1. IABC/Toronto:
Professional Independent Communicators (PIC)
Demystifying communications measurement
Wednesday, November 2, 2011, 6 to 9 p.m.
Metro Hall, Room 310, 55 John Street, Toronto

Demonstrate your worth to your clients or your boss by measuring your efforts! Speaker Adele McAlear, Director of Operations, Measurement & Analytics, Edelman Digital Montreal (stepping in for Rob Clark, Director, Insights & Measurement at Edelman Canada, who has been sidelined by an accident), educates clients on measuring the social web and tracking the business outcomes of PR programs. At this session, she will show us:

• the importance of measuring communications
• why goals and outcomes should serve as measurement yardsticks for online and offline communications
• about social media metrics, including reach, engagement and trust.

You must register and pay in advance for the session, at IABC/Toronto > Events. Cost is $22 ($24.86 with HST) for IABC members and $32 ($36.16 with HST) for non-members.

2. IABC/Toronto Westend:
Content curation (lunch & learn)
Tuesday, November 15, 2011, noon to 2 p.m.
The Curve Restaurant, 55 City Centre Drive, Mississauga

According to Fast Company, “content curation” is here to stay, and communicators are at the forefront of this trend. Content curators don’t just aggregate information; they filter and annotate it, and help their audience make sense of it. Communicators curate to reinforce brand authority and establish relationships with prospects and customers.

In this session, speaker Donna Papacosta — podcaster, writer, storyteller, content curator and owner of Trafalgar Communications — will turn the spotlight on the world of content curation, sharing how to:

• define a curation strategy
• develop simple techniques for curating content
• integrate curation into ongoing communications.

Lunch is included, with your choice from a set menu that includes soup or salad, a main course and dessert. Registration is now open! The earlybird price (if booked by Nov. 6) is $30 + HST for IABC members/students/transitional members, $40 + HST for non-members. After Nov. 6, the cost is $35 + HST for members, $45 + HST for non-members. Register at IABC/Toronto > Events.

3. Halton-Peel Communications Association (HPCA):
Integrating and managing technology in your small business
Tuesday, November 15, 2011, 6:30 to 9 p.m.
The e-Spot, 353 Iroquois Shore Road, Suite 200, Oakville (north of the QEW, east of Trafalgar Road)

This two-part session will cover integrating and managing mobile/desktop/laptop devices in your small business.

PART 1: Presentation and Q&A

• Mobility related to computers and devices: Backups and document management, remote access, databases and contact management.
• Productivity on cellphone and tablets: Calendars, email, note-taking and sharing, Microsoft 365 and meetings.
• Utilities: Remote access and FTP.
• New digital publishing advances: Interactive PDFs, e-publications, Adobe’s Digital Publishing Suite and Creative Cloud collaboration opportunities.
• Optimizing productivity around social media: Automation, connecting social networks, keeping up the traffic and measurement.

PART 2: Breakout tables and hands-on (bring your laptop, tablet or other device)

• Table 1: Business integration: desktop/laptop/mobile devices.
• Table 2: Apps for productivity.
• Table 3: Social mobile.

The event is free to HPCA members and just  $20 for non-members. Register at www.hpcaonline.com > Events.

See you there?

Image credit: Renjith Krishnan and FreeDigitalPhotos.net.

Here are some tips to help you shine:

1. Bring a business card. Don’t laugh, this sounds like a given, but you’d be surprised how many people forget to bring a card to a networking event.
2. Make up for a lack of business card when you’re job hunting by creating a quick, inexpensive print card that has your name, phone number, email address and URL to your LinkedIn profile. Explain its plain look by saying that you’re looking for work, and be specific about what kind.
3. Don’t ask for a job, though. There’s no reason for strangers to pass your name along, although they may be kind enough to say if they know XYZ Company has an opening that would be a perfect fit.
4. Don’t blanket the room with your card. Wait until you’ve found something in common with someone and a reason to exchange cards. Networking is all about establishing a connection, not overtly selling yourself.
5. Wear something with pockets. Keep your own business cards in the left pocket, say, and put cards you collect in the right pocket.
6. Go in with a plan to meet new people, not gain immediate new business. The eventual result might turn out to be new business, but the immediate goal should be to establish a connection and then a relationship.
   
