Monthly Archives: April 2010

Are You Doing a Good Job of Conveying the Value of Personal Histories?

Posted on April 29, 2010 | Leave a comment

The following article is reprinted with the kind permission of Stephanie Kadel Taras, Ph.D., of  TimePieces Personal Biographies.

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I have a 1-year-old rescue puppy, part husky, that pulls so hard on the leash I’ve given up walking her in the neighborhood. My inability to train her right, and my already fragile wrists and elbows from typing too much, left me frustrated and sore. We’ve been going to a fenced dog park, so she can run off leash, but I’ve missed my regular loops around Ann Arbor, especially as spring has bloomed. At the dog park, I heard from other humans about a harness that prevents pulling with the leash clipped in front of the dog’s chest. I was dubious but desperate.

Yesterday, I found the harness at the pet store. It cost 27 dollars! For a few inches of nylon and plastic. I bought it anyway. I tried it this morning, and it’s a minor miracle. My dog stopped pulling instantly, and we had a wonderful, relaxed walk to see the tulips and flowering trees. It was worth 27 dollars. In fact it was  worth 50 dollars to me, but I probably wouldn’t have bought it for that without knowing its value first.

Now, even if I’m generous and estimate the company spends $5 per harness to produce, market, and distribute it, that’s a pretty amazing mark-up. But they understand the value of their product to the desperate dog-walker.

As I walked, I couldn’t help thinking of our work as personal historians and the treasure that we provide our clients. I saw it just last week when the adult daughter of an 83-year-old narrator was speechless after reading the draft of her mom’s book. She held her hand to her heart with tears running down her face, and then just reached out to hug me. Now THAT is value.

So if you’re thinking about what to price your services, after you go through all the necessary machinations of figuring out what you want to earn, what you have to charge, what it costs to produce, and so on, the most important question is: what is it worth to our customers? And are we doing a good enough job helping them realize that worth before they decide whether to buy or not? What will people pay for a minor miracle? If they are able to afford our services at all, they will probably pay a lot more than many of us think.

Photo by Francesco  Negri

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25 No Cost or Low Cost Marketing Ideas for Your Personal History Business.

Posted on April 28, 2010 | 6 Comments

You don’t have to spend a fortune on marketing. These twenty-five ideas won’t break the bank. But a word of caution. Don’t try them all at once. You’ll go crazy! Pick a couple and focus on them. See what works for you and then move on to some others.

What marketing approaches have you used that are cheap and effective? Love to hear from you!

  1. Business cards: Don’t forget to carry a few cards with you at all times. You never know when and where you’ll have a conversation and someone will want your card. Ask businesses if they will display your card.
  2. Join a community group: People will get to know you and in time you’ll have some potential clients. I was part of a community choir for many years.  It worked for me!
  3. Offer workshops: This is a great way to introduce people to life stories and attract clients.
  4. Write articles: Seek opportunities to write articles for your local paper, alumni magazine, professional newsletters,  etc.
  5. Arrange speaking opportunities: Service organizations such as the Rotary club and Lions club are always looking for guest speakers.
  6. Wear a button or T-shirt: Have a T-shirt made with a phrase like “Preserving memories is an act of love”.  Wear your T-shirt when you go to the supermarket or mall.
  7. Join  networking groups: From Chambers of Commerce to BNI there’s a business group for you.  Ask some local business people for suggestions.
  8. Start a Blog: If you like to write and have something useful to offer potential clients, then this might be just for you.
  9. Put a bumper sticker on your car: A few words and your telephone number provides a mobile advertisement for your business.
  10. Carry a tote with a catchy “personal history” phrase: This is similar to the T-shirt suggestion above but more suitable for business settings.
  11. Sign up and use Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn: Social media has become  a powerful marketing tool. Don’t be left behind!
  12. Become a volunteer: Find an organization for which you’ve some affinity. In time you’ll find some clients among the people you’ll meet.
  13. Give away gifts: I frequent garage sales and pick up books that relate in some way to life stories. I insert a small label in the book  that includes my business name and contact information. I give these away at my workshops. You might also try bookmarks or pens.
  14. Host your own radio or TV show: Local community radio and TV stations are always looking for new sources of programing.
  15. Join Toastmasters: There’s a Toastmasters in most cities. Not only is it a great way to improve your speaking abilities but also to find clients.
  16. Ask for referrals: Don’t forget to ask your satisfied clients for referrals.
  17. Publish an Online newsletter: This is an excellent way to keep in touch with clients and establish yourself as an authority.
  18. Speak at Conferences: This provides an opportunity to share your expertise and meet prospects.
  19. Join the Association of Personal Historians: The Association provides great support and its membership listing is available to those looking to hire a personal historian.
  20. Create an e-mail signature: Every e-mail you send out should include a memorable phrase, your web/blog address and contact information.
  21. Give away free reports: On your blog or website create a useful document that visitors will want to read. This not only establishes you as an authority but also strengthens your bond with your audience.
  22. Form “supportive” business alliances: Contact local businesses that have clients that might also fit your client profile. For example you could  meet with people offering “Seniors Services”. Suggest to them that it would be mutually  beneficial to cross promote your services.
  23. Attend workshops: It’s a way to enhance your professional skills and market your personal history business.
  24. Organize a charity fund-raising  event: You get to meet a lot of people, do something worthwhile, and create more awareness of your company.
  25. Send out media releases. Tie your release  to a holiday, special day, or issue. Follow up with a phone call to see if your release was received. Make friends with your local media. Eventually you’ll get an interview.

