Is Your Business Ready for the New Year?

During the last few of weeks of 2014, how did your 2014 goals list compare to what you accomplished in 2014?

Did you periodically analyze your 2014 goals list and adjust your time and effort in achieving your goals?

Did you reach all of 2014 milestones? Why or Why not?

Have you listed and scheduled periodic reviews of your 2015 business goals and are ready to make changes along the way?

What are going to do differently in 2015 than you did in 2014 to achieve your goals list?

The final questions for this post will be the following:

Are you willing to expend the time and effort required during the year 2015 to achieve all items on your 2015 goals list?

Have you established your editorial calendar for your blog in 2015?

Does your business have a blog? Why or why doesn’t your business have a blog?

Every business needs a blog. Businesses that have a website should have a blog as part of their website or a standalone blog to engage customers, to keep customers updated on what is new in the business.

A blog is the perfect method of interacting with customers through your clear call to action. A call to action may be as simple as getting them to use your contact form or some other action that will tell you what your customers think and want on your site.

In addition to a blog or website, businesses need a social media presence to inform potential customers of information about themselves through interpersonal communication. The main point of social media is to establish relationships with individuals that may be in need of what your business offers.

Social media is also a good platform to mention a sale, discount, survey, or what is happening in a business. Social media allows businesses to learn what customers are looking for by asking questions or have a complaint about something that a business may be able to help with.

Using social media allows businesses to view the pulse of what people want through what they share. How businesses are using social media to their advantage in finding new customers and how businesses use social media for brand marketing.

No one can learn the nuances of social media overnight. In the era of digital, social media and mobile is necessary for businesses to survive and thrive in the digital world we live in.

2015 is a new start for every business from freelancer to large corporation to learn new technologies and use them to their advantage in establishing and growing brand awareness.

Using technology is paramount for entrepreneurs to compete with larger businesses in the digital market.

Annually entrepreneurism is growing worldwide because individuals can no longer rely on the economy on a global scale. It is up to individuals to create their own economy through entrepreneurism. Taking courses in entrepreneurship is no longer a luxury but a necessity in these times of global economic uncertainty facing everyone. There are no longer jobs where one could follow in their father or grandfather’s company.

Those seeking work as more people retire and more jobs outsourced to countries because of lower pay and tax breaks, gainful employment is becoming a myth. Individuals have to fend for themselves in creating a living wage.

Is it easy being an entrepreneur? The short answer is no. Entrepreneurship is not for the faint of heart, but it can be rewarding for those willing to work hard and gin the knowledge required to be a successful entrepreneur in today’s economy.

Good luck in all of your endeavors for 2015 and beyond.

Robert Medak

Freelance writer, blogger, editor, proofreader, and reviewer learning marketing

Please leave a comment

7 Harsh Realities of Losing Net Neutrality

Why People Should Care about Net Neutrality

1. In the United States, the loss of net neutrality is looming and the Federal Communication Commission (FCC), which oversees licenses and regulations for technicians operating television stations, radio, cell phones, and armature radio technicians. The FCC is presently in the process of determining whether the Internet shall remain free (neutrality); or end users of the Internet should pay a fee to use it to the various Internet Service Providers (ISP).
2. In the worst do nothing congress and house in history who seems to work on the demise of what was termed “middle class”. To allow politicians to dictate that end users of the Internet should have their Internet connection speeds determined by how much they are willing to pay the ISPs, is to reduce the quality of Internet to subscribers and what type of content they will receive depending strictly on dollars is idiotic. Mark Cuban (Of Shark Tank) has come out against allowing the government to control the Internet.
3. If you are a cable subscriber, it does not take long to realize that there is no competition, but you must deal with a monopoly that supplies the cable service you must subscribe to if you desire digital services in your home, television, telephone, and Internet.
4. Some companies are under legal action because their Internet speed is not what subscribers are paying for. Under net neutrality loss, ISPs could charge more for less, which means the subscriber gets the shaft while the ISP gets the money.
5. More and more companies are buying other companies creating conglomerates, which offer the end user few options for ISPs than currently available. Mergers of companies into larger companies will make it harder as they vie for control of cable offerings and charging producing companies a higher percentage to carry their product and pass on more costs to the end user since they will have a monopoly in certain areas just as phone companies have for close to a century, monopoly by address.
6. For other than large corporations and 1 percenters, the potential costs to the consumer could possibly price the solopreneur and small business out of the market to the point of losing out to corporations with their Internet speed and content. Web content in general might change the landscape of what the average consumer has access to, and thereby stifle entrepreneurship and the growth of small business that require the Internet for social media, and search engine optimization (SEO). The loss of net neutrality could affect blogs.
7. Loss of net neutrality has the potential to cost people with smart phone to pay a premium for access to the Web. How is fighting for the end of net neutrality? Cable companies for one. If net neutrality is lost, all ISPs can charge whatever they want for access to information and at whatever speed the consumer is willing to pay. Loss of neutrality means that working poor, on a fixed income, an entrepreneur, or a small business will pay significantly higher rates to have adequate Internet for the speed.

