Webinar: Are You Year-End Ready?
Love it or hate it, your financial year-end is coming to a close. Getting and staying ahead of this annual business deadline is critical if you want to keep the Canada Revenue Agency off your back.
Our Experts Panel is here to help.
Are You Year-End Ready?
- Online: Thursday, November 21, 2024
- 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Eastern Time
- $5 for CFG members, CMG, CBC and CWA partners; $10 for CFWF, FBCW, SCWES, TMAC, WFNB and WFNS partners; $20 for members of the general public
You can register for this webinar right here.
Learn more about the cost and benefits of membership in the CFG on this webpage.
The link to the Zoom webinar will be sent to you via email about half an hour before the start time.
Please check your spam or junk folders if you can’t find the email, and contact organizer@canadianfreelanceguild.ca if you haven’t received the link 10 minutes before the scheduled start time. This webinar will be recorded and posted to the CFG Video-On-Demand site. Once posted, all paid registrants will receive a link and instructions on how to view.
Questions to help you reflect and plan for 2025
There are all sorts of positive reasons to spend time reflecting on your business, asking questions and planning.
Things like reducing anxiety, improving clarity and encouraging creativity. But making the time to work on your business instead of in your business? Sometimes more difficult than it seems.
A while back I purchased a self-paced digital course and one of the first tasks was to film a three-minute video outlining things like why I was taking the course, where I was at in my freelance business and tasks I was struggling with.
My first instinct was to skip the video and jump into the actual coursework but I did end up quickly recording something and moving on.
Recently, I was cleaning up some digital files and ran across the video so I stopped and watched it. Even though I felt like I hadn’t made as much progress as I had wanted to from the course, once I saw the video I realized I have come a long way. I felt encouraged and motivated to keep going—things I wouldn’t have felt if I hadn’t taken those three minutes to talk about where I was at and where I wanted to go.
If this seems like the kind of thing your freelance business could benefit from, here are some prompts to help you reflect and plan.
Read the rest of this post »
Webinar: Getting Canadian Government Contracts
Governments operate on an April to March budget year. Now is the time to access the largest employer in Canada: the federal government. Provincial and municipal governments can also be lucrative clients. With their tendency to spend whatever is left over in their budgets as the end of March approaches, it’s important to set yourself up as a supplier well in advance.
There is no path to overnight success. Adding any level of government to your client list means understanding what’s involved, and planning ahead.
Getting Canadian Government Contracts
- Online: Thursday, November 7, 2024
- 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern Time
- $5 for CFG members, CMG, CBC and CWA partners; $10 for CFWF, FBCW, SCWES, TMAC, WFNB and WFNS partners; $20 for members of the general public
You can register for this webinar right here.
Learn more about the cost and benefits of membership in the CFG on this webpage.
The link to the Zoom webinar will be sent to you via email about half an hour before the start time.
Please check your spam or junk folders if you can’t find the email, and contact organizer@canadianfreelanceguild.ca if you haven’t received the link 10 minutes before the scheduled start time. This webinar will be recorded and posted to the CFG Video-On-Demand site. Once posted, all paid registrants will receive a link and instructions on how to view.
Here’s the Number 1 Secret to Getting Invited on Press Trips
This article about getting invited on press trips is written by Vanessa Chiasson, a freelance writer based in Ottawa who specializes in travel and human interest stories.
Have you ever wondered how to get invited on press trips?
Before I embark on any trip as a travel writer, I always hear the same question from family, friends, colleagues, acquaintances, and even near strangers: Do I have room in my luggage for them to tag along?
I understand the jealousy (heck, it’s a big reason I love being a travel writer!), but for my colleagues, there’s no need for it. They can go on press trips themselves! However, many people don’t know how to start this process.
How do you get on lists? What can you do to connect with tourism boards? Can you go on press trips when you aren’t a travel writer?
The primary purpose of a press trip is to allow a journalist to gain access to the people, places, and information they need to pursue a story.
When a tourism board is hosting, the focus is naturally on travel. However, there’s no reason a freelancer specializing in food, wine, small businesses, ecology, weddings and more can’t be a part of them, as the secondary purpose of a press trip is that it allows destinations the chance to push their priorities.
Do they hope to have more newlyweds visiting their fancy hotels for a honeymoon, or are they eager to welcome bus tours to their museums? Are they keen to showcase their region as a fantastic getaway for music lovers, history buffs, or bird watchers? You might just be the kind of freelancer they need.
