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Showing posts from April, 2024

Elon Musk Defends Free Speech Against Australian Censorship Demands

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WebProNews Elon Musk Defends Free Speech Against Australian Censorship Demands In a dramatic escalation of tension between Silicon Valley and the Australian government, Australia’s Prime Minister has labeled Elon Musk as an “arrogant billionaire who thinks he is above the law.” This sharp critique came in response to Musk’s refusal to remove a controversial video from his social media platform, X, featuring footage of a recent tragic incident in a Sydney church. The contentious issue revolves around a video depicting the stabbing of Bishop Marari Emanuel, which the bishop himself insists should remain publicly accessible. Contrary to the bishop’s wishes, the Australian government has pushed for the video’s removal, citing the graphic nature of the content and potential psychological impacts. However, Musk’s decision to keep the video live has sparked a significant debate about free speech and government overreach in content moderation. Russell Brand, the British comedian and fierce

Where are all the good clients?

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If you’ve been wondering where all the good clients are hiding…. ...you're not alone! So many freelancers ask me, “Where are all the good clients?” That's why I’m working on a new way to help you find them -- and it involves AI! As usual, I have so many great ideas to choose from.  But I need your input. Will you take my 3 minute survey here:  https://bit.ly/pcot11 Thanks so much! Can't wait to share my new approach soon. * This article was originally published here

Case Studies for Creative Professionals with Casey Hibbard

Did you know that one of the most effective but underutilized marketing tools is the case study? That’s my opinion – as well as that of my guest in Episode 498 of the Marketing Mentor Podcast, Casey Hibbard of Compelling Cases .  If you’ve been thinking of doing case studies to promote your own creative services, this episode is for you. Be sure to download Casey's " 5 Steps to Creating Case Studies (A Guide for Small Businesses and Solopreneurs) ." And check out the Marketing Mentor case studies here (to see how we practice what we preach) :) So listen here and below. (Read the complete transcript below.) And if you like what you hear, we’d love it if you write a review, subscribe here and sign up for Quick Tips from Marketing Mentor. Complete transcript of Episode 498: Case Studies for Creative Professionals with Casey Hibbard ilise benun: Hi there. This is Ilise Benun, your marketing mentor, and this is the podcast for you if, and only if you are ready to

Mastering Client Retention: 5 Lessons Learned

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Here's another guest post by content writer,   Sharlet Brennan , who is a member of the Simplest Marketing Program . She just signed 3 clients and even though she's super busy, she took time to share what she's learned in our private Slack channel (and here!)  I hope it inspires others to see what's possible. Last month, I signed three clients. Two are retainers, and one gave me projects through the end of September. The crazy thing is each of these clients almost got away. The first one lost interest in the product they hired me to promote. The second changed focus from SEO to other forms of marketing. The third requested a proposal and then vanished. No emails. No phone calls. Nada. Here are 5 things I learned from these clients who almost got away:   Trust your gut.  If you have a gnawing feeling that you’re missing an opportunity… you’re probably right.   Choose your path.  When you think a client is heading toward a dead end – and taking you with them

How Do You Manage Expectations When Doing Client Outreach?

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Do you ever play mind games on yourself? Like setting your alarm an hour early so you can “sleep in”? Or writing down distracting thoughts so you can focus on what you’re doing? Sometimes we have to trick ourselves to do what needs to be done. I find this to be especially true when it comes to Targeted Outreach (one of the three tools in the Simplest Marketing Plan ). But most creatives have unrealistic expectations about what will happen. They are so focused on what they want, without even knowing it. “I want this client…” “I want this project…” “I want this person to respond…” The realistic expectation is this: about 10% of people usually respond, accounting for both the yes’s and the no’s. If you do your outreach well, and often, it does work – but it takes persistence, good timing and a little bit of luck. And if you expect everyone to respond, or that ONE person to get back to you immediately with a resounding “where have you been all my life?” It’s easy to give in to discou