7. Spend more time asking people what they do than telling them about what you do.
8. Make a note of any promised follow-up on the back of the person’s card. Follow up within 24 hours.
9. Before you file the card, check if the person is on LinkedIn. Send a request to connect there, including a reminder of where you met.
10. Where to network? IABC, CPRS or other professional associations pertinent to your industry are great places to start. For instance, I’ll be networking next week (Sept. 27) at IABC/Toronto’s session on “Get known, get remembered, get blogging.”

How about you? Do you like networking? What are your tried-and-true tactics to make the most of networking events?

Some previous blog posts about networking:
Get out and network
The right way to network

IABC GOLDEN HORSESHOE:
Thursday, Sept. 1, 5:30-9 p.m.
Emma’s Back Porch
2084 Old Lakeshore Rd., Burlington

IABC Golden Horseshoe and CPRS Hamilton are throwing a late summer social by Lake Ontario. The event is free for IABC and CPRS members, and just $15 for non-members. Cash bar. Munchies provided by event sponsors including LocomotionPR. Register at IABC Golden Horseshoe > News & Events > Upcoming chapter events.

IABC’s PROFESSIONAL INDEPENDENT COMMUNICATORS (PIC):
Wednesday, Sept. 7, 6-9 p.m.
Metro Hall, 55 John St., Toronto

PIC presents “Marketing on a tight budget” with Tom Kaufmann of TK Enterprises Inc.  Tom will discuss marketing tips for independent communicators — writing articles, speaking engagements, attending trade shows and more. You’ll learn how to get your name and brand out to your prospects, networking the right way and help prospects remember you and what you can do for them. Cost is $22 + tax for IABC members, $32 + tax for non-members. Register at IABC/Toronto > Events.

HALTON-PEEL COMMUNICATIONS ASSOCIATION
Thursday, Sept. 15, 6:30-7 p.m.
the e-Spot, 2nd floor, 353 Iroquois Shore Rd., Oakville
(north of the QEW, east of Trafalgar  Rd.)

Compelling content for your online marketing and PR efforts starts with a strong strategy and a solid story, rendered well in text, audio or video format. Presenter Donna Papacosta of Trafalgar Communications will take HPCA members through “Digital storytelling,” the fast-paced session that was a hit at the IABC World Conference in San Diego in June. Refreshments and networking take place from 6:30 to 7 p.m. and the presentation runs from 7 to 9 p.m. Free for HPCA members and just $20 for non-members. Register at HPCA > Events.

Photo image: Renjith Krishnan and FreeDigitalPhotos.net.

Wednesday, May 4, from 6 to 9 p.m.
Taking the fear out of cold calling
Metro Hall, 55 John Street, Toronto
Ugh – who likes calling a stranger and trying to quickly prove you’re worth talking to? It’s called cold calling, and speaker Tom Kaufman estimates you have five to seven seconds to establish your value. Never fear, he has a step-by-step process to do it! Find out more tomorrow at the monthly meeting of IABC/Toronto’s Professional Independent Communicators. IABC members pay $24.86 and non-members $36.16, but you must register first.

Wednesday, May 11, from 6:30 to 9 p.m.
How your brand impacts your business
The e-Spot, 2nd floor, 353 Iroquois Shore Road, Oakville
How do you break through the clutter so your business message is heard? Speaker Rhonda Page will take the confusion out of branding with six steps to help you get clear on your vision, your ideal audience, your competition and more. The meeting is free to members of the Halton-Peel Communications Association, $20 for non-members. Register with HPCA.

Wednesday, June 1, from 6 to 9 p.m.
How to catapult your brand (or yourself!) into a starring role
Location TBA, Toronto
Making it in today’s overcrowded marketplace is all about capturing your audience’s attention. TSUFIT, author of Step Into The Spotlight!: A Guide to Getting Noticed, will share provocative tips on getting seen, getting heard and getting noticed. Find out more at the June meeting of IABC/Toronto’s Professional Independent Communicators. IABC members pay $16.95 and non-members $36.16, but you must register first.

There’s an art to using LinkedIn to promote yourself and your business, and on March 2, social media strategist Jaime Almond told a record crowd of IABC Professional Independent Communicators and guests all about it.

First, you might be interested to know that LinkedIn has more than 100 90 million members in over 200 countries; three million of these are in Canada. LinkedIn reports that as of January 2011, it has executives from all 2010 Fortune 500 companies as members. So if you’re looking for potential customers, a new job, even just to make connections with other people, chances are there’s someone of interest on LinkedIn.

