by Sue Horner | Jul 30, 2015 | The Red Jacket Diaries blog
In the early days of Twitter, doubters complained that it was just a place where people shared what they ate for lunch. Instagram, too, has that kind of reputation. But businesses are looking more closely at this photo-/video-sharing app as a way to build brand...
by Sue Horner | Jul 12, 2015 | The Red Jacket Diaries blog
Join us Wednesday for the next #PWACchat for freelance writers? pic.twitter.com/t6YVjqr5Fr — PWAC Toronto Chapter (@PWACToronto) July 5, 2015 When do you ask a client for a referral or a testimonial? We writers are often shy to ask, but it’s an important way of...
by Sue Horner | Jun 10, 2015 | The Red Jacket Diaries blog
Is aiming for perfection holding you back? Sure, getting rid of typos and fixing glaring errors is important. But if you’re waiting to launch your website or start tweeting or record your first podcast until all conditions are perfect and you’ve tied...
by Sue Horner | May 14, 2015 | The Red Jacket Diaries blog
The independent life has its ups and downs, but every once in a while, you hit a real slump. It gets quiet. TOO quiet. Knowing that this, too, shall pass, as it always does, you have to keep doing all the right things. During my last slump, this included — you...
by Sue Horner | Mar 19, 2015 | The Red Jacket Diaries blog
When it comes to a Request for Proposal (RFP), the first question you should ask yourself is this: To bid, or not to bid? At a meeting this week of my local group of independents, the Communicators Connection, presenter Paul Heron pointed out that for small businesses...
by Sue Horner | Mar 10, 2015 | The Red Jacket Diaries blog
If you’re new to freelancing, you probably charge by the hour. However, a better plan for both clients and solopreneurs is to charge by the project, according to panelists at an IABC/Toronto Professional Independent Communicators (PIC) session on pricing. This takes...
by Sue Horner | Jan 14, 2015 | The Red Jacket Diaries blog
(Updated in January 2022) If you have a profile on LinkedIn, you’ve probably noticed that the site regularly points out when your contacts have a work anniversary. Somehow, my own milestone always seems to slide past without comment. So let me say on LinkedIn’s...
by Sue Horner | Nov 20, 2014 | The Red Jacket Diaries blog
Working with other freelancers can help you bid on projects too big for one person. It’s a growth strategy when you can’t fit any more work into your day. And sometimes, it’s simply a way to work with people you enjoy. Here are some tips for...
by Sue Horner | Nov 16, 2014 | Most popular posts, The Red Jacket Diaries blog
Don’t think of former clients as “dead” clients. They may just be “resting,” as the shopkeeper tried to say in the famous Monty Python parrot skit. If you had a good relationship with past clients once, you may be able to rekindle it or encourage a...
by Sue Horner | Oct 29, 2014 | The Red Jacket Diaries blog
How do you market your small business when you have limited marketing bucks? Oakville’s Chamber of Commerce sponsored a panel discussion on the topic for last week’s Small Business Week, to which moderator and entrepreneur Michele Bailey graciously invited...