Threads Goes Live, Accounts Linked to Instagram

WebProNews Threads Goes Live, Accounts Linked to Instagram Meta’s Threads has gone live, putting the company in a position to cash in on Twitter’s disgruntled user base. Twitter has managed to anger much of its user base since Elon Musk took over, but alternatives have struggled to fully capitalize on the opportunity. Meta is throwing its hat in the ring with Threads, an Instagram service that looks and functions much like Twitter. The service has officially launched . Users can find it in the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store, but you should remember that a Threads account is tied to your Instagram account. In other words, if you decide to delete your Threads account, you’ll lose your Instagram account as well. Meta clarified the connection in its Supplemental Privacy Policy : You may deactivate your Threads profile at any time, but your Threads profile can only be deleted by deleting your Instagram account. The coming weeks should be an interesting tim

Ilise Benun's Content Marketing Strategies for Creatives: The Businessology Show

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Ilise Benun recently guested on Jason Blumer's  The Businessology Show podcast  to discuss marketing strategies for creatives. Do you know what that meant for me? 38 minutes of "me-time," where I rested with my headset on and eyes closed and listened to Ilise talk about her passion.  I'll always listen to her advice, especially when she discusses self-marketing. I never fail to get something from it; this time was no different. The host and Ilise discussed a few key themes that I want to discuss today. What the three pillars of networking are How content marketing establishes authority How proper strategic networking builds relationships How targeted outreach personalizes your connection with your prospective clients Why LinkedIn is a great place for personalized outreach strategies Why consistency in marketing and outreach is a must Why it's important to demonstrate your personality in your marketing What are the three pillars of networking? Acco

Email Marketing App Integration: Simplify and Supercharge Your Strategy

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If you haven’t placed email at the heart of your marketing strategy, you’re overlooking a key tactic. Simply embracing email marketing isn’t enough. In fact, failing to integrate your email marketing app with other business applications means missing out on a significant chance to boost your business’s revenue. Fortunately, leveraging email marketing app integration enriches your strategy. It turns your marketing tool into a powerhouse of insights and efficiency. Read on to learn about 5 top email marketing integrations and how they can make your marketing app even smarter. 5 Strategies for Integrating Email Marketing Apps Connecting your apps makes your marketing stronger. Let’s show you how to mix them together for better results. CRM One of the most powerful types of email marketing integration is with CRM software, where you can harness the data you collect on clients and prospects and use this to deliver targeted campaigns to them. Most integrations allow you to sync contac

Threads Passes 100 Million Users In Five Days

WebProNews Threads Passes 100 Million Users In Five Days Threads has achieved a major milestone, gaining 100 million users in just five days, according to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg. Threads is Meta’s Twitter-killer that it launched last week . The platform gained 30 million users in less than 24 hours, but its growth shows no sign of stopping. According to Zuckerberg, the platform has now passed 100 million users. Threads reached 100 million sign ups over the weekend. That’s mostly organic demand and we haven’t even turned on many promotions yet. Can’t believe it’s only been 5 days! Mark Zuckerberg (@zuck) While several decentralized platforms have tried to challenge Twitter, Threads may be its biggest threat, thanks to Meta’s established user base and heavy investment. Threads Passes 100 Million Users In Five Days Staff * This article was originally published here

6 Tips to Handle Scope Creep (from my dog, Fanny)

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If you struggle with scope creep, this solo episode is for you. Today I bring you 6 of my best tips to handle scope creep, plus a cameo from Pi, my current favorite AI. If you prefer to listen, here (and below) is the podcast version: And if you like what you hear, we’d love it if you write a review, subscribe here and sign up for Quick Tips from Marketing Mentor. 6 Tips to Handle Scope Creep (from my dog, Fanny) My dog, Fanny, loves loves loves people – other dogs, not so much, except when she’s at her doggy camp. She’s a completely different dog there. I get pictures of her playing and scampering and swimming with more than 30 other dogs at a time. (Fanny is the black/white dog on the right. Here she is with her bestie, Champ, both sitting very nicely.) But when we are out walking in the neighborhood, I have to be alert, constantly scanning the horizon for other dogs, so that I can interrupt and intercept the lunging and barking she would otherwise embarrass herself (and me)