Social Media – The Magazine
Pleasantly surprised, I came across this dashing new magazine at Virgin (ABC Ashrafieh) the other day:
I didn’t know there was a social media magazine (in print, at least) out there and much more surprised to find it here. It was the last issue on the stand (sorry guys) but no doubt we’ll be seeing more of it soon if demand for it increases. You can also download an only version of it for $2.99 from their website if you’re extra-antsy to check it out right now.
The much-used expression “don’t judge a book by its cover” actually doesn’t apply to magazines. Had it not been for the graphic and colorful cover, I wouldn’t have spotted it out of the rest of the technology magazines there. I also liked that they feature the artist who drew the cover inside – this issue’s featured artist was Derek Yaniger (@derekart).
The content of the magazine are also interesting, covering in this issue in particular “Looking Your Best in Social Situations”, “Social Shopping Trends”, “Trending Topics for 2012″ and my personal favorite “The Five Biggest Stories in Social Media in 2011″. That article listed in #1 the rise of the Arab Spring revolution and the role social media played, even when the government tried to cut that form of communication:
“Ironically, government efforts to crack down on social media may have led to an increase in public activism in Egypt, as people who could no longer follow the unrest via social media took the streets to find out what was going on.”
Long live social media.
Having come across this magazine got me wondering: why don’t we have a Middle Eastern social media magazine too? We surely have enough activity, bloggers and twitterati (or is tweeps? I never know the right term to use) in the region. The Arab Spring also proves that we’re able to use social media to its utmost potential, so why not have something out there as a reference for future trends and social media topics here?
Hopefully someone reading this will get inspired to do so (and please make sure it has a cool cover and nice design layout).
Now although I realize that a magazine about something so largely based on online activities might seem ironic, but there’s a certain appeal to having information presented to you in printed form and in your hands to read at leisure. It transforms the medium into something more humanly accessible, especially in this day and time when we’re bombarded with emails, links and blogs all day long. Taking an online break with magazines keeps you in the loop but in a more relaxed way (also why I strongly believe magazines and books will never get extinct).
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Check out The Social Media Monthly to read the full articles on the topics I mentioned and more.
The grass is not always greener..
Moving to the US (or any other country for that matter but Lebanon) is a dream for so many people here. Why is that green card, visa or foreign passport STILL the ultimate dream? Why is that STILL the solution to everyone’s problems? It’s getting old.
We live in an escapist culture here. We avoid problems by partying, over-lavishing ourselves in fancy brands and cars or surgically removing traces of our true identities. The 2006 war is the ultimate case study of how while bombs were hitting coastal towns of Lebanon, people fled to the mountains and the nightlife there boomed like never before. New pubs opened and stores saw unprecedented profits in a time of national crisis.
Every Lebanese person know this about our culture and some might even delight in the ironies, but there’s something deeper there we fail to realize. We’d rather run away from our problems than face them. It’s only natural, right? But in a country that has so much potential for change and opportunity, if we keep waiting for that first chance to leave and abandon it, what’ll be left of Lebanon?
I’ve lived outside, and I’ll admit, it certainly has its perks (and life in an organized and stable society helps), but I’ve come back and been back for almost 3 years now. Now I’m not saying that I don’t sometimes want to just put my hands up in the air and say “Enough, I’m outta here!” but I’ve come to realize that I’d be giving up too soon. And not for the right reasons at that. Also, where would I go? Where would I truly belong? I certainly didn’t belong in the US.
Every time around this season, all those from abroad come home to celebrate Christmas and the holidays with their loved ones in Lebanon. In comes the over-congestion on the roads, pubs and restaurants overflowing with customers and mixed accents in the air. Now that I’m part of the receiving party, I observe them as citizen visitors (for lack of a better word) to our country – and not necessarily in a bad way. They’re here to have fun and spend time with their families. A lot of them might complain at the lack of electricity, slow internet and traffic, but then they’re gone one or two weeks later. It now annoys me when they complain because they don’t live it every day. They’re looking at it from an outside opinion. Several of those citizen visitors go back to the countries they’re living in, smug in the fact they have it better where they’re living while those living here look at them through envious eyes, hoping they can leave soon too.
I’m tired of this “the grass is greener on the other side” mentality we have here. We have some pretty great things here and life can be good in Lebanon if you know how to see (and create) that life. It took me 6 months of kicking and screaming when I first returned to adjust, but there was a light at the end of the tunnel and we as humans can surprise ourselves in our adaptation methods. Maybe for some life away from Lebanon is working for some (or lots) of people and that’s perfectly fine. Some of my best friends are living in Dubai, Europe and the US. There’s plenty the West and other parts of the world have to offer. That’s not what bothers me but rather it’s the “let’s leave this god-forsaken-life here in lebanon” view we’ve had for far too long and those who think that those living here lack ambition and are doomed for a hard life. Things HAVE changed since you left buddy.
