Are you an emerging Chicago author looking for promotions? The city would like to sell your donated books. Please contact Danielle Chapman, director of publishing industry programs, at danielle.chapman@cityofchicago.org. For deets, check out a longer post at Litterateur. Good luck, please tell Danielle I sent you, and be sure to post here how it turns out so we may all benefit!
Archive for the ‘Business Stuff’ Category
Today’s Marketing Profs newsletter has some terrific tips from Loren McDonald for making e-newsletters easy to view/read on cell phone screens. Read it here.
Just read a very timely blog post found on Small Biz Resource. Crisis Survival Kit: 10 Ways To Get Paid Faster When the economy is shaky, getting paid is especially crucial for small businesses. Blogger Benjamin Tompkins shares 10 tips…nothing that we don’t already know…but a good reminder to make sure we all cover our tushies!
After weeks of promos telling us to “get ready”, the new Hmm…same day that the market plunges 700+ points. Interesting coincidence. As someone who still really enjoys reading newspapers, here’s my take on the “new” Trib:
I’ll miss the storytelling that makes a wonderful read. But hopefully, the Times and WSJ won’t decide to reinvent themselves any time soon.
You probably already know about the City of Chicago business portal and Department of Business Affairs and Licensing. The Treasurer’s Office also has event and resource information.
I recently stumbled upon the nifty website GreenYour… You enter a word (or phrase) in the search box, and you get a handy list of corresponding green solutions. Just for fun, I entered “nail polish” and got a list of environmentally-friendly nail products (who knew?) Try a search for “business” and you’ll get lots of useful green business solutions, including travel, investing and recycling.
The CTA has announced a temporary closure of the Blue Line tracks from O’Hare to Rosemont from July 8 to July 28. During this time, there will be bus shuttle service between the O’Hare and Rosemont stops. See the CTA website for this and other construction updates. We hope that these improvements will help the CTA finally live up their tagline (Putting Rapid Back in Transit)
Update your spreadsheets: the IRS has announced that as of July 1, 2008, the standard mileage rate will increase from 50.5 to 58.5 cents. This earlier-than-usual rate update was done partly in recognition of recent gasoline price increases (thanks IRS!) The rates for computing deductible medical or moving expenses will also increase, see the IRS article for info.
You’re at a networking event (or in the elevator, at a conference, etc.) and someone asks, “What do you do?” If you respond with the ubiquitous: I’m a writer (graphic designer, consultant, etc.) you may be selling yourself–and the potential connection–short. Try this Blurb Worksheet (PDF) from Marketing Mentor to create a more concise and captivating 10-Word Blurb. Anyone care to share their Blurbs?
From my friend Ilise Benun at Marketing Mentor: this looks to be a great event for all of us independents and you can’t beat the location! The Creative Freelancer Conference, slated for August 27-29, 2008 in Chicago, is the first and only business conference for self-employed creative professionals, serving graphic, web and interactive designers, photographers, copywriters, illustrators and anyone else who fits the bill of “creative solopreneur.” A panel of creative-business experts, led by Ilise Benun and co-founder, Peleg Top, will share best practices for pricing, marketing, building client relationships, crafting proposals and contracts, maintaining a work/life balance and other skills critical to freelance success. Creative Freelancer Conference Please share with other freelancers. Details are also posted on the ideaXchange Events page. |