Anyone that accesses the Internet should watch the FCC loosely about the subject of net neutrality. Also, contact your local and national representative and let them know how you feel about net neutrality.

Robert Medak

Freelance Writer, Blogger, Editor, Proofreader, and Reviewer learning marketing

Why should freelancers pay to find work?

I have seen Freelancers on different social sites asking about various places where they can find freelance jobs.

If you think freelancing will make you more income than your current job, think again, because there are no guarantees in freelancing, just as there are no guarantees in life. It is all about how hard you are willing to put forth the effort and determination.

Some sites where freelancers can bid on jobs are:

Elance – https://www.elance.com/ – Lower budget, highly competitive, money held in escrow account; until job poster accepts work and authorizes payment. Elance takes a percentage.

Employment Crossing – http://www.employmentcrossing.com/# : After a three-day trial, membership is $49.95 per month.

Freelancer – https://www.freelancer.com/ : Low paying, but free to register; highly competitive from bidders in countries around the world.

Guru – http://www.guru.com/ : Low budget, and highly competitive; Guru takes a percentage.

oDesk – https://www.odesk.com/ : Low budget, highly competitive. oDesk works on a percentage basis

MiNeeds – http://www.mineeds.com/ : Standard package is $24.99 per month.

Writing Crossing – http://writingcrossing.com: After a three-day trial, membership is $49.95 per month.

These are only a few notification sites where you can bid on the posted jobs with no guarantee of obtaining work on any of these sites, which are only a small portion of available sites on the internet.

Would you buy something without a warranty? Then, why would you pay for only a chance at seeing posted jobs only to post a bid or offer your services to someone with no guarantee of a job.

It does not seem right to pay only for opportunities to bid without knowing you can actually get freelance work after paying just for a chance.

There are other productive ways of finding freelance jobs locally at first, which will help you build a portfolio and gain experience in your chosen freelance niche.

No matter how much you may hate it, do not be in a hurry to quit your day job, it pays the bills for now and a paycheck is guaranteed if you put in the time.

Think about this: More than 80 percent of freelancers have side jobs accord to The Freelancers Union. Did you think all freelancers made tons of money; well think again, the number of freelancers making self-sufficient income is small.

Take freelancing slowly; build your reputation, because YOU are your brand. Freelancing is a big business and you need to learn the business part of freelancing as well as what your specific freelance niche is all about, this takes time and a good deal of reading about your niche so you are educated in what it takes to be a successful freelancer in that niche.

The more you know the better equipped you will be to understand the clients pain points and be able to address them. If you cannot understand a client’s needs, how will you be able to handle their needs?

Author
Robert Medak
Freelance Writer, Blogger, Editor, Proofreader, and Reviewer learning ethical Marketing
follow the author’s Social Media at: http://xeeme.com/RobertMedak

If you would like help making your copy better, a review of your copy, or have any questions about working with a freelancer, please use the contact form.

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Freelancing is Frustrating

Working as a freelancer, I have found freelancing frustrating, depressive, and irritating to the point where I have thought of saying, “I quit!” This is when I need to walk away, regroup myself, and get back to learning more about marketing my services while working on any outstanding projects.

Most potential clients already have someone whom they trust offering the same services I do, so how do I find people willing to work with me, because of finances, there is less than a shoestring budget to work with. When living on a fixed income, there is never enough money to work with a mentor, purchase programs, travel expenses to conferences, lodging, food, and price of the conference ticket.

In hindsight, there are many things I would have done differently, age should not stop anyone wishing becoming an entrepreneur. Just do not quit your day job until freelancing will allow you to keep the lifestyle you are accustomed to.

Freelancers are independent contractors; you pay taxes, purchase insurance, need a space to work, pay for any licenses to run a business. Freelancers are entrepreneurs running a business, and the money is not yours, it belongs to the business and your business pays you a salary.

Freelancers need an accountant, or learn accounting to keep clear concise records in case of an IRS audit.