Jaime reminded us that networking on social media is all about relationships. She walked us through the stages of building a client relationship on LinkedIn, which could apply to people searching for jobs as well as independents looking to land a new client:

• Get your name everywhere, so people can find you.
• Catch their interest with a profile that appeals to your target market. This leads to getting your name into people’s consciousness, and they are more likely to try you.
• Seeing your name repeated in various places, trying you out in small ways, leads to trust. This in turn leads to buying your services.
• Once you’ve earned credibility and trust, people are more likely to refer you to others.

Jaime stressed the importance of a “kick-ass profile.” As you fill it out, LinkedIn will show what percent you’ve completed. You want to reach 100%, and to do so, you’ll need to both give and receive three recommendations. Without them, you won’t turn up in searches as often.

Jaime suggested using the buddy system to get recommendations. You call people on your buddy’s behalf and request a testimonial, and vice versa. Suggest you will interview them, write it for them, and send it back for approval. It’s less awkward asking for someone else than for yourself, and the person giving the testimonial hardly has to lift a finger. If you already have a client testimonial for your web site, call the client and say you are updating your LinkedIn profile and would like permission to use it there. Better still, ask if they would mind updating it.

Your profile should also include a headline that’s relevant to your target audience and the pain you can solve or the results you can deliver. (Are you just a “Consultant” or do you provide “Communications training that helps clients stand out”? You have 160 characters to explain.) Use a clear, professional photo that matches your brand, and keywords that match what potential clients would search for. You can also include a video of you with a call to action under the SlideShare application.

Once you have your profile in place, you want your target audience to come to you:

• They hit your kick-ass profile.
• They invite you to connect with them.
• You send back a message asking to know more about them. Don’t start a sales pitch; wait for them to ask you in return about what you do.

At this point, you want to get permission to email your contacts off LinkedIn, and Jaime suggested offering a free gift that’s only available to your LinkedIn connections. The gift might be a white paper, an e-book, a newsletter, an assessment tool, video training, webinar — you get the idea! You’re allowed three web links in your profile, so make one of them the link to sign up for your free gift. Link it to a landing page and use bit.ly to track clicks.

Other strategies/things to remember:

• When inviting someone to connect, always explain why. Remind people if you’ve met and where or what you have in common.
• Get your name out there by joining or starting a group, asking and answering questions.
• When someone asks “Do you know a resource for...” and it’s your area of expertise, get a buddy to suggest you.
• Add value to your network by sharing content, either through your status updates or directly, as appropriate.
• Even if you aren’t connected to someone directly, you can ask to be connected if you’re part of the same group.
• Remember, you are building a relationship, not selling something.
• Use LinkedIn to research companies, but use the telephone to ask to be introduced to someone.

Want to know more about using LinkedIn? Here are some other resources:

• Guy Kawasaki‘s advice on using LinkedIn to find a job. It’s from 2009, but still relevant.
• My friend and colleague Donna Papacosta‘s advice on LinkedIn 101 for entrepreneurs and business professionals. Check the list of resources at the end, too.
• LinkedIn’s own blog.

How about you? Are you using LinkedIn? Do you have other tips to help make the most of LinkedIn?

You can have it fast.
You can have it good.
You can have it cheap.
Pick any two.

If these are words for independent communicators to live by — reflecting the value of what we do — why do so many of us buckle when a prospective client balks at the price we propose?

A lively discussion about how to respond to “low ball” clients was just one of the benefits of attending the January meeting of the Halton-Peel Communications Association. Members and guests came away with great advice from panelists Renée Brisson-Khan, graphic designer and owner of RBK Artworks; Donna Papacosta, writer, podcaster and owner of Trafalgar Communications; Val Sanna, graphic designer and owner of Ignition Design & Communications; and Diana Spremo, PR specialist and owner of Spremo Communications. Anne Von Rosenbach, writer, video producer and owner of AVR Concepts, moderated. Here are some of the tips:

On contracts

• Always use some form of contract — at the very least, an email or letter — spelling out agreed-upon terms, especially with a new client. Include the phrase “as agreed.”
• Define the scope of work, timelines, copyright and usage rights; limit the number of revisions.
• Make sure the client understands his/her responsibilities and the need for timely response to meet deadlines.
• Include a line limiting how long your proposal is valid; 30 days is a good number.
• Spell out the strategic value you bring to the work and how that will benefit the client.
• Specify whether long distance calls, mileage, courier and other incidentals are included or not.
• Define payment terms, including billing a percentage up front and at intervals throughout the project. Include a “kill fee” for projects cancelled after you’ve begun work.
• Get a deposit, especially with new clients. As Donna pointed out, “No one does custom work without a deposit.”

