Check Out the New Forum!

New Fiverr Forum is up and live, faster than ever, and offers you loads of fun.

There are badges and levels to be earned, it's easy to mute topics you're not interested in (like endless self-promotion), you can edit your forum profile (here's mine), explore, read, learn... And all of it works pretty good. Some tweaks would be helpful, like an easier way to follow a conversation within a certain thread, but I'm sure that the team is already working on it. EDIT: It looks like nested responses are not possible on this type of forum (Discourse). Well, at least everyone got the answer and the explanation within a few hours of the request being raised; that's SUPERfast.

On top of that, random bots can no longer spam the forum; desperate users will find it difficult to spam, too, because posting is limited at first, and I seriously doubt that spammers will get the limit lifted anytime soon.

So... Go on, and check out the new and improved forum. It might take some time getting used to, but it's really good.

P.S. As an added bonus, there are cat emojis, too. And a scorpion emoji. And a lot of fun.

5 Fun Things to Do During a Fiverr Dry Spell

A dry spell at Fiverr is often stressful, and, while stress can be stimulating, you also need to relax and take care of your health. Here are some ideas what to do to entertain yourself, and, possibly, give yourself strength to keep moving on.

1. Get a Silly Haircut

All right, don't get a silly haircut if it will get you fired from your day job, or if you'd really, really hate it. Do change your appearance, though. It can be a silly haircut (or simply a different haircut or a different hair color), or shaving your head, or wearing something you don't usually wear (switching from casual to formal or sportsy or hippie or whatever), or start wearing a lot of jewelry if you don't usually do it (it can be cheap), or...

Don't do something that would get you arrested, and don't do something that would be difficult to reverse (like getting a tattoo or having plastic surgery done) unless you're completely certain that you really want it and that it isn't the stress talking. The point is to temporarily step out of your own skin, and possibly see things in a new light (and, preferably, to have fun while doing it).

2. Call Someone and Request Something Silly of Them

Only do this with a person you trust. For example, call that person, and ask them to marry you (you should be certain that this person would not misunderstand you and really accept something that neither of you wants). Or suggest that the two of you run away together and see the world, or travel the space, or start exporting tuna to penguins. Talk about it. Make plans. Imagine, together, what will it be like. Dream. Joke. Laugh.

It's a good psychological trick to get yourself unstuck, so you can get back to the business (analyzing, if necessary, then coming up with solutions, implementing them, experimenting, finding new solutions... It's always a work in progress).

3. Dance a Silly Dance

Or do silly warrior moves. Or whichever silly physical action you can come up with, as long as you don't harm anyone (yourself included). If you have no idea how to dance, or have zero experience with martial arts, or can't think of anything physical to do, search the Internet, imitate what you see, and make it as silly as you can.

Ideally, it will make you laugh (possibly while feeling like a fool, but that's fine), help you relax a bit, and put some oxygen into your brain, so you can finally think of something more useful than endless worry and despair.

4. Create Terrible Art

Play an instrument you have no idea how to play (just don't break it!). Write poetry if you don't know how, and never read any. Sing, even though you can't catch a tune (especially if you can't catch a tune). Draw, paint, make ugly jewelry (you can wear it later), sculpt something, make something out of pebbles or newspapers or whatever you can get your hands on.

It's not supposed to end up good, or to teach you to do something (although, if you feel like learning something, go ahead and do it!). It's supposed to allow you to have fun, and to let you know it's perfectly fine if what you make ends up far from perfect (or even passable).

Relax. Laugh. Enjoy. You need it.

5. Make a Terrible Dish

It doesn't matter whether you know how to cook or not; either way, there's certainly something you don't know how to make. Go on and make it. Rush things up, or slow them down unnecessarily. Change the instructions at will, or don't even read them, and come up with your own idea how to make that dish instead. Don't poison yourself or anyone else (a stay at a hospital isn't going to make you feel any better), but other than that, feel free to make the worst dish on the planet.

Once it's made, smell it. Taste it. Eat it, if it's edible. Laugh about it. Notice whether somebody died (no), and whether the world ended (again, no).

The world didn't end, and neither did your Fiverr business. It's just a slow period, or maybe you're doing something wrong. After making yourself laugh and relax, you'll be able to see things in a new light, and come up with new solutions and new business ideas (Fiverr-related or not).

Allow yourself to act silly. Have fun. Learn something while doing it.

