Making the Leap from Full-Time Worker to Full-Time Business Owner

Guest post by Michael Deane

Are you thinking about making the leap from full-time worker to full-time business owner? You are not the only one! Self-employed workers now make up around 15% of the UK’s working population, with the numbers of self-employed 16-24 year-olds almost doubling since 2001. Leaving the comfort and security blanket of being a full-time worker can be extremely daunting, however, there are so many great benefits to look forward to including independence, flexibility, more money and, of course, it really is the dream for most people to simply be your own boss. Here, we are taking you through the essentials you need to know when starting your own business.

Are you ready to be the boss?

Make a Business Plan

When starting up your own business, the first thing that you will need to do is draw up a business plan. This is an absolute must-have for any new start-up and should outline not only the initial phase of your business, but also its longer-term growth. The type of plan you must write all depends on your business. Are you looking to get financial support for your new start-up? If yes, then a longer, very detailed plan will be required in order to get others to back your idea. If you are starting this new business on your own, a one-page document giving you direction and purpose will suffice.

Your Business Structure

An important decision that you will have to make for your business is what structure it will take on as this will determine how your taxes are filed, your liability for the business and even your business name. Don’t worry too much about this, however, because as your business grows and changes you can change your structure at a later date.

What will your sign say?

Registering Your Business Name

When you have a name for your business and begin trading, you will need to register it, whilst making sure that it is not already trademarked or in use.

• Sole Traders – This is the easiest business structure to register. You are required to register for self-assessment tax and must have a National Insurance number. On all paperwork you must include both your name and business name.

• Limited Company – When forming a limited company, your personal finances will be separate from the business. This requires more management responsibilities.

• Partnerships – If you are setting up a business with other people, then you will have to register your business as a partnership. This means shared responsibilities for business debts and you will have accounting responsibilities.

This will ensure that your new business is now a legal entity that operates within the law. Not doing this can result in serious consequences with the tax office. Depending on what your business does, you will also need to check if you need any licenses, permits or insurance.

Where to Set Up Your Business

As a new business owner, it will also be your decision as to where to set up your business. For many just starting out, a home office is the perfect solution as you will not have to worry about renting costs eating away your finances. As your business grows, you can then start to think about moving to an office space or a retail location, but you will also have to take into consideration any business rates that you will owe. Coworking or hot-desking can be a good transition from the home office to a long term commercial lease, especially if you are looking for office space in San Francisco or other high yielding locations.

Marketing Your Business

As a new business, it is rare for floods of clients to come straight to you. Marketing your new business is extremely important and what’s great about the new digital age is that promoting your business does not need to cost a great deal of money. Explore different marketing possibilities that will be best for your business. This could include the use of social media, improving your website so it ranks better online or posting leaflets through doors if your business offers local services. There is a plethora of great marketing options to choose from that will help you spread the word about your new business launch and what you offer.

Maintaining a Good Work/Life Balance

While running your own business can offer you a lot of flexibility with your schedule, many people find that, especially within the first few years of starting their own business, that it can be difficult to maintain a good work/life balance. When you are solely responsible for the success of your business, it can be hard sometimes to justify taking a day off from your emails. If you do not want to burn out quickly from your new career change, having quality time away from your business is vital. Remember the reasons why you decided to start your own business in the first place. It is likely that the flexibility and opportunity to spend more time at home with your family was a big appeal. Make sure to take advantage of this and schedule time off that is mandatory for you to stick to.

Setting up your own business is an exciting time! Follow these top tips to make sure you get your new business off to the best start possible.

Bio:

Michael Deane is one of the editors of Qeedle, a small business magazine. When not blogging (or working), he can usually be spotted on the track, doing his laps, or with his nose deep in the latest John Grisham

SAD: How to Keep Seasonal Affective Disorder in Check

During the wintertime (and other times throughout the year) many writers feel down or depressed. This is probably because we don’t get out of the office enough. The amount of sunshine or intense light we get a day can directly affect how we feel. Lack of sun during the winter months can even cause a condition that is called Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).

Dr. Sanam Hafeez, an NYC based licenses clinical psychologist and faculty member at the prestigious Columbia University Teachers College, explains that “a cell in the retinas of our eyes called a ganglion cell contains the photopigment melanopsin. When we are exposed to sunlight, melanopsin signals a pathway to cells in the hypothalamus specifically responsible for regulating our bodies biological functions. This process then triggers the pineal gland which is in charge of melatonin secretion which peaks at night and wears off during the day. In simpler terms, the less light exposure we get, more out of whack we feel.”

To help you understand the concept of SAD better, and to help you combat it, take a look at this infographic:

Source: Best Health Degrees

A Free, Simple Way to Boost Your Mood

Running your own freelance business can be stressful, but there is one simple, free way you can boost your mood every day. In today’s guest post, Dr. Jamie Reynolds shares what you can do consistently to keep your mood high, even when you’re stressed.

Smile!

In case you haven’t noticed, the world is messed up.  Like crazy messed up.  And, as human beings, most of it is our fault.  Crazy nuclear-obsessed dictators.  Hyper-divisiveness in the American political system.  Bigotry.  Suicide bombers.  Children unsafe at schools. The rich getting richer. The poor getting poorer.  Social-media bullies.  Cancer.  TMZ.  The list goes on…

And, just for good measure, mother nature decides to visit us with a record polar vortex and a flu season that affected millions more than normal (including yours truly).  Not to mention the fool that cut you off in line for your latte this morning, or a million other of life’s trivial annoyances that get our blood pressure out of control.  It is a wonder any of us are remotely sane.

Or is it?  If you listen to a guy like Gary Vaynerchuck--and if you don’t you should--he correctly rants that we as human beings live in the greatest time to be alive in the history of humans.  And even though life seems and is challenging, we have never collectively had it better.  Remember, it wasn’t all that long ago where the world was much more like Game of Thrones and a lot less like spoiled brat reality TV.  And, as annoying as Honey Boo Boo and everything ‘Housewives’ seems to be, humanity continues to trend up.

So what can we do to realize and appreciate what we have?  Most of us have little influence in the goings on of the world. However, my belief that if we each make a small effort to treat each other a little better, our lives will continue to improve.  Something as seemingly insignificant as a smile can brighten people’s day.

Remember, it is really difficult to be around people who are smiling without smiling.  Why?  There is actually a mountain of interesting science behind it.

Studies on Smiles

In one of my favorite studies of all time, researchers (Kraft and Pressman) used chopsticks to position people in various facial expressions then put them through a series of stressful tasks.  The results?  The people whose face was positioned into a smile had the lowest stress of any group.  So, even if you don’t smile on purpose, the act of positioning your face into a smiling posture actually decreases stress.  ‘Fake it till you make it’ actually works here! The next time someone cuts you off in line, try forcing yourself to smile.  Science says it will actually reduce your stress level.

Naturally smiling also creates a cascade of naturally occurring feel-good neurotransmitters to be released automatically.  Seretonin, dopanine, and endorphins--the same hormones we artificially stuff into the ever increasing amount of happy pills Americans digest on a daily basis--are naturally released every time you smile.  Free happy hormones.  No trip to the doctor or prescription required.

What about for the uber career-focused people who are in too big of a rush to snap a smile at Starbucks?  A 2004 study from Penn State showed smiling employees come off as more friendly and likeable (not surprising) and also increased perception of competence (surprising!!!). Smiling frequently gives people the perception that you are better at your job!

Another study from the University of Pittsburgh compared people with various smile postures, and the bigger the smile the higher the person was graded on trustworthiness (again, surprising!).

So, science suggests that if you want to be seen as more competent and more trustworthy--factors that weigh heavily in any boss’s performance evaluation--you should smile more.

And, just in case the scientific case for smiling wasn’t strong enough, a recent Harvard study found ‘social connection’ is directly linked to happiness and longevity.  The more people in your social network, the more likely you were to live longer.  What is the number one way to increase social connections you ask?  Smiling.  Live long and prosper, smile grasshopper.

Take the Challenge

My challenge to you:  Get a sharpie.  On the mirror in your bathroom, write the words ‘5 Smiles’ on your mirror.  Look at the words in the morning while you are brushing your teeth (the dental professional in me couldn’t resist reminding you to brush) and say out loud “I will smile at 5 people today”.  Then, throughout your day, smile at 5 people.  It’s the easiest challenge of all time.  Instead of texting while you are ordering your morning caffeination, greet the barista with a smile before requesting your morning half-soy triple foam.  If you are a perpetual grouch, turning the frown upside down may seem forced at first.  Remember the chopstick study above--it still works.