Photo © Martin Green | Dreamstime.com

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Monday’s Link Roundup.

Posted on April 26, 2010 | Leave a comment

I had a lot fun putting together this Monday’s Link Roundup. There’s just so much great stuff out there. This week is no exception. For a look at the fast changing pace of media over the past 120, don’t miss Retro Media: Memory (and Memories) Lost. If you’re looking for a good chuckle, stop by the Top 10 Funniest Google Suggest Results.

And don’t forget to vote on my poll: How long have you been a personal historian? Click here to vote.

  • The [Oxford] Handbook of Oral History. [Hardback. 608 pages. Publication date, Oct. 2010. $150.00 ] “The Oxford Handbook of Oral History brings together forty authors on five continents to address the evolution of oral history, the impact of digital technology, the most recent methodological and archival issues, and the application of oral history to both scholarly research and public presentations. The volume is addressed to seasoned practitioners as well as to newcomers, offering diverse perspectives on the current state of the field and its likely future developments.”
  • Untold stories of early environmentalists come alive in oral histories. “Environmental Activism in Los Angeles features 25 in-depth oral histories with local environmentalists, half of which will be unveiled on Thursday, April 22, on Earth Day.  Their accounts will be posted online both as written transcripts and digital recordings at the UCLA Library Center for Oral History Research.”
  • Retro Media: Memory (and Memories) Lost. “The past 120 years saw some of the most rapid changes in how we record, collect, and use audio, visual, and now digital information. The pace creates in its wake, a long list of obsolete technologies, some of which, still exist, but for which equipment and storage technologies are not always available. This exhibit reflects this light-speed, developing technology world with a selection of media formats.”
  • Five Best Offline Backup Tools. “Online backup has many benefits—safety from local catastrophe, storage on professionally maintained servers, etc.—but economy, control, and 100% guaranteed privacy aren’t among them. Check out these five popular tools for making safe and sound local backups.”
  • Top 10 Funniest Google Suggest Results. “A feature from Google Labs (Google Labs), Suggest offers you real-time suggestions to complete your search query as you type. One of the factors in the algorithm that determines the results is the overall popularity of searches by other users. Part illuminating, part entertaining and part terrifying, Suggest is a window into the collective search psyche of our fellow humans. And based on the contents of this list — be afraid. Be very afraid.”

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Poll: How long have you been a personal historian? Click here.

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Oops! My Mistake.

Posted on April 25, 2010 | Leave a comment

My apologies to those of you who subscribe to my blog. Instead of pushing the Preview button I inadvertently pushed the Publish button on the article “Are You Doing a Good Job of Selling The Value of Personal Histories?” It was intended for publishing this coming Thursday.

You’ll discover you can’t  link back to my blog or leave a comment on this  subscribed post. However, the post will appear in its correct format on my blog this Thursday, provided I hit the right button! ;-)

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Poll: How Long Have You Been A Personal Historian?

Posted on April 23, 2010 | 15 Comments

In order to serve you better,  I’d like to know if you’re new to personal history work or a seasoned veteran. Please take a moment to answer my poll.

Many thanks.

Dan

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5 Steps to Playing a Bigger Game.

Posted on April 22, 2010 | Leave a comment

There’s a tendency for us to play small when we’re frightened by both recessionary times and shrinking bank accounts.  It’s natural to want to pull up the drawbridge and hunker down.  But if we’re not careful, we become habitual small thinkers and our dreams wither and die. What would it take for you to play a bigger game? Here are five steps that will get you to think big.

