I just got off the phone with a real estate client. She doubted, a few weeks ago, that narrowing her market would help her. Now, she’s a believer.

Most folks — especially real estate professionals and small business owners — have the same reservations. But, today, having narrowed her focus, she’s overwhelmed with the variety of ways she can make the most of this single focus.

As predicted, it’s expanding underneath her. (more…)

I had some challenges determining how to blog from my Treo 650 to this site, my other blog sites and I had particular headaches trying to determine how to add photos to my blog from the road.

I just got in my second Treo 650 last night, and I’ll be busy getting it “tricked out” tonight, after business hours have ended.

In the meantime, I have determined how to overcome logon conflicts between the GeekLog system and the Treo 650.

First step is to update the Geeklog to the most recent version. On my old Geeklog version of www.WickedBlog.com, I couldn’t log in. I could submit stories as “anonymous” but not as “Angela” and it made me nuts.

Updating the Geeklog just fixed that problem. The next problem was determining how to do an upload of a photo from my Treo without a photo manipulation (resizing) program on the Treo that would work on the media photos I take on the road.

During the recent trip to Colorado, I took quite a few photos (especially before dropping and damaging my Treo). I would have loved to have been able to immediately upload those photos when I did my mobile blogging about the trip.

Jodi Diehl, of www.SunfrogServices.com helps me to customize and keep my Geeklog sites working and looking like I want them to look. When I asked her about this issue, she said she could change the default limit on the photo size from within GeekLog so I could upload the photos the size that I take them.

We played with the options and I decided to limit the size to the largest Treo Camera Size, 640×480. Since some of my photos will be taken portrait, and some will be landscape, she recommended that I set the Geeklog to a maximum of 640×640 to cover all my bases.

Then, I immediately uploaded some of my Treo photos that I’d transferred over to my computer — and I didn’t have to resize any of them. You can view the results on www.WickedBlog.com.

As things are now, I’ve not been out with a properly functioning Treo to test uploading directly from the Treo to the blog, but plan to do that soon.

One of the disadvantages to being high-tech in the Kentucky wilderness, is that you don’t have the option of testing wireless cellular devices until you can access a cellular signal. I get “zero bars” here in the office — which is why I forward all my 800 calls to the office when I’m here, and to the cell when I’m gone.

As soon as I test the wireless photo uploads, I’ll let you know how that goes — if it’s easy or if it’s a headache.

Until next time… Happy Mobility!

Ok, my business (Wicked WordCraft), this blog and even Wicked Treo are all about the “witchy” theme. I like black and purple (and green), I have been enamored with the concept of magic since childhood — I even believed in fairys for years — so it just makes sense that my own form of magic (writing and marketing) should have that magical theme.

Now, with that said, I saw a bumpersticker that I’m just gonna have to find and buy. In Colorado, parked outside a restaurant, was a truck with several magical looking stickers, but only one of them really grabbed me…

[more]

It reads, “Life’s a Witch and then You Fly.”

Kinda cool, huh?

Overall, amazingly well.

There are some details I discovered during my trip and a few things I’ll need to address before flying with just the Treo again. Some I addressed in my preliminary report, but I’ll go into more detail today. Others are new.

Before my next trip out, I’ll find…

[more]A way to view PDF files. I need to be able to receive PDF files via email and open them as native documents.

I have seen a couple programs that claim to do this, but I’ve not tried them yet. I’ll have to have that before my next voyage away from a PC.

I didn’t realize how often my clients and peers use that format. I know I use it all the time, but having them fly at me when I can’t open them was a new experience.

This must be fixed.

Second -

I’ll not leave again without a miniature “briefcase” for all the Treo stuff. I had a couple bad incidents with the Treo and several instances of frustration because I was trying to tuck my charger cords, expansion card, extra battery, etc here or there in my backpack.

Yes, I like traveling with just a backpack. I think it’s a real accomplishment, but between now and the next big trip, I’ll find an organizer/travelbag that will meet my needs.

The need was so great that I actually spent a couple hours designing a prototype of the perfect Treo bag in my sketchbook. Perhaps, if I can find a leathersmith, I’ll get a copy made up for my own use. I’m sure it would cost a fortune to get a custom bag, but my goodness it would save me alot of time and headaches.

