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Click here for an interesting read from Patricia Handschiegel in The Huffington Post.

Warmly,
Wendy at Pound Dog Copywriting

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First, the bad news, and there’s plenty of it: the economy is in even worse shape than previously thought. For starters, America is gripped by a recession made worse by rising unemployment and general angst even with a $800 billion government bailout on the way. Retailers are steeling themselves for a less than stellar “Black Friday”, the famous day-after-Thanksgiving shopping day that traditionally puts businesses into the black to end the year on a financial high note. And with a lame duck president and Congress, no one is expecting miracles anywhere except on 34th Street in New York, when Santa Claus makes his annual visit to Macy’s for the Turkey Day parade.

Here’s the good news: while unemployment rates are rising, that can actually mean more work for independent contractors and small vendors. Employers cut costs by eliminating salaries and benefits, but they still need workers. That’s when more companies typically hire freelancers, although this year, the fees might be slightly lower. Also, retailers are already slashing prices, making it easier to buy more for less. I saw an advertisement for a “buy one, get one free” on laptops, so prices really are falling. And here’s the really good news: even if you didn’t vote for him, Barack Obama is already making smart choices to move us forward. The mere announcement of his intended Treasury Secretary surged Wall Street up by nearly 500 points. Change is coming, so hang tough, count your blessings, and share what you have with those less fortunate.

Happy Thanksgiving from Pound Dog Copywriting!
Wendy

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We’re closing in on the holiday season, and with it, the age-old question for business owners: should we give our loyal clients a gift? Or is it enough that we do our very best, charge a reasonable price, and meet their deadlines?

I’ve given some gifts in the past; usually I send a generic holiday card. This year, it seems almost anti-American to give a big gift when so many people are hurting.

After mulling it over, I think I will give a monetary gift to a favorite charity in my clients’ name. (No, not like George in “Seinfeld” — I’ll pick a REAL charity!). I was considering either a manatee “adoption” or a gift to Second Harvest.

Let me know your holiday plans regarding your clients — maybe there’s a better idea out there we can all use.

Be well, stay safe, and Happy Thanksgiving!

Wendy

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I recently had to turn down a project with a new client because of a sudden shift in schedule and workload from prior commitment. The last thing I wanted to do was to make a promise I couldn’t keep to either the new client or my current clients. So I gracefully bowed out of the project, and the client did find another qualified writer.

As business owners and freelancers, it’s hard for us to turn down work. Besides the obvious benefits of getting paid, we don’t want to get a reputation for being difficult. Playing hard to get may be fine in the dating game, but it’s not a winner in the business world.

However, you also don’t want to get a reputation as someone who can’t meet a deadline. In more than 20 years of freelance writing, the only deadline I ever missed was due to Hurricane Charley in 2006. But let’s face it: I’m not the same person I was when I started in copywriting. I have a family, we homeschool, my husband travels for business, and there are only so many hours in a day. I want to make sure that the quality of my work doesn’t suffer, and that clients are kept waiting for a delay that they didn’t cause.

Sometimes it’s best to say “thanks but no thanks” to a project that you know you can’t successfully complete. While you lose out on an invoice in the short term, you potentially gain a loyal client down the road.

Be well, do your best, and remember to vote!

Wendy

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Hello to my new friends at Blogwright! I’m looking forward to posting and sharing about marketing, advertising, community, and just life in general — you know, the stuff that goes on in-between projects. Until next time, be well.

Wendy

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