🍔 Meta wants to eat Twitter’s lunch

Author

Jim Hamilton
May 26, 2023

Happy Friday! This is The Freelance Gig. We’re like a handful of business popcorn - tasty bite-sized nuggets to help you grow, all buttered up and ready to go.

Mentioned in today’s newsletter: Meta, Twitter, Barcelona, TikTok, and ChatGPT. Plus how to let a “bad fit” client down gently, and a simple psychological trick to boost your mental performance.

Read time: 3 minutes and 47 seconds

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Making the Rounds

  • Meta coming to (hopefully) eat Twitter’s lunch. Their new Twitter competitor, Barcelona, will function as an extension of Instagram and could reportedly launch as soon as next month. In classic “copying features for fun and profit” fashion, early screenshots of Barcelona look eerily similar to the Twitter feed.

  • TikTok sues to challenge statewide ban in Montana. In a move nobody everyone saw coming, TikTok has filed a suit against the state of Montana, claiming their recent ban of the short-form video app is unconstitutional.

  • Promotional ads offer discounts in the Facebook feed that are automatically applied at checkout. Meta’s new ad format, soon to launch in the U.S., U.K., India, and Canada, is a blessing for ecommerce owners. Hopefully this means no more subscribing to a company’s mailing list only to find out the welcome discount code is worth a measly 5%.

  • TikTok testing new AI chatbot that could transform the app. Tako, the company’s new AI chatbot, could “radically change search and navigation.” Testing is currently limited to the Philippines.

  • ChatGPT arrives on iOS. The world’s fastest-growing app has launched an official app for Apple devices, with a separate Android app reportedly coming soon.

Working With Clients

How to Let a “Bad Fit” Client Down Gently

Not all client relationships have a happy ending.

Sometimes clients will blow you up with emails, DMs, and voice notes


Hammer you with urgent requests that ignore your clearly-stated boundaries


And imply that nothing you do is up to snuff.

Sometimes, after working with them, you realize they’re just not a good fit.

Either way, when that time comes, the best move is to let them go.

But how, exactly? What’s the best way to fire a client?

Well, for starters, it’s never easy


Even if you’re secretly wishing a pox upon their house.

Send them an email or DM that hits these key points:

- I'm not the right person to help you achieve XYZ
- I hope you've gotten some good value from our time together
- Happy to get on a call to discuss if need be
- Still believe in your mission/product
- Will be rooting for you to succeed

The reason to send them a message instead of getting on a call right away is to give them a chance to digest it


And (hopefully) eliminate the need for a call.

But this way, even if they insist on one, you’ve already got the hard part out of the way.

And if you have a 30-day cancellation policy in your contract, you can always offer to let them out of it if you’re really eager to end the relationship.

Working For Yourself

Look Good, Feel Good, Do Good

One of the best parts about working remotely is the dress code.

As in, there is none.

But as nice as it is to spend the day working in sweatpants and a hoodie


Here’s the thing


Having an “everyday is Casual Friday” mindset can bleed into how you show up in your business.

If you want to perform at your best, day in and day out


And be taken seriously as a service provider


Meaning you want to be seen by your clients as someone who knows how to get results


(and is paid handsomely for it)

Then you need to come correct.

That doesn’t have to mean business formal attire, but it should mean a clean and wrinkle-free outfit.

Better yet, create a “uniform” you wear every day to minimize decision fatigue.

Studies have shown that what you wear can and does affect how you feel


So leverage this proven scientific phenomenon to show up the way YOU want to inside your business.

Tool of the Week

Beehiiv: Your newsletter business-in-a-box

Growing an audience on social media is building on rented land.

One change to the algorithm can devastate your reach.

This is why it’s crucial to convert your rented audience into an owned audience.

And launching a free newsletter is the best way to do it.

Beehiiv is the #1 newsletter platform built for growth.

With a single tool, you can replace:

  • WordPress (or any other content management system)

  • Website hosting (like Siteground or HostGator)

  • Email service provider (like Active Campaign or ConvertKit)

  • Recommendation widget (like SparkLoop)

  • Paid acquisition channels (like Facebook or YT ads)

It’s got powerful analytics, an intuitive and easy-to-use editor, and great deliverability.

So if you’ve ever thought about starting a newsletter


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Bonus Points

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