Here’s the #1 secret for getting invited on press trips from a professional travel writer
The secret to getting on a press trip isn’t how good of a writer or photographer you are.
The secret for getting invited on press trips also doesn’t lie in securing a juicy assignment.
Getting invited on press trips is all about value.
Tourism boards and destination marketing organizations put a lot of time, energy, and resources into hosting journalists. They want to see a return on their investment. What is considered an acceptable return varies tremendously, but there is an easy way to find out. Ask!
If you’re eager to be part of a press trip to Montreal, Lake Placid, or Belize, poke around on the media section of the respective tourism board websites (you’ll often find a tiny link in the footer).
What are they emphasizing? Is it nature? Family adventure? Luxury dining? What kind of stories have they shared online? Are they proudly showing off content about their microbreweries or their historical societies? Do they care about juicy print bylines (great for an established freelancer eager to enjoy more travel)? Are they keen on making a splash online with gorgeous images (perfect for an Insta-famous photographer)? Do they prefer to organize group press trips and send out invitations, or do they host journalists individually and want you to approach them?
Send a letter of introduction and ASK.
How to get started when you’re new to press trips
While there are no hard or fast rules about who to contact first, the easiest and most successful way to start is to connect with the tourism board in your backyard. It all comes back to that value proposition. If you’re just beginning, you’ll unlikely be invited on an all-expenses paid trip to tour Bordeaux’s wineries—unlikely, but not impossible.
However, it’s much more probable that a nearby tourism board is willing to invite you to the opening of a swanky cocktail bar. There’s little risky investment on their behalf. So, do some research.
Who represents your region? Are you dealing with a tourism board or perhaps a PR firm that handles things on their behalf? What are their priorities? Do they have a media list so you get announcements about special events? There are always locally-focused activities (like hotel openings, new food trails, and art exhibitions) packed with home-grown talent, and you should be there!
True, it’s not a full press trip but it’s a hosted travel event and an excellent way to make connections. Don’t be shy about sharing the resulting content you produce, and start building that relationship. Tourism board employees swap recommendations with their colleagues just like we do!
Conferences are another excellent opportunity to connect with the tourism board representatives who host press trips. Some popular options are:
- The Travel Media Association of Canada
- TBEX
- IMM (The International Media Marketplace)
- The Women In Travel Summit
- The Society of American Travel Writers
Registration rules vary from first come, first served to stringent membership requirements. Each conference provides an opportunity for casual networking as well as structured “speed dating”-style appointments. I always prefer conferences, networking events and personal recommendations over lists and social media groups that promise to alert you to press trip opportunities. These can be helpful for understanding the landscape but rarely result in trips.
Finally, don’t take rejection personally. All tourism boards receive more requests for press trip assistance than they can accommodate in any given year. You can do plenty of research and have plenty of value to offer but still be turned down. As freelancers, we know our work is about building relationships with our sources, editors, and publishers. Making the connections needed to get press trip invitations is no different.
Other travel writing articles you may like
- The state of the travel writing industry
- Travel writing tips from writer and editor Jennifer Bain
- Turning Your Holiday into a Travel Writing Opportunity
Webinar: Working the Conference Circuit
Conferences are among the very best resources for freelancers, but only if you take the time to understand the conference circuit and how to put that understanding into practice.
Our experts panel will lead you through the pros and cons of the conference circuit, the ways you can benefit from choosing the right conferences, and how to connect with the various players you’ll need to make your efforts pay off.
Working the Conference Circuit
- Online: Wednesday, October 30, 2024
- 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern Time
- $5 for CFG members, CMG, CBC and CWA partners; $10 for CFWF, FBCW, SCWES, TMAC, WFNB and WFNS partners; $20 for members of the general public
You can register for this webinar right here.
Learn more about the cost and benefits of membership in the CFG on this webpage.
The link to the Zoom webinar will be sent to you via email about half an hour before the start time.
Please check your spam or junk folders if you can’t find the email, and contact organizer@canadianfreelanceguild.ca if you haven’t received the link 10 minutes before the scheduled start time. This webinar will be recorded and posted to the CFG Video-On-Demand site. Once posted, all paid registrants will receive a link and instructions on how to view.
3 tips for making the most of an overseas conference as a freelancer
This article on making the most of overseas conferences is written by Becky Zimmer who is based in Humboldt, Saskatchewan. She has experience in farm, community, small business and sports reporting.
As someone who has always wanted to travel, the fact that I am now able to go overseas for six wees for a conference as a freelancer is a blessing. But I will not ever assume to be so well-seasoned that I cannot learn from my best laid plans.
