don’t have anything to hide, but I’m never comfortable with someone standing behind me breathing down my neck. You can’t really tell a superior to step out of your personal space, though. Can you? At home it’s all my personal space.
• I save money. I save money on gas, food, clothes and supplies. Most of my business expenses are either reimbursable or tax deductible.
• Businesses save money. If every worker in an office environment telecommuted, businesses would be able to cut down on large expenses such as rent and insurance. Even with a home base and a few employees telecommuting there would still be a savings of a variety of overhead expenses.
• It doesn’t take much effort or expense: In most cases telecommuting only requires a computer and a wifi connection. Some businesses might require a bit more heavy equipment, but, really, it doesn’t take much more than that.
• It’s good for the environment. Less pollution from cars. Less bottled water. Fewer fast food containers.
• Technical glitches are isolated. If there’s a power outage, fire, server glitch or other issue at the main office, telecommuters aren’t affected. They can continue to work
• Fewer sick/vacation days: Though we do like to take time off for ourselves, we don’t take as many sick days because we generally work through our colds. We might take to our beds in extreme cases, but sniffles and a bit of nausea don’t generally keep us from our jobs. Also, we don’t have to take full days off to attend recitals, doctor appointments or class events. We might need to take an extended lunch hour, but since most of these things are close to our homes, the time away from our work is minimal.

There are some downsides to working at home as well:

• Distractions. While I’m less distracted at home, my house has better distractions. The TV, the fridge, music, the web, outside, the pool, etc. The secret to not giving in to distractions (for me) is in scheduling time for everything, but that doesn’t mean these things don’t call to me during inopportune moments.
• Kids. Sometimes my son likes to throw a tantrum when I’m on a conference call. An office with a door is a good remedy for this, but kids have needs during working hours. I mostly work while school is in session but summer can be a challenge. Day camps and after care programs are a big help and many of these are tax deductible.
• Loneliness – There are times when I wish I wasn’t home alone, but that’s rare. I talk to so many people for my job during the day, online and by phone, that I don’t feel as if I’m alone. Plus, I go for a walk with neighborhood friends every morning and meet friends for lunch every now and then.
• Blurry Lines - When you work at home the lines tend to blur. You don’t pack up at 5:00 and leave for the day. You’re always at your job and work always calls.

This is what I miss about working outside of my home:

….I got nothing.

Why some businesses won’t consider a telecommute option:

Truthfully, many business owners don’t trust their workers to stay focused at home. They feel that when everyone is sitting at their desks in the cube farm they’re more productive. I think it works on a case by case basis. There are always goof offs. Generally, the person who goofs off at the office will goof off more at home. Focused productive workers will do well regardless of whether or not they’re working at the office, home or coffee shop.

Also, many business owners like having people close by for meetings or to answer questions. While this is convenient, it’s also something that can be done from a remote location. Thanks to Skype, email and the cell phone we can still reach the people we need to reach at the time we need to reach them.

There’s also meetings. While many of us can agree they’re huge time sucks, meetings are necessary for communication and so everyone is on the same page. This is easily solved by allowing people who work at home to come in for meetings, or to have conference calls or telemeetings.

Really, most arguments against telecommuting have a reasonable counterpoint.

Can everyone telecommute?

There will always be jobs that aren’t open to teleworkers, for example the gas station and the grocery store. However, most desk jobs can be done at home.  While more businesses are allowing a telecommute option, for most it’s a privilege offered to proven employees. However, most writers, bloggers and social media people don’t need to go into an office every day to get the job done.

If whole businesses can outsource to other countries, certainly they can allow their people to work at home.

Edited to Add: Since writing this post, my comedian friends on Twitter (I’m talking to you Chris Garrett and Laura Spencer) are expressing their pleasure at the fact that the Starbucks coffee guy and family doctor don’t work out of their homes. Well, yeah. Not every job should have a telecommute option. However, many business-y, office-y, jobs can and should, but don’t. Very funny, guys.

What do you do? Can it be done at home? What is your best argument for or against telecommuting?

I often talk about creating elastic boundaries because I believe in the importance of drawing a line so that our personal time is not infringed upon or the people we do business with respect our time.  However, I also believe in being accessible, not only during our business hours, but also if needed  for a business emergency.

I think, especially in the case of freelancers and consultants, we need to be firm with our boundaries so we’re not constantly answering the phone at dinner time or working well into the night. However, when we make the times we’re not available more important than the times we are available, people tend to stay away altogether.

