Naked Conversations

by Robert Scoble,
Shel Israel

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Recipes for a Hotshot Newsletter

Tasty content alone doesn't make a meal

by Meryl K. Evans, Editor, eNewsletter Journal

Many types of cuisine are award winners and require a variety of special ingredients to be flavorful. It would be easy if one award-winning recipe existed for all newsletters, but newsletters, too, are as different as Creole gumbo is from Korean dumplings. One recipe won't do the trick.

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When I brainstormed this month's feature, I had an idea of what I wanted to do and jotted notes. When I wrote it, it turned out nothing like my original idea to write about what makes a superb email newsletter. Instead, I wrote about the “ingredients” found in newsletters from different food groups. Maybe I've been watching too much Food Network, as I enjoy watching Unwrapped, The Secret Life of ... , $40 a Day and Iron Chef. It's just fascinating to go behind the scenes or rather kitchens.

At first, I wasn't happy with the article's change of direction, but some of the best inventions have come to life that way. Alexander Graham Bell was trying to invent a hearing aid type of device when he ironically invented something that was not useful for deaf people, the telephone. I hope you enjoy the “cuisine” that resulted from my change of direction.

Before you correct others, correct thyself.

So someone named her baby "Bad, Bad Thing?"

The price isn't right!

I've recently gone out on my own and I love it. My clients are happy with my services. One thing is causing a lot of stress, however: coming up with the right quotes. I've relied on industry pricing and generally target the middle range. Yet, clients tell me my quote is higher than most or more than they expected. I've read a lot on the topic and can't get a good system in place. The projects I do vary in length and scope. How do I come up with an anti-anxiety price quote system?

— Kay, Freelancer

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