In the meantime, I’ve ordered a bag that might work. It should be here in a couple days. If it’s the answer, I’ll share the details and the brand and the cost information.

Third -

I’ll need to get a good security program for the Treo. A near-loss situation taught me not only that I needed to have “one place” for everything, including the Treo, but it also taught me that I need to step up my search for the best security for my device.

The thought of losing my data is horrible, but the though of someone else finding it is worse. I, of course, have some individual programs locked down — my eWallet, for example — but I need a good overall security system.

I liked picture password early on with the Treo 600, but it seemed to burp alot on the 650. The last thing I wanted was a “burping” security program. I’ll take wide open over a false sense of security anyday.

I’ll let you know if I find one I like.

Fourth -

As I said before, I’m going to have to find a new Treo case. I love the one I have, but heavy use means it no longer fits snugly. Maybe I should just get another Piel Frama, but I hate to think that it will just stretch out again and leave me with a flying Treo a second time.

I think I’m back to the drawing board there.

Fifth, and finally,

My desire to be able to use photos directly from my Treo to my GeekLog blogs led me to some experimentation.

Since there is a size limit on the GeekLog system that doesn’t meet the same size specs as my Treo’s camera, this one may be a bit difficult. I’m sure there’s a work around, but I’m not sure what it is yet.

On the topic of picture taking with the Treo, I did discover some interesting effects and some definition options when spending an afternoon taking pictures. There’s a black and white photo option, a sepia photo option, and an increased resolution option on both the still photos and the “video” format for the Treo.

I did notice that with the increased resolution on the video, that I had pixelation whenever I moved the device to “track” what I wanted to see. That didn’t seem to be a problem when I was holding the Treo still and action was happening where I had it pointed.

At this point, I still need to re-size and upload some of the photos I took with the Treo on the trip. If only there were more hours in the day!

Overall, I found the Treo met 98% of my needs while traveling. Will I rely on it again? Absolutely.

Will I leave my laptop at home next time? Yup, probably.

If I am going for an extended time and must have all options, I’ll carry a laptop. If I’m going for under three weeks, and don’t plan to work my usual extended hours and don’t need to manipulate graphics (newsletters, logos, photos, website layout work, etc) then I’ll leave the laptop at home.

For a first trip out, a “fact finding” mission, if you will, this trip was a resounding success. I learned alot about what does work, what doesn’t work, and what research I now need to do to make my next experience — and yours — a bit better!

Although the trip was wonderful, it’s really great to be back home, where I belong.

Now, I’m getting back down to business and reviewing my own website, doing some updates and preparing to do the most dreaded task on my list… ordering new business cards. You would think in my line of business, that designing new business cards would be no big deal, but I agonize over it. (more…)

Having damaged my Treo during my recent trip to Colorado, I ordered a new one the second I returned home.

Thankfully, I found a good deal on ebay.com (gotta love eBay!) and it should arrive soon — I’m hoping today or tomorrow.

The “Treo Trauma” came following a near miss with losing it. My Treo literally fell OUT of it’s holder and hit the pavement.

Although it still *works* — it doesn’t work well. Let’s just say it’s all flaky now.

Yep, flaky would cover it. The thumboard works when it feels like it — which isn’t often.

When it does work, it intersperses caps and lowercase letters randomly amongst my text. The hard buttons similarly work when the spirit moves them.

Thank goodness for my Hi-launcher program and my bluetooth keyboard, or I would not have been able to blog or do anything on the trip back home.

(The unfortunate fall happened just moments before my return trip began).

Now, having said all that, I must say that there are a few things that will be revisited about my Treo now.

I love my leather case by Piel Frama, but due to heavy use, it has stretched. In doing so, there’s a bit too much room for “play” — which is why the Treo flew from my hand –leaving the case still firmly planted in the palm of my hand — and went skidding across the pavement as I stepped out of the truck.

Imagine my horror as it hit with a crunch and flew to pieces — the battery cover going one direction, the battery skidding another and the main body skipping across the pavement in a third, and seemingly unrelated, direction.

