The ultimate list of pricing resources for independents
Money is always a touchy subject, isn’t it? Equal pay for equal work done by men and women is still an issue. Companies don’t seem to want employees sharing salary info. Independents rarely share billing information either, and we’re always wondering if we’re charging...
10 ways to jump-start your blogging mojo
The last time this happened, in 2012, a Google search pulled up a piddling 31,000 hits. This time, “lost my blogging mojo” brought up more than 700,000 results. I think I am in good company. There are lots of reasons why I seem to have lost my blogging mojo, including...
Lessons from the Dogfather
Jake was our first dog. He’ll probably be our last dog, too. Long before we got our black Lab, I was already imagining the pain of saying goodbye to a treasured member of the family. Our youngest son was just 10, so I figured by that time, he would be old enough...
What the new anti-spam law means for e-newsletters
The looming deadline of July 1, 2014 has some marketers in a panic. That’s when a new law comes into effect, the Canadian Anti-Spam Law — which acronym-lovers shorten to CASL, pronounced “castle.” Running afoul of the law could mean serious...
Life is short; get screened
In the end, my big brother had less than a year to live from the first signs that something was going wrong. Gallstones, maybe? No. Colon cancer, which had already spread to his lungs and liver. He was 61. Don moved to California years ago, and being on opposite sides...
Sending an email newsletter? Here are a dozen ‘don’ts’
If you publish an e-newsletter, remember to keep in mind “what’s in it for my reader?” Doing so will help you avoid the mistakes that often cause readers to unsubscribe or ignore your messages. Many of the items on the following list are the “don’ts” listed in the...
Accessible websites boost SEO, too
Good design and clear, simple writing are two aspects of creating accessible websites that not only meet new Canadian regulations — they’ll also improve your search results. At a meeting of the Halton-Peel Communications Association last week, my colleague...
Thinking about hanging out your shingle? Start here
With years running my own business under my belt, I may be doing a few things right. So when friends or acquaintances say they are thinking about starting their own businesses, I’m happy to chat about my own experiences. Assuming you have searched your soul and are...