Again, science is on your side here.  A part of your brain called the premotor cortex has ‘mirror neurons’ that respond particularly strongly to smiling? What does that mean in normal language?  Smiles are contagious.  We are genetically predisposed to want to smile when we see someone else smiling.  So, your smile could actually create a response in someone else that makes them feel better and brightens their day.  Pretty good trick when you catch your boss in a grumpy mood.

There are hundreds, if not thousands, of daily opportunities to show off your smile a few extra times.  And, if you sleep 9 hours per day (way more than I get) this is only one smile every three hours. Insomniacs may have to smile a touch more frequently at one smile per two hours. Repeat the 5-smile challenge daily.

You may not be able to change Korean dictators, our President’s hair, or the path of a polar vortex, but you can change the frequency with which you share a smile.  This isn’t push-ups or sit-ups we are talking about here.  Deciding--notice that it’s your choice--to smile literally couldn’t be easier.  The result of choosing to smile?  You feel better and 5 other people do too. And many, many more by the transitive property.  Scientifically proven and mother approved. 

Imagine if something so simple, so trivial, actually caught on.  Thousands or millions of extra smiles creating intermittent bursts of stress reduction and happy hormone release. Changing the temperament of the world, 5 smiles at a time.  Possible?   Grin and bear it?  Maybe give it a try. Science is on your side.

What is SEO: A Step-by-Step Guide for Writers

SEO is a big deal for writers that want to make money writing articles and blogs online. Without SEO skills you won't keep up with your competition. You've probably seen job ads looking for writers that know SEO. If you don't know what those three letters mean, don't worry. I'm here to help!

What is SEO?

SEO is an abbreviation for search engine optimization, which, in a nutshell, means anything that helps a search engine find an article and rank it on the first page of search results. Go to Google and search for your favorite topic. See the first result? That article has excellent SEO. Some sites hire companies like whitehat-seo.co.uk to build their site rank, but most rely on writers like us.

So, how do you get these magical results? Well, only so much of it is in the hands of the writer. A lot of SEO has to do with the website's reputation. I'm going to cover what you, as a writer, needs to know about it to make your articles rank.

What is seo

Research Keywords

The first thing you do before you write an article is to research. Now, as an expert on your niche, you should have a pretty good idea about what people want to read. There's more to it than that, though. Keywords are a big way search engines know what your article is about and how to rank it in search.

To research keywords, go to Google Keyword Planner> Go to Keyword Planner > Discover new keywords. Then, type in a word or phrase that describes what you want to write about and click, Get Started.

tips for seo keywords

A list of keywords will pop up. Look for keywords and phrases that have 10 to 100 thousand monthly searches. This means that people are actively typing these keywords into Google each month looking for articles on the topic. And in turn, Google actively searches for articles that provides information on these topics.

So your articles should have keywords here and there throughout. Most of the time, keywords will naturally pop up in your writing. You don't really need to think about it too hard.

Just be sure that:

• You have a keyword in the title of the article or post and that it is close to the beginning

• There is a keyword in the name of the image files you use and in the captions

• Keywords are in the headings

• There is a least one keyword in the first or second sentence of the post

DO NOT litter your article or post with keywords, though. Other than the areas I've highlighted, let them come naturally. If you spam an article with the same words over and over you'll get a penalty, which will make your post rank lower in searches.

SEO-Friendly Headings

Now you know that your posts should have keywords in the headings, but there is one more thing you should know. All of your headings should have H2 or H3 tags in the code. Search engines look at your heading to figure out what your article is about. These tags help search engines know where your headings are. 

Don't freak out! You don't need to know coding. Most post editors and word processing software, like Word, have heading options. Just highlight your heading, tap on the H2 or H3 heading option and you're golden. The tag will be automatically added to the code.

wordpress headings

Add Media

Search engines LOVE media. Media in a post tells the search engines that you are providing added value to the reader.

The rule is to add at least two images to your post for good ranking, but the more the merrier. Some media you can add to a post are:

• Embedded YouTube videos

• Gifs

• Image galleries

• Audio recordings

• Videos of yourself explaining a concept

• Infographics

• Memes

• Surveys

• Maps

Where do you get quality media? Here are some free places I use:

• Pexels

• Pixabay

• Giphy

• Easelly

• The Public Domain Project

• Imgflip Meme Generator

• Survey Monkey

• Pexels Video

• YouTube

Consider Length

The length of your post or article makes a difference, too. Search engines seem to prefer posts that are 400 words or more. The longer, the better, though. Once again, search engines are looking for value.

Best Article length

If you have a post that is a gallery of images and very little words, don't worry. If there is a lot of media it seems to cancel out the word count requirement.

Quality Links Make SEO Better

Finally, you need to add quality links in your articles. Link to reputable sites throughout your articles.

So reputable websites that search engines love are:

• Government sites like the FDA, National Library of Health, or the CDC

• Groups like the World Health Organization, American Dental Association or the American Cancer Society

• Science and health journals and magazines like JAMA and Scientific American

• Trusted health sites like the Mayo Clinic

• University websites

Search engines like it when the link is embedded in words, not just a typed out address. Here is an example:

Bad- The site https://moz.com/beginners-guide-to-seo has some good tips for search engine optimization.

Good- The Moz site has some good tips for search engine optimization.

Just highlight the words and click on the link tool in the post editor or word processing software to embed your link.

linking for seo

Also, make sure you link to other articles or blogs on your site. Try to put two links to your own content in the first two paragraphs of every piece.

Be a Good Writer

Search engines also rank posts higher if they contain good spelling. This should go without saying, since you're a professional writer and all, but ALWAYS check your spelling.

That's It!

That's basically all writers need to know about SEO. Remember, as long as you're thinking about your reader and providing quality, then most of your worries are taken care of already.

Want to know how to get more clients and become a well-paid writer? Read my book!

The Fluff-Free Freelance Writing Master Course: The only course that gives you concrete, actionable information to building a successful freelance business without any fluff.

Yes, Even Freelancers Can Take Breaks From Work

Some people are worried about making the transition to freelance work because they know it means no paid days off for vacation. You don’t have to see no paid time off as a massive negative. There are ways you can get around it. Sure, the stereotypes of freelancing may include not taking any vacations and working long, long hours, but I know lots of freelancers who are able to take time off  when they need to. Including me! If planned correctly, taking a vacation as a freelancer shouldn’t hit the bank balance too hard either. Want to know how to set up your own freelance vacation? Read on!

Plan Well in Advance

One of the key factors in being able to take time off from your freelance business is planning your escape well in advance. Once you know which days you are going to be away, you should block those days out in your calendar so that you don’t accidentally sign up for any work or projects.

You might also want to try to book in a bit of extra work in the weeks running up to your vacation. That way, you still get paid while you take time off.  Planning well in advance also gives you enough time to save up a bit of extra cash so that your bank isn’t strained by a few days of no work.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by fam vibes (@famvibes) on Jan 18, 2019 at 1:41am PST

Consider Handing Some Tasks Over to A VA

If you are worried that your inbox will be flooded with important emails while you are away, you could always hire a freelance virtual assistant (VA) to manage your inbox for you while you are away. This could be especially important if you won’t be checking your emails at all during your vacation. If you use a company like Virtual HQ, you would also get the benefit of their efficient telephone-answering service.

You might even want to hire a virtual assistant who is able to take care of some of your projects for you while you are away. Outsourcing your work will mean that your clients won’t notice any disruption in the services that you provide. However, it does mean that you need to find a VA who you completely trust with all of your work projects.

Have Some Projects Planned for Your Return

It’s a good idea to have a few projects lined up that you can start as soon as you get back to the office. You’ll then be able to start earning right away. If you don’t do this, then you may spend a couple of weeks hustling for some new work, which means even more time not bringing in an income. Plus, having some work to start with as soon as you are back will help you get into the swing of running your business. Your post-vacation blues won’t last for too long if you are busy working!

how to take a vacation when you freelance

Take Advantage of Weekends

Most freelancers are able to work to flexible schedules. So, if you do need to take a few days off during the week, at least you will be able to make up for them at the weekend. If you take advantages of weekends in this way, then you should find that you are able to take more breaks through the week.