Ever have that “heart sinking” feeling? Yeah, that’s the one I felt.

So, although I love the cover, I’ll be shopping for a new one. Perhaps those rubber “Treo condom” types are better than I thought. They might have protected it a bit more — or, since it landed on the keypad — there may be no help for such an incident at all.

I’ll let you know what I find in the way of new Treo protective cases — who knows, perhaps there are newer, better options than the last time I looked nearly a year ago.

I keep seeing rumor mongers discussing the possibility of a new Treo using the Microsoft Windows OS platform.

[more]I do hope these are unfounded rumors. I can’t imagine Palm shooting itself in the proverbial foot, by adopting the MS platform.

One of the things I like best about the Palm platform is how neat it can be, with good programming, how each program can stand alone. When I envision an MS version, I see bloat — lots and lots of bloat.

Although, if a Linux version of the Treo were available, that would be of some interest. But, since I just replaced my Treo 650 from the unfortunate series of events (makes you think of Lemony Snicket, eh?) I’d hate to have a new model coming out.

I’d also hate to loose the access to all the programs (several hundred dollars worth) that I’ve invested getting my Treo to do what I want it to do. I will not be held hostage by Microsoft. I might consider Linux, but I far prefer the Palm platform.

I’m doing what I can to reduce the amount of MS products I use in my own business. I use the Mozilla products Firefox browser and Thunderbird email, rather than deal with the MS programs and their inherent security issues.

Using MS for my Treo would be… well… horrid. Makes me think of the 2003 comments about spam and MS, wherein California Senator, Debora Bowen, was quoted as saying “Trusting Microsoft to protect computer users from spam is like putting telemarketers in charge of the do-not-call list.” MS mucks up enough without messing with my favorite toy and productivity tool.

Yep, and putting MS on a Treo… well, the thought of it makes me ill.

HBO and Cingular are in negotiations to create a new breed of cellular entertainment as close as your cell phone.

According to an article in Newsweek a couple days ago… the cellular heavy-hitter may join forces with the entertainment big-boy to bring a new dimension to your cell phone.

Read the whole story.

While shopping for a replacement Treo 650, I tried on a pair of Bluetooth headset fitted Oakely sunglasses, expected by local retailers to be released later this month.

Way cool! WAYYY.

Now, I think it’s stupid to set out a display and let people see and touch something they can’t yet own –after all, that gives me the opportunity to come back home and regain my senses without opening my purse — but they didn’t ask me for MY marketing advice, did they?

:O)

Just the same, once I had them on –

[More]I must admit that I was impressed. The articulation on the device, the ability to turn and twist and manipulate the headset earpiece into just the exact location for ear comfort and use, was nice.

It’s like the difference between the old action figures of my youth (the current bluetooth headsets I’ve tried) and the 120-points of articulation models my kids get to own (this new Motorola and Oakley creation).

And, while I’m still looking for, even designing, my own best mobile gadget bag for the Treo, the ability to carry a pair of sunglasses that double as my bluetooth earpiece, and look good doing the double duty, is … well… alluring.

Will I buy a pair of my own? Who knows, the guy at the Cingular showroom displaying the models took nearly 30 minutes and a couple calls to his manager-types to report back that he had no idea how much they cost… but he was sure they would be “way expensive” — how’s that for service and excellent marketing technique all rolled into one?

That was in the Danville, Kentucky Cingular cell phone store, if anyone cares — so try someplace else if you want any real answers, or service.

About the glasses, I think I just might have to try a pair — once I recover from spending my Treo “mad money” to replace the Treo itself.

I like them, and will get a pair, if the Bluetooth and the headset works as well as the glasses do, even if they make me look a little like a “Terminator” wanna-be.

This would, ostensibly, be the answer to wired earsets that go “flying” across the car when you turn your head the wrong way, or heavy, uncomfortable BT headsets that require constant adjustment.

Now, if only they would put it on both ears and make it stereo so I can listen to music and movies with my sunglasses (which should be light reactive, for indoor and low light usage)… ahhhh, I love cutting edge technology!

