Chat summary: When, why, how to hire a freelancer
Hiring a freelancer is a great idea when you need a special skill, your team is stretched too thin, you have a special project or a tight deadline. IABC/Toronto members talked about these reasons why you would outsource work to independents and freelancers and more in...
Mother of the groom? Make your speech from the heart
If your son is getting married, tradition apparently calls for Mom (or Mom and Dad) to say a few words. But here’s my tip, after Googling “mother of the groom speech” for inspiration: write it yourself. Don’t “Let the pros write it for...
Frightened? Good, that’s one way to grow
Is your first reaction to something scary to say no? Mine usually is, too. But last year I decided that when my first response to something was “Oh no, that’s not gonna happen,” I was going to say, “Why not?” It was an interesting exercise that led me to accept two...
10 dirty lies about working from home
After more than 20 years running my own business, I’ve encountered a lot of lies (okay, myths) about those of us who live the independent life. Here are 10 of the silliest, oddest, most common wrong impressions about our day: 1. Pants are optional. Seriously?...
Who vs. whom: An easy way to remember
Let’s face it; not many people use “whom” anymore. It just seems a little stuffy, doesn’t it? As The Oatmeal has said in a funny piece on who vs. whom, “you could probably go the rest of your life without ever using whom and 99.9% of the...
Great resource for freelancers: The Independent Life
If you’re a freelance communicator or other entrepreneur, or thinking about becoming one, here’s a great resource. IABC/Toronto’s special interest group, Professional Independent Communicators (PIC), has produced an e-book that pulls together the...
5 tips for saying you’re sorry
Employees, customers and others who have been wronged by corporate action/inaction want and deserve an apology. Yet lawyers and executives are wary of what could be seen as “admitting fault.” As Elton John sings, “Sorry” does indeed seem to be the hardest word. But...
Secrets of podcasting success revealed
If Donna Papacosta had to do it all over again, she’d rename her podcast something other than “Trafcom News.” Yet 10 years ago, she was just linking to her business (Trafalgar Communications) and her website. Her advice now? “Choose a meaningful name,” she told...