Let All Your Clients Know

Make sure that all of your clients know you will be taking some time away from the office. They will understand. Trust me! After all, you are only human and will certainly deserve a break sometimes!

Turn on Your Out of Office Email Notification

Don’t forget to turn on an out-of-office automatic email reply before you leave the office. Most email providers will offer this service free of charge. Just go into your email settings and look for the Vacation Responder option.

how to take a vacation when you're a freelancer

You will be able to customize the message, so it’s a good idea to mention how long you will be away and if there is an alternative way to contact you. Once your out of office is switched on, anyone who tries to contact you will be reminded that you are away when they send you an email. This way no one will be annoyed if it seems like you are ignoring them!

It’s Ok to Check in During The Break

It’s perfectly fine to continue checking your emails while you are on your vacation. In fact, you might want to even take your laptop with you so that you can carry on with a small amount of work on your travels. Quite a lot of freelancers follow the 80-20 rule of vacationing. It basically means that you spend 80% of your time relaxing and enjoying yourself, while the other 20% is dedicated to work. Your whole vacation won’t be completely spoiled by constant work, but you'll still get things done.

Relax!

Of course, you should ensure that you do have plenty of time to take a breather and relax while you're on vacation. Recharging your batteries allows you to return to your desk a lot more energized and rejuvenated.

Taking a break is perfectly reasonable and acceptable even if you are a freelancer. I’m sure you deserve to get away for a few days, just make sure that you enjoy yourself!

7 Ways to Make Your Site Traffic Soar in 2019

If you're looking for more traffic to your website in 2019, get going. It won't happen on its own. Here's what you need to do to make 2019 your blog or website's best year yet.

Update Your Content

With changes in rules, regulations, laws and the way technology is advancing at an amazing pace, something you wrote on your website 6 months ago could be totally out of date and mislead anyone that reads it. You need to reread all of the past articles and blogs and update any of them that fall into this category. Search engines will see the post as still being relevant and that can help with your SEO rankings.

The trend seems to be that long articles attract more attention too. One that is between 2000 and 3000 words gives the impression of being more informative than a 500-word blog and this means that more people go to your site to read it. Of course, don't stretch out articles or blog posts unless you have great information to add. Remember my manta: No fluff!

Optimize Your SEO

It is no secret that SEO is one of the most successful ways to drive traffic to your website, but the way SEO works changes all the time. Some of it has to do with keywords. Search engines try to discover the topic of a piece by looking for keywords in the article. If you use keywords no one is looking for, then your article will rank poorly. On the other hand, if you use too many keywords, your article will also tank.

SEO

They also look for other sites that have linked to the article and how well it is shared on social media. When the information, and it's good, they move you up the rankings. As most people only look at the first couple of pages of search results, the higher you are in the rankings the better.

There is more to it than written content though. As technology has advanced so have the capabilities of the tools used by the search engines. They can now take account of video and image content as well, and can even move you up the rankings if you get a good amount of followers on social media.

To learn more about SEO, check out my step-by-step article.

Use Ads to Move Up the Rankings

Most times, when you put something into your search engine, the top few results will say ‘ad’ at the side. This is because businesses have paid to be in one of the top spots. This can be well worth the money invested because then your page is much more likely to be linked to by viewers, raising your rank.

This is just one way the likes of resources such as Google Ads can help to increase the traffic to your website and with Adwords scripts collection you will have an automated service that will control your Google Ads data. That way, you can do more and reach more people with less effort.

Make the Most of Social Media

Social media is a must for all businesses. It is a vital way of getting your brand known and of sending more traffic to your website.

You should post every day, at least, but do not make all your posts promotional. If you do, users will start to scroll past your posts without bothering to read them. One promotional post out of five is a good rule. Some people post 20 percent promotional content and 80 percent other content. Your mix will depend on your target audience. 

Don't just use memes, photos and text posts. Videos are sometimes the best way to attract attention to your brand, and if they contain some humor they are likely to be shared many times.

Always respond to any comments in a positive manner, as this will help to build trust in your business. Nobody wants to deal with rudeness. 

Also, put a link to your site on all your posts, and then you will get people go to it more often. Here's an example of how I do that on Instagram. When they get to your website, it should be engaging immediately. You only have 3 or 4 seconds to grab their attention and if your website does not do that, they will move elsewhere.

Email Marketing

Email marketing fell out of favor for a while but now it is back. It is a great way to stay connected with existing customers or to make connections with new ones. Each email has to be of interest or solve a problem for your audience, and it should always have a link to your website included.

There are online resources that will send out thousands of these for you at very little cost. You set the email up, add new email addresses, and they do the rest.

Run a Contest

Running a contest is a great way to attract new traffic. You just have to make linking to your site as one of the rules of entry. Another rule is they must enter with their email address so you can add this to your mailing list.  

Consumers of all ages love something for nothing and if the prize is something they would like they will not only enter themselves, they will share it so their friends and family can enter as well. It seems from surveys that the favorite prizes have something to do with travel or something digital. The cost of putting someone up in a hotel for a few nights is nothing compared to the amount of new traffic these competitions can bring to your website.

Optimize for Mobile First

Around 80 percent of internet use is done on mobile devices. This percentage is likely to grow, as smartphones have become little more than handheld computers. There is very little you cannot do on a smartphone now and so it makes sense to optimize your site to suit them before anything else. 

mobile optimization

Make Sure Your Business Deserves the Attention

It is no use in increasing your website traffic if once viewers get there the quality of the product or service is not up to standard. You have to ensure that your business deserves all the extra attention you are attracting and that it can cope with the extra sales when those viewers convert to customers.

Above all else, you have to give them a good buying experience if you want them to become loyal customers for the future. Keeping customers is as important as finding new ones, less time consuming than finding new ones and much cheaper than finding new ones. Look after the customers you already have, implement some of the suggestions above and your business will flourish.

Why the Biggest Myths About Earning From Home May Actually Be Right

Guest post by Patrick Foster

Did you know that you can make thousands of dollars each month working from home? You barely need to do anything and the money just rolls in! We’ve all seen the spam that tends to appear in comment sections across the internet, but no one takes it seriously. In fact, that generic comment has become something of a running joke, reflecting a broader perception.

That broader perception? That earning from home is a big deception. Today, the average internet user is more likely to be too skeptical about earning from home than anything else. Can you really blame them? With so many claims flying around, it’s easier to conclude that anything that sounds like it might be too good to be true is definitely false.

That’s why you’ll find plenty of articles dedicated to tearing down the biggest “myths” about earning from home… only there’s a slight problem with that: plenty of them aren’t myths at all. Shockingly enough, they’re actually true — and here’s why.

Passive doesn’t mean comatose

People like to talk about how important it is to have passive income streams. Instead of spending hours every day working on something, you can relax and profit in the process. And it certainly is important, particularly if you’re working on multiple projects at the same time (your free time is limited, of course).

But plenty of naysayers like to kick back against the notion that you can get anywhere with passive income. They’ll say that no one can just set something up online, relinquish control, and make money as a result — and that anyone who says you can is a liar and a cheat.

The issue with that objection is simple: passive doesn’t mean comatose. Even the best passive income stream you can imagine will require you to do something to keep it going. Income streams fall on a spectrum: how much work do they require? How much time? And the distinguishing factor of passive income streams is that they’re very low-maintenance.

All that means is that maintaining your passive income streams won’t eat up your schedule or cause you undue stress. They’ll take work on occasion, but for the most part they’ll stay out of the way of any other ventures you’re pursuing. So is it possible to have valuable passive income streams? Absolutely — they’re not easy to build, but they’re absolutely achievable.

That you can do something doesn’t mean you will

Isn’t it ridiculous when someone says that anyone can make money online? Plenty of people will never make a dime in the online world. They have nothing in particular to offer, and no ideas (more on those things later), and saying that anyone can do it is a sure sign that you’re just trying to exploit someone’s hopes to make some easy money.

But, again, there’s a critical distinction that people miss: between being able to do something and actually doing it. It’s inaccurate to say that anyone can become an NFL quarterback, because if you’re short, thin and in your 80s, then I’m afraid you don’t stand a chance — but it’s entirely fair to say that anyone can earn money online, because there’s no major barrier to entry.

Do you have a computer of some kind, or a smartphone? Access to the internet? Then you can make money online, even if only through offering up your services through a site like Fiverr. You can sell ad space on your website, or sell an ebook, or get monetized on a video-sharing site. You can even do something else entirely and pick up support through a Patreon-style crowdfunding platform.

