Liz Strauss at Successful Blog

Thinking, writing, business ideas … You’re only a stranger once.

December 26, 2008

A 5-Step Plan for Work in a Time of No Jobs and 25 Services that Could Be Sold Separately

ME Liz Strauss wrote this at 7:57 am

At times like this, you don’t need to be unemployed to need more money coming in. All of us have higher costs than we did a few years ago. My assessment just went up by $100 / month. It does that every year. How we approach this thinning cash flow is important to our future situation. It’s hard to be saving when the bills are growing faster than the income.

The answer used to be to find a job, but finding a job in a recession could take more time than we have available.

So I suggest we find work instead.

Here’s a 5-step plan for doing just that.

  1. Identify a problem everyone has … lack of time might be one.
  2. Choose a subgroup that knows you and your skills … let’s say, your network of business bloggers.
  3. Look how you might use your time to improve what they offer … find a problem or a wish they have in common that you can solve or make happen
  4. Package that problem or wish as a reasonable offer … be able to explain why it’s smart, appealing, and incredibly easy to hire to for that small thing you offer.
  5. Ask them to refer you to other folks who might benefit from the same offer.

and here are 25 services that could be sold separately

  1. True up my social media profiles.
  2. Keep follower lists up-to-date.
  3. Monitor the social sphere and clip posts.
  4. Set up interviews and guest posts.
  5. Update old content.
  6. Rewrite old blog headlines for more power.
  7. Identify archive posts that could be revised.
  8. Suggest and gather content for an eBook
  9. Develop a plan for a newsletter.
  10. Update and organize the pages in my sidebar.
  11. Make a blogger’s press kit.
  12. Write a Wikipedia page about the blog or the blogger.
  13. Shoot a video interview.
  14. Clean up the old code on my blog.
  15. Suggest a new color palette and header for an existing design.
  16. Research photos.
  17. Research trends and topics.
  18. Try out tools.
  19. Find and fix broken links.
  20. Delete dead content.
  21. Organize an editorial calendar.
  22. Set up a file system.
  23. Make a blog post like this into a slideshare presentation.
  24. Update my plugins.
  25. Suggest entries for a link post around a theme.

Most of the folks I know can’t afford a VA or a full-time assistant right now, but they could use some help on a discrete task or two on this list. If you chose those things you quickly and well, you price these tasks attractively and folks would feel good about the improvements you made.

I’m thinking of quite a few. I’d like to hire someone to do — one at a time. Are there other services you might like for you blog?

It’s good us and our blogs. It’s community-centered goal. How might we get some folks back to work this way?

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz!!

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Filed under Motivation/Inspiration, Successful Blog |




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18 Comments to “A 5-Step Plan for Work in a Time of No Jobs and 25 Services that Could Be Sold Separately”

  1. December 26th, 2008 at 8:19 am
    Stacy Brice said

    Liz..

    In truth, most of the people you know probably can’t afford *not* to have a VA right now.

    Moving forward without appropriate help is difficult and daunting–more so when one is afraid.

    Having a talented VA on board should make things easier and less scary–and give a person the space to create more income so that paying said VA isn’t part of what felt scary to begin with.

    If I can do anything to help your other readers with this conundrum, I’d be happy to!

    Stacy

  2. December 26th, 2008 at 8:42 am
    Richard Reeve said

    You open up the field of services here in a way that is practical that will lead to best practices. Our next social media venture at work, now that I’ve established the value for our leadership team, will benefit from applying our resources to accomplish all of the above.

  3. December 26th, 2008 at 10:26 am
    Franklin Bishop said

    Wonderful tips. Your thoughts are so precise and it is hard to find anyone else that thinks the way you do. If you can go through these steps than there is somewhere you can be successful.

  4. December 26th, 2008 at 11:59 am
    Scott Moroney said

    This is a great list and a pretty practical idea. In a way, it is a bit like a help desk for networks and computers. This is a new wave of ideas that I hope will emerge as social media takes hold of us all.

    For me, I am working to get the adoption rolling in my company. So far so good.

  5. December 26th, 2008 at 12:15 pm
    Scrappy Upstart said

    This is an exceptional look at how to approach this thinning cash flow. You lay it out perfectly.

