Today's business news & commentary: Susanna's Online Magazine: copywriting, Internet marketing, direct response.

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Thursday, October 23rd

2008 Freelance Pay: Salaries and Fees for Freelancers

Many of you wonder how much a freelance copywriter, designer and others who freelance should be paid and are paid. While I admit these are averages, they are nonetheless important figures. So, below you will see the average pay for various freelance positions.

Susanna on 10.23.08 @ 10:59 AM CDT [link]

Monday, October 20th

Here's a Quick and Fun Way To Beef Up Your Marketing.

The Internet offers an unlimited number of ways for a marketer to make money and to build brand. It offers you the opportunity to become an expert in the eyes of others. Are you taking advantage of those opportunities?

In future posts, I'll attempt to discuss one or two of these methods. But for now, I want to briefly discuss podcasting.

Podcasting is a program (as of music or talk) made available in digital format for automatic download over the Internet. It is an audio experience. It allows the listener to get new and valuable information or entertainment, anytime, anywhere. He can get it on his Ipod or other MP3 player while he's jogging, walking or whatever. Or, she can listen to the shows she likes on her computer.

According to Steve Jobs of Apple Computer, "Podcasting is the next generation of radio."

What's in it for the marketer? A great opportunity to show off your expertise and give the listeners valuable information. At the same time, you're building your brand, getting people to know you and look forward to your next show.

Moreover, you can get sponsors to pay for advertising on your show. As it becomes more popular, you can charge more money. By the way, you the marketer, can sponsor a popular show and get lots of new business too!

There are a number of resources that will help you learn how to podcast. You certainly want to get off on the right foot. If you'd like to start with an excellent ebook on how to start a podcast and be successful at it, check out this site. You'll also want to check out the software you'll need. Fortunately, much if not all of it, is free. Of course, you'll want to invest in a good microphone, perhaps a headset and be sure to have a good sound card. But, I'll leave all that technical stuff to people much more knowledgeable than me. The above book will be of great value to you in this area, among other things. I highly recommend it to you.

I will, however, share some other links with you. These are software products that are free and make getting started a snap.

To start, you'll need a podcatcher. That's simply software to listen to podcasts on. You may already have one. But it's good to listen to all kinds of shows, especially the popular ones. You need something successful to model. Itunes is perhaps the most popular one.

For recording and mixing, download Podproducer. The amount of mixing you do, if any, depends on the type of show you'll have. If you use music or several mp3's, you'll need to do at least a minimum of mixing.

You'll definitely need a program to allow you to easily create, edit and publish RSS feeds. RSS is the standard for content distribution and syndication. This program will create the feeds to keep visitors informed. It also validates your feed.

You can download the program I use and recommend here. You'll get a free download and a trial.

You'll need a good host and, preferably, you'll want one that makes podcasting easy for you, one that has all the tools you need. Quick Podcast from GoDaddy.com is the one I recommend. Check them out.

There are many ways to market your product or service. You're not limited to the ones that come to mind when you think of advertising or marketing. I write podcasts for numerous Fortune 500 clients and they find it an excellent way to keep their brand strong and to get new customers.

You will too.

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Put video on your Web site quickly and easily.

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Susanna on 10.20.08 @ 01:54 PM CDT [link]

Sunday, October 19th

Do Your Work Habits Make You Happy or Cause You Stress?

Everyone has a unique way of working. There's no one way that's right and another way that's wrong. To be sure, there are working habits that are more productive than others, however.

For example, I don't multitask when I'm on a project. I concentrate on nothing but my project until it's done. Moreover, I work very quickly. If I were to get paid by the hour, I'd lose money.

I start before dawn and accomplish more by 11:00 in the morning than many people do in two days. Then I do a fast, efficient workout to relieve any stress I have and to help my aging muscles continue to function and get me through this tough business of living.

My partner, on the other hand, does ten things at a time and takes two months to get an assignment to the client. When I tell him I must have the copy, he says he'll have it in a few days. Of course, he doesn't.

Well, he causes me much distress. I can't stand not meeting deadlines and not getting on a job and getting it done. He's totally the opposite. He's still doing his taxes for 2007! I have mine ready for the accountant on New Year's Day.

Now, my partner is good at what he does. But his work habits drive me mad. Do I think mine are superior? Frankly, yes. But if his way works for him, that's all that matters. (He's beginning to wonder if they really do work for him.)

You, like all of us, are not apt to change your habits. Habits are your comfort zone. If I waited until April 14 to get my tax stuff ready for my accountant, I'd have a major panic attack and would have to take a bottle of Valium.

You may be totally comfortable waiting until April 15 to get your stuff together. I guess neither way is superior as long as the job gets done. But we each need to do this, and all tasks, in ways that are comfortable and rewarding to us.

Notice I use the word "rewarding." Do your work habits reward you or cause you distress? If they do the former, you're doing fine. If they do the latter, you need to change.

If you're not meeting deadlines, if you're feeling stressed, if people are unhappy with your work and if things are generally just not working well for you, you may need to think about adopting more effective work habits.

The life of a copywriter is stressful. Few people know how hard we really do work and how much time we spend studying and reading and using our mere mortal brains to come up with fresh, compelling ideas.

So our work habits are crucial to our business as well as to our well-being.

Take a look at your work habits. How do they make you feel? What sort of work results from those habits? If your answer is a happy one --- congratulations! If not, consider what you might do to make your work life more comfortable and efficient.

Your work should be fun. Good habits make it much more enjoyable.
Susanna on 10.19.08 @ 06:59 AM CDT [link]

Friday, October 17th

AP Stylebook Update - Associated Press Adds Update To Stylebook

A new entry has been added to the AP Stylebook Online.

Editor's Note: An entry on kilometers per hour has been added to say that kph is acceptable in all references.

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kilometers per hour

The abbreviation kph is acceptable in all references.

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Susanna on 10.17.08 @ 11:39 AM CDT [link]