Ultimately, the most successful people are those who fully commit and branch out as much as possible. And sure, most people are unwilling to be that dedicated — but they could do it if they really tried, and you’re no different.

The internet is bigger than you think

You have to spend money to make money, some readily contend, so the idea that you can bring in revenue online with no startup costs is clearly mistaken. After all, it costs money to run PPC advertising, or hire a copywriter, or use a graphic design service, right? And as for the timeline, it isn’t some get-rich-quick method as some claim: you need to work for months and months just to get the slightest hint of progress.

Well… not quite. There’s some truth there, but it’s quite far off base. Here’s the truth of the matter: the internet is huge, and absolutely packed with tools and resources that are varied, powerful, and often either free or extremely cheap. Start looking for them, and you’ll often be amazed by what you can get done with no meaningful investment.

And if a quick turnaround is what you’re looking for (maybe you’ve quit your job in a rage and you have bills to pay), then you’re still in with a chance: you just need to go about things in the right way. If you can use PPC cost-effectively, it can get your name out there really quickly, as can using social influencers. And through the magic of marketplaces, where you can trade ready-to-go ecommerce stores (combined with the practice of dropshipping, something that allows you to sell products without ever having to buy or stock them), you can become an online merchant within days. Legitimately.

Ideas aren’t that hard to find

Saying that you don’t need an idea to make money online seems bizarre to some. Of course you need an idea! Otherwise, you’re just doing what others have already done, and you’ll never be successful that way — originality is the name of the game.

Wrong! I’ve mentioned how damn big the internet is, and that size makes opportunity. People still open coffee shops and restaurants, even though there are plenty of those already, because they reliably make money and it’s difficult to saturate those markets. And since internet stores don’t take up physical space, it’s even harder to tap out a particular niche (there will always be something that others are missing).

Smart entrepreneurs understand that it’s the execution of a concept, and not the concept itself, that really matters in the end. So if you’re looking for a way to make money online, don’t lock yourself in a room with a pen and paper until you have a radical never-before-seen business idea: see what other people are doing, see which fields are currently successful, and get inspired. By taking a common idea and tweaking it very slightly, you’ll quickly and easily be able to find a workable path to online financial success.

So what “myths” have you read about earning from home, and how convincing do you find the arguments? It certainly isn’t easy to make money online — and anyone who says otherwise definitely is trying to sell you something — but it’s absolutely possible, and totally realistic if you’re smart and follow good advice. So why not give it a try?

The Problems of Going it Alone as a Freelancer

The idea of stepping out there and going it alone as a freelancer can certainly be scary. It’s a brave step to take, but it can also be a wise one because the rewards are often huge too. If you’re thinking of taking the freelance route in your career, here are some of the most daunting parts of doing so you should be aware of.

Finding Those First Few Clients

When you’re just starting out, your first challenge is to get enough clients. It’s tricky to start with because you have no track record to point to and people can have trouble trusting your credentials. But once you’ve proven yourself, finding more clients will become progressively easier for you, so don’t worry about it too much. 

No One Having Your Back at Work

As a freelancer, you’re pretty much all alone and there’s not much you can do about that. You can’t turn to your manager when you have a problem and you don’t have colleagues who’ve got your back and can help you out when you need assistance. It would be nice if that were the case, but you’ll just have to get used to being independent if you want to succeed as a freelancer. Plus, there are plenty of online groups, like The No-Fluff Freelance Writing Facebook Group, that can help with advice. 

Investing in Your Solo Business

When you’re a freelancer, you’re essentially running your own solo business. This means that you have to invest in yourself and what you’re offering to clients if you want to grow over time. Of course, spending on things like this can be daunting if you haven’t done it before. In some instances if you want to start something like a freelance private medical practice or a dental facility, you have to spend big to even get started. Look into medical and dental practice sales and understand the costs. Freelance writing, on the other hand, has a very low overhead, so it's not quite as worrisome as other freelance businesses.

Financial Management

Financial management is really important to any freelancer because if you’re not correctly managing your money, you could find yourself really struggling. Remember, you won’t have a regular income, so you’ll have peaks and troughs in your income. You need to balance these out throughout the year so that you are never left with financial problems to contend with.

Motivating Yourself Each Day

One of the things that’s most challenging of all is motivating yourself each day for the task ahead. You need to find ways to push yourself and succeed even when you feel that pressure on you. If you just switch off and let yourself waste time and procrastinate, you’ll never go far as a freelancer. So find ways to keep yourself motivated because no one can do it for you.

As you can see, becoming a freelancer isn’t easy. However, that’s not to say it can’t go right for you with the correct approach. Many people experience great success after leaving their regular jobs and going freelance; there’s no reason why you can’t too. So get out there and make it happen if that’s what you want.

6 Ways Your Website Could Scare Customers Away From Your Business

Even though many people will argue with me, I believe that every business needs a website. Whether your enterprise relies solely on ecommerce or not, your website is an essential tool in your brand-building arsenal. For many new customers and prospects your website will be their first exposure to your business. Social media pages just aren't enough, mainly because you don't own your social media pages. They can be deleted at any time and you'd lose your customers. You don't have that problem with a website. While many small businesses know that they need to have a digital presence, they don’t always necessarily give the creation and maintenance of their digital space the care and attention it deserves. After all, we’re about 20 years too late for it to be a novelty to simply have a website. If you fail to give due consideration to the design, architecture and content of your website it could end up letting your business down in a number of ways...

You don’t use landing pages

Landing pages are an essential way to drive conversion rates while reducing user bounce rates. But that’s really just the tip of the iceberg. They also allow you to:

• Remove the distractions present on your homepage to better influence user outcomes.

• Generate more leads.

• Collect valuable data from your prospects.

• Track user engagement data to see how users react to your landing page (this can serve as a neat microcosm for how they interact with your website in general).

It doesn’t look as professional as it should

Web design is an important discipline that will play a huge part in determining user engagement. If your website is an eyesore, expect high bounce rates. In an age where there are a plethora of platforms that offer customisable themes, it can seem quick and convenient to use them. However, this can make your website look amateurish and discordant with the professional veneer you are trying to establish.

It has poor UX and weak CTAs

As important as web design is, a business also mustn’t neglect their web application architecture. This will not only make your website more stable and reliable, it will also ensure that your website has great UX. UX or User Experience is a big part of your website’s efficacy. Good UX can make your website easy and pleasant to navigate while also subtly influencing user behavior. One example of how UX can play a strong role in influencing user behavior is your use of the CTA or Call To Action.

The placement, color and (particularly) wording of your CTA buttons all play an important part in boosting your conversion rates. The wording of a CTA can be the deciding factor in whether a user clicks to buy, download or learn more… or whether they bounce away from your website never to return.   

It isn’t as secure as it should be

We live in cyber security aware times. If you expect users to give you their personal information or make a purchase, they expect certain security assurances from you. If you offer ecommerce on your website, you can’t expect savvy web users to entrust you with their credit card details if they don’t see https:// at the start of your URL. As of last summer, failing to have a security certificate will also cause Google to penalize you. Not only will your SEO plummet, users will see a “Not secure” at the top of their browser. While this won’t raise alarm bells for blogs, it’s not a great look on a business.  

Your content doesn’t showcase your knowledge

Content marketing is an essential way of building value and trust in your brand. First of all, it gives your business a sense of identity and personality. It can showcase your knowledge and expertise and establish you as a leading mind in your chosen industry. It allows users to make the kind of personal investment that precipitates a strong and long-lasting relationship with your business. Plus, when you’re posting regular content it gives your SEO a nice little boost as well.

However, don’t let this lead you to sacrifice quality for quantity. Rushing your content or outsourcing it to a low cost, low quality third party will reduce the value users perceive in your brand.

It’s not responsive

In an age where most of us access the internet through mobile devices, your website needs to be responsive in more ways than one. Most obviously it needs to be responsive in terms for being easy and attractive to use on a mobile device. Moreover, it needs to respond quickly to user prompts. In the mobile era users are more impatient than ever. In fact, a page load time of just 7 seconds can increase your bounce rates by over 30%. You can check your site for free using Google's page speed tool.

For a website that wows, steer clear of these big 6 web design and infrastructure mistakes.

4 Steps to Clicking the Internal "Refresh" Button: How to be Mentally and Emotionally Prepared for the New Year

 Dr. Lara Fielding offers steps and practices to step into the new year prepared to set resolutions and to actually follow through with them.

