Articles by Freelance Switch from September 2016

When you’re first setting up your business, getting customer feedback is typically the last thing on your mind. After all, what if you’re just a small operation with very few customers? Most of ...

In the last tutorial I looked at how to get started automating your business with Zapier. I built a simple Zap that posted any tweets sent to your Twitter account to a dedicated Slack Channel. To...

As a small business owner, you understand that being well-organized is absolutely key to your success. That doesn’t just apply to the actual work you perform on various projects, but also to the ca...

If This Then That, better known as IFTTT, is a web service that connects different products, apps and other services together for better business automation. For example, you can connect your Twitter...

If you’re like most small business people, you spend a lot of time on your computer. You probably have a custom screen saver set up already. You may have decorated your office space to help make it ...

Web Templates Now Available on Envato ElementsEnvato Elements launched last month with a simple offer: download unlimited fonts, illustrations, brushes and other design assets for a single monthly fee...

Is a resume the same as a Curriculum Vitae or CV? Short answer is no—they're not the same. Each is used for applying to different types of jobs. Also, in various countries formatting and best pra...

Everyone sells something in business.No matter what your job description or title is.Sometimes you're trying to win new customers. Other times, you're trying to get new investors or land press at a co...

How much time do you spend on email each week? If you're like most of us, the answer is...hours. Estimates vary on exactly how much time the average worker spends on email, but one thing is sure. Time...

Do you have a business presentation to give this week? Is the deadline for your pitch approaching fast? Or is the clock ticking down to the date of your speaking engagement?Whether it’s to connect�...

Online accounting software is increasingly a great option for small businesses today, as it allows them to save money instead of frequently seeing a certified accountant for every financial tracking t...

What You'll Be CreatingCreating a presentation from scratch takes a lot of time. You have to design the layout variations, make sure the fonts and design elements are well-chosen, and that all the sli...

The speaker walked into the room, tapped the microphone, ducked for cover at the high-pitched screech his tapping produced, laughed mechanically, swallowed audibly, mumbled something, and began stutte...

Brainstorming is a terrific technique for inspiring creative thinking and generating new ideas. Sometimes, though, you may have a tough time getting the outcomes you need from a brainstorming session....

So…you want to make a webcam video. No, not that kind of webcam video! The kind where you’re hosting a webinar, video blogging, joining an online meeting or chat, or maybe even being interviewed.I...

Getting your resume ready can be confusing. There are many options and lots of conflicting advice. What is the best format for your resume? Many job seekers wonder. Whether you’re purchasing resume...

Competition is a natural part of life as a small business. But it can be daunting when you go head to head with a much larger competitor.Big companies have so many advantages, after all. They have a m...

In this series, we consider the three main types of business clients who hire photo and video services and how best to help them: The Outsourcer, The Doer and The Designer. Today, in our third and...

“Going live” used to be reserved for TV networks and radio stations. Now, anyone with a decent internet connection and a computer or mobile device can broadcast live online—anytime, anywhere—u...

There is no doubt that small business owners are busy. Their task list seems never-ending, so it stands to reason that they could use as many tools as possible to make their daily lives easier. One su...

Setting the guidelines for your social media strategy and optimizing your social media profiles are the first steps towards a unified and impactful online presence. In order to reach your audience and...

How do I become a professional photographer? It's a question I hear often as the editor of this section.Working in photography is not like it used to be. There are more challenges, margins are slim, a...

What You'll Be CreatingThinking of doing without business cards? Think again. Even in today’s high tech world, business cards are a great way to stay connected. You may be tempted to do without bus...

You’re on a dating site. Just an average-looking person in search of love… (bear with me here).Your profile bio says: “Loves traveling, meeting new friends, and swimming” Not bad, not that ...

Is your business presentation fast approaching its deadline? Do you need to design a presentation deck with impactful slides? Are you ready to fire up Google Slides and get to work?It’s challenging ...

Having a social media presence is no longer a commodity, it’s a necessity for any business, small or large. But many business owners make one common mistake when it comes to their social media profi...

What’s the best way to brainstorm? While there are basic rules that make the process meaningful and effective, there are literally dozens of ways to actually inspire creative ideas. Many facilitator...

What You'll Be CreatingEvery business should have a profile video that gives potential clients a sneak peek at what they do and why they love doing it. Our new short course, How to Make a Business Pro...

Sometimes you have to invest if you want to take your small business to the next level, and a small business loan can be a good way to achieve that.But how do you go about getting a loan? What differe...

In the last few years the number of tools available for businesses has exploded. The days of “Nobody ever got fired for choosing IBM” are well and truly gone. Now, rather than paying huge sums for...

Directory websites have plenty of potential for high traffic as well as monetization opportunities since many local and online businesses are always looking for ways to promote themselves.From creatin...

Designing a brand identity for your business is a fun and creative process, but the pressure to create a design that both represents the values of your business and has commercial appeal can feel like...