I scheduled my bus route to go through Dallas, with a four hour layover, so I could have a long, leisurely lunch and visit with my friend Christine Whitman of Synodyne.com

It had been nearly two years since I had seen her, although I talk with her by phone, email and IM several times a week.

Due to the delays, the four hour lunch was whittled down to just over an hour by the time I hit Dallas.

Christine met us at the depot, where I had finally escaped Mike, and we went to a wonderful organic cafe nearby.

The food was delicious and the company was even better. It made me wish that I worked physically closer to this particular peer. Alex announced that we should meet Christine for lunch every day.

Of course, Christine showered Alex with gifts, including a coloring book and markers (which have kept her busy for hours on the trip), a bear and a 101 Dalmatians backpack that has now been dedicated to her Game Boy stuff. She brought me relaxing teas, which I plan to begin enjoying the second I return home. And she gave us each a bottle of water.

Her husband paid for our lunch (even though he wasn’t there) and we had a great visit.

Thanks, to you both!

We got back in time to run and catch our bus and head on to Nashville. For the next five hours, I was sitting in front of a woman and a child, under the age of two. For the first three hours, the mother thought it was cute and would laugh when the baby screamed at the top of it’s lungs — not angry, not crying, just a blood-curdling outburst of lung-testing. By the fourth hour, even the mom no longer thought it was funny, so she began smacking the child, making it scream and cry for a bit before beginning the recreational screaming again.

Thankfully, they parted company with us in Memphis. Alex kept asking me if she was like that as a baby. She wasn’t, none of my kids behaved that way as babies. Perhaps it’s because I never laughed and encouraged them. Either way, it was a long, sleepless trip through the night.

A couple photos of how Alex ignored the problem, feet propped up on my backpack and eyes glued to her gameboy. Her earphones must have been better than my own!

How to create tables for photos:

I am now awaiting the next (and final) bus on this trip. In three more hours we should be in Cookesville, TN.

I’m going to be really happy to see Wayne and get back home.

It will probably be AT LEAST another 18 years before I get up the nerve to try this again. That means that, even if I go completely brain-dead enough to think “oh, it’s not so bad” at some point in the future, I’ll only be able to ride a bus a few more times in my life before I did. Thank goodness!

If anyone out there is wondering if they should take a Greyhound bus, the answer is no. NO. Don’t do it. Take a plane or even a train, heck, WALK if you must — but leave the bus Nazis alone!

I listened as Mike was continually rude to passengers until his bus was full.

As soon as I got on the bus and settled, I pulled up Greyhound’s website and searched for a place to report our driver’s charming disposition.

They had a web form, which I filled out and hit “submit” — of course, the web form wasn’t working properly and it kept asking me for a departure time, even though I’d already filled that in.

Eventually, I gave up and submitted my complaint to a corporate client email address, hoping it would filter down to the right folks.

One of the passengers saw my fold out keyboard and Treo and asked me what it was and seemed quite pleased when I told him it was the way I could report to Greyhound’s corporate office about Mike’s charm while sitting on his bus. Suddenly I had approval from every adjacent seat.

We did eventually depart, over two hours after we were supposed to leave.

Since we were so late, when we hit Fort Worth, the travel mate with the teenage son asked Mike if there was a way to connect in Fort Worth, since his own bus from Dallas had already left.

Mike asked him if he was on the bus, and when the man answered yes, he told him to go sit down “before I kick you off this bus.”

The man was much more calm that I could possibly have been. He said that he only had to deal with Mike for another 30 minutes, but that Mike had to continue to deal with a job he obviously hated for a long time to come.

I found his philosophy comforting, but not a solution.

When we did finally arrive in Dallas, I took my daughter and exited the bus, when I passed our resident Nazi, I said “Thank you, for such a pleasant experience.” His face started to smile when I said “thank you” but fell and looked a bit puzzled when I finished the sentence. I was careful to keep my tone bouncy and upbeat.

I’ll be writing a more detailed report to Greyhound corporate when I return to the office and after I’ve had some rest.

Oh yeah, now I remember why I swore I’d never take the bus again. The delays, the screaming kids and (some of) the bus station staff.

