Posted by Paige on August 2, 2011 at 4:19 pm
I recently joined the hundreds of thousands of small businesses and individuals that have received a very nasty settlement letter from the giant image company, Getty Images. If you’ve not received one yet, count yourself very lucky and I hope you never have to deal with the stress it causes.
My story is similar to so many others – a few years ago I created a website where I could post all of the articles I write that don’t belong in the “author” or “home business” category. I bought a template package from what I believed was a reputable company. The package included literally thousands of images, ready to go header graphics, etc. Fast forward two years and I get the 6-page nasty note from the corporate giant, Getty, informing me that on one of the pages, one of the headers included a partial image (mind you, it was barely visible and was one of 7 images in the header graphic) that they claimed to hold the copyright to. For a mere $1,000 dollars I could settle the amount that I owed them for using this image without their permission.
So I went onto their website and looked – the image sells for $17 on there. So where does the other $983 come in? Well, that’s evidently the costs associated with them having to hire companies that do nothing but search the web for images used without permission and now I was liable for part of their costs. Plus penalties and interest and damages and … you get the idea.
I tried to do the right and reasonable thing – I instantly removed the image from the website. I emailed Getty with an apology and a description of the circumstances and asked if we could work out a deal. Their response was the same as the first – it was my fault for not checking that every image that came with the package was not copyrighted by someone else. I responded that I had received thousands of images and that the image they were referring to was a miniscule part of a larger image – how on earth would I have known that belonged to somebody else? And I received the same answer again. And again. Long story short, I paid them – vowing never again to use them or any of their affiliate companies. I instantly closed out my account with Getty Images, along with my accounts at iStockPhoto and JupiterImages.
So why am I writing this blog post? As a warning to every small/home business owner out there and to every virtual assistant who does graphical work for any of their clients – just be aware that this type of thing happens fairly often and that it’s very expensive to deal with. And if it’s your client’s website, they will be receiving the nasty letter because it’s on their website. That’s an easy way to lose a good client. So be sure that you have the appropriate license for any images you use on your (or your client’s) websites!
On a personal note – I’m an author and I understand and support copyright protection. I do not, however, agree with Getty’s procedures, heavy handedness, scare tactics, and refusal to work with small companies / individuals on settling the issue in an amicable manner.
For more information about the Getty letters, here are some links:
http://extortionletterinfo.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Getty_Images
http://womeninbusiness.about.com/od/copyrightlaws/a/Can-I-Ignore-A-Getty-Settlement-Demand-Letter.htm
Until next time . . .
Write On!
Paige
http://www.paigejackson.com/business
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Posted by Paige on July 20, 2011 at 12:06 pm
In a world where technology changes come and go at the speed of a sonic boom, there is one skill that all others depend on and that never becomes outdated – organizational skills. It is so easy to become distracted, lose focus, and end up in the panicked “fight or flight” mode to achieve a deadline. In order to avoid that feeling of being overwhelmed here are 5 tips to start you down the joyful road to organization.
5 Ways To Get More Done
- Avoid interruption: If possible, leave your phone on voice mail during times you have scheduled to work on projects. If you have a private office, close your door. You might even place a sign saying something like “Hard at Work: Please Come Back Later.” If you are interrupted, help keep the interruption short by remaining task-oriented.
- Schedule time to make phone calls and return e-mail. When you leave a phone message, list times that you will be available by phone. Ask the other party to do the same – it will save you both a lot of time that would otherwise be spent on everyone’s favorite game, phone tag. Also, avoid checking your voice mail and e-mail frequently. Instead, review them at scheduled intervals during the day.
- Plan stress breaks throughout the day. Make sure you give yourself a break! Working to the point of total brain fatigue and muscle tension will never do you any good. Stretch, take some deep breaths, and go out to get your lunch, call your kids – do something to give yourself a little break. If you’d like, you can schedule these breaks as a reward for when you’ve finished a particular chore.
