Loosely Speaking

AUGUST 6, 2009

If you’re a VA in the area interested in participating in this FREE event, drop me a line at ktcosmos at LooseEnds dot net and I’ll send you the particulars. Break out session signups are underway: contact katiecosmos-at-looseends-dot-net if you would like to register. All room reservations are made directly through the hotel.

2009 100

2009 Agenda Social Media Phones 100

Men With Pens

JUNE 9, 2010

It’s not a bad idea to keep an eye on what the success stories are up to today, but if you’re really looking to learn something useful (and reduce your stress levels), then you need to go back in time. This guy isn’t superhuman. The problem with this is that… You’re looking at the wrong part of his success.

Learning 40

Learning 2010 AT&T Goals 40

Service Untitled

JANUARY 15, 2010

Home About Service Untitled Subscribe for Free Consulting Contact Archives How to diffuse an angry customer Cheryl January 15, 2010 Angry Customers , Customer Service , Etiquette 3 Comments A friend of mine purchased a pair of shoes from a popular discount shoe store in our local area. I’ve responded to your article here.

Customer Service 40

Customer Service Etiquette Purchasing 2010 40

Men With Pens

FEBRUARY 18, 2010

One was a conversation with James, who commented on one of my blogs that many copywriters aren’t good with numbers. I know that many writers aren’t great with numbers or comfortable talking about money. I know that many writers aren’t great with numbers or comfortable talking about money. Working for $5?

Elance 40

Elance AT&T Phones Policies 40

Men With Pens

MARCH 3, 2010

There’s a fire to put out – you can’t just let it burn! In 95% of all rush cases, people sound urgent but almost all of them won’t blow at you when you say you can’t get to it right away. They can wait, or they can go elsewhere, but they sure can’t be mad at you for being helpful and willing.

2010 40

2010 AT&T Policies Confidence 40

Men With Pens

FEBRUARY 28, 2010

Why don’t you feel successful? There has to be something you’re not doing right, because when you look at other successful people you admire, they don’t look tired at all. You try to learn the secret , because there’s obviously something you haven’t figured out yet. Emails bombard you.

2010 40

2010 AT&T Email Policies 40

Men With Pens

MARCH 21, 2010

There’s a lot more to writing web copy than that – and you’ll learn it from cars. You haven’t accurately represented the person behind the wheel. Portray it as something else, and those customers won’t stick around. Because they won’t know what they’ll get next time. It’s good advice.

2010 40

2010 AT&T USPS Clothes 40

Men With Pens

APRIL 6, 2010

You aren’t going to go find a class to attend. Even if I there weren’t exercises or worksheets, though, it’s pretty easy to set your own assignments. Actually, we’re happy to put ourselves forward as the expert for anyone who wants to learn how to start your kick-ass web writer business. That’s okay. But beyond that!

2010 40

2010 AT&T Mentoring Learning 40

Men With Pens

MARCH 28, 2010

Don’t run out and hire a consultant just yet. The advice you get might be rock-solid, but if it just isn’t applicable to your business model, that good advice becomes as good as useless. I don’t recommend it. You shouldn’t have to explain how freelancers work. But hang on a second.

Lifestyle 40

Lifestyle 2010 AT&T Expenses 40

Men With Pens

APRIL 1, 2010

If you’re don’t have a website, what are you waiting for? Just don’t lose site of the fact that you earn money as a freelancer and not as a blogger. If you can’t write helpful advice a few times a month about the problem you aim to solve as a freelancer, you might just be in the wrong business.

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2010 AT&T Email Twitter 40

Men With Pens

APRIL 18, 2010

For example, threaded comments wasn’t the norm a year ago. Joy ( @leslieajoy ) April 19, 2010 at 2:06 am I think that in the same way it’s suggested that writers set aside time each day to write, everyone (bloggers or non-bloggers), should set aside some time each day for learning and keeping up on new trends. Great post.

2010 40

2010 AT&T Learning UPS 40

Men With Pens

JULY 18, 2010

While training for competition, I learned many valuable lessons (beyond the kind that made sure you didn’t canter off to your death). By the time you lift your head up, you might be mightily surprised to realize you need to check your speed or make a sharp turn – and you aren’t ready. But I digress. The result?