On setting/raising rates

• Use a project rate, which doesn’t penalize you for working quickly and efficiently. Track your time to check how that converts to an hourly rate.
• Package your services, which may more clearly show the value of what you offer and reduces the focus on price per hour.
• Consider the PITA (pain in the …) factor and build in extra time for a demanding client.
• If you think you’re charging “just enough,” you probably aren’t; add 20%.
• Raise your rates with new clients.
• If you quote a fee and the client accepts it without hesitation, you know that next time you should charge more.

Dealing with clients who think your rates are too high

• Never accept a lower rate than what you’ve quoted just to get work; it devalues what you do.
• Offer a compromise, where you charge a lower fee but reduce certain aspects of the job.
• Explain the value of the work and point out additional services included in the price.
• Show how your rates reflect your experience and are competitive within the local market.
• Decline the job, but offer to refer the client to a lower-cost alternative in your network.

The panelists agreed they might work for less than their usual rate for charities or causes they believe in; for a colleague or friend; to raise their profiles, try something new or get a great portfolio piece.

Other advice

• If the client doesn’t pay as agreed, use friendly reminders. Make friends in the client’s Accounts Payable department.
• If you subcontract work, a 15% markup is standard to cover your role as project manager.
• When people ask if you’re busy, don’t give the impression that you don’t need/want more work.
• Put daily and weekly marketing activities on your calendar and keep to them.
• Keep a lid on unproductive time by turning off mail alerts and limiting time on social media.
• Listen to your gut. Never let anybody push you into accepting a job you don’t feel comfortable with.

The event was a reminder for the independents in the room of the importance of networking groups specific to what we do, like HPCA and IABC/Toronto’s Professional Independent Communicators. These groups help strengthen our business, broaden our networks, introduce us to like-minded people, and get us out of the office. A great deal all around, I’d say!

Last week, I attended a networking/professional development event on just that topic, put on by IABC/Toronto’s Professional Independent Communicators (PIC). The session was a panel discussion about fees and getting paid. Here are are some of the tips shared by the panel, which was made up of Kevin Hanson (a communication consultant specializing in performance management and reporting); Donna Papacosta (writer, podcaster and chair of PIC); and Marcia Ross (writer and editor of IABC/Toronto’s Communicator newsletter):

On setting up your fee structure/proposal:

• Not certain what to charge? Ask senior level corporate communicators what they pay for similar work, or ask other independents what they charge. IABC members can also view the 2009-2010 salary survey (log in required), which includes some information on freelance/self-employed members.
• Your fee may be based on an hourly rate, but present it as an overall project fee.
• It’s up to you to position yourself as a professional. You do not — do not! — want to be perceived as the least expensive; there will always be someone desperate enough to work for practically nothing, and that is no way to run a successful business!
• Ask the potential client what the budget is, but don’t be surprised if they can’t/won’t tell you. Let them know you have done a similar project for $X and another for $Y (a high and low version) and ask which is more in their range.
• When coming up with a project fee, consider how much time you think the project will take, and add another third if you aren’t sure (you’ll probably underestimate!). As you gain experience, your estimate should be close to the mark.
• In your proposal/quote on a project, spell out the process you will follow, including such things as how much information the client will provide and in what format; how many interviews will be conducted, and if they will be in person or by telephone; how much time you you will dedicate to reviewing and analyzing the information; how many drafts you will produce; and so on. Be specific.
• Talk about the benefits you bring to the project, such as the value of your experience or your insight into a certain aspect.
• Nip “scope creep” in the bud. Make it a practice to requote when asked for work above what you have agreed to, as in, “I’d be happy to add this to the project; let me send you a revised proposal.”
• Asked to provide next-day delivery? Charge a 50% premium.
• A reasonable charge for project management is 5-10% of your expected project hours.
• Track your time and compare the time you estimated for the project to the time you actually spent. Use this to improve future estimates. The panelists recommended systems such as TimeTracker or TraxTime.
• Should you vary your rate for different types of work? The panelists typically charged one rate, whether it was for writing, say, or media follow-up.
• It’s up to you if you want to lower your rate for a charity, a cause you believe in, or to get a foot in the door. In the latter case, be warned that it will be difficult to raise your rate later on, because you’ve shown you can be “had” on price.