- Appreciate your own approach. Just as we are all different in other ways, we all have diverse organizational styles. Keep in mind that you have gotten where you are today because of whom you are and what you have accomplished. Employ improved organizational skills to enhance your personal style, not change it. Getting organized should make you feel good, not burdened.
- Stick to your plan. The best-laid plans often fall victim to their makers. While spontaneity is important, there is a fine line between it and plain procrastination. Once you’ve come up with a good plan for tackling a task, stay with it. Only you can prevent yourself from wavering.
Believe me, I understand how hard it is to ignore the phone or not leave your email up at all times so that you can see the messages as they come in. Once you finally convince yourself that you aren’t going to lose your clients because you don’t answer them immediately, you’ll discover at least two amazing things. The first is that once your clients get used to the fact that you answer emails or calls at a set time each day throughout the day, they will likely discover that it helps them become more organized as well. In fact most of my clients utilize this same trick in order to keep organized with their business priorities. The second thing you’ll notice is a completely unintended (but wonderful) side effect – not only will you accomplish more work in the day but you will do a better job at it. You will able to focus in on your task at the exclusion of all other distractions and this will make a world of difference in the work you put out.
Until next time . . .
Write On!
Paige
http://www.paigejackson.com/business
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Posted by Paige on July 13, 2011 at 6:55 pm
The word freelance was first coined by Sir Walter Scott, a renowned Scottish historical novelist and poet, in 1819 when he wrote his novel Ivanhoe, to refer to a medieval mercenary warrior. The term has then shifted into more figurative meanings. In the 1860s, freelance became a figurative noun, and in 1903, it was officially recognized as a verb by etymologists like the Oxford English Dictionary.
Today, the word freelance has changed into different forms: as a noun, freelance or freelancer; as a verb, a photographer who freelances; and as an adverb, he works freelance.
Working freelance has become a career and lifestyle choice. It has given more people a variety of benefits and these people feel that there is no better option than the ones they have due to the flexibility of work.
More people today choose to leave the security of their day jobs and engage in freelance work due mainly to the following factors:
- Variety of jobs. More people are drawn to go freelance for this reason alone. Freelance work offers a greater variety of assignments compared to regular employment. And with the internet offering more opportunities, freelancing becomes a mine for those who seek good opportunities and better projects, not to mention higher paying jobs. A freelancer can also take on different jobs at one time. He/She can write feature articles while designing a website.
- Fast turnaround of projects. Most freelance jobs are time bound. These jobs are usually done fast and allows freelancers to move on to new projects as soon as they finish the job.
- More freedom, more flexibility. Going freelance can give a person the freedom to choose the place, date and manner in which to do work. Though some freelancing schemes require contracts, freelance still spells a no employer-no employee relationship. Freelance work offers more freedom for someone who does not want to be confined in an 8 to 5 or 9 to 6 work scheme. The freelancer is free to choose his working hours and be his/her own boss. Because of the freedom in work schedule, freelancing gives a person more time to pursue other interests or take on more jobs. Other freelancers also consider the fact that they can even take care of their family better as soon as they start working freelance.
- Improved income and savings. Freelance workers can usually command higher income rates for their projects because they are hired for their specific talents and skills. This is a big plus because they are paid high but do not have to work full time. Though income rates for freelancers vary, most of them still benefit from the setup. They charge either by the hour, by the day, or on per-project. Others use value-based pricing methods instead of imposing a flat rate. Payments are arranged based on the agreement, and could be done upfront, percentage upfront, or paid whenever the project is completed. For others, a staggered payment scheme may be agreed upon.
Today, freelancers can easily find work through the internet. The internet has been a good facilitator of freelancers and employers around the world. These jobs can range from writing short articles to language tutors to architectural designs. The demand to complete projects through freelancing is still very high, as shown by the thousands of projects posted on the Internet.
To celebrate the world of freelance I’m going to spend the next few weeks penning a series of articles devoted to this worthy subject that is so close to my heart.
Until next time . . .
Write On!
Paige Jackson
http://www.paigejackson.com/business/
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