New Tagline--Your Thoughts?

Life is a mish-mash of activity this week as I try to clear my plate for next week and the half-marathon. I believe I'm going down to the island on Wednesday with my neighbors and Blair will join me later in the week. Aside from fitting in daily 5-mile runs, I'm trying to tie up loose ends so I can hop in the car on Wednesday with a clean conscience.

This morning I'm off to the Women's Resource Center of Greensboro to teach a class on networking to 15 women in the displaced-homemaker program. Then straight home and back to the computer to work on a huge article due at the end of the month. Than a "Girls Night Out" tonight at The FAT CAT, a local art gallery where I will schmooze and sell books.

Yesterday I spent most of the day at GTCC, selling my books at an indoor crafts fair. I sold 15 before I left and there were still a few hours left in the festival, so I'm pleased with that number.  I haven't done much this year in terms of promotion for my book, but I'm trying to hit little festivals here and there as I can.

I think I've come up my new tagline for my website as well. I was lying in bed Wednesday night, unable to fall to sleep, when the line just popped into my mind. I don't even recall thinking about my DSI or any of that stuff but that's how the mind works--it chews over cud in your subconscious and then spits it out when it's ready. So, what do you all think of....

 Dena Harris... Write For You

I also decided to stick with my strength, which is feature article writing for national publications. I'll play that as a benefit to those who might consider hiring me for local work.  But I decided I didn't want to "name" myself anything like "Creative Communications" because really, I am my own brand and I want to keep www.denaharris.com as my website and not have to buy or direct people to a new domain. Now I just have to find the time to actually write the new copy for the website so Melody, my website designer, can get it up and running.

But for now, I must go grab keys, purse and coffee and head out the door. A good start to what's shaping up to be a productive weekend. 

Seeking Feedback On My DSI

As you will recall from Tuesday's entry, I'm captivated by a new book called Why Johnny Can't Brand. I've spent some time this week, alone and with others, brainstorming about my DSI or Dominant Selling Idea. I'm going to share that here and ask for your feedback, but first some background.

Right now, 90% of my work comes from writing for magazines. Since I've joined my leads group however, I'm gathering a steady stream of leads for what I'll call corporate writing - web sites, brochures, phone scripts, etc. I've been slow to follow up on these leads because I lack marketing materials. I don't have a brochure to send out (magazine writing doesn't require it) and right now my primary website at www.denaharris.com screams out "cat writer!"

But even though I'm revamping my website and creating a brochure based on appealing to corporate clients, a little perspective is in order. I don't plan on corporate writing being more than 25-30% of my work. But to garner even that, I'll still need to find my speciality within the industry of freelance writing.

The Why Johnny Can't Brand book suggests completing this Speciality Statement:
(Name of Company) is the #1 choice for _________ (speciality). That's because only (company name) has ___________________ (unique reason why, a process or service that others don't.)

So, here's my DSI. I'm looking at positioning myself as the "go-to writer." If you're on a tight deadline or have a last minute project that needs to get out the door, I want my name to come to mind. So sample Speciality Statements for me are:

Dena Harris is the #1 choice for down-to-the-wire writing projects. That’s because only Dena delivers when you need it.

Dena Harris is the first choice for last-minute writing projects. That’s because Dena offers the fastest turn-around time on high-quality work of any writer in the Triad.

These statements are for internal use only...just to get on track.  Now, for a company name, I've got:

• Dynamic Communications by Dena Harris
• Dena Harris - Dynamic Communications
• Creative Communications by Dena Harris

Possible tag line: "Your Procrastination is My Priority." 

I've run this by a few people and here are some options they've thrown out:

• "Deadline Dena" (too cheesy for my taste, but what the heck, I'll throw it out for consideration)
• Tagline: "We deliver the words before you need them"
• Dena Harris Communications
• Dena Harris Communications - Lightning Fast Wordsmiths
  

Here are my questions to those of you who care to respond:

1. Is the niche of being the "go to writer" a strong one? Is it an area that is important to customers?
   
2. Do you like the  "Dynamic Communications" name? Why or why not?
3.  Your feelings on the "Your Procrastination is My Priority" tagline?
4. Any other comments you'd like to add?
   

Sick of Volunteering

I am sick of volunteering, sick of giving my time and services away for free. I know that's  a terrible thing to say and I also know it's coming from a morning of frustration, spent at my desk spending hours wrapping up itty-bitty tasks and details not directly related to my work or income.

I certainly don't want my life to be just about money, and it isn't, but I am just burnt. It seems like in every group there is always the core group of 3-4 people who do all the work and, inevitably, I end up in that core group. I am tired of making phone calls, tired of being the one to follow-up on details, and sick to death of seemingly being one of only 6 people on the planet capable of following through on my word.  Where the **** is everyone else???

 This is my own fault, I know. I'm the one that agreed to the roles and responsibilities so I have no one to blame but myself. And the work sounds so meager when I agree to it. Sure, I can make a couple of phone calls. Why, it will only take 10 minutes to type up those notes. And on and on until I've screwed myself.

Just last Friday I found myself agreeing to speak to a networking group of unemployed persons at our city's JobLink center.  I couldn't say no. I used to work there so I know how hard it is to find qualified not to mention interesting speakers. Plus, the people there looking for work try so hard and a little motivation would take them a long way. Plus, look at all I have in life. It would be selfish of me not to give back. So I said yes.

I hung up the phone and it hit me what I'd done. The JobLink center is 50 minutes away from where I live and I'd drive in on a day when I have no other appointments in Greensboro.  That's over an hour and a half drive to speak, for free, for 45 minutes. That's a lot of work time wasted.

I wrestled with it all weekend, guilt doing a number on me.  (I hate backing out of things I've given my word on). But the event is over a month away and there's time to find a replacement so I called today and cancelled. I have mixed feelings--relief, because I didn't have the time to fool with putting a speech together, anger at myself that I agreed to it instead of just saying "no" in the first place, and of course, guilt because I backed out. 

Now if you'll excuse me, I have about another hour's worth of volunteer work to do.  My new motto: "Just say NO." 

Setting Boundaries

This month and I suspect the upcoming months are going to present a challenge for me in terms of setting boundaries on my time. It's come to my attention that my volunteer and non-paying activities are starting to outnumber and take over my income-producing activities. Someone showed me a T-shirt in a catalog that said, "STOP ME FROM VOLUNTEERING AGAIN!"  That's me.

The problem is, I really like a lot of my non-paying activities. They include:

• Attending a weekly networking meeting
• Participating in a Toastmasters group
• Mentoring two young women as they start their own businesses
•  Reading to middle-grade kids through a disadvantaged youth program
• Teaching Networking skills to women at a non-profit Women's Resource Center
• Serving on the board and as a group facilitator for our local writer's group.
  
• Serving on the board for our local Toastmasters group
• Serving on the board for the International Cat Writers Association
• Attending networking events through our Greensboro Merchants Association
• Meeting with my critique group for children's writers
  
• Blogging
• And soon to include more work on animal rights and establishing a shelter! =)
  

Part of my issue is I think, "Oh, it's only an hour's meeting. I can do that," forgetting to factor in 1 1/2 hours drive time, the fact that meetings run long, and the "to-do" list of things I'll emerge from the meeting with.

I'm taking baby steps to remedy this. I've announced I'm leaving the board of my writers group and stepping down as facilitator.  I'm also (after one more visit, because I promised) going to stop reading to the kids. A good cause, but it's over an hour away and that's just too far. My Toastmasters group asked me just this week if I would serve on the awards committee and mentor a new member and I said no to both. It was hard--I'd love to be on the awards committee and I'd enjoy mentoring a new speaker. But there's just no time.

Some things won't go away because I don't want them to. I love blogging. I love my networking group and my children's writers group. Being on the Board of the Cat Writers brings me contacts and income, since I write for a lot of pet magazines. But I may have to take a hard look at some of the other items.

It's a good problem to have, being interested in so many different things. And it might be a little more manageable if I didn't live so far away.  And it's not that I have a hard time saying no to people as it is I really want to be a part of all these things. But I'd also like a little more balance in my life.  We all would.