On how to deal with a low-balling client:

• If a potential client says he/she can get what you’re discussing for half your price, let them! That’s not the type of client you want, and that’s not how you want to position yourself. (See above.)
• If the immediate reaction is “that’s too high,” ask again what the budget is (see above). Or show how taking out one or two of the variables could lower the price. Never just agree to a lower price without altering your proposal.

On how to ensure you get paid/get paid on time:

• This goes back to the expectations you’ve set up front. You are much more likely to get paid when you expect it if you’ve spelled out the terms from the start, such as one-third is due when the project starts, one-third halfway through, and the final third when you submit the completed project.
• Summarize your discussion in a proposal, contract or one-page letter. Spell out your expectations.
• With a new client, do not start work until you have the first cheque. Does a painter or landscape expert start work on your house without a deposit? No. You shouldn’t either, unless you have a long-standing good relationship with the client.
• It sounds like a given, but submit an official invoice that includes all your contact information and details of expected payment, such as “payable within 30 days.” Some companies are obliged to take any discounts, such as offering a 2% discount if paid within 10 days.
• If the payment is late, call your client and ask about it. Don’t assume it’s deliberate; sometimes the paperwork gets lost between departments and your client will sort it out.
• Make friends in the Accounts Payable department and ask if there’s anything they need to move the payment along.
• Make a personal visit. Tell your client you will be in the area and can save them a stamp (if they still mail paper cheques) by dropping in to pick it up.

What else would you add to the discussion?

Oh, and don’t miss PIC’s next session on Wednesday, February 2, on getting the most out of LinkedIn!

(Photo courtesy of jscreationz and FreeDigitalPhotos.net. See jscreationz’s portfolio.)

(1)  Are you getting paid what you’re worth?
Wednesday, Jan. 5, 6 p.m.
IABC/Toronto’s Professional Independent Communicators

Find out from a panel of seasoned independent communicators how to price your work so it reflects your level of expertise, whether to quote by the project or by the hour, how to ensure you get paid promptly, and more.
Location: Metro Hall, 55 John Street, 3rd floor, Toronto (southeast corner of John and King Street West)
Cost: $22 + HST for IABC members, $32 + HST for non-members
Register in advance.

(2)  Freelancing 101
Wednesday, Jan. 12, 6:30 p.m.
Halton-Peel Communications Association

Another panel of established independents shares going rates and discusses how to set fees, the benefits of hourly vs. project fees, should you set different rates for different jobs, and other questions. Help us address your issues and collect some statistics by filling in an advance survey.
Location: The e-Spot, 353 Iroquois Shore Road, 2nd floor, Oakville (north of the QEW, east of Trafalgar Road)
Cost: free to HPCA members, $20 for non-members
Register in advance.

See you there!

Judy’s interactive presentation is designed for small business owners, like me and the other members of HPCA. Besides giving us a chance to network, it will familiarize us with new tools to help energize our businesses and focus on creating plans with achievable goals. After all, as management gurus are quick to say, unless we have defined, precise and clearly set goals, we aren’t going to realize our potential!

If you’re in the Toronto area, you’re welcome to stop by. The session takes place this Wednesday, September 15, at the e-Spot, Suite 200, 353 Iroquois Shore Road, off Trafalgar Road just north of the QEW in Oakville. Networking starts at 6 p.m. and the session itself runs 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Free for members and only $20 for non-HPCA members.

Register on the Events page on the HPCA website. See you there?

HPCA’s social media expert Rob Clark will discuss web analytics, and his colleague Kyle McKeown will talk about inbound marketing and search engine optimization. A couple of HPCA guinea pigs (including me) have offered their web sites for closer inspection.

The event takes place Wednesday, May 26 at the Halton Region Museum, 5181 Kelso Road in Milton, ON (at the Kelso Conservation Area, between Appleby Line and Tremaine Road just south of the 401). Networking starts at 6:30 p.m. and the presentation runs from 7 to 9 p.m.

The event is free to HPCA members and only $20 for guests. Guests, please book your spot online.

See you there?