Whats the street name for it? — Rejection

Let’s start off with a topic that really hits the spot for most freelancers, when trying to get a gig. Rejection. How do you take it? Do you take it personally and shed a tear or scratch it and move on like it was nothing?

The article below is by Raj Dash.

Getting Through Freelance Rejection
Raj Dash

The new year is always a good time to reflect upon your business practices of the previous year. Did you perform as well as you’d hoped as a freelancer? Or did you get rejected more often than you were expecting?

When you’re turned down for a freelance gig, how does it make you feel? It stings, right? Even when you have a few years of experience. It’s tough enough being a lonely freelancer, tougher still being rejected for a gig you were hoping for – or worse, counting on.

But this is purely a default reaction you’ve allowed yourself to have. If you detach yourself personally from the outcome, then it allows you to move on and try for another gig. The fact is, most of the time, being rejected has nothing to do with you personally.

Some Questions to Ask Yourself

To make it easier to deal with rejection in the future, ask yourself some questions about recent rejections.

1. Was this really a slight against me? Don’t take it personally. There are many reasons a freelancer does not get the job, and it’s not always about you. When you realize this, then it’s easier to be detached.
2. Did I deliver? Maybe it was about you. Was this an existing client? It’s been said that existing clients are your best source of work. The effort of getting additional work from them is typically less than for finding a new client and an active project. Check back with clients after a project has completed, to be sure that they received what they were expecting.
3. Was I qualified? Maybe someone was more qualified. Clients are going to be more conservative during a recession. Improve your skills for the next opportunity.
4. Were my rates confusing or just wrong? Were my rates too high for the client? Too low? Believe it or not, the latter might lead some potential clients to believe that you’re not offering very much. Or maybe you are way outside the range of your market without clearly explaining what you offer to justify your rates.
5. Did I make clear what I could do for them? If you don’t tell them that you can do “X”, don’t assume they know.
6. Did I communicate properly to the client? Don’t assume that a busy client understood everything. Communications in the digital age get rushed. Long emails or chat sessions might not get absorbed. Ask direct questions that solicit a response, instead of just stating something. Repeat unanswered questions in followup communications.
7. Was there a personal crisis? Personal situations sometimes come up, and a rejection is sometimes due to that or simply an oversight. By checking back with them or staying in touch, you might gain other work.

Does detachment make you insensitive? Not at all. Consider for a moment the philosophy that many creative people subscribe to: a single, feasible, great idea is the result of having dozens or even hundreds of infeasible ideas.

So photographers take dozens of pictures to get one good one. Inventors try thousands of ways to produce a functioning prototype. As they achieve efficiency of style and work flow, later efforts become easier. Likewise, as a freelancer, you might have to apply for/ bid on several gigs before landing one. This gives you the opportunity to learn skills for applying and/or bidding, and to become efficient at it.

Got the hang of it? Ready to face rejection head on? Check out The Golden Pencil’s Rejection Letter Oympics, where blogger Jenny Cromie challenges readers to go out and get as many rejection letters as possible. The more opportunities you try out for, the better your chances of getting a “yes” at some point. Not trying might save you from rejection, but it limits your opportunities.

Have you been rejected for a project lately? What did you do to get through it?

Thanks Raj for sharing this. It is not very often issues like these are addressed or spoken of.

IE 6’s Double-Margin Bug

There’s some valuable information on ther web about CSS and the various bugs going around with the different browsers. For me this was always a big issue. So I would turn to Pookey and he would fix it. As easy as it was, I couldn’t help feeling I had to figure this out for myself!

For those who are unfamiliar with the “Double-Margin Bug”, if you float an element and then procede to add margins in the same direction as the float, Internet Explorer 6 will double the value. For example, A left margin of “10px” becomes “20px” in IE6. Well how do you fix this?

Why not try the underscore hack?
The Underscore Hack is a useful looking CSS hack. IE/Win ignores an underscore (_) at the beginning of any CSS property name, interpreting the declaration as if the underscore wasn’t there. Other browsers do not recognise the property and ignore the declaration.

#sidebar {
position: fixed;
_position: absolute;
}

Modern browsers will cycle through these properties. When they come to the underscore, they’ll skip the style entirely. On the flip side, IE6 will ignore the underscore and implement the new margins.

In addition to this there are other ways to avoid this. Such as…

Change The Display To Inline
The easiest solution, change the display property of your element.

#floatElement {
display: inline;
float: left;
margin-left: 100px;
}

Use Conditional Comments
Use conditional Comments to target different web browsers.