All entrepreneurs are liable for paying taxes, employee withholding, Medicare, sales tax, state taxes, business licenses, and possibly medical, dental, and vision insurance. This in itself can cause entrepreneurs more than their share of frustration.

Another thing that can cause freelancers ulcers is pricing their product or services to be competitive. When outsourcing, you will have to train your virtual employee to work the way you would.

Author
Robert Medak
Freelance Writer, Blogger, Editor, Proofreader, and Reviewer learning ethical Marketing
follow the author’s Social Media at: http://xeeme.com/RobertMedak

If you would like help making your copy better, a review of your copy, or have any questions about working with a freelancer, please use the contact form.

 

 

Writing Style Guides

“Easy reading is damn hard writing.”  — Nathaniel Hawthorne

There are numerous writing style guides, which writers must follow for specific writing assignments.

What type of writing assignment are you working on?

• Article
• Blog
• Book
• Business
• Ghost
• Medical
• News
• Scientific
• Speech
• Technical
• Term Paper

These are only a few assignments freelance writer might be working on. Each has their own unique writing style.

Most journalists use the Associated Press and Briefing on Media Law (AP) style guide, but some newspapers have their own in-house style.

Book authors lean toward The Chicago Manual of Style.

Business and speechwriters would follow the American Management Association (AMA) style guide.

Most magazines have a style that can be determined by reading the specific magazine.

Style guides also have a preferred dictionary.

• Associated Press Style Guide uses the Webster’s New World College Dictionary as its reference.
• Council of Science Editors in Scientific Style and Format: The CSE Manual for Authors, Editors, and Publishers for sciences.
• The Chicago Manual of Style uses the Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary as its reference.
• Academic style uses the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers and does not specify a reference dictionary.
• Science style uses the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA) and the Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary as its reference, also use the CSE.
• Technical writing would also use the APA style guide.

Today, there are almost as many style guides as there are disciplines:

•  Biology
• Business
• Chemistry
• Engineering
• English and the Humanities (MLA)
• Geology
• Government Documents
• History (Chicago)
• In-House Style
• Journalism (AP)

• Law
• Linguistics
• Mathematics
• Medicine
• Music
• Physics
• Political Science
• Psychology and other Social Sciences (APA)
• Science and Technical Writing
• Social Work
• Web Writing (Google has a style it prefers.)

Can you think of others?

As you can see, depending on the writing assignment, a trip to the local library or bookstore might be in your future to obtain the proper style guide, or some search engine time finding style guides to assist you with your assignment.

If you are working with a client, what do they want could be something completely different.

If you have the bookcase shelf space, how many style guides do you need to write?

For most of what I do as a freelance writer, I use the Chicago style because it is the one I trained with. All writers are welcome to use any style guide, but will your writing work for specific purposes.

Author
Robert Medak
Freelance Writer, Blogger, Editor, Proofreader, and Reviewer learning ethical Marketing
follow the author’s Social Media at: http://xeeme.com/RobertMedak

If you would like help making your copy better, a review of your copy, or have any questions about working with a freelancer, please use the contact form.

 

 

When Free Doesn’t Mean Free

In the past, free meant no cost to you, if you are like me and remember when free meant free, you have found recently that free does not mean free anymore as it did in the past.

Numerous offers come my way almost daily in emails, and social media from individuals offering a free PDF, free book, and free modules of courses.

When checking these offers out, to obtain the offer you must pay shipping and handling, registering for a subscription, or a product  upsale by the person making the offer that you must complete to get the free item from them. There is nothing free if there is any cost associated with what is supposed to be a free item.

I’ve received the same supposedly free offer for a book from more than one person offering a free book from the author. If the book is free, why must the book be available only if the person requesting the book is willing to pay a shipping and postage fee for a copy of the free book? I don’t see anything free in an offer like this, do you?

I’ve had offers for programs, CDs, books, and more in emails from numerous people. I do not jump and pay money just because I might want the free offer. I do not see anything free if there are associated costs for me to receive any so-called free item.

Free used as an adjective by definition means, “costing nothing”. As consumers, are we now accepting that the word “free” no longer has the same definition or meaning found in dictionaries? Are we willing to allow someone to use words as they wish and no longer follow the lexicon of English?

Charging any fee associated with an offer of a free item by the definition of free, is a misrepresentation of the offer. Why would anyone trust the person making the offer, or anything he or she says, or represents? I for one am tired of free offers that require any payment associated with the offer for me to receive a free item.

What do you think about paying a fee for a free item?