  1. Silence your Inner Gremlin. Our Gremlins are those critical inner voices that try to keep us firmly rooted in the status quo. As soon as you think about playing a bigger game, they start harassing you, “Who do you think you are? You don’t have enough experience to do that. What will people think? You’ll probably fail. ” You need to recognize your Gremlin voices and firmly tell them to “get lost”. If you need some help, I highly recommend the book Taming Your Gremlin.
  2. Step out of your comfort zone. We’re drawn to comfort and it can smother us. The truth is that nothing comes from playing it safe. One of the biggest stumbling blocks to playing a bigger game is not  stepping out of our comfort zone and taking risks.  It’s scary to do so. Ask yourself what’s the absolute worse thing that could happen to you? Now hold that scenario in your mind and ask yourself if you could handle this worse case? The chances are you’ll probably answer yes.
  3. Organize support. You’ll need to find people who share your dream. Your support group can be drawn from friends, colleagues, and personal coaches.They’ll be there to give you feedback, ask powerful questions, and help keep you focused on your vision.
  4. Ask yourself the right questions. In order to be clear about where you are and where you want to be, ask yourself:
    • How am I playing small?
    • What do I yearn for?
    • What’s holding me back?
    • What do I need to do to move forward?
  5. Take action. If you spend all your time reflecting, reading, and analyzing but never putting your plan into action, you’ll have failed. This is where your support group is invaluable. They can hold you accountable and keep you focused on your dream.

Image by Marie-Chantale  Turgeon

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Caution: End-of-Life Interviews May Unlock Traumatic Stories.

Posted on April 21, 2010 | 2 Comments

Previously I have written here about interviewing people who are living with a terminal illness.  There are benefits for patients  in capturing the stories of their lives and conveying special messages to loved ones, but a word of caution. It can also be a time when traumatic incidents from a person’s past can resurface. These could involve physical or sexual abuse, loss of a child, and so on. You’re not likely to encounter such stories  but it does happen. It’s happened to me. What should you do if such a situation arises? Here are my suggestions.

  • Stop recording. People can forget that their words are being recorded and will eventually be heard or read by family members. You must ask your subjects if this is information they want others to hear. If it is, then when you begin recording again you need to say on the recording that you have spoken to your subjects and they have expressed a wish to continue with this aspect of the story.  If on the other hand they say no, then you will want to ensure that all references to the incident are removed from the recording.
  • Remember you’re not a therapist. It’s important to remind yourself that your role is not to help people mend. You’re there to facilitate the recording of a life story. However, it’s wise to have the names of several trusted counselors that you can refer people to should the need arise. If  your subjects are clearly distressed by past events, you can suggest that they might want to talk to a counselor.
  • Bear witness. It’s possible that your subjects don’t need or want any therapeutic  intervention. And they don’t want this part of the story recorded. They may only want to relieve themselves of a terrible burden that perhaps no one knows about. Telling you, in confidence, is a way to bring some closure to a difficult episode in their lives. Listen and bear witness. Do not explore, suggest, or otherwise engage in any therapeutic activity.  If you sense you’re getting in well over your head, it’s time to suggest to your subjects that they talk to a counselor.

Chances are you’re never going to encounter such a situation. But you want to be prepared in those rare cases where your interview unlocks some traumatic event.

Photo by Kevin Rosseel

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Posted in End of life, Interviewing, Life stories, Palliative care, Personal historian, Tips

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Monday’s Link Roundup.

Posted on April 19, 2010 | 2 Comments

This Monday’s Link Roundup has a little something for everyone. My favorite is A Powerful Story. It’s a great example of how a story can be told creatively and powerfully in three minutes. If you can spare a few minutes, you’ll be intrigued by this video.

  • A Parking Lot Poet Turns 100. “In the tiny parking lot booth just west of Arthur Avenue in the Bronx, Joe Binder writes his poems: odes to the Rat Pack and the old days in the neighborhood.

“The time was great, the people were nice
And the pizza was only five cents a slice.”

Mostly, though, Mr. Binder parks cars. And though he celebrated his 100th birthday Thursday, he has no plans to retire.”