By the end of a long, and particularly trying 2018, it’s normal to feel worn out and not exactly pumped for taking on new tasks. The motivation tank is dry and the pull to shut down and avoid is stronger than ever!  So we can all use some tools for clicking the internal refresh button. Here’s how!

Step I: Find Motivation in Your Values

Values are different from goals. Values are your internal GPS, and help you connect to your why. They are chosen by you, and only you, and provide you with stamina to endure discomfort in the service of the kind of life you want to design.

Values are the direction you want your life to take, and the kind of person you want to be! And…. It takes some serious intentionality to get connected to them.

Let’s Practice: Complete the following sentence for the areas of your life where your feeling burnt out.

I’d like to be the kind of person that other’s see as ________________________ ____________________. And I’d like to show these qualities in my behavior by _____________________________________.

Next, keep this vision of the you you’d like to be in 2019 in mind as you go through the following steps.

Step II: Validate the Discomfort

Our default reaction when we feel internal discomfort such as awkwardness, uncertainty, anxiety, or frustration, is to do something to get rid of the feelings. This is natural of course. Who wants to feel uncomfortable?

But when you’re feeling burnt out, and you’ve been pushing through the whole year, it’s time for another approach.

Rather than smothering your feelings, ignoring your emotions, and pretending your ‘fine’, practice getting curious and open to your experience. The Validation skill is the simple act of non-judgmentally acknowledging that the experience is present. Just like getting validated in the parking lot simply says, “you were in the building.”

Let’s Practice: The easiest small step you can take towards validating your emotions is to label them. Finding the right emotion word for your emotions actually activates parts of the brain that dampens over reactivity and motivates effective behavior. Gently allow yourself to have and hold that emotions. As you do so, notice how you feel in your body.

Step III: Keep Your Thoughts In Check

Just like our actions, our thoughts can fall into habitual patterns when we’re stressed out. These patterns can pull us into low mood and motivation. But actually, seeing your thoughts as just thoughts, rather than facts takes some practice.

What happened above when asked to visualize your ideal self in 2019? Did your mind offer up ‘reasons’ you cannot do those things? Or did you skip through the exercise entirely? Or maybe you noticed judgments about the exercise?

The key is to catch when your mind pulls you away from the things you need to do to take care of yourself – and then redirect to the present moment.

Let’s Practice: A simple way to practice stepping back and observing thoughts is to start speaking about your thoughts as thoughts, rather than facts. Take a full minute or two to just sit in silence. Soon your mind will start generating thoughts. Preface each thought with; “I’m noticing I’m having the thought….” And then redirect your attention to your ‘direct experience’: the things you can touch, smell, taste, or here.

Step IV: Change Your Re-Actions

One of the largest predictors of the effects of stress on our mental and emotional well-being is how we react to the triggers in our lives. Our reactions may be larger more obvious discomfort avoidance behaviors, such as using substances or yelling or arguing. Or our reactions might be that insidious way we tighten our shoulders, furrow our brow, or clench our teeth.

Maybe others notice, maybe they don’t. But your reactivity has a huge impact on your stress levels and mental health.

So, the key here is to control, the only thing in your control, which is your actions.

Let’s Practice: Right now, as you read these words, practice with me. Sit up a bit, and place both feet flat on the floor. Place both palms on your knees and up towards the sky as you allow your shoulders to drop down. Open your chest, and soften your belly. Notice how you feel, in this very moment.

This simple practice sends a powerful message from your body and up into your mind. It says, “I am open to my experience.” “I am safe. There is no danger present.” From and evolutionary view, you simply would not take this position if there was a real physical threat.

Although it can feel very much like we’re not safe when we’re stressed and burnt out. In truth, you are safe, you’ve got this. Practice these four simple steps to reconnect to your big picture values, and mindfully master the discomfort that comes up as you pursue what matters.

LARA E. FIELDING, PsyD., Ed.M., is a psychologist who specializes in using mindfulness-based therapies to manage stress and strong emotions. She studied the psychophysiology of stress and emotions at the University of California, Los Angeles and Harvard, before getting her doctorate at Pepperdine University graduate school of education and psychology, where she is currently adjunct professor.

In her private practice in Beverly Hills, CA, she specializes in treating young adults challenged by the stresses of transitioning roles and responsibilities resulting in difficulties with mood, motivation, and emotion regulation. Her values mission, and aim of her work, is to empower young adults through self-awareness, bridge the gap between research and people, and lowering barriers to availability of science-based mental health interventions.

Making Your Blog More Professional

When it comes to the world of blogging everyone and their dog has a blog, but only very few make it into the big bucks. Many people can earn an okay living, working with brands, getting paid for writing content and links. And that is great, but what about making sure that when you are creating things for your blog, they are eye-catching and useful? It isn’t just about what you say it is also about how you present it. If you have a black webpage with tiny yellow typeface no one is going to stick around to see how to make a million bucks, are they? No. When it comes to the design of a blog, it should be clean, professional, and mobile-friendly. But, what else? Let’s take a look.

Font

Use a clear font, and once you have found the one that works for you, you should be using it across all of your content. If you struggle to find what you like in terms of the font, then take a peek at the typeface app to help you select the perfect font, and then create assets to use across your channels.

Clutter

Get rid of the clutter. While you might be looking to make your blog your primary source of income, having a lot of inline ads, pop-ups and other flashy items are likely to put your reader off. You can buy (or write the code for) a theme that will have dedicated spaced for ads. They will maximize your income without cluttering up your content. If in doubt? Put them in the sidebar.

Images

Use full-width images. Having beautifully written content, filled with emotion or information will go to waste if your images are fixed width and small. The flow of the material, pretty much any content, will be much better when you use full-width images. It is much more aesthetically pleasing. Uniformity is beautiful.

Fold

You need to utilize above the fold. If you have a really large header, and then some adverts, you are forcing people to scroll down to read your content. It isn’t always a bad thing but think about how often you scroll down. Any content above the fold needs to be the hook, you need to tell people WHY they need to read the rest of the post. What does scrolling down give them?

Tests

Test it all out at least once a week. The code for some themes changes, plugins change, and everything updates. If you aren’t checking in on the content, you might find that people are having problems you weren’t aware of. When you perform a check use the menu to navigate through the blog, try scrolling down and see at what point your pop-ups arrive. All of this will benefit or inhibit your readers. The user experience is essential.

A well-presented blog will be a springboard to more. You might like to think of it as a continually updating CV where people can see your style, your writing, your ability to design and your understanding of SEO.

Resolution: Make 2019 Your Healthy Brain Year

Guest Post By Eddie Fatakhov M.D. (a.k.a. Dr. Fat-Off) Before 2018 is firmly in the rearview mirror most people around the world will participate in the honored tradition of defining their New Year’s resolutions. While there are many intentions that might be spoken but not kept, there is one that is well worth the effort. If you follow through on one resolution this year let it be improving your overall brain health.

Here are 4 simple ways and 4 tasty foods that will help clear your brain fog in 2019 to ensure your new year is the best, and most productive, it can be.

4 SIMPLE WAYS TO BOOST YOUR BRAIN POWER

Some of the easiest ways to enhance brain function can be found in simple lifestyle changes. Making lifestyle changes are a great way to improve overall health but the following methods are especially beneficial to the brain.

1.) Get more sleep Sleep is an amazing tool that is too frequently neglected. If you can add more sleep into your daily routine you will find a marked improvement in your overall ability to concentrate, make decisions, and manage stress.

2.) Speaking of reducing stress… A simple way to eliminate stress is to start by recognizing and addressing it. It’s easy to say “work, kids, and life stress me out” but if you take a second to identify these stresses individually you will find that they are easier to manage. When the stress creeps up try breathing. Breathing exercises can instantly extinguish your stress fuses.

3.) Exercise - It’s not what you think  Like lifestyle change, exercise is key to overall health but the amount of exercise needed to give you clarity is fairly small. Brain benefitting exercise can be as simple as walking for a few minutes or taking the stairs. Try setting a timer for ten minutes while working on an intense work project. If you take time to stand, stretch, and move when the timer goes off you could find that your mental clarity improves when you resume.