!–[if lt IE 6]>
<link rel=”stylesheet” type=”text/css” href=”ie6.css” />
<![endif]–>

In layman’s terms, this code is saying, “If a visitor to your page is using Internet Explorer 6 or lower, import a stylesheet called “ie6.css”. As a result, modern browsers will ignore this statement. IE 6 and below, on the other hand, will implement the file. Now, in our ie6.css file, we’ll need to add some override styling.

#floatElement {
float: left;
margin-left: 50px;
}

Since we know that IE 6 will double the margins on floated elements, if we reduce the value of the margin by 50%, it will fix our document. This method is particularly appropriate when you have many styles that are targeting IE6 directly. It’s important to contain all of your “hacks” in a centralized location.

Tips, courtesy of Net Tuts and The Underscore Hack

Google SiteMap (Gasp! I had no idea)

Browsing through some web design articles and I randomly came across this one, posted on Web2.0
I came across some other neat articles written by Web2.0so I added them to my RRS.

Personally, I really like the idea of adding a google map, since my business is home run and also because I would like to go up there in Google ranking (who doesn’t). However, I’m not so keen on people knowing where I live etc…regardless its still a great read for those who don’t mind sharing their address.

Creating a Google SiteMap For Your Work At Home Business Web Page

Search engine traffic is the best traffic You can get for your online Business. So if you are running a Home Based Business with an Online Presence why wouldn’t you do everything possible to gain a Top Search Engine Ranking. One of the Simplest things you can do is Create a Google Site map.

Does Creating a Google Site Map Get you a Higher Google Ranking? Probably not by itself?

Does Creating a Google Site Map and Telling Google About it get your Work at Home Business Web Page Indexed Faster?

Google Visited My Home Based Business Web Page the Same Day I Uploaded my Site Map. I have to believe anything you can do make it easier for Google to Index you will help your Online Business get a Google Ranking. Of Course you need to follow other Google rules regarding content and Back Links

Using the free tools detailed in the 4 steps that follow, you can have a Google Sitemap in less then 10 Minutes and you do not need to know XML.

Step 1 Create a Google Site map Account

The First thing you need to do is create a Google sitemap account. This is as Simple as going to the following websites clicking on create an Account and then just filling in a form (https://www.google.com/webmasters/sitemaps/login)

Step 2 Create Your Site map

You do not need to know XML to create a Google Sitempap. Not with this free web based tool. Simply go to the below web site type in your domain and it will automatically spider your site and create a Google Site Map for you. http://www.sitemapspal.com/

Step 3 Upload your Site map to Your Web Page

Once you have created an XML Sitemap using the free tool in Step 2 you would just upload it to your web page either by FTP or by using the Cpanel from your Web Host.

Step 4 Add Your SiteMap to Google

The last step in this process is to tell Google about your Sitemap. You simply Log In to your Google site map account and add the URL of you Site Map. Be sure and check back a few hours later to make sure it uploaded correctly. https://www.google.com/webmasters/sitemaps/login

Now be sure and repeat the above 4 Steps whenever you change your website.

Mike Makler has been Marketing Online Since 2001, When he built his first Sales organization of over 100,000 Members.

Print Advertising, “What’s your statement?”

What kind of statement are you making, in your advertising? I came across this excellent article on advertising. I’ve only added a few of the tips on my blog, the rest can be read here.

Pre-Qualify Buyers
Example: “Homes Starting From The Low $300’s.”

This saves sales staff time because inquiries will come from more qualified buyers. People who can’t afford it won’t call.

Ads Can Stop Buyers From Eliminating Themselves
Examples: “Only $199 per month” or “Four Easy Payments of $39.95.”

Your ad helps buyers to understand that your offer is affordable, and they don’t eliminate themselves as potential customers.

Print Advertising Can Make You Look Professional
Examples: For your prospects, your advertising is your business. The level of professionalism in your marketing materials indicates how professional your business is. And if you have better marketing materials than the competition, your prospects will assume that yours is the better company.

You might list memberships, associations, years in business, name brands, or awards in your ads to look more professional. And of course use professional colors, imagery, and design in your ads.

People like to do business with professional organizations. Professionalism leads to trust and added value. Make sure your ads present you in the best light. Remember, your print advertisement is the first impression you make.

Print Advertisements Can Build A Perception Of Quality That Reduces Price Sensitivity
Examples: “Forty Years Of Craftsmanship” or “Our Award Winning Service…” or “Certified By…”

People will pay a premium for quality – if you can clearly and believably communicate the benefits that come from that quality. An indirect competitive comparison is often used to show higher quality products or services that justify a higher price.