  • Let’s Bring Back. “Inspired by Ms. Blume’s popular, longstanding  Huffington Post column by the same name, Chronicle Books will release Let’s Bring Back as a book on November 1, 2010. A sophisticated, stylish cultural encyclopedia, Let’s Bring Back will celebrate forgotten objects, curiosities, pastimes, landmarks, and personae from bygone eras that should not have been left behind.” [Thanks to APH member Marcy Davis for alerting me to this item.]
  • The Objects and Memory Project. “In the face of sudden disruption and inexplicable loss, there is a need to bridge the irreplaceable past with a hopeful future. This film follows people driven to preserve meaningful objects in the aftermath of 9/11 and other upheavals. Otherwise ordinary items come to symbolize experiences, aspirations, and identity. Without the objects, the stories would lack vibrancy; without the stories the objects would lack significance. Taken together, the images of the objects and the stories they evoke lead the viewer on a journey where the commonplace is transformed into the remarkable and where the stuff of history is highly personalized.”
  • 10 Simple Google Search Tricks. “I’m always amazed that more people don’t know the little tricks you can use to get more out of a simple Google search. Here are 10 of my favorites. ” [Thanks to APH member Marcy Davis for alerting me to this item.]
  • Digital Death Day. “What happens to your bits when you die? Digital Death Day takes place on May 20, 2010 at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, CA. It’s an unconference  set to explore what happens when a person dies. What happens to your digital assets? How do you probate digital assets? What about jointly held digital assets? What happens to your digital avatars? What are the policies about your email account upon death?”
  • A powerful story: Simple, but not simplistic. “If I asked you to create a compelling three-minute video with only written words, could you do it?  Take a look at this interesting video treatment of words playfully telling a serious story.”
  • LibraryThing. “There are a lot of ways to catalog a personal book collection, but I’ve settled on LibraryThing because I have more books than other media (we don’t buy movies, aren’t gamers, etc). I use LT to keep track of my own books, books I wish I owned, or want to read (using a wish list tag) and also to keep track of books I’ve loaned out to others (tag plus a note with the date loaned).”

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The Most Commented On Posts of The Past Year.

Posted on April 16, 2010 | Leave a comment

These are not necessarily the posts with the most readers but they are the ones that drew the most comments. For those of you who may have missed them, here’s your chance to see what caused the flurry of comments. If you’ve already read them and didn’t comment, it’s not too late to join in the discussion! ;-)

  • The Cluttered of The World Unite! “…We seem to be inundated these days with exhortations from neatness mavens to declutter and organize our lives for a happier and better tomorrow…”
  • The Power of “No”. “…saying No will help you not only with your work as a personal historian but also with your life in general…”

Photo by iStockphoto

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My Top 10 Picks for Royalty Free Photo Sites.

Posted on April 14, 2010 | 8 Comments

I use royalty free images a lot in my work. My two favorite sources are  iStockphoto and Flickr Creative Commons.  I like iStockphoto because of the quality and variety of their images. I appreciate  the ease of using the site and the moderate cost. Flickr Creative Commons is a wellspring of member photos. There is no charge for the images and limited restrictions on their use. I highly recommend both.

If you’re a braver person than I am, you might want to check out xmarks. It lists 115 stock photo sites! But if you’d rather have a more manageable list, here are ten sites that won’t disappoint.

  1. gettyimages We offer the industry’s best and broadest collections of imagery and footage – including award-winning news, sport and entertainment content, plus rare and contemporary archival imagery. Our music collection provides a wide range of pre-cleared tracks from independent artists, chart-topping acts and popular soundtracks.
  2. stock.xchng Browse through the categories of our huge gallery containing over 350,000 quality stock photos by more than 30,000 photographers! Need a wallpaper for your desktop or illustration for your blog? Need a pic for your commercial website design? Looking for inspiration? Have a look around.
  3. MorgueFile The morguefile contains photographs freely contributed by many artists to be used in creative projects by visitors to the site. To acknowledge the artist’s accomplishments, we ask that you credit the photographer when possible.
  4. FreeFoto the largest collection of free photographs on the Internet (link back and attribution required).
  5. Dreamstime At Dreamstime you can find a large variety of Royalty-Free stock images. Thanks to the continual evolution and diversification of digital technologies, we are able to provide images of a very high quality at a completely convenient price. All the images are carefully scrutinized and selected, in order to make sure that only the best are included and that the range of subjects is extensive.
  6. BigStockPhoto Your fast, easy-to-use marketplace for quality stock images. We offer over 4 million royalty-free photographs and illustrations from talented photographers and artists around the globe, available for almost any purpose.
  7. photoXpress More images for your hard earned bucks! Choose from our flexible upgrade plans starting as low as $9.99! You’ll get 25x more photos for 20x less than the price of other big image sites! You won’t find prices better than that anywhere.
  8. Image*After Image*After is a large online free photo collection. You can download and use any image or texture from our site and use it in your own work, either personal or commercial.
  9. FreeDigitalPhotos Thousands of royalty free photos and illustrations for websites, newspapers, magazines, video and TV productions, iPhone applications, PowerPoint presentations, forums, blogs and school work.
  10. 123 Royalty Free Find that perfect photo with our vast content of 6,289,361 images here. Our friendly group of professional account managers worldwide are always ready to serve you anytime, round-the-clock.

Photo by iStockphoto

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