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Subject:Re: marketing From:Ad absurdum per aspera <JTCHEW -at- LBL -dot- GOV> Date:Fri, 3 Feb 1995 15:43:04 -0800
I should probably expand a bit on what I said in the
last followup. If you consider marketing yourself to be
"tacky," and most people do have reservations about it at
first, look at it this way. You're not literally saying
"I'm a technical writer; got anything for me," of course,
and you don't have to think of it in those terms either.
This isn't hucksterism; you're not creating some imaginary
need and selling yourself to fulfill it. You're a provider
of a valuable service that the client needs in order to do
his business better -- maybe a service that he knows he
needs, maybe not, in which case you have to clue him in.
Either way, it is (if you'll indulge me in a cliche) a
win-win negotiation.
But you're still not going to make much money by being shy
about making contacts and letting them know that your
services are available!
And you know what? This concept isn't just for freelances
and contractors. Darwin hasn't been kind these past few
years to staffers who take their workflow and position in
the organizational structure for granted...
Cheers and alarums,
Joe
"Just another personal opinion from the People's Republic of Berkeley"
Disclaimer: Even if my employer had a position on the subject,
I probably wouldn't be the one stating it on their behalf.