(Don’t)Bother Me On the Weekends

I recently handled a rush weekend project for a new client whose regular consultant has a strict four day work policy. The original consultant has made it clear, in no uncertain terms, that he will not be available during certain hours and days, so this client didn’t even try to contact him. He called me.

The part that gets me isn’t the four hour work week, but the client being afraid to call  or email for help during an emergency. His consultant made it clear the times he wasn’t available were more important than his regular business hours.

My weekends are my family or personal project time, but it doesn’t mean that I won’t work on the weekend. I’ve taken on some rush weekend emergency projects that turned out to be amazingly lucrative – because they were rush weekend projects. The people I work with know I’d rather not be bothered on the weekend, but they also know they can call me in a pinch. If I have plans, I’ll recommend another consultant. However, I may say yes because I have some time on my hands and don’t mind the extra cash.

Oh and I have a reputation for being accessible. Clients and potential clients know they can call me at inconvenient times if they have no choice – they’re not afraid of being bitched out for invading personal time.

(Not So) Strict Phone Call Times

The hours between 1:00 and 3:00 p.m are my best phone call times. I like to wait until a certain part of the day when I’m awake for a few hours, there are no kids in the house and I can give the party on the other end my undivided attention. My regular clients know my best phone times and respect those times. That doesn’t mean they can’t call me during at other times, however. I’m not going to not help someone or refuse answer the phone just to prove a point or because it’s not between a two hour time frame.

Being Reachable

Being accessible doesn’t only mean being available during inconvenient times. It also means being easy to reach. It means folks don’t have to jump through hoops or spend hours trying to find contact information. It means your website or blog is updated with the most current information listing the best ways to get in touch with you. It also means that those who do get in touch with you will hear back within a reasonable frame of time.

Even though I don’t take on much client work anymore, I receive hundreds of emails each day, so it’s not easy to respond to everyone in a timely manner. However, at the email listed on this blog, there’s an automated response letting folks know what to expect. Client and potential client inquiries are generally answered in 24 hours (usually less), while it takes longer to respond to inquiries that aren’t so time sensitive. It’s important to be reachable and to respond, even if it’s only to refer a potential client to another consultant.

Establishing Boundaries But Letting Folks Know they Can Count on You

Boundaries are important or else people walk all over us. I enjoy taking my weekends off and I love that I can enjoy a nice family dinner each night followed by way too many episodes of SpongeBob. I look forward to nights after The Boy is in bed so I can relax and watch a movie or read my Kindle. I do all this knowing, for the most part, that my time won’t be interrupted. However, on the rare occasion that I’m needed during an inconvenient time, my clients are confident they can count on me, and that if I can’t help them I can recommend someone who can. My clients and co-workers respect my boundaries, they’re not afraid of infringing upon my time – and therein lies the difference.

Having Your Down Time & Being Accessible Too

Being accessible doesn’t mean you’re giving up your free time to be there for your boss or client. What it means is that people can count on you in a pinch. It means that the people who I work with aren’t afraid I’ll get angry with them if they do occasionally try to reach me on a Saturday morning because of some mix up or emergency. With the exception of a former boss from hell, just about everyone I ever worked with has an unwritten rule to hold anything that isn’t urgent until business hours or after the weekend. When you make a point of being accessible and available, people will respect your time.

When you make the times you’re unavailable more important than your business hours, people will just stop calling altogether.

How do you make yourself accessible?

There are plenty of blogs I read for business, these are those who teach and inform. I also read some blogs for news so I can stay up on the current trades. Now and then, I read what I call my “Time Suck” blogs. These are the blogs that don’t offer any value other than making me laugh and giving me something to share with others. So if you’re up for a little procrastination or looking to brighten your day, you might enjoy some of my favorite time suck blogs.

Warning: some of the talk is a little salty.