4.) Diet makes a difference Help your brain with what you eat. If you eat processed, high in sugar, or fast food you are adding obstacles for brain function.

brain food

4 FOODS TO BOOST YOUR BRAIN POWER

While there is no food to make your brain function like a well oiled machine all day, there are some that have benefits such as added energy. This increase in energy can be the kick your brain needs to stay on task, work harder, and smarter.

1.) Vegetables - the greener the better Vegetables make great daily snacks, not only for your waistline but also for your energy. Not all vegetables are created equal so look for the ones with the most chlorophyll. Chlorophyll is what makes plants green. It is also a great tool for getting oxygen into your blood, providing our cells with a good source of energy, which is great for brain function. Here are some good-for-your-brain greens: kale, Swiss chard, wheatgrass, and arugula. There are also some nutrient-rich algae to consider such as spirulina and chlorella (available in supplemental powders - add them to smoothies or fruity yogurt).

4. Carbs! The good-for-you kind

A lot of messaging says to ditch the carbs but in the process you are losing some serious brain support fuel. You can have carbs as long as they are the right ones. Think complex carbs a.k.a. - steel-cut oats, sweet potatoes, and whole wheat bread. These carbs give you glucose energy but have a low glycemic index (GI) - the rate at which food sugar enters cells. Low GI foods are better for keeping energy higher longer.

3. Fatty Acids

DHA Omega-3 fatty acids (found in fish - salmon, sardines, tuna, mackerel, and trout) and brain function go hand in hand. DHA is not something we naturally create in our bodies but adding it through our diet can support vital brain function like memory.

In addition to fish DHA can be found in seeds such as flax, chia, and hemp. These are easily added to salads (really green salads), yogurt, smoothies, or cereal. Another great source of DHA comes from the tasty walnut.

4.)  Foods high in benefits and nutrients Here are some foods that are growing in popularity for their health (and brain) benefits due to increased energy and more.

MacaMaca (a kale cousin) is common in Peruvian cooking for its many health benefits such as increased libido, lower blood pressure, and increased energy and endurance. As we have already discussed, increased energy can be a big brain benefit. If maca is utilized as a daily supplement positive side effects can be seen. Because it’s often offered as a nutty flavored powder maca is easily incorporated into most beverages or breakfast cereal.

Bee PollenBee Pollen is very high in B vitamins and all amino acids. This is important because B vitamins and amino acids are big energy creators due to the fact that they increase red blood cell count which, in turn, increases oxygenated blood.

Chocolate Before your chocolate bar becomes a sweet treat it starts as cacao (the raw bean form). This natural bean is packed with brain powering magnesium and phenylethylamine compounds (PEA) that stimulate the central nervous system. This all adds up to more focus! Cacao also contains flavonoids - brain good antioxidants. To get the best form of cacao look for organic or vegan chocolate bars. They usually have what you want without all the additives.

SOURCES:

• https://www.uofmhealth.org/health-library/uz2255

• https://www.whychlorophyll.com/blog-entries/2017/6/18/green-foods-may-power-your-cells-like-plants

• https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322511.php

• https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/bee-pollen

• http://www.thehoneybees.com/pollen.html

• http://www.glycemicindex.com/

• https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Magnesium-HealthProfessional/

ABOUT DR. FAT-OFF

Eddie Fatakhov, M.D., a.k.a. Dr. Fat-off, is a Board-Certified Physician, Nutritionist, and Best-Selling Author of "The Doctors' Clinic-30 Program. His latest book is “Dr. Fat-Off Simple Life-Long Weight-Loss Solutions.”

Get Writing Again: 10 Tips for Relief from Carpal Tunnel

Ah, the bane of writers everywhere: carpal tunnel! There’s nothing worse than wrist pain. It limits our ability to perform the simplest activities like  cooking or gardening...not to mention typing. Plus, did you know that women are three times more likely to suffer from carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) than men? Boston physical therapist Holly Herman offers the following 10 tips for relief and prevention of CTS:

1. Move only your fingers when typing and keep your wrists straight.

2. Your computer should be at eye level to avoid bending your neck.

3. Stretch your hands and wrists by spreading your fingers wide and then ball them up into a fist every 30 minutes when typing. Repeat five times.

4. Rotate your wrists five times in one direction, then five times in the other direction. These exercises will keep your hands and wrists flexible and decrease the chances of acquiring CTS.

5. Slicing and dicing in the kitchen can put too much strain on the wrist; wear your brace to add extra support.

6. Take frequent breaks from activities that require repetitive motion. Rest, stretch, change positions, or alternate with another activity.

7. Use a wrist brace like Wellgate's Wrist Support at night, when playing sports or exercising to keep the wrist in a neutral position and allow it to rest.

8. A wrist brace should fit well so that you are not fighting against it to move. For every 15 degrees that the wrist is bent forward or back, extra pressure is placed on the median nerve as it passes through the carpal tunnel. A wrist brace is recommended for carpal tunnel because it holds the wrist and eases the pressure in a neutral position (straight, not bent forward or back) giving the nerve the most room in the tunnel.

9. Most people tend to sleep with their wrists bent forward causing numbness and tingling associated with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome that can wake us up at night. Wearing a brace when sleeping can help prevent the symptoms of carpal tunnel caused by the wrist being in a bent forward position.

10. Holding the phone all day can cause undue stress on the wrist. Switch to a headset or wear your brace to help prevent CTS and alleviate neck and upper back pain.

What You Need for an Easier Freelancing Life

Freelancing is far from being easy. You know that. I know that. Working for yourself means you’re totally responsible for the outcome. You have no-one to push you to meet your deadlines and there’s no salary to protect you when you can’t get the work in. So, what tools can make your freelancing life a little less stressful? I got you, fam.

A Good Calendar

When you work for yourself, it’s important to manage your time well. Managing your business in a chaotic style will only lead to you dropping balls and disappointing clients.

Having a calendar tool you can rely on will help you to remember important meetings and dates without having to store all the information in your head. You can set reminders on your calendar, so you receive alerts when something important is coming up.

Google Calendar is free and you can sync it across various platforms, so you can easily add dates and you can view it on your computer, tablet, phone, etc. You can also use it to send meeting reminders to clients.

If you like non-digital calendars, I recommend the Living Well Planner. It has spots to plan your goals every month, to-do lists, must-do lists and more. It's what I use every day. Here are a bunch of similar planners on Amazon.

IT Solutions

Many freelancers rely heavily on IT to produce their work, connect with clients or colleagues and start new contracts. Having an IT problem can really set your work back, meaning you earn less.

Using managed IT services can be a godsend when you aren’t confident in trouble shooting. It’s one of the best ways to fix problems, find out what’s working for you and what’s not and keep things rolling when you take vacations. You can also get a digital personal assistant like Fin to figure out the fixes for you.

Communication

It’s all good and well using email as a way of communication, but if you’re working online day in and day out, there are far better tools.

Websites, like Basecamp for example, are ideal for communicating with clients via message and uploading or downloading work files. It’s a great way of knowing your files have been sent and received, rather than wondering about emails.

Productivity and Finance

Once you’ve got your freelance business up and running, it’s important to monitor how well you’re doing. Productivity and finance tools can show you how your business performs over set periods of time.

You may notice patterns you aren’t happy with and can rectify once you see them. It’s a good way of keeping track of the money you have coming in too. It’s ideal for keeping track of the taxes you’re likely to pay at the end of the financial year.

Social Media Management

There aren’t many businesses out there that are surviving without social media. It’s the best way of getting free advertisement and targeting a specific audience. However, social media can be another large task on your to-do list that you just don’t need.

Social media management tools can advise you on when and where you should be posting, and you can even write/create your posts in advance, ready for posting at a later date. That way, you can have all your posts for the coming month ready and waiting, and you don’t have to think about it as you’re working on client projects.

These kinds of tools make working in any capacity a lot less stressful, and there are plenty more out there!

Lifestyle Changes That Will Boost A Writer’s Bank Balance

When you make the leap as a professional writer, it’s easy to see the big things as the stuff that holds you back. The amount you charge per piece is going to have a big impact relative to your personality. In every way, it makes sense because what you charge directly impacts your bottom line. The way you carry yourself affects your profit margins too. To quote Samuel L Jackson, personality goes a long way. Making small changes to your how you handle the public can be the difference between success and failure.

You can find ways to better how the public sees you, below.

Develop Organizational Skills

It may feel like a hobby still, but the reality is this freelance writing business is your main source of income. As a result, it’s crucial you treat it like you would any other job so others will see you as a professional. That means creating budgets and tracking expenses to ensure every penny you spend isn’t a waste. Act like a boss and others will, too.