Author
Robert Medak
Freelance Writer, Blogger, Editor, Proofreader, and Reviewer learning ethical Marketing
follow the author’s Social Media at: http://xeeme.com/RobertMedak

If you would like help making your copy better, a review of your copy, or have any questions about working with a freelancer, please use the contact form.

Life Lessons Learned via the University of Hard Knocks

“The world doesn’t owe you anything;

 You make the world around you by the choices you make.” 

Everyone makes mistakes; taking responsibility for them creates character, and the person you become.

Accepting responsibility is not easy, but essential to move on in life and not let the past haunt you into the future.

Living life in the moment is the only way to find true happiness and emotional well-being. Happiness will not come for material possessions, money, or other people until you are first happy with yourself.

Is it possible for you stay in a quiet room with just you and like who you are? Is it possible for you to find peace, and satisfaction in what you’ve accomplished during the day? If you cannot be happy with the day, or like the person, you are, how will happiness come from other people, or around your possessions? If inner happiness is not present, and happiness, nothing will make you happy; you will become a “What if”, or an “Only if” person that nothing can satisfy.

You must find the road to happiness within before you can find it outside yourself. There are myriad paths on can travel in learning self; each has its pros and cons. The main point is to look inward and adjust your thinking as needed to find inner peace, and happiness; the method you choose isn’t as important as delving inward regularly.

One may have health issues as one ages, it is not the end of your peace, just something to deal with. Many people have health issues they deal with, so can everyone else.

Respect 

“Respect yourself if you would have others respect you.”  ~ Baltasar Gracian 

Respect is not a right, but a privilege earned by the choices you make from a position of self-respect. If you do not respect yourself, why should others respect you?

Self-respect guides the choices you make showing your integrity by doing what is right, not choosing to go along with others to make them happy. If they can’t respect that, maybe they don’t need to be around you.

Author
Robert Medak
Freelance Writer, Blogger, Editor, Proofreader, and Reviewer learning ethical Marketing
follow the author’s Social Media at: http://xeeme.com/RobertMedak

If you would like help making your copy better, a review of your copy, or have any questions about working with a freelancer, please use the contact form.

Can you reliably make a living freelance writing?

People often ask the question, “Can you reliably make a living freelance writing?”

The answer depends on many factors, and individual client needs.

First, freelance writers must educate clients what freelance writing is.

Some clients equate freelance writers with web designers wanting various languages such as Perl, Drupal, Joomla, building shopping carts, and more, this is programming, not freelance writing.

Other clients may request knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel, Power Point, Adobe Pro, Quark, CRM, and CMS software, to name a few.

Newcomers to freelance writing will find it hard to acquire clients if they are not up to date on the various software programs listed above, and the software clients may be using in their business.

Freelance writers must have a working knowledge of copyright infringement, plagiarism, and the latest FTC rules if they work in the United States.

The quote below posted with permission from Tim McGuinness during a discussion about the question, “Can you reliably make a living freelance writing?”

”As a business that hires writers, you all need to understand the nature of the business models that now exist. When content became universal, it also lowered its value – not to me, but to the ultimate publishers of that content. In retail for example, the norm is to scrape content from other websites – retailers who consume vast amounts of content are not willing to pay much for it. If they can get duplicated content put up for $1 they will, until they get in trouble. What you all also need to understand it that a writer is just a part of a process – content production requires coordination, production management, quality assurance, and delivery mechanisms. These are all fixed costs, thus the writer makes less. There are still boutique projects out there, but increasingly, writing is a commodity job. You make as much as you produce. Sorry for the bad news, but this is the reality of the job now.”  ~ Tim McGuinness, Ph.D.

Second, some clients specify work for writers in India, Philippines, and other non-native English countries around the world if you attempt to find jobs on the various job boards, which are content mills and can hurt reputations.

Competing against non-native English countries accepting low wages for assignments, do not quit your day job until you can continue living the lifestyle you are currently living.

It could take decades for you to become an overnight success as a newcomer to freelance writing and establishing a reputation as a quality writer.

Established writers have spent years building their reputation, many while working a day job and writing part-time until their writing could pay for their lifestyle. Established writers have credentials newcomers do not have, and must build by writing.

Building a portfolio of work takes time, hard work, education, writing, and patience.

Call me harsh, pessimistic, or overly critical, I prefer realist learning daily, while working on my PhD from the University of Hard Knocks.

Freelance writers must commit themselves to writing daily, learning new software, applying the rules of perfect grammar and punctuation in their writing to establish themselves as quality writers.