The delays started immediately with a one hour delay in Pueblo, before we ever got on the bus. Not a good way to begin a two-day bus trip.

Landing in Amarillo, TX only degenerated the situation. When we stepped off the bus, we found out the scheduled bus would be over an hour late. Over two and a half hours later, it finally arrived.

While waiting, I witnessed one busdriver telling his patrons to form a single line or no one would be getting on the bus, those who did not present the proper ticket in the proper order, were jerked from line and everyone else went on the bus first. Then, he turned to those he had pulled from line and told them that if they didn’t have their tickets right this time, they would not be getting on his bus at all. I was shocked. These people had paid their fare the same as I had, and they were being treated like cattle. Stupid cattle by a verbally abusive, condecending busdriver. I was appalled that this would be the case, but assumed it was an isolated incident, and didn’t discover until later that it was not.

Amarillo, TX must be the armpit of the entire Greyhound bus system. The staff and the drivers were disappointing almost without exception.

These pictures give you an idea of how this ONE room in the depot looked when I arrived, people became even less happy by the time the two and a half hour delay was at an end.

When our bus finally did arrive, not the one we were supposed to board, but one that had been called in to cover, we had another little bus Nazi.

His name was Mike and he drove the bus to Dallas. As we were boarding, he was doing the same “Get in a single line, or no one is getting on” thing. And when he said that he’d already seated everyone that had been on the second bus from Denver, one of my travel mates said, “I think we were on the first bus from Denver.” Mike, charming as always, looked at his ticket and then asked if the driver had been male or female. Our driver, Don, had been wonderful. Since he was my first driver, I didn’t properly appreciate that fact at the time.

When my travel mate said “Male” he was told that the male drove the second bus in and was asked to stand down. Little bus-nazi man was quite confrontational. Since there was only one bus to Dallas, and we obviously had more people than we had bus seats, the crowd was getting a bit concerned.

After loading one person first, apparently just to show that he was the one in control, he loaded my travel mate, but not his teenage son. He then called me. I said, “I believe he’s next, nodding to the boy.” Mike said, “No, you are next.” And I looked on the steps where the man was waiting for his son in the nearly full bus. I said, “He needs to be loaded with his father” and the nazi told me that he would load him when he was ready to do so, and did I want to get on the bus or not. I asked “So you are separating children from parents now?” grasping my own daughter’s shoulders, and beginning to get irritated. He grabbed my tickets and said “that’s not a child” and waved me on. He did let the boy on after accepting a couple more passengers. His father was much more laid-back about the situation than I would have been. Mike continued yelling at patrons and barking orders until the bus was full.

[more later]

As soon as we got the Treo back, we had only minutes before it was time to leave for Pueblo, where I was to catch my bus.

Yeah, foolish woman that I am, I figured that taking the bus couldn’t be nearly as bad as I remembered it.

The last time I rode on a bus was 18 years ago, when I was pregnant with Nicholas.

So, Alex and I were headed out on a two day adventure, cross country on the bus. She was looking forward to it and, having recovered my Treo, I felt all was right with the world.

Then, when we stopped to ask for directions (MapQuest failed us — and didn’t give a couple key turns), I stepped onto the pavement and dropped my Treo, it went flying out of the case and the battery cover went one direction, the battery went another and the body of the unit when a third.

The only problem with depending on an all-in-one is what you do when the all-in-one gets broken.

My Treo is broken.

It appeared to have survived the abuse, until I tried to IM and the thumboard was doing weird things. It’s alternating caps and lowercase, the hard coded buttons only work when they feel like it (which isn’t often) and I’m kinda bummed.

On the bright side, it still works fine with the portable keyboard, which is how I’m typing this entry now — and I can make phone calls. All important when I’m on the road. Another silver lining is… if the powers that be were determined to force a purchase of a new unit, I far prefer having a broken unit to having a lost unit.

At least this way, I’ll have an extra battery in my collection for next time. Three batteries would have been much better than the two I had this trip.

I’m going to have to get a better security system for peace of mind should I ever misplace the unit again. I need to get the case to carry all my Treo stuff, as I’ve been planning, so there’s no more shuffling of pieces and parts. And, although I love my flip case, I’m going to have to look at a new type, since the use of this one has stretched it out so that it fell first from the case in my hand (out of the top) and then to the pavement. I’m not sure what would have saved my little Treo, but I’m sure I’ll correct that by the time the new unit arrives.

As soon as I return home, I’ll be ordering a new one. That’s the end result of having the Treo for this trip — I’m sure I’ll never leave home without it and I’ve determined that it is an excellent laptop replacement option.

More later…

I recently got a good-sized dose of a much-needed faith in humanity.

I’m not fatalistic, by any means, but I had given up on the wisdom of trusting strangers some time back.

[more]As I dashed out the truck door, I was trying to figure out what my next dozen steps would be.

I would need to call my own 800 number and hope someone kind answered on the other end. I didn’t hold out much hope for that one. Then I’d need to call Cingular and tell them to block my account and see if there was any way to track attempted uses.

I’d have to figure out how to afford a new Treo immediately — rather than budgeting for it when the next model came out.

I was jabbering to myself mentally. And, the bench where I was sitting was barren.

A young man and woman came out of an adjacent insurance office. He looked at my face and said, “Did you lose a cell phone?”

You can’t imagine my wave of relief. He went on to explain that they found it, and were in the process of trying to figure out how to locate the owner. They had called someone (a family member) and had Josh on the phone at that very moment.

I hugged the man. Literally. And the woman, who turned out to be his wife, just beamed a smile and said she was glad that they had found me.

The couple, Jeff and Jennifer Harkness, refused a reward and were simply lovely. The owner of the insurance business, Don Portco, was the one making the calls to locate me.

Great people. They really did restore my faith. If you ever need insurance services in Salida, Colorado, a good honest man can be found at 134 West Rainbow. Give him a call at 719-539-4758. Or, visit him on the web at http://www.nfuic.com.

And, Jeff, Jennifer and Don — THANK YOU!

I went into town today with my sister, her husband, my daughter and my uncle.

After several joint stops, my sis, my daughter and I asked to stop off at a jewelry shop — I had hoped to get the jade ring I purchased in China reset in a nicer ring. I thought that would be a great souvenir for my trip out here, and something I’d use a lot.

Normally, I get a sterling silver charm wherever I travel, but I thought the ring would be nice.

So they drop us off, and go to pick up a few things at a local store. The jewelry artisan’s studio is closed on Mondays and the guys were already gone. And, they stayed gone for two hours.

So, we looked around a bit, and I found a natural food store, and we returned to the storefront and sat, and sat, and sat…

Two hours later, with us sitting in the heat, and Alex finally giving up and napping with her head on my left leg, they appeared.

We were NOT happy campers. So, my sister and I cooked up a plan… we would have her husband come over to carry Alex back to the truck (she was still fast asleep) and I would steal the front seat, forcing him to the cramped back seat.

Our *censored*y little plan worked perfectly… then we fussed at the guys for the wait in the heat.

I planned to return to Tennessee by way of bus, where Wayne was to pick Alex and me up. That meant that we would be leaving this evening. So, I had to get back and pack for the trip home.

Once we were back at the RV site, I looked figured I should top off the battery in my Treo before making the trip to Pueblo to catch the bus. That’s when I discovered it was missing.

I started turning everything upside down looking for it, when it hit me. The last place I remembered having it was on my right thigh, when Alex’s uncle was scooping her up asleep.

So, I reasoned, being *censored*y had cost me my Treo. Pops took me back to town while my sister and her husband, and my uncle looked for it in the RV.

I was cursing. A lot. I was regretting not having a security program in place that I liked, despite having tried several.

I was wondering how I could manage without it, and simultaneously was kicking myself for being too dependent on the little device.

When we got there, the bench was empty, of course. I got out to look closer, just in case.

I had explained, on the way out with Pops, that yes, I did have a complete backup, and yes, my private information was encrypted on the ewallet program, but I was stressing about all the other aspects of replacing it. It wasn’t a problem to get a new unit, it was a problem to have my old one floating around.

Getting a new one meant laying out cash and spending a day re-customizing.

So I searched…

Today I spent in all the glory of nature. Today I had several hours to write and dream and plan beside a sparkling, cold crystal mountain stream.

Pops and I picked up my sister and her husband at the Denver airport yesterday and we all went exploring today.

I was a bit concerned about getting too high without a week to acclimate, so Alex and I took a tent and selected a site at just at 10k feet to spend the day. (more…)

Work product is the result of work. It’s that simple. When hiring work done by a Remote Professional, “work product” is the end product of that contracted labor. That may be a website, an article, a database, a marketing plan, a business plan, a logo, or anything else you pay to have produced. Once you have paid for the work done, the work belongs to you, not the person doing the work.

Exceptions to this general rule may apply if you sign a contract assigning rights to the work product to the contractor. You may be working with an individual who requires this, but this is not the “norm.” Most professionals understand that work or hire means that the end result belongs to the person (or business) hiring the work done and paying for that work. Some contractors will offer a reduced rate if they can link their business to your work product through display in an online or offline portfolio. To do so, they must have a contract which states that they have that right, or you must give them the right to do so.

When reviewing a work for hire agreement or any similar contract, you should make sure you are not limited in the way you can use or alter the work product you hired. Once you pay for a product, the way you choose to use or alter it may change. Keep your options open whenever possible. If you have a question about the way a portion of you contract or agreement reads, ask that the outsourcing provider clarify the language before you sign off. Now is NOT the time to be shy.

Some clients are proud to have their own work product displayed on a professional’s site as an example. It is an honor if an outsourcing professional considers your project an example of their best work. And, it’s always nice for a client to offer credit in the form of a web link or a small mention, but it’s not required and it’s not “standard procedure” without a contract that specifies those particulars. Be sure any permission to do so is offered by you, in writing — an email is fine.

Why should you permit someone else to display your stuff? You should do so if they give you a link back, or if your contact information remains intact in order to help boost your own marketing. I had one client for website content who had not yet submitted to the search engines. As soon as the site was up, I added his link to my site (in the form of a glowing testimonial, which I really appreciated). Within days, his site had been spidered and he had broken the “Google” barrier. The link from my established site helped to give his site a leg up. This client was kind enough to offer me a link with credit as the content and marketing guru for his site. It was a mutually beneficial exchange.

Why should you offer links to a contractor on your site? Because it makes them adore you. It’s a nice thing to do and it breeds goodwill. If their site is a well-done, quality site offering reciprocal links helps you both. If you are working with the “cream-of-the-crop” outsourcing companies and remote professionals, declaring that relationship boosts you both. It advertises that you use the best, and it helps remote professionals advertise that they have the best clients.

Whatever you decide, be sure you and your potential contractor both understand and agree to a mutually beneficial work product agreement. If you are working with a contractor for the first time, you may want to secure a contract before work begins. Taking a few extra moments now to discuss and agree on the particulars may create a more enjoyable work experience long-term.

Note: The above is for informational purposes only. If you have a contractual question, a dispute, or other concerns, you should contact your attorney for advice.

While I was writing, Alex was exploring and she found a GIANT mushroom.

I’m not a mushroom expert, so I don’t know what type this is, but the sheer size of it impressed us both.

Not necessarily. In real estate, the quality of your text makes the difference between a potential buyer merely skimming past your listing and having that buyer make first contact with you.

A picture is the “grabber” – it captures immediate attention and entices your target audience to read. But, the description is the “cincher” — it compels your audience to call you, e-mail you or visit your website. And, once you establish contact, you begin the real work of making the sale.

Words add depth and character predisposing buyers toward or against a property they have just discovered. Image and “feel” are particularly important. You must paint a picture, one so personalized they can see themselves stepping into it. The property should be described in terms that make it not merely a house, but a place they want to call home.

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Work product is the result of work. It’s that simple. When hiring work done by a Remote Professional, “work product” is the end product of that contracted labor. That may be a website, an article, a database, a marketing plan, a business plan, a logo, or anything else you pay to have produced. Once you have paid for the work done, the work belongs to you, not the person doing the work. (more…)