Ask for 20% More
A lot of us are trying to find our way in the freelance world, gig economy, or are pricing projects inside a company or agency. There is fear about pricing from just about everyone (probably totally everyone but it feels bold to say that).
I heard two things this week that I thought could help you crack the code to getting paid more for the work that you are offering.
- Stop thinking your work isn’t valuable. The work you do serves a purpose, it is worth money, and it is ok to make money by doing it. Take a deep breath, look in the mirror and remind yourself – your work is valuable, it serves a purpose, and it is ok to make money doing it. If you need a little energy boost, this podcast with Marie Forleo and Abby Wambach was a nice positive boost this week
- Ask for 20% more. I listened to another podcast this week with Kristin Wong and she said whatever an employer or company offers you, they can afford 20% more. I don’t have a source and I didn’t fact check it but I have worked with enough organizations to feel like that is pretty accurate. So what would happen if you just started asking for 20% more? Seems like a good number to settle on and to try out. See how it goes and let me know!
It is time we all ask for what we are worth without compromising. Being shortchanged (literally) isn’t worth the loss to you, the resentment, and could eat up universe bandwidth for something else better to come along.
Recently I was offered some retainer/regular work. I was asked my rate. I told them. They said that was more than they typically pay. I walked away. Let’s just say the universe has shown me it had better projects and retainer work in mind for me and that I should be glad I am not tied to that company and their lower rate.
If you want to get more information, you can check with glassdoor or payscale or… ask someone in our #SMBME community. Let me know if you need any help!
Happy Data Privacy Day! How are you celebrating?!?
At our last SMBME, we had Trevor Hughes from the International Association of Privacy Professionals come and talk to us about privacy and what we need to know headed into 2019.
The IAPP is the largest global information privacy community and resource and they are located right across the bridge in Portsmouth, New Hampshire!
Privacy was a huge topic in 2018 and it is only going to get bigger in 2019 and beyond. I feel like this is an opportunity and cry for the marketing department folks to step up to this challenge and figure out what their companies need to do to protect themselves and their customers.
As Trevor explained it, we all have vulnerabilities that we wish to be protected but as we use technology more and more, “our privacy is mediated by the technology we use”.
As we use social media to stay connected and to reach our customers. As we use emails to login to the cloud, our bank accounts, to shop, and to simplify all the processes in our lives… we are at the mercy of the privacy protection all of those tools use.
With every transition, their is anxiety and right now… there is a whole lot of transition in the rapidly changing data landscape that we are all trying to keep up with.
General Data Protection Regulation
In May, GDPR came out. GDPR is a regulation in the European Union to protect people’s privacy addresses exporting users email addresses outside the EU.
You may have gotten a few dozen emails from companies you subscribe to that told you they were changing their privacy policy. Other than that, unless you are doing business in the EU, you may not have been affected.
Google definitely felt the GDPR pinch with a $57 MILLION dollar fine for not complying.!
California Consumer Privacy Act
In June, the CCPA passed in California. The requirements start in January 2020.
From Wikipedia: The intention of the Act is to provide California residents with the right to:
- Know what personal information is being collected about them.
- Know whether their personal information is sold or disclosed and to whom.
- Say no to the sale of personal information.
- Access their personal information.
- Equal service and price, even if they exercise their privacy rights.
National Regulation Coming Soon
If you think you don’t have to comply with GDPR because you don’t have customers in the EU and if you think you can avoid CCPA because you don’t have clients in California… bad news… Trevor predicts this year the CCPA will actually be made a national act this year (but with the same timeline for requirements taking effect in January of 2020).
So what is a business to do?!
That is a lot to try to understand. Here are a few suggestions to get you started on your privacy pathway!
- Get help! Consult with your legal team or lawyers to talk about what you need to know.
- Check with your email service provider. Each one should have easy to understand guides to help you. Mailchimp has a great PDF explaining GDPR.
- Review Facebook’s Privacy and Data Business Hub.
- Review what Preti Flaherty says all businesses need to know about CCPA
- Look for a training or class from the IAPP.
Don’t be Creepy!
Trevor gave us a litmus test for our marketing. He said if there is anything we are doing that a customer would see and would make them say ‘whoa! that is creepy!’ (*cough cough* retargeting), that is a good indicator that it isn’t a good campaign. Why would you want to make a customer uncomfortable in the name of marketing?
Being a Steward For Your Customers
I think the thing that stuck with me the most from Trevor’s talk was the concept of being a steward of your customer’s email address and privacy.
When someone gives you their email address or information, are you treating that with the respect it deserves?
What are you doing to safeguard your customers’ data?
Are you putting your customer first?
I know it is a lot but hey, we have each other to help. Let’s figure it out together!
At out last Social Media Breakfast, Using Social Media for Marketing and PR, Ross Lasley, one of our speakers, shared this golf analogy with us. A lot of people are concerned that social media can’t be used for business. Social media is fun and for some reason work cannot be fun. If you are participating in an activity for your job AND you are having a bit of fun, something is very wrong.
Social Media is all essence fun. You connect with your friends, family, coworkers or other people you have met on this wild journey you call life. You CAN use it for business too and there is nothing wrong with that!
Ross told us to think about all the people who claim they gets lots of work done when they play golf. Sure, they are making deals, forming stronger relationships and shaking hands but they are also having fun too. Isn’t that like what we do on sites like Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn? but we do these things virtually?
So maybe social media is like golf!
For more information about previous breakfasts, presenters slides and bios please check out our archive page.
SMBME 7 – Creating Social Media Policies
Social Media is becoming less and less its own world and more so being integrated into marketing strategies. Unlike a print ad, radio commercial or article, social media is happening in real-time and even if you aren’t participating, that doesn’t mean people aren’t talking about your business or industry. The content is raw and unapproved which makes a lot of businesses uneasy.
To protect your brand, your staff and your businesses reputation you should consider creating social media policies. Policies protect you and let your staff and community know what is acceptable online behavior and what is not.
This month we have two local professionals, Sarah Wallace and Brad Lawwill, to talk to us about creating a social media policy, if you need one and what other organizations are doing. This is going to be a popular topic so please register early so that you are not left out when we sell out.
We hope to see you there!
It is almost here! This Friday is the Social Media Breakfast Maine ‘Creating Trust and Communities Online’. We will be at MPX and presentations will begin promptly at 8:15am. Breakfast is being provided by Mister Bagel in Westbrook so come a little early for some networking and to fill up on breakfast treats.
Line up change
Unfortunately Christine is unable to attend this month’s breakfast so we have a small change in the line up. Franklin McMahon will be presenting ’10 Secrets to Developing Your Personal Brand Online and In Person’. Franklin is an amazing resource for all things new media and social media. We are very excited to have him join us!
See you on Friday!