Keep moving, and win.

5 Things to Do When You Receive a Bad Feedback

It happened: you got a bad feedback. Maybe you did everything right, but the buyer was unreasonable. Or maybe you're not as good as you think you are (or, perhaps you're perfectly aware that you offered something you have no idea how to provide), and the feedback was deserved. Either way, since a bad feedback can slow down your business on Fiverr, what do you do?

Here are some suggestions.

1. Stay Calm, and Think About the Work You Provided

Easier said than done, of course, but it's important, otherwise you'll do something that will just make things worse. If you can't stay calm, step away, and do something else: go for a run, watch a comedy, meditate, clean your place, cook something, use a punching bag (an actual punching bag or a pillow, not a living being)... Whatever will help you to start thinking like a rational adult. Once you're sufficiently calm, it's time to think about the work you provided.

Was it really as good and professional as you promised it would be? Do you have experience in what you do (keep in mind that "half a decade of experience" is only impressive if you're a teenager)? Do you know exactly what your job entails (for example, delivering a unique logo does NOT mean stealing something from the Internet and then modifying it, it means creating a new logo from scratch; or, copywriting does not mean copying and pasting, it means creating original content (from scratch) that will be conveyed through online and print media, and that primarily serves for advertising and marketing)? Think about the quality of your work, and be honest with yourself.

2. Discuss the Matter with Your Buyer

This does NOT mean soliciting feedback removal; it's now forbidden by Terms of Service, and could get you banned from Fiverr. Instead, politely ask the buyer what went wrong, and why they're unhappy with your work. Read their feedback carefully. If you don't understand it, try asking once again (but only once, you don't want the buyer to report you for harassment or spamming) what would have made the buyer happy with your work. It might not help you change or remove the negative review, but you will learn something from it.

3. Answer the Feedback with Your Own

Tell your side of the story in a respectful and professional manner. Don't offend the buyer, and don't be rude; instead, explain what was requested, what you delivered, and why you disagree with the buyer. If your work was of low quality, you may wish to thank the buyer for their business and for giving you a chance, state that you have learned a lot from the project, and that you will strive to learn and do better in the future. It won't change the feedback you received, but it will present you as a professional, and, in the second case, as a responsible person who can admit a mistake.

4. If the Buyer Was Abusive, Contact Customer Support

Maybe the buyer threatened you, or demanded more work than agreed and left a negative feedback because you refused to provide it, or offered to remove the feedback if you refund them, or... Know the rules, and if the buyer breaks them, report the abuse to Customer Support. They will not remove the negative feedback just because you want them to, but if the buyer was abusive to you, they will step in and take action.

5. Request Feedback Revision

Be very, very careful with this one, because if you repeatedly use this option, you could get banned from Fiverr. However, if you're certain that you have delivered as advertised and that you did your very best, you may use the Request Feedback Revision option in the Resolution Center, explain your reasons to the buyer, and ask them to reconsider the rating. Be aware, though, that you could receive a lower rating, not just a higher one (unless you got a one-star feedback already).

If nothing works, remember that one negative rating isn't the end of your Fiverr business, it's only a setback. As long as you provide quality service (and if you don't, learn how to do it), keep improving, and keep advertising, things will work out.

5 Things Not to Do When You Receive a Bad Feedback

Sooner or later, you will receive a bad feedback. It happens to everyone, because it's impossible to make every single client happy. Negative feedback will lower your overall ratings and it might slow down your business on Fiverr, so feeling frustrated is completely understandable. It's best not to act out on that frustration, though, or you risk making things worse.

Here are some things to avoid when you receive a bad feedback:

1. Answering with a Vengeful Feedback of Your Own

It's tempting to tell that buyer exactly what you think of him/her. It's tempting to offend them and to try to hurt them as much as they've hurt you. Don't. It will just make you look unprofessional. One negative feedback won't necessarily make buyers choose someone else – they are aware that it's impossible to make everyone happy – but acting like a child having a temper tantrum will. Buyers want to work with a professional, not with someone who can't control his/her temper.

2. Spamming the Buyer and Demanding a Glowing Review

Repeatedly messaging the buyer and begging them to change the review to 5 stars is considered harassment, and could get your messaging disabled (or your account banned, depending on the exact nature of your messages). With the new Feedback Revision Policy, you're allowed to request feedback revision