Ok, so there are many, many problems here that are out of our hands and I dream of the day we have the right representative in our country to steer things the right way, but that’s a dream we’re all waiting for. Corruption, theft, lack of security, disregarded human rights and other major issues are in the hands of the leaders of our country and it’s them that need to make a change. But if we (the ambitious, educated, inspired youth) keep leaving the country just because of its problems, who’ll be left to fix things?
You might be reading this post and thinking “Ah, poor thing.. such an idealist girl. Join the club!” and maybe I’m just reiterating things that many before me have said, but here’s hoping there are others like me reading this that have returned and making something out of there lives here to stand as examples. I was part of the generation who fled the 2006 war and started a life abroad. Some of my friends ended up staying abroad for mostly career development and opportunity reasons, but when I returned in 2009, I noticed a pattern of others returning too. Some didn’t last too long and went back, but they tried. A lot of the returnees are still here and it’s created a bit of a club among us. We’ve been there, we’ve tried it, we’ve returned. What brought us back? Everyone has their own reasons, but the fact that people are returning should be an indicator of change.
Lebanon is not for everyone, even for some Lebanese, but it’s got something special. If you want to leave, that’s fine. On the contrary, I say try living abroad, try living here and then make your own free-will decision of where you want to live – just don’t expect that to be the ultimate solution to all your problems if that’s the main reason you want to leave. Even countries we regard as “perfect” have their own problems so the grass is not always greener on the other side. You might just not know it (or be able to picture it) from this side of things.
The problem, in my opinion, lies in how we perceive our country. Lebanon’s been regarded as a battered child for so long post-civil war and other political problems that no one is noticing that battered child is growing into a beautiful young adult. If we look at it through a different lens, living here is not that bad after all.. and don’t let someone else convince you otherwise.
How to Wear “His” Shirt
Growing up, my dad’s old shirts were always the ideal smock for art class. At the start of every school year, my mom would rummage through my dad’s closet and pull out a shirt that he wouldn’t miss (or maybe she didn’t like that much on him, so this was an excuse to get rid of it nicely). That shirt would as a result be sacrificed in the name of “art”.
With days of art classes long behind me, I’d forgotten the potential of men’s shirts for more than just a smock – well, until today. I came across this great video that demonstrates several creative and fashionable ways to wear men’s shirts:
Below I’ve included a few snapshots taken from the video itself for a quick reference:
"How a Girl Should Put a Man's Shirt"- Preparations for Outfit #1
"How a Girl Should Put a Man's Shirt"- Outfit #1
"How a Girl Should Put a Man's Shirt"- Preparations for Outfit #2
"How a Girl Should Put a Man's Shirt"- Preparations for Outfit #2
"How a Girl Should Put a Man's Shirt"- Outfit #2
"How a Girl Should Put a Man's Shirt" - MY FAVORITE!
So next time you’re in the men’s section of a clothing store or come across a shirt left behind by your boyfriend (or ex-boyfriend), tie it up, wrap it up and wear it with style!
The Client VS The Designer
The client-designer business relationship is a sensitive one as it requires plenty of on-going communication and establishing certain expectations upfront to ensure a positive result for both parties involved. I’ve compiled a list specific to each but this post will be dedicated to client-side of things. The designers edition will be posted later on on my blog in a few days.
If you’re a client:
- Always, always ask for a project estimate upfront. I cannot stress this point enough. Don’t leave things at word-of-mouth or verbal agreement. The experienced designer can generally estimate how much time will be needed to complete a project and as a result, how much it will cost. If you have a budget in mind you’d like to stick to, make that clear from the start before any designing starts. Once you’ve agreed on the rate and signed any agreements needed (to protect both parties, not just the designer), then the work can commence. Many designers will also require a deposit upfront – this varies from 30% in phases or 50% upfront and the rest at completion.
- Don’t select designers for their fees; select them for their service. If you’re scouting a few designers for an upcoming project and don’t know who to choose, don’t let their fee be the determining factor. You’re not shopping for a pair of shoes or item of furniture after all. Each designer comes with their own education and design approach so no two designers are ever created equal. Design fees will vary based on years of experience, their working methods and project scope. Let the designer give you a better idea about their fees and the services they’ll be delivering when you schedule the first meeting. Did you see their portfolio and did it impress you? Do they have good word-of-mouth? All pluses. A very important indicator of who to go with is also very instinctual: Do you feel comfortable with them? How well did they understand what you need them to do? You’re going to have to communicate on a pretty-much regular basis until the project completion so it’s important you can see yourself working with that designer.
- Get the logo files you’re entitled to. If you’ve hired a designer to create a logo for you, it’s your right to have it in .eps or vector-format once the design has been finalized. Many clients forget to request that and either the designer no longer has it or they end up having to use low-res versions of their logo for printing (big no-no for quality in large-scale printing). You might not need it right away, but keeping the original vector format with you will always come in handy.
- Set deadlines and don’t leave things vague. Unless there really isn’t a deadline (seldom the case), keeping things at “take your time, we have a few weeks” ensures it stays on the designer’s back-burner and then when you do need it, it’s not ready. Deadlines should leave enough time for revisions and printing schedules. Key deadlines should be respected by both parties.
