3 weeks of how many hours?

The press release should take about an hour, hour and a half max to write and edit -- you could go with a pretty low-range standard $30/hour rate or 1 to 3 cents a word.

Track your media contact time -- your could charge about $25/hour for that, low-balled. Street marketing -- time, about $15/hour and mileage? or average it out and say $20/hour + mileage. (Remember mileage is also tax-deductible.)

I don't know about the radio pitching and setting up affiliate program.

I'd maybe ask your friend what range of budget she has to work with, and say "This is what I can do for that budget." I don't know if you want to go hourly, or charge a set project rate.

Huh -- this sparks a query of my own. If you charge a client for mileage, and they pay those costs, can you STILL claim that mileage on your taxes?

If you charge a client for mileage, and they pay those costs, can you STILL claim that mileage on your taxes?

No. Any reimbursed business expenses are not eligible to be claimed as deductions on your taxes. The IRS considers it double-dipping and it's one of the top audit triggers.

That seems logical. Thanks, Maria.

My only mileage costs have been non-client but business related, so it's moot so far, but I'm glad to know this before September.

Erin, you can charge your clients for the time you spend driving to them, though.

All my clients have been strictly e-based so far.

I AM tracking mileage to post office and office depot, and I'll track it for when M leaves and I go out and do some notice posting and F2F networking events.

I really DO have "study taxes" and "get accountant" on the to-do list, I swear.

Erin, thanks for that. It's a good frame to work from. Cheers!

Also, I've had yet another bad experience with SCORE that you might benefit from.

I wrote to them, asking for an appointment...radio silence. So, today I called and was greeted by the most charming of phone answerers.

She asked what I did, the complimented me lavishly. She assigned me a counselor without another question. I assumed that 'I'm a life coach, counselor and canine behaviorist' meant something to her.

After hanging up, I looked at the bio page for my new adviser.

He's a tax specialist and economist.

Sigh.

I need marketing, lead generation and lead conversion.

ARGH.

I dug through my contacts from a Constant Contact event and wrote to the director of the DC SCORE OFFICE and requested (as advised by a colleague of his) that he help me find a counselor who would meet my needs. I was, at the same time, wildly complimentary of the charming phone answerer.

She left me a message a couple of hours later in a very dour voice. I hope she didn't get into trouble but I will be double dog damned if I will repeat the experience I had with them 10 years ago.

Why can't this just WORK OUT?!

Erin, sorry, what I meant by all that is that you could get some good advise about business taxes for free from your area SCORE or SBA.

After yet another unfortunate experience with SCORE, I got a call today, assigning me to a counselor they say has experience in my areas of need. Fingers crossed that I've got a good one this time.

Also, if any Biz folks are not in Bitches, I'm asking for some input about a business proposal a friend of mine has posed that is giving me pause.

If you can spare some thoughts, I'd be extremely grateful.

Does anyone have experience with the Amazon Affiliate links program?

I know Jilli asked this question AGES AGO, but I just wanted to mention that due to affiliate nexus laws, Amazon will dump you as an affiliate if your mailing address is in certain states, such as California, Connecticut, Illinois, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Vermont.

Hey, i did my commercial! It was seriously nerve wracking!! It gave me such an appreciation for all my favorite actors, especially those who do really emotional stuff in front of the camera. The whole hing was hard. Hopefully it will pay off.