Freelance writers are entrepreneurs who must embody honesty, integrity, and quality along with transparency and authenticity in all they do.

A new form of marketing is building a business platform, networking, and building a following.

Writing is a business! One must spend the time and energy required to grow it into a successful enterprise. There are no short cuts if writers desire acceptance as serious writers of quality. 

Author
Robert Medak
Freelance Writer, Blogger, Editor, Proofreader, and Reviewer learning ethical Marketing
follow the author at http://xeeme.com/RobertMedak

If you need help making your writing better or have any writing questions, please use my contact form and we will work together making your writing the best it can be.

 

It happened again

While going through my email, a usual task, to see if there was anything of interest.

I received some offers and because of past experiences knew that the offers meant money.

I hate “noreply” emails, anyway, to date, only a couple of people understand the phrase “I don’t have the money” to mean exactly that.

As a soon to be septuagenarian, I along with many others living on a fixed income do not desire to go into debt on dubious offers of some potential income while wondering if they should eat or purchase their medications for the month. Personally, I have ten medications, but only get nine because the pharmacy is having trouble getting my B-12 injectable required every other week.

Are sellers of webinars, books, programs, online training …etc. not getting the point that not everyone has money for books, programs … etc., and when they say they do not have money; that is what they mean.

The sellers are loath to offer any information about any free information because it might cut into their profit instead of helping information seekers of their journey toward knowledge.

What sellers fail to realize it that by helping a knowledge seeker,  the seeker may one day be able to afford the sellers program; How about that?

I have questions 

When did the philosophy of paying it forward disappear?

Am I that old or delusional to believe in paying it forward?

Has society become about the one with no regard for others?

I refuse to believe that offering products of services at a reasonable price is still a good practice, and quality is what entrepreneurs and businesses should offer as a standard while also offering the best customer service possible, and believing what customers tell you.

While earning my PhD from the University of Hard Knocks and a DIY marketer for my services, I am a firm believer in answering any and all questions in a philosophy of paying it forward.

I have some work in progress that will educate and inform readers in an honest way about the subject of freelancing, and procrastination. It might seem hard to some, but life is hard if you are willing to dabble into the realm of entrepreneurship.

I do not believe in sugar coating reality. One reality is that it may take years to become an overnight success through long hours and hard work.

There are no short cuts in life, just as there are no short cuts to being an authentic person, which also takes hard work.

Author
Robert Medak
Freelance Writer, Blogger, Editor, Proofreader, and Reviewer learning ethical Marketing
follow the author at http://xeeme.com/RobertMedak

If you need help making your copy better or have any questions, please usemy contact form and we will work together.

Why did you start a blog?

I started mine because I wanted to help entrepreneurs, writers, and freelancers. I started out knowing little about running a business, with little money to put into the business, and working on obtaining my PhD at The University of Hard Knocks.

I started mine because I wanted to help entrepreneurs, writers, and freelancers from starting out knowing little about running a business with little money to put into the business, and learning through the University of Hard Knocks.

It is my desire to help readers of this blog, and highlight my writing in case someone would hire me for writing, editing or reviewing.

Being a real person, posts on this blog may be scheduled for early in the day, they are written  by one person, never curated, no PLR (Private Label Rights), no MRR (Master Resale Rights), only 100 percent original writing.

It is my desire that this blog starts conversations, start thinking about what blogs should offer, and may engage readers with the content. Perhaps hired for one or more of my services by a blog visitor, ask a question about the services or about writing, marketing or social media as I am a believer in paying it forward.

Why did you start a blog?

There are many reasons to start a blog.

1. Blog about books in progress
2. Blog about books you have read
3. Host virtual book tours
4. Post book reviews
5. Blog about public figures’ tours, appearances, entertainment … etc.
6. Blog about your products, new product release date, or your services
7. Blog about your books with links where to purchase them
8. Blog about writing to help new writers
9. Blog about SEO, Marketing, Social Media, Networking … etc.

A blog is about what you choose as your subject. A blog should engage, establish relationships, engage readers, help your readers, and offer information that educates the reader about your product or service, about the subject you choose as the base of your blog.

The blog headline should inform the reader what to expect to find on your blog. It must be relevant to searches performed by searchers on the Internet.

Author
Robert Medak
Freelance Writer, Blogger, Editor, Proofreader, and Reviewer learning ethical Marketing
follow the author at http://xeeme.com/RobertMedak

If you need help making your copy better or have any questions, please use my contact form and we will work together.