Stop and say thanks
When was the last time you received a hand-written note, in the mail? It’s not that you aren’t getting in touch with or hearing from other people. You send and receive dozens, maybe hundreds of emails every day. You read newspapers and magazines and listen...
Best. Spam. Ever.
Thank goodness, Akismet keeps blog spam at bay. But every once in a while, I look through the spam holding pen to check out the most recent catches. I have to say, those spammers are getting quite creative, even if their grammar, excessive use of exclamation marks and...
What are you waiting for? Get blogging!
Pay no attention to the periodic claims that blogging is on its deathbed or that Twitter has taken over. As blogger, podcaster and storyteller Donna Papacosta said in a talk to IABC/Toronto, blogging is an excellent way to get known and get remembered. Blogs used to...
Outreach doesn’t have to be pushy
Freelancers and independent communicators often agonize over following up with prospective clients. We don’t want to bother people. We worry that we’ll be seen as pushy. This might not be a good time. We’re calling too often. We’ve sent too...
10 tips to network like a pro
(Updated January 2021) Whether you run your own independent business or work in a corporate setting, you need to get out and network. Like having a profile on LinkedIn (as I’ve suggested), networking gives you another way of building your connections. And in the...
How freelancers can use LinkedIn
After a conversation this week with someone just starting an independent business, one of the first things I did was send my new friend an invitation to connect on LinkedIn. This social networking site has more than 100 million members in more than 200 countries, and...
Marketing on a tight budget
For Tom Kaufman of TK Enterprises, attitude is everything. “Do you want to soar with the eagles, or gobble with the turkeys?” he demanded at meeting of IABC/Toronto’s Professional Independent Communicators. Tom’s topic was “Marketing on a tight budget,” and he...