Yes, taking control and promising to do better is one way to grab the bull by the horns. Try using a mobile app like Personal Capital reviews, Mint and Quicken,  can keep tabs on on accounts via a mobile device. So, all it takes is a single download.

Take Action

As a self-employed person, there will be times when clients fail to pay on time. Although it’s inevitable, it’s frustrating when it happens because they didn’t keep their end of the bargain. It’s worse when they drag their feet. Some companies and individuals do it because they are disorganized, yet others know they can get away with delaying. Don't lose your cool. That's a bad look and makes you seem unprofessional.

The only way these people get the message to pay is with solid action, such as threatening a lawsuit. Here's an example: 

Dear (Client),

It has come to my attention that you have failed to pay the balance of ($$$) for the work (name of article, etc.) completed on (date). I am informing you that you have no legal right to use the work until the balance is paid in full. If you refuse to pay the full amount by (deadline), I will be forced to take unpleasant measures. Step one will be to alert the Better Business Bureau. Step two will be to leave an unflattering review on Yelp of your business. Step three will be to contact my lawyer.

I am awaiting payment.

(Provide payment details here, such as your address or PayPal info.)

Thank you for your prompt payment,

(Name)

Figure Out Relative Savings

You spend time figuring out what printer ink to buy and how to save a small amount on business cards, but the big things you ignore. Remember that saving 5% on $1,000 isn’t the same as saving 5% on $500. Airline tickets are a prime example.

Understand the need to cut back on the big things and let the little stuff slide is a lifestyle change that is pretty straightforward and can make your seem more control in your business. All you need to do is to single out the large, expensive items and do your research. 

Understand the Need For Quality

Some things are too good to pass up on as a writer. Take your laptop as an illustration. You may have spent time trying to slash the final cost to save money, but it will it help in the long-term? A device which constantly breaks down only adds to the expenses column as it needs repairing and you lose earnings. Constantly missing deadlines because of faulty equipment makes you look cheap and flakey to clients, too. Even though the initial price is high, it’s better to splash out a little extra cash now for quality to make more money in the future.

How does your lifestyle impact your career salary?

FlexJobs’ Survey Finds Some Fascinating Facts About Freelancers

Boulder, CO, Dec 4, 2018 -- Today FlexJobs released new insights from its November 2018 survey, which gathered responses from nearly 1,000 freelancers about key topics related to their freelance career, lifestyle and workstyle. Based on this survey, the profile of the average worker who freelances as their sole source of income is a female Gen Xer working in the writing, marketing, editing, and creative career fields, primarily for small companies and individuals, juggling 2-3 gigs at a time. She freelances by choice, has been freelancing for at least three years although has also worked at a traditional company, and envisions continuing her freelance career for the long-term.

“Some might think the freelance economy is growing because workers can’t find traditional jobs, but recent studies clearly indicate that workers are freelancing more and more out of choice -- they are proactively opting out of the traditional workforce,” said Sara Sutton, founder and CEO of FlexJobs. “This growing interest in and passion for the freelance economy is yet another indication that the 9-5 office arrangement isn’t compatible with much of the workforce’s lifestyle. In fact, only six percent say their freelance lifestyle wouldn’t be a big deal for them to give up, citing critical reasons such as maintaining work-life balance and having ownership over their flexible schedule,” Sutton concluded.

Interesting Freelancing Facts

Interesting highlights from workers that freelance as their sole source of income include:

• More members of gen Xers (35%) and the baby boomer generation (33%) are freelancing as their sole source of income than millennials (22%)

• The majority choose to freelance rather than have a traditional office job (63%)

• Only 19% work more than 40 hours a week (the average American works 44 hours per week)

• They work primarily for small companies (55%) and individuals (52%)

• 40% have 2-3 active gigs at one time; 23% focus on one gig at a time and 6% juggle more than 6 at a time

• They find their clients primarily through networking (63%) and job sites (47%). 37% use social media

• 83% do most of their work at home, not at a coffee shop or co-working space

• 82% don’t use a use an outside service for bookkeeping purposes, such as to collect payments or track invoices

• Only one-third have an official website to support their freelance business

• Online courses (65%) and on the job (59%) are the primary ways they develop their professional skills

• One quarter make more money as a freelancer than they did working a traditional job and 21% make similar amounts of money

• Even though 52% make less money as a freelancer than they did working a traditional job, 68% are less stressed

• Approximately half are saving for retirement (49%) and 69% have health insurance

• Just 5% worry a lot that being a freelancer will hurt their career progression

• Their biggest challenges are finding clients (69%) and predictable income flow (69%)

• Freelancers without children are choosing to freelance rather than have a traditional job at a higher rate (48%) than freelancers with children 18 and under (38%)

• People without children aren’t as worried that being a freelancer will hurt their career progression or prospects as freelancers with children. When asked if they worry a lot about this, 73% of freelancers without kids said not really vs only 59% of freelancers with kids who said they were not really worried.

Visit https://www.flexjobs.com/blog/post/freelance-survey-results-plus-companies-hiring-freelancers/  for the full report.

Places that Hire Freelancers

To help freelancers interested in finding freelance jobs, FlexJobs has also compiled the Top 30 Companies Hiring Freelance Jobs in 2018. Robert Half International, K12, and Facebook are among those hiring a high volume of freelancers this year. The list is based on an analysis of freelance job listings from over 50,000 companies in the FlexJobs database between Jan. 1, 2018 - Oct 31, 2018.

About FlexJobs

FlexJobs is committed to helping people find a better way to work. As the leading online service for professionals seeking remote, flexible schedule, part-time, and freelance jobs, FlexJobs offers opportunities in over 50 career categories, ranging from entry-level and executive to freelance and full-time. FlexJobs also sets itself apart by providing job seekers with a better, safer, and more efficient way to find professional and legitimate flexible jobs. Having helped over 3 million people in their job searches, FlexJobs has appeared in CNN, CNBC, Time, Forbes, the Wall Street Journal, Fast Company, and hundreds of other trusted media outlets. To further assist people in bettering their lives through flexible and remote work, FlexJobs' founder and CEO, Sara Sutton, has also launched two additional partner sites, Remote.co and 1 Million for Work Flexibility, to help provide education and awareness about the viability and benefits of remote working and work flexibility. Sutton is also the creator of The TRaD* Works Forum (*Telecommuting, Remote, & Distributed), dedicated to helping companies leverage the benefits of telecommuting, remote, and distributed teams.

Writers, Here are 10 Mistakes You Might Be Making at the Gym this New Year's

As writers begin to think about New Year’s resolutions and fitness goals, remember just paying for a membership doesn’t guarantee the results you want.

Many people (including us writers) start their year off buying a gym membership and new gym attire. While the first step to transforming your body is, in fact, deciding to commit to restructuring your lifestyle at the gym and in the kitchen, it is common for people to make mistakes that jeopardize their progress. These mistakes can chip away at their enthusiasm to work out and ultimately result in people giving up on their goals.

“As a trainer, my job consists of helping clients assess where they are and where they want to be. Giving them a clear pathway helps avoid mistakes that often cause people to quit too soon and forfeit their goals,” says Vince Sant, the co-founder and lead trainer of V Shred, the online training platform that has taken the world by storm in recent years.

Vince says these are some of the most common mistakes people make when starting off their fitness journey.

1. Failing to Assess Your Body

“Trainers and gym staff see this all the time. People who are new to working out and  get a few workouts from a friend and head into the gym without analyzing their bodies with a trainer.” This becomes harmful because these people are not trained to pinpoint their body’s imbalances, where their weaknesses lie and how their body is compensating subconsciously.  “They go to the gym pay for the membership and spend months doing exercises incorrectly and damaging their joints and their back.”

1. Failing to Set Realistic Goals

Nowadays a lot of people scroll through social media and try and mimic the amount of weight being lifted and want a six pack in two weeks. Contrary to popular belief, fitness models and trainers don’t start off deadlifting 200 lbs. They train for months, maybe years, perfecting their form. When you set major goals with an unrealistic time frame you are setting yourself up for disappointment. “A lot of what a trainer does is manage your goals and give you honest timelines to get you there. We cheerlead you through the rough times and the plateaus,” says Sant.