2010 40

2010 AT&T Confidence Learning 40

Men With Pens

MARCH 4, 2010

So why aren’t you? When you don’t have enough work, you can ask if these people have something you can help them out with. You don’t have to put your business on hold and lose money. Each of you does more of what you love and less of what you don’t. Use this to your advantage.

2010 40

2010 AT&T Skills Social Media 40

Men With Pens

MAY 11, 2010

You probably didn’t know about this treasure, because I forgot to blog about it. You probably didn’t know about this treasure, because I forgot to blog about it. There’s even been talk of audio bandied about, but that discussion happened over a glass of Shiraz and can’t be considered a reliable rumour.

2010 40

2010 AT&T Promotion Goals 40

Men With Pens

APRIL 20, 2010

And what makes them especially great is that sometimes, they don’t know all the answers. Those blogs are worth their weight in gold (unless you’re the kind who learns from the School of Hard Knocks). Look at the people who have almost obsessive cult-followings. We don’t like the people who have achieved perfection.

2010 40

2010 AT&T Self Esteem Learning 40

Men With Pens

NOVEMBER 22, 2009

We have learned nothing since then. Don’t bother looking. It’s most certainly not available at one single price for life without fear of it ever being jacked three times higher when you weren’t looking. Feel strong desire to go and buy mysterious book that doesn’t exist. Vicious lies. Yeah, right.

2009 40

2009 Gossip AT&T Purchasing 40

Men With Pens

MAY 23, 2010

In most part, I had a lot of fun reading through applications and learning more about people. It isn’t just there to look snazzy. A job ad is there to give you useful, helpful information so that you can see if you’re a good match and to help you apply in a way that doesn’t annoy the hell out of us. DO be sane.

2010 40

2010 AT&T Self Esteem Email 40

Men With Pens

DECEMBER 20, 2009

You don’t have to panic and stop the presses, but you do have to point out the storm clouds looming on the horizon. If you shortchange yourself and have ask for a second extension because you aren’t quite up to snuff yet, your clients aren’t going to be nearly as nice about it. Right away. Mention it.

2009 40

2009 AT&T 2010 Holidays 40

Men With Pens

APRIL 11, 2010

It’d be nice to have a website, but I don’t really need one. I’m not here to push people into doing something they don’t want to do or don’t need to do. That wasn’t the case here. But he didn’t have the right motivation to make the decision to get online. Having a website?

2010 40

2010 AT&T Expenses Social Media 40

Men With Pens

DECEMBER 22, 2009

Don’t drink too much eggnog on your well-deserved break! But if you end up gaining a few extra lbs, don’t hesitate to give me call. Too bad Santa can’t deliver the Stanley Cup to the Habs huh? See you back here on January 4, everyone. Looking forward to seeing you again next year! (((((hugs))))) to everyone!

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2009 Holidays 2010 AT&T 40

Men With Pens

DECEMBER 13, 2009

You put hours of effort and study into learning a certain subject inside and out. You probably can’t remember when you last put the knowledge you learned in university to work in your everyday business affairs. You’ve probably forgotten half of what you learned, too. After all, you don’t need it, right?

2009 40

2009 AT&T Learning Resume 40

Men With Pens

NOVEMBER 29, 2009

Don’t do that. I am sure I wasn’t being to hard on my readers but maybe I was being to ‘me too!’ Confidence is great but don’t be arrogant. I wouldn’t put them down or make them feel bad or inferior. Hey, look, you could not hire me. You don’t want to be one of those people, do you?”

Confidence 40

Confidence 2009 Self Esteem AT&T 40

Men With Pens

JANUARY 17, 2010

I don’t do that, because I know you don’t like it.}&# You can also point at your competitors and say, “See what they don’t there? Melinda | SuperWAHM ( @superwahm1 ) January 18, 2010 at 2:17 am I don’t have that much direct competition. We don’t always know what we are capable of and lose sight of that fact.

2010 40

2010 AT&T Confidence UPS 40

Men With Pens

APRIL 15, 2010

It shouldn’t have surprise me at all, really – I’ve been writing six to ten blog posts a week, every week, for at least eighteen months. The problem was that I couldn’t see how I’d improved. The problem was that I couldn’t see how I’d improved. We stare at blank screens. We chew pencils.

2010 40

2010 AT&T Keyboards Confidence 40

Men With Pens

JULY 14, 2010

But I, in my infinite mercy, shall now reveal to you the 7 keys for breaking the bonds of this earth and ascending in glory to the pantheon of six-figure writers who … Okay, even I can’t continue with that silly metaphor. VISIBILITY Clients can’t hire you if they can’t “see&# you. You have to be visible.

2010 40

2010 AT&T Fax Social Media 40

Men With Pens

MARCH 25, 2010

I’m happiest when he says nice things like, “It’s fun to write for your readers – I feel like I can let loose in a way I don’t in other places.&# They don’t care about the artistry. They aren’t looking for beauty. This isn’t to say that copywriting can’t be well-crafted.

2010 40

2010 AT&T Email Agencies 40

Men With Pens

JUNE 27, 2010

Admitting that your sleep patterns are all screwed up and that you can’t hack it? Kind of stupid, don’t you think? But many freelancers just don’t follow that oh-so-simple-and-sage advice. But don’t take my word for it. Doesn’t work? Yes, it hurt. And stop grinning at me.

2010 40

2010 AT&T Health Stress 40

Men With Pens

APRIL 22, 2010

They say that you need to find affiliates to promote your work so that you don’t have to work as hard, which is also true. What they don’t tell you is that in order to do any of these things you should do, you need to master something else first – something more intangible, something more than a skill. Get branding.

Confidence 40

Confidence 2010 AT&T Skills 40

Men With Pens

APRIL 8, 2010

I personally love Evernote, which I noticed wasn’t on the list. The Internet is home to many tools that will assist you in saving your favorite websites, keeping track of your appointments, making mind maps, taking notes and creating notes to keep you on track. Use it when shopping online or planning a trip. Thanks for sharing.

2010 40

2010 Dropbox Google Calendars 40

Men With Pens

MARCH 2, 2010

You see, new freelancers don’t really know the value of their skills, or feel they can’t charge more because they don’t have experience, or they can’t figure out what the current industry rate for what they do might be. Generally, most people won’t complain.

2010 40

2010 AT&T Skills Salary 40

Men With Pens

MARCH 1, 2010

If you don’t give yourself one, you’ll subconsciously start creating your own breaks – by cutting corners, skimping on quality, rushing projects. You won’t even realize you’re doing it. Your clients won’t be as satisfied as before, and they won’t speak well of your services to others.

Self Esteem 40

Self Esteem 2010 AT&T Confidence 40

Men With Pens

MAY 2, 2010

We just don’t see it. You can’t wing it. This isn’t about grabbing the first freelancer that catches your eye. Don’t wait until they just happen to notice you. Words are everywhere. All these words are there for a reason. They’re trying to reach us in some way, to give us a message.

2010 40

2010 AT&T Calendars Verizon 40

Men With Pens

JUNE 13, 2010

Well, Dean came through with flying colors and sent me half the interview – by the time I hit the end, I couldn’t wait to read the rest. And you’ll learn why right here in this valuable interview with a pro copywriter. But you can’t personally be responsible for whether your client is truthful or not.

2010 40

2010 Interviewing AT&T Phones 40

Men With Pens

APRIL 4, 2010

The Business Consultant A business consultant’s job is to look over your whole business and see 1) what isn’t doing so well, 2) where you could be doing better, and 3) what you can do to improve your business to get more sales. Sometimes the little tweaks make a huge difference. We can help. A consultant for consultants?

2010 40

2010 AT&T UPS Interviewing 40

Men With Pens

MAY 16, 2010

Usually, things don’t work that way. If the blog is missing a writer’s guideline page, that doesn’t necessarily mean that a blog doesn’t accept guest posts–but, it could. It’s been a day or two and you haven’t heard back from the editor yet. I mean REALLY read it.

2010 40

2010 AT&T Email Resume 40

Men With Pens

JUNE 23, 2010

Fiction doesn’t pay. You don’t need to be the best fiction writer ever. You’ll find more great advice (and stories worth reading) from Ali over at her blog, Aliventures , a place for thinking people who aren’t satisfied with easy, glib answers. Can we have disco music and flashing lights?) I’m hurt.

2010 40

2010 AT&T UPS Forms 40

Men With Pens

DECEMBER 8, 2009

To hear them tell it, bloggers who don’t give it away have turned positively abusive. It’s certainly courteous to inform readers it’ll happen, and of course if the reader doesn’t want to play by those rules, then that reader doesn’t have to. They are really quite unfriendly about it. Such uncouth behavior.

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2009 AT&T Purchasing Credit Card 40