I went to Europe with a plan. Now that my Switzerland International Federation of Agricultural Journalists conference is over, I am taking some time to reflect on what I can improve for the next time.
How to make the most of an overseas conference as a freelancer
The best thing about trips like this is not just about what you learn at the conference itself, but the people you meet that make the conference special. Like I did before I left, I was constantly talking with the people in my network during and after the conference.
This is one reason why my schedule was like wet sand—I didn’t know who was available and where I could potentially go and that’s was by design.
I wanted my colleagues from the British Guild of Agricultural Journalists to hook me up with their colleagues at a moment’s notice.
I wanted someone I just met to suggest cool places to see.
I had five days in Devon with a colleague graciously throwing farmers at me left and right. She also tipped me off to a press tour in Edinburgh, where I was able to have supper with a different colleague. Then there was a trip to Northern Ireland and Ireland where two colleagues showed me the ropes of their work within the ag sector—one as a reporter in Belfast and another as a researcher at the University College Dublin.
I’ve realized I’m the worst at just being a tourist, but having local friends to show me cool places and introduce me to interesting people has been the best part of this journey.
Unfortunately, the list of amazing people to talk to got a little overwhelming and it was impossible not to leave people floundering in the throes of my inbox.
However, I know they will understand that organizing yourself after a big conference is both a joy and a pain.
Now that I’m heading home, I’m looking forward to the prospect of helping someone else when they come to Canada.
Tip 1: Be flexible
One of my other plans was to focus on different agriculture topics. I picked five areas I wanted to look into, including topics like rural reporting and community news in different countries, as well as waste reduction or reusability strategies in the ag sector.
As someone who already takes on too much I should have known that this was a far greater workload than I was able to tackle during and after the conference.
Out of all the stories I pitched to editors, only half fit these were subject goals I set for myself while the others were stories of opportunity that have ended up being financially beneficial with much of the work already done during conference tours, for example, interviewing, photos and Q&A sessions.
Next time, I will try to narrow that focus more, but the joy of freelancing is being able to tackle any story that peaks your interest.
Tip 2: Be kind to yourself
How do you work best?
Is a busy reception desk in Belfast with your headphones on the way to go?
Do you need a silent library reading room at the National Library of Scotland to get some editing done?
Can you edit photos as your laptop balances precariously on a train tray table?
You may have to fight for every scrap of work time you get, but set that schedule for yourself, find a place where you can be productive, set your goals for success and go.
On the flip side, enjoy your time of just being a tourist. When you’re touring the Scottish Highlands and reminding yourself that your husband said no touching weird rock formations, looking up at Big Ben from the top of a bus and wondering how much gold he’s made out of or watching Swiss cows graze at 3,000 metres above sea level, don’t take away from the experience by answering emails or arranging meetings with clients.
Let yourself just be in that moment.
That said, keep a notebook handy for potential blog ideas and your camera ready for those inspirational shots that could get your fingers flying later. Write the note, take the picture and then go back to enjoying yourself.
Tip 3: Schedule breaks
Travel isn’t always fun and comfortable. It can be exhausting and painful and you need to give yourself time to recover from that. No work, no tours, no day trips, just time in bed with Netflix and takeout. The only must-have for any well-deserved break is acceptance. Keep the guilt away and let yourself enjoy your Outlander and Thai food in peace.
There is far too much to see and do in one lifetime, let alone a single six-week trip.
Don’t ever beat yourself up for not doing everything you set out to do.
Don’t ever feel like you haven’t done enough.
Have you travelled overseas for a conference and tacked on a vacation? What are your tips for making the most of it?
Webinar: Practical Use Cases For AI
Dr. Nadine Robinson and George Butters are back with another update on the impact of Artificial Intelligence on freelancers, and how we can use these tools safely and effectively to work smarter.
This weekend workshop will focus on practical use cases: routine tasks that can be made easier with help from publicly available chatbots.
You’re bound to find some handy solutions among their tested list of more than 80 use cases for communicators and administrators.
Our Presenters
Dr. Nadine Robinson first learned about ChatGPT from her college students, and works hard to stay one step ahead of them.
George Butters uses multiple bots daily to speed up routine tasks for the Canadian Freelance Guild, and works hard to reign in rogue virtual assistants.
Practical Use Cases for A.I.