1. Consistency is Key

New gym goers lose their excitement over working out a few weeks in. They start skipping workouts and making excuses. This will add to the time it will take for you to reach your goals and may even hinder your enthusiasm overall. Push yourself through the first few months of working out and eating nutritiously. Make a habit out of working out. Consistency will become easier once you start seeing those desired results

1. Delaying Your Workouts Into The Night

We get it. People work tremendously hard and they have errands to run and people to care for. People want to sleep as much as possible. “Here’s a pro tip: If you want consistency to be an easier hurdle to overcome… Plan to workout in the morning. In life, things come up and schedules change. The morning will always be more available than your night. We also tend to make more excuses at night and let things override our plans to work out,” says Sant.

1. Giving Up When You Hit A Plateau

If you hit a plateau it means you have consistently been doing the same routine for an extended period of time. Kudos for the consistency, but that is just one part of getting the results you want. “You need to learn or get guidance on how to effectively change your workouts to continue challenging your muscles and prevent your body from falling into a comfort zone with your regular routine,” explains Sant.

1. Overdoing the Cardio

Don’t misunderstand, cardio is an important part of any fitness journey especially one that is centered around weight loss. However, in the eagerness of the first few weeks people who start going to the gym concentrate overwhelmingly on cardio and needlessly exhaust their body. Trainers see it all the time, people who spend 2 hours on the elliptical. You’d be better served to do a 30-minute cardio session followed by light weights and circuit training. Remember you want to strengthen the muscle as well.

1. Unorganized Lifting

When you are working on weight training you have to educate yourself on what exercises belong in a superset together and how much is wise to lift when shooting for a certain amount of repetitions. “Gym goers often lift too heavy making it difficult to complete a set or too light, failing to challenge the muscle,” says Sant. It is important that you don’t lift too heavy out of vanity and that you don’t too light out of laziness. When doing supersets (two different movements, one after the other you without rest it is important that you learn about the movements that go together as one might affect your form for the other and open you up for injury.

1. Record Your Progress

Failing to record the amount of weights and repetitions per set that you can lift per movement easily leads to plateaus and lack of interest. If you don’t record what you are doing then you have no way of increasing intensity meaning you will not get any better. “Working out without a clear goal for each movement can become boring. You lose interest and consciousness about what you are doing. Record what you are doing, perform it consistently and then increase intensity to avoid plateaus.

1. Stretch

For many, stretching is common sense. Many people still ignore the importance of it. Working out without stretching can lead to reduced muscle mind connection, poor form and muscle strain. Stretching helps your range of motion and aids in preparing you mentally and physically for the workout ahead.

1. Failing to take an Active Rest Day

Many people go all out the first few weeks of their fitness training looking desperately for quick results. This is not wise. Taking a rest day allows your muscles to heal. An active rest day is a day where instead of training at full power you incorporate some sort of low-intensity cardio or HIIT training. This way you keep your body active and don’t let any soreness settle in while still resting from your much more comprehensive workouts.

It is important that before beginning a fitness journey you assess where you are and where you want to be. Seek out help from trainers at your gym or through an individualized online program like V Shred.

25 Super Fun Gifts for Writers in 2018

Gifts for writers that they'll actually want and that I actually use in my own home office.

I know shopping for writers can be difficult. We are a peculiar breed. So, I came up with an unusual idea. I looked around my office and compiled a list of all my favorite things. Then, I made an Amazon storefront where you can find all of the items, together, to make shopping a lot easier.

Yes, this is an affiliate link, but everything in my storefront is something I love and use as a writer. I also included little notes on each product to let you know which features I find particularly useful.

Plus, I added items that are super affordable and ones that are a little more luxurious so you can find the perfect gift that fits your budget.

Pro Tip: Don't be afraid to give a writer pens, markers and notebooks. Every writer I know is thrilled with this type of gift, even if they have dozens already!

Ready to check these gift ideas out? Here's the link:

No Fluff Writer Amazon Store

Don't forget! A perfect gift for the freelance writer in your life, or yourself, is my book The Fluff-Free Freelance Writing Master Course Workbook.

Add More Strings… Other Job Types For The Freelance Blogger

Let's make no bones about it, being a freelancer is hard, very hard. There can be times when we feel that it's just too much, fighting incessantly for that next contract, or we don't have the perks and protection that's offered by the vast majority of permanent jobs. And when we are a freelance writer, we can feel bound by limitations in terms of our skills. After all, freelance writing is a job that's very specific, and when you look at the other jobs out there in the big wide world, you have to have an additional set of skills. But let's realistically look at what we can all do.

Creating Your Own Work

Yes, it would seem to be the easier option on paper, because you have that creative freedom. But to get to that point, it takes a lot of legwork. You could run your own business, and use the experience you've gained as a writer to provide material for other websites, but it's not just about building up a name for yourself, you need some money behind you to cope with the almighty pressures of running a business.

Technologically speaking, you may require a server, especially if you are looking at managing a pool of writers with your own specific writing portals, and you can purchase a cheap VPS to accomplish this, but it's a lot of effort at the outset. And before we become self-sufficient, we have to find other ways to earn money in the meantime.

Similar Skills In Different Arenas…

If you feel your skills are limited, because you only write blogs, it's not too difficult to branch out. One of the best options, especially if you feel that you are running dry in a creative sense, is beta reading. This is where you can use your experience to critique other writers’ works. This can be done in a workshop scenario, but there are also plenty of resources online. In addition to this, agency work, especially in the SEO sector, can be a simple stepping stone.

If you feel that writing has become a solitary pursuit, and you're struggling to manage your time in your home environment, there is nothing wrong with working with an SEO agency; working with other people can reinvigorate your creativity.

That's the big problem with working at home under your own steam; you can struggle to keep yourself focused. One of the solutions to this would be to continue to freelance, but take on more than you think you're physically able to do. This might sound counterproductive, but if you take on a little bit more, instead of procrastinating all day, you have to focus on getting these tasks completed in a good time. Because if you have one article to complete today, by searching for additional freelance work, and having, say three articles to complete, you can feel motivated, not just financially, but there's no time to stop and think about what you’re doing, so you then enter the flow state.

There are plenty of options for you, even if you think you don't have the necessary skills. And while writing can seem like one string to a bow, in this competitive world, take this as a lesson that you do need to add more strings!

Promotional Writing: Do's & Don'ts

Promotional writing is one of the most common forms of writing, but also one of the most difficult to do well. Unlike any other kind, promotional writing has to strike a balance -- you have to sell, but not too much. You have to be informative, but not to a point you render the item or service you are promoting irrelevant.

Achieving this balance is undeniably challenging, and one that many writers struggle with every time they try. However, while promotional writing is tricky, it’s also undoubtedly rewarding. If you can master the art of promotional writing, you can leverage this to your benefit; you could create and monetize a blog in order to generate a reliable income stream, or even look into copywriting for businesses. In order to help you achieve these goals, below, we’ve put together a list of “do’s” and “don’ts” that form the backbone of all good promotional writing…

Do… give people a reason to read

The key to promotional writing is to… not write promotionally.

Confused?

This statement may sound like nonsense, but there’s some real truth behind it: good promotional writing shouldn’t immediately be identifiable as promotional writing. Try to write as you normally would, rather than focusing on “converting” - readers can tell when they’re being sold to, so subtlety is always the best choice.

Don’t… oversell

If you’re promoting a product in order to earn revenue via affiliate marketing, then you’re going to want to write positively about that product - but don’t overdo it. There’s a difference between “positive and enthusiastic” and “laying it on too thick” - emphasize the good points you want to talk about, don’t write paragraph after paragraph about small, unimportant features or how a product or service changed your life. Again, subtlety is the key.

Do… make it useful and/or entertaining

When you write a promotional piece, ask yourself why someone would read it. If the only reason is “because they would learn more about this product or service I’m promoting”, then that’s a problem. All promotional writing should also be fun to read to read, or useful to the reader outside of the promotional information.

Don’t… fail to disclose

If you are writing copy directly for a company - as in, the company are paying you directly for the piece - then you don’t need to worry about disclosure.

However, if you are writing for the purpose of generating income through affiliate links, then you do need to disclose this. The laws regarding how you should disclose vary from country to country, so double-check for your specific area and ensure you follow the recommended disclosure policy accordingly.

Promotional writing can be one of the best ways of earning an income from your work, but can be notoriously difficult to get right. If you keep the above “do’s” and “don’ts” in mind, and keep practicing and refining your technique, you should find that you are able to master promotional writing once and for all.