How To Find New Projects I had grand plans for writing a series of blog posts in the weeks leading up to the Creative Freelancer Conference. I had them drafted in my notebook and everything. But then in late May, word started leaking out that I would be out of the office for the conference…
Tag Archive: marketing
Lego for Girls
In the past week, I’ve heard lots of people talking about the new Lego Friends (a.k.a. Lego for Girls) and how they wished that they would be released in time for Christmas so they could give them to their daughters, granddaughters and nieces. Wired did a great overview of the forthcoming sets. The main characters…
There Once Was A Girl Named…
My first name has always managed to stump people when they see it. I get a lot of “Alyssa,” “Alicia,” and sometimes even “Alice.” What I rarely get is someone who can pronounce my name correctly (hint: it rhymes with Lisa). Which is why when I got married and took my husband’s 10-letter last name,…
Outward Appearances
When deciding to go solo, many writers, designers, photographers and other creative types find themselves faced with a decision: do they want to be known as a single-person operation, or do they want to appear larger than they are? I’ve heard several freelancers say that no one will take them seriously or treat them as…
Headshot
I’m in need of a new headshot. More than a few people have told me that my change of glasses and hairstyle have left me with a photo that looks good, but doesn’t look like me. When people can’t identify you at a conference, it’s time to start over. Thus the great debate begins: do…
Inhibiting My Powers of Networking
When I broke my foot, I expected my convalescence to affect my sanity. I didn’t expect it to affect my business. After all, I’m a writer. I’m stuck at home with nothing but a laptop to entertain me, so surely I can get lots of work done. And then I lost my big through-the-end-of-2010 client…
Be Memorable For the Right Reasons
Those who know me know that I’m not exactly a social butterfly. When I go to a conference or other networking event, I’d rather come away with the business cards for 10 people that I’ve made a really meaningful connection with than exchange 200 cards and not be able to place names with faces on…
Kid Nutrition
I met a fellow mom for coffee and told the story of taking my 3-year-old to Whole Foods — a place he now reveres as a produce mecca — and how I spent $3.84 on what I went to get and nearly $20 on fruit for him. “You’re so lucky,” she said. “Mine won’t eat…
“Hello, I’m Really Good At…”
If I’ve learned anything at the AMWA conference, it’s that writers are not necessarily marketers. Perhaps more accurately, writers are not self-marketers. I’ve handed out a few dozen business cards and every person has commented on my tagline: “Clarifying complex ideas! That’s fantastic — how did you come up with that?” Two words: Dyana Valentine….
It Takes Focus to Fix It
I had an interesting call with a potential new client today. This director of sales and marketing discovered me through LinkedIn and told me that he wanted to speak with me about some projects. When pressed for detail, he declined to go into specifics, so I went into this meeting only knowing the basics about…