1. The Oatmeal: The cartoons about work are especially dead on.
2. 27b/6 - Quite possibly the funniest blog I’ve read in a long time. You’ll love the back & forth correspondences from this UK apartment dweller.
3. This is Why You’re Fat: Indeed.
4. Parent Fail: Please don’t let me ever be on this blog, I’ve caused enough damage.
5. The “blog” of “unnecessary” quotation marks: It’s “funny.”
6. Passive Aggressive Notes: Who among us hasn’t been on the receiving end of one of these puppies?
7. People of Walmart: Honestly, I’m afraid to go to Walmart because I’m worried I may find my picture here one day.
8. Engrish: You can’t make this stuff up.
9. Awkward Family Photos: Tell me you don’t see your own family in any of these.
10. Cake Wrecks: I could have made some of these.
11. Ugly House Photos: A Phoenix realtor gives you the grand tour.
12. My Food Looks Funny: Eat it or wear it.
13. 1d10t: A celebration of idiocy.
14. Ugliest Tattoos: No one’s stupid enough to permanently embed this stuff into their skin…are they?
15. There I Fixed It: And amazingly they all appear to work.
16. The Demotivational Posters Blog: I’d hang this on the wall but I don’t think my family would approve.
17. What the Facebook: Be careful what you put out there.
18. Bluetooth Douchebag: Just found out about this puppy yesterday, but someone I feel as if I know these people.
19. Texts from Last Night: Friends don’t let friends text drunk.
20. Lovely Listing: It’s all about staging and location.

What are your favorite time suck blogs?

I’ve had mommy blogging on my mind since returning from BlogHer. Though I don’t have an issue with mom bloggers or blogging about mom issues, it’s a route I didn’t choose to go myself because I worried abut the branding. You see, after spending ten years in the freelance writing and professional blogging fields, I learned that the clients who pay the big money don’t want to know I’m a mom. Now, I’m not going to speak for all clients, but I can tell you that many clients who hired me to write or blog for them:

• See mom bloggers as hobbyists.
• Are afraid to hire moms because they feel we’ll have to deal with stomach viruses and class mom routines, and not be fully focused on our work.
• Feel that if we work at home, we’re too distracted with mom things.
• Feel that mom bloggers will work for free, or for free stuff or “brand ambassadorships.” They don’t see that as being a professional.

Now, I don’t think this is fair at all, because everyone knows that moms work hard and that we’re fierce multitaskers. However, there’s no denying (for me anyway) that being a mom blogger can get in the way of serious business opportunities simply because many mom bloggers don’t blog for money. Also, being a brand evangelist isn’t the same as being a corporate blogger, and there’s more to doing this than product reviews. The people who hire moms to represent brands know that so many will work in exchange for product or a trip to a conference, and know they have a pretty good sweet deal going for them.

After I wrote my post about blogging for money not swag a couple of interesting things happened. The first is that I was asked to keynote about blogging professionalism at the Type A Mom conference. The second is the huge flood of email.

I received email from three types of mom bloggers:

1. Former mom bloggers who are going through a re-branding and trying to divest themselves of the whole “mom blogging” stigma in order to land more professional (non-freebie) opportunities. They’re finding it to be a difficult transition.
2. Current mom bloggers who thought I was off base because they were happy to receive products in exchange for brand ambassadorships.
3. Mom bloggers who want to know how to land paying opportunities.

Most of the people who wrote to me felt I was on target with my assessments and thanked me for bringing up the issue of mom bloggers being taken advantage of by brands. It seems they’re afraid to talk about these things because

A. They don’t want to be seen publicly trashing mom bloggers. (Which I’m not, I’m creating a discussion about taking blogging to a whole new level.)

B. They’re afraid of being called out on other blogs and Twitter for their negativity.

Thus, nothing will every change because no one wants to talk about it.

After writing half this post last night I received an email via the food blog I co-own with my sister from a brand looking for us to partake in a brand ambassadorship for them. In exchange for blogging, Tweeting and heavy promotion on our part, we’d get some products and a link on a website. We passed because it looked like a whole lot of work on our part and not so much on the part of the brand. A product review is one thing, Doing hours of work for some spaghetti or a bag of chips is kind of insulting. The thing is, there are some people who will take this brand up on their proposal because they’re going to get free stuff. Free stuff that probably equals less than $20 to $50 for the company, but the blogger still has to work a couple of hours and  pay taxes because it’s considered income.

Because of the amount of mail, tweets, and comments I got here and at the BlogWorld blog, I felt this was worthy of discussion.

• Are mom bloggers being passed over for serious opportunities because they have “mommy” as part of their brand?
• Do businesses even consider paying moms for ambassadorships or do they automatically assume “mom” means free or cheap?
• Why does a brand have no problem paying a celebrity for a brand endorsement but they can’t scrape together $50 to pay a blogger for a post. Aren’t moms supposed to be the most influential people in the world?

So talk to me about mom blogging. Does it get in the way of bigger and better things? Is it a fun little hobby? Are mom bloggers taken seriously outside of the mom blogging niche?

Discuss…