📨 Spam proof

by

Happy Wednesday! Here’s a fun fact to start your Hump Day: Canadian miners recently discovered a baby woolly mammoth encased in permafrost in Klondike, Yukon. It could be over 30,000 years old.  

Mentioned in today’s newsletter: Amazon, Google, TikTok, and the Federal Election Commission. Plus a simple way to strengthen client relationships, how to act like the CEO of your freelance biz, and one thing to include on your pre-launch paid ads checklist.

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes and 21 seconds

Making the Rounds

  • Amazon plans to double down on Prime Day this year. The second Prime Day will reportedly be called “Prime Fall Deal Event.” Because otherwise people might get confused. The additional promo probably has something to do with the $3.84 billion dollar loss Amazon registered in Q1.
  • Google launches new program to help campaign messages avoid the Spam folder. With the midterms coming up, Google has asked the Federal Election Commission to officially approve the program. So if you live in the U.S., your inbox is about to get a little busier. On a related note: is it possible to buy your way onto that list? Asking for a friend.

  • Republican Senators ask Treasury Secretary to address TikTok security concerns. A group of six Senators sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen after BuzzFeed reported last week that Chinese TikTok employees had accessed U.S. user data. TikTok has since said it’s moving all U.S. data to stateside Oracle servers, but who knows… they may have had their fingers crossed.

Working With Clients

Special Delivery

Freelance businesses are built on long-lasting relationships.

One of the best ways to show your appreciation for clients is to send them a gift.

It could be as simple as a handwritten note, pen, or gift card…

Or something more elaborate like a food and wine box.

A few options to check out:

As for timing, we recommend sending a gift after finishing the first big project with a new client…

Or to mark a big anniversary, like one, two, or even five years (if you’re so lucky!).

Working For Yourself

SPOTTED: Freelancers at Tax Time

As a freelancer, you wear two hats at all times:

1) Technician

2) Operator

Where most freelancers go wrong is by focusing strictly on their responsibilities as the technician.

Doing a great job for your clients is key.

But don’t shirk your duties as the CEO of your freelance biz.

Particularly when it comes to bookkeeping and finances.

Since you’ll be classified as an independent contractor, that means you’re on the hook for paying income taxes.

And contrary to popular belief, the 2022 tax season doesn’t start next April…

It’s already begun.

So make sure you’ve got enough left over when the tax man comes for his cut.

On a related note, you might want to check out Catch — a free personal payroll tool specifically for freelancers.

But whether you use a fancy piece of software or a plain ol’ Google Sheet…

What matters most is that you stay on top of it.

From The Paid Ads Gig

Don’t Leave This Off Your Pre-Launch Checklist

Mobile devices make up about 50% of all internet traffic.

And when it comes to running ads on paid social, that number is closer to 80%+.

That’s why it’s so important to preview ads and landers on mobile before you launch.

Because what looks great on desktop can become a nightmare on mobile.

Always review:

  • Font sizes & spacing
  • Image/video sizes
  • Button sizes
  • Load time

There’s nothing worse than seeing a key part of your image or video is cut off in certain ad placements.

And most page builders give you the ability to set up different displays for desktop and mobile.

So take advantage of it.

In fact, you should probably build your page for mobile first, then adjust it for desktop.

Quote of the Day

 â€śThe most beautiful thing in the world is, of course, the world itself”

— Wallace Stevens