- Send a brief. It’s always a huge help for designing when the client knows what they want and what they hope the end-product should achieve in terms of messaging. Something “wow” will not be met kindly by any designer. Specify your target audience, the style and general content needed. The sooner the brief is set, the sooner the designer can get to work and not waste your valuable time trying to figure out what you want.
- Review all the details in the design before it goes to print or on your site. Yes, the designer is responsible for getting all your content correctly in whatever design you requested, but they are not copywriters and humans in the end. Typos happen. It’s your job as the client to review these details and don’t point fingers at anyone but yourself if the designer had sent you a proof that you approved. Proofs save a lot of heart-ache when you’re printing something. Check, check and double check before giving the green light.
- Designing doesn’t include expenses. Have the designer keep tab of any expenses such as stock photography, copywriting, font purchase, etc. They should keep you informed along the way and get your confirmation before any such purchases are made to avoid any surprises later on when it comes to the invoice.
- Leave the designing to the designer. I’ve had several clients request the original files to do their own work on them and each time I’ve returned to them with a flat-out no. If you’re having trouble communicating your idea to the designer, set a meeting and discuss in person or find samples online that reflect what you have in mind. Design files are the designers tools, just like an artist’s paintbrush. If the design is for a website, then it’s a different story but only once the design is finalized will they pass on the files for build-out.
Did I leave anything out? Clients and designers, please feel free to suggest others if I missed something.
Freelancer minus the “Free”
Freelancers are one of the most valuable, yet most undervalued, assets to corporate culture. Undefined by location, they can work from home and deliver a service that’s just as good (if not better) than that by a full-teamed agency. Their rates also tend to be lower than that of an agency or company as they have a smaller overhead to worry about. You’re basically paying for their work and it’s value. Freelancers are today’s entrepenuer moving against the wind by being self-employed and often end up establishing their own businesses if it works for them (or returning to the 9-to-5 if doesn’t).
Comic Source: www.CartoonStock.com
By definition, a freelancer is somebody who is self-employed and is not committed to a particular employer long term (w). However, oftentimes clients tend to see the “free” in freelancer as an opportunity to get more bang for their buck – and at the freelancer’s expense. Why should we have to suffer and struggle financially just because we’d rather work on our own?
My friend Yasmeen, a freelance designer like me, can relate and made an excellent point by saying:
“I’m going to stop using the word FREElance. Self-employed is better, even though it’s a sucky phrase.” – Yasmeen
(her quote actually inspired this post)
Arab clients in particular like to play on the sympathy card by trying to sell the fact they don’t have that big a budget for your work but that they’ll return the favor for much-lower rates by giving you future work, or credit. Would you ever go to a car dealership if you can’t afford a car? Would you tell the sales rep “I’m sorry I can’t afford this car, but I’ll drive it around, have several of my friends drive it around and make sure everyone sees the logo in return”?
If a client is coming to you, they have a budget and they need to be reminded that you provide a service of value, even if it’s not physical. You’re not a charity case and neither are they for that matter. The client needs you and your services just as much as you need them, so keep the playing field equal and treat the paying matter as such.
Please fellow freelancers, don’t fall for the same tired excuse of no or very low budget for symbolic returns for your work (credits are your right, not a privilege or trading barter). It encourages that client to use the same excuse with other future freelancers and down goes the whole freelancing industry if enough people fall for this. The few times you should allow yourself to do things for free is out of your own free will (for a charity or cause you want to support, for example) or if it’s truly a great opportunity that’s worth it in the long-run (a portfolio piece that’s sure to impress). Don’t get bullied into working for free when it’s not on your terms.
I’m personally fed-up with the lack of respect for freelancers in this part of the world and how fickle clients can be in swapping one out for the other. When a client hires a freelancer, they should ideally be hiring them for their work, not for their rates. I wish more clients realized that. Yes clients, we may not be as big as the typical agencies you tend to work with (and who tend to rip you off by the way or do a half-assed job), but we’re trying to make a honest living and working hard to do so.
If anyone needs your work, it’s all the talented freelancers out there so please spare us the embarrassing trade-offs for our education and experience. Support the local economy and encourage the creative youth living in this country to stay here. Most importantly, if all freelancers working in Lebanon can learn not to settle for less for competition’s sake, we’ll finally be able to set a respectable standard that clients will have to abide by. NO, $200 for a logo is not acceptable, and NO, $50 for a full-day of wedding photography is not acceptable. We need to establish a Lebanese Freelancer’s Guild to serve and protect our rights.
From this day forward, I’m no longer a freelancer: I’m self-employed.
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Relevant Reads:
Freelance photographers, read this helpful post “How to Respond to Requests for Free Photography“
For more on freelancing, read my widely-popular “The Good, the Bad and the Freelancer“
“Don’t get Ticked into Working for Free” by Little Zotz
“3 Personality Traits Every Freelancer Should Demonstrate ” on Creative Agency Freelancing