Ads Can Help To Protect You From Legal Problems
Examples: “All Work Conditionally Guaranteed” or “subject to terms and conditions.”

It is vital that you carefully word your print ads to follow the letter of the law. By publishing your print advertisement, you are notifying the public of the terms of doing business with you. This can protect you from future legal problems.

Ads can allow you to have a private conversation with your clients
Examples: “The Secrets of…” or “Your home is…” or “Did your hear what…”

Advertising works because you can talk one to one with your clients – If you write carefully, and respect their time and needs. Also, note that people tend to believe an overheard conversation, so let them listen in.

Ask for Help
It is recommended that you hire a professional designer to create your ads. It is also encouraged to ask a marketing professional about your print ads and issues related to your marketing and advertising program. It’s an inexpensive investment for something as important as the success of your marketing program.

Steps to becoming a Successful Freelancer

Are you serious about your life as a freelancer? Then you might be interested in reading this post below. This is taken from “The Five Most Common Mistakes of Female Freelancers” by Marie Baca, featured on Freelance Switch. Maria makes some excellent points that really should be considered and taken seriously, not just for women but even men who are serious about moving forth. I’m sure these can be applied to almost anyone trying to take their business to the next level, and be successful.

1. Being afraid of self-promotion. What is it about self-promotion that freaks out so many of my female colleagues? You are your business, and you’ve got to market yourself just like any business would market its flagship product. Hand out business cards, attend networking events, create a personal website yourself or hire someone to do it for you.

Top-notch clients aren’t going to come knocking on your door, begging for your services. Landing an assignment is a competition, and you’ve got to treat it as such, using every marketing tool you have in your favor.

2. Not separating work life and home life. The freelancers I know who make this mistake make it in one of two ways: either they work way too much and end up burning out, or they allow their home responsibilities to get in the way of their business obligations. Boundaries between one’s career and personal life are important in any business situation, but when you work at home they become even more essential.

Be realistic about how much work you can do in a given day and don’t take on projects that will require more than that amount. Conversely, once you agree to an assignment, you’ve got to meet your deadlines or risk ruining your reputation. Non-emergency excuses about kids, husbands, or pets just make you look unprofessional.

3. Getting bullied into a lower rate. I hate negotiating. I wish I was one of those people who could just put on their game face and haggle until I got what I wanted. But I am not one of those people, and on a number of occasions my good nature has been taken advantage of and I have been bullied into working for peanuts (or, and I hate to admit this, even for free with the promise of some reward that never materialized).

Now, there are plenty of female freelancers out there who are incredible negotiators, but if you aren’t one of them, it is imperative that you set a minimum rate and NEVER EVER allow a client to talk you down. As a freelance writer, I find that a minimum hourly rate has worked best for me; that way, I can take per-article and per-word rates, divide them by the hours of work they will require, and easily compare projects.

4. Not re-investing in you and your business. As freelancers, our paychecks often don’t arrive in a timely manner, and when you do finally get that envelope in the mail it’s tempting to run to the bank to save the money for a rainy day.

Although saving for the slow times is an important activity, it’s equally important to re-invest some of your income back into your business.

Although saving for the slow times is an important activity, it’s equally important to re-invest some of your income back into your business. The trick is to spend that money on things that will have the greatest impact on your work.

One of my freelancer friends used the money from a big assignment to hire an intern to take care of invoicing, looking for gigs on Craigslist, and keeping track of expenses—all the things that she hates to do herself and can now delegate to the intern while she focuses on her writing.

I, on the other hand, am going to use my next paycheck to buy an enormous computer monitor, which I hope will reduce eyestrain and allow me to work more efficiently. These expenditures can be as “practical” as a new desk chair, or a little more untraditional, like my friend who bought a Nintendo Wii to use during her breaks. She claims her stress has never been lower!

5. Being intimidated. The meek may inherit the earth, but they aren’t going to become successful business owners. If you want to maximize your earning potential while being your own boss, you can’t be intimidated by anyone or anything. If that sounds a little beyond what you can handle right now, just do what I did when I was first starting out: fake it.

No, don’t lie—that will come back to bite you in the butt. I’m talking about pretending that you are more confident than you actually are. Create a work persona you can easily slip into once you close the office door. Eventually, that confidence won’t feel so fake anymore and it will become one of your most valuable assets. What have you got to lose?

Marie is a San Francisco Bay Area-based freelance writer and editor. Visit her website at www.mariecbaca.com.