Comments on: Happy Thanksgiving, and… You’re Fired (More on a Tough Economy)

By: Tom Chandler

Tom Chandler — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 16:06:43 +0000

Becca: It’s always scary – especially for new writers – but there are opportunities in downturns, but they’re buried a bit more, and require a bit more work to pitch.

Some clients are looking to try new things (typically cost-effective new things), but they’re not exactly whipping out the checkbook.

By: Becca

Becca — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 01:24:15 +0000

You know, I've had similar things happen to me recently and it's really hard not to get discouraged. But I've had excellent success finding writing opportunities through oDesk and I have to hope that we'll trudge on through this horrid economy and come out on top in the end. All we can do is keep working, and keep our fingers crossed. Tight.

By: Graham Strong

Graham Strong — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 15:21:06 +0000

You raise a good point here Tom. It is easy to say that “marketing” is traditionally the first thing to be slashed in a down economy. But I think that if clients saw direct results from their advertising, like your newsletter client for example, they will be more likely to continue.

“Luxury” marketing, or what you might call “fishing” (at least I would) — well, there is not so much room for that right now. So perhaps it is up to us to advise our clients on which solid, proven marketing strategies need to be kept.

And if you can partner with that client, put your fees at the back-end, and really be financially invested in the success of a campaign — well that’s all the better too. Gives them a whole new level of trust, both in your abilities and in the power of marketing in general.

~Graham

By: Jenny Cromie

Jenny Cromie — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 04:05:27 +0000

Hi Tom,

This is a really good post. Something similar happened to me a couple months ago with one of my anchor clients. The experience really underscored the need to continue marketing and to diversify my freelance portfolio.

Based on this experience and some others, I passed along a few tips to readers in this post: http://tinyurl.com/67vcm5

Anyway, keep focusing on the opportunities. They are definitely out there for freelancers with the right tools, talent, and entrepreneurial spirit!

Jenny Cromie
http://www.thegoldenpencil.com/

By: Tom Chandler

Tom Chandler — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 22:58:13 +0000

@James: Tough times do offer opportunities – especially for selling new (and cost-effective) online technologies to clients loathe to try them when times are good, and exiting media channels are doing “OK.”

@Gloria: Good luck! After a little analysis, one of my consulting clients hot-rodded their e-newsletter efforts by moving from quarterly to monthly. The spreadsheet revealed the spike in revenues that followed every e-newsletter, and it wasn’t hard to convince them the brand benefits and potential revenue increases far outweighed the relatively miniscule costs.

Even in tough times (or should I say especially in tough times), solving problems and tying those solutions to revenue is a tough formula to beat.

By: Gloria Hildebrandt

Gloria Hildebrandt — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 20:34:35 +0000

Similar thing happened to me with a steady client I’ve been working with for the last couple of years, doing a quarterly print & electronic newsletter plus other communications pieces as needed. The designer & I were told the newsletter will be on hold for the first six months of next year. We suggested doing the electronic version only, and remaining available for one-off pieces, but have had no response. We’re going to have to market for more work and be creative about generating projects. Things are likely to get tight & we’ll have to prove ourselves to be better in every way.

By: James Chartrand - Men with Pens

James Chartrand - Men with Pens — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 19:54:02 +0000

Bingo. That was incredibly smart of you, and also generous – should the client accept, he/she may end up earning income that wasn’t there before.

I’m fond of saying that there’s a positive in every negative. Cool to see someone apply the same theory.