Comments on: Four Ways to Find Your Business Voice

By: Lori

Lori — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 11:46:09 +0000

Anne, your request is fulfilled. Take a look at today's post. :)

Paula, I hear you. I know at least that much about wireless, but beyond that I'm lost.

By: Paula

Paula — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 20:12:56 +0000

A YouTube video? Remember, I'm our resident Luddite. Like I'd have a webcam or video camera.

Further proof of my Ludditism (it's a word now): Sunday my 9-year old nephew came over and held out his new IPod Touch and said, "Which wireless one do you have?" His younger sister pointed to one of the three choices on the screen and said, "That one's locked - you need a password." He looked up as if to ask, "What's the password?" Me: "Sorry - I don't have wireless anything."

To the kids' credit, they didn't even mention my old-as-dirt CRT TV with the wonky curved line going through it.

By: Anne Wayman

Anne Wayman — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 19:49:48 +0000

Paula gets the gold star for sure.

Could you also do an article on how to run a good phone meeting?

I do a lot of work by phone... interviewing the folks I'm ghosting for and I have to work to keep them on track and down to 30-45 min sessions.

By: Lori

Lori — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 19:05:32 +0000

Oh, I agree, Devon. Every phone cal is charged time and part of the contract.

Get yourself a cold compress, Paula. I think you're having a "spell." LOL

That's a good policy, Cathy. I'd love to see your contract language for that, if you don't mind sharing.

She'll be the next fifteen-minute star, Wade. :)

By: Cathy Miller

Cathy Miller — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 17:00:44 +0000

LOL, Paula -classic! 🙂

By: Wade Finnegan

Wade Finnegan — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 16:26:55 +0000

Paula, I see a youtube video in your future. 🙂

By: Paula

Paula — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 15:35:50 +0000

Comma overload. Prepositional fever.....you're lucky I wasn't sipping my tea when I read that line, Lori!

I now have a fake commercial playing in my head:

"Does comma overload have you down again? Suffering from prepositional fever? Then you need a professional writer. STAT!"

By: Cathy Miller

Cathy Miller — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 13:51:34 +0000

I build phone time into my project fees. The ones that kill you are the unexpected ones – changing the terms, a new vendor/hire they want you to talk strategy with. So, my Statement of Work has been changed to include any calls outside the scope of services has a minimum fee attached to it. It is going on EVERY Statement of Work.

By: Devon Ellington

Devon Ellington — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 13:33:27 +0000

I have a "no phone calls" clause in almost all my contracts. I do NOT to business by phone, except in rare circumstances. I'm actually putting in a "teleconference fee" into upcoming contracts, where I bill phone calls in 15 minute increments, the way lawyers do. I LOATHE the telephone -- if I could get away with it and not have to worry about emergencies, I would get rid of both the landline and the cell phone.

You want to contact me? Email. Letter.

I want everything in writing.

I made an exception with the current ghostwriting client, because she is dyslexic. She can talk the material, and then I rearrange it in her voice so it makes sense. We have parameters and are both organized, so it works for us -- and we laugh a lot.

But most phone conversations are simply a waste of time. If you insist on them, they'll be billed in 15-minute increments, separate from the project fee.