  6. December 26th, 2008 at 12:29 pm
    Todd Smith said

    What a great idea, Liz!

  7. December 26th, 2008 at 8:22 pm
    Sunny said

    Excellent idea, Liz! Especially if people can articulate their passions in the center hub of their offerings.

  8. December 27th, 2008 at 7:46 am
    ME Liz Strauss said

    #1 Hi Stacey
    I agree. Many folks would be best served with a full-time VA that would free them up to focus on increasing their income stream. Still that leaves open other tasks the VA might not be qualified to do.

    #2 Hi Richard,
    We always are doing things that other folks could help with. Yeah, even when we think we’re not.

    #3 Hi Franklin,
    I really want folks to be able to find a way to work.

    #4 Hi Scott,
    Let me know whether I can help in any way.

  9. December 27th, 2008 at 7:47 am
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Scrappy, Todd, and Sunny,
    Thanks for the words of support. I’ve been thinking about this for a while now.

  10. December 27th, 2008 at 9:00 am
    Stacy Brice said

    Now, as a point of fact, next to no one has a full time VA. And I don’t want to belabor things here. I just don’t want people to think that they have to think about a “full time” option, when farrrrrr less time would probably serve them well and make getting the help they need affordable!

    As for the stuff a VA *can’t* do, that’s stuff the VA should handle for the client. A great VA should be a one-stop shop for *anything* a client needs. And all of the stuff on your list? It’s stuff VAs routinely do and handle.

    I guess, for me, the notion of chasing work never sounds smart. Desperation isn’t attractive to others, nor is it helpful to the person who needs to make more money.

    A better idea, IMO, is to adjust one’s vibration to be in alignment with what one really wants, then take steps toward that end.

    So, don’t chase work–build a business. Don’t chase work–network to find a great job. Don’t chase work–teach others to do what you do, or create info products that support/are in alignment with your business and your passion(s).

    For me, it’s all about alignment. Nothing good will ever happen when one’s vibration isn’t in alignment with what the person desires…so a focus on that, first, is critical.

  11. December 27th, 2008 at 9:31 am
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Hi Stacy,
    I think we’re coming at this from two different perspectives. Folks who have many needs on this list certainly would be best served to get a VA who can handle getting all of them taking care of.

    Meanwhile, my blog post was about folks who are looking down the barrel of an empty pay check — hoping they might find one of these as possible way to support some extra cash flow in hard time. Find a problem and solve is a way to get that first client … and action is always better than standing still.

    These people I’m thinking of might be the resources a VA might reach out to when he or she is looking to fill a role that isn’t one they do.

    I’m talking more about specialists.

    And I don’t at think you’re belaboring things. I so agree with what you’re saying, seriously.

    PS I just DM’d you on Twitter. :)

  12. December 27th, 2008 at 10:07 am
    Which is the best way to increase your blog’s traffic? | Barnabas Nagy said

    [...] A 5-Step Plan for Work in a Time of No Jobs and 25 Services that Could Be Sold Separately [...]

  13. December 27th, 2008 at 11:57 pm
    Jen said

    You have proven once again that you can read minds!

    This is EXACTLY what I needed to hear. Thank you.

  14. December 28th, 2008 at 8:50 pm
    Adam said

    Great list Liz. I was telling my out of work step son he should start a blog that journals his attempts to get a job. He could use it to interview people in the positions that he is interested in working, thereby positioning himself as someone with a bit of enthusiasm, instead of another out of work person…sadly he is unable to see the benefit of blogs.

  15. December 29th, 2008 at 7:30 pm
    Need a Job? Start a blog! - Link Building and SEO tips from Pixelhead said

    [...] Strauss post A 5-Step Plan for Work in a Time of No Jobs and 25 Services that Could Be Sold Separately inspired me to create this post. The video is a bit long winded, so I’ll try and summarize [...]

  16. December 30th, 2008 at 6:51 am
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Hi Jen!
    I’m glad you found this useful. I try to keep with what’s happening in the real world. I know we’re all looking for ways to make our lives work.

  17. December 30th, 2008 at 6:51 am
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Adam,
    If you find a way I might help, please let me know.

  18. December 30th, 2008 at 9:25 pm
    Adam said

    As much as I would love to help the boy, it may be beyond me.Prayers are great thing.

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