- Online: Saturday, October 19, 2024
- 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. Eastern Time
- $5 for CFG members, CMG, CBC and CWA partners; $10 for CFWF, FBCW, SCWES, TMAC, WFNB and WFNS partners; $20 for members of the general public
You can register for this webinar right here.
Learn more about the cost and benefits of membership in the CFG on this webpage.
The link to the Zoom webinar will be sent to you via email about half an hour before the start time.
Please check your spam or junk folders if you can’t find the email, and contact organizer@canadianfreelanceguild.ca if you haven’t received the link 10 minutes before the scheduled start time. This webinar will be recorded and posted to the CFG Video-On-Demand site. Once posted, all paid registrants will receive a link and instructions on how to view.
Webinar: AI’s Impact on Media Freelancers
Artificial intelligence (AI) has had a significant impact on freelancers in media-related fields such as journalism, photography, videography, blogging, podcasting, live streaming, graphic design and coding.
For some, AI has caused market shrinkage or disappearance, while others face the challenge of adapting to rapidly changing markets. A few see AI as an opportunity to expand their skillset.
A panel of AI-engaged professionals will discuss these challenges: digital arts researcher Owen Brierley, PhD, who helped start us on our AI journey; Tony Stubblebine (CEO, Medium.com) who refused to license his users’ content to OpenAI and demonetized AI-generated content on the platform; and data journalist Jon Schleuss of the Los Angeles Times, president of The News Guild/Communications Workers of America, and lead of that group’s national AI committee.
The CFG’s George Butters, an advocate for the safe use of AI tools by freelancers, will moderate.
NOTE to Members: Watch your email for a short survey about your experiences with AI in your freelance work.
AI’s Impact on Media Freelancers
- Online: Thursday, October 17, 2024
- 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time
- $5 for CFG members, CMG, CBC and CWA partners; $10 for CFWF, FBCW, SCWES, TMAC, WFNB and WFNS partners; $20 for members of the general public
You can register for this webinar right here.
Learn more about the cost and benefits of membership in the CFG on this webpage.
The link to the Zoom webinar will be sent to you via email about half an hour before the start time.
Please check your spam or junk folders if you can’t find the email, and contact organizer@canadianfreelanceguild.ca if you haven’t received the link 10 minutes before the scheduled start time. This webinar will be recorded and posted to the CFG Video-On-Demand site. Once posted, all paid registrants will receive a link and instructions on how to view.
3 ways freelancers can build trust with clients
This post about how freelancers can build trust with clients is written by Robyn Roste, a freelance writer in Abbotsford, BC. Her new book, Marketing for Freelance Writers is available now.
As a new freelancer, nothing was more exciting than bidding on and winning an assignment.
I’d do a happy dance and bask in the initial adrenaline rush. And then I’d get on with my day.
I’d work on assignments and turn them in when I was finished, but every now and then I’d receive an inquisitive email. The inquiries were always the same, just checking in, wondering how things were going, would I be hitting my deadline?
When I got serious about freelancing I recognized my approach to client communication left room for improvement.
Before jumping into a new assignment I’d check with my editors about their communication expectations and make a point to adhere to them. While some clients preferred weekly updates, others only wanted to hear from me if there was a problem.
On top of doing a better job of meeting client expectations, I also began looking for other ways to build stronger relationships.
Here are three areas that have made the biggest difference for building trust with clients, reassuring them that I’m working hard for them
Webinar: Finding New Markets
Finding new markets is part of a strategy called pivoting. The longer you’ve been freelancing, the more likely you have pivoted at least once. It might mean narrowing your focus and drilling deeply into an area of expertise to become tops in that topic.
Or, more traditionally, finding new clients for what you’re already doing or shifting your entire focus to a new enterprise.
And this is a fun one: the longer we’ve been doing the same something, adding and extending our skills and knowledge, we often fail to realize our increase in market value.
Finding New Markets
- Online: Tuesday, October 8, 2024
- 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern Time
- $5 for CFG members, CMG, CBC and CWA partners; $10 for CFWF, FBCW, SCWES, TMAC, WFNB and WFNS partners; $20 for members of the general public
You can register for this webinar right here.
Learn more about the cost and benefits of membership in the CFG on this webpage.
The link to the Zoom webinar will be sent to you via email about half an hour before the start time.
Please check your spam or junk folders if you can’t find the email, and contact organizer@canadianfreelanceguild.ca if you haven’t received the link 10 minutes before the scheduled start time. This webinar will be recorded and posted to the CFG Video-On-Demand site. Once posted, all paid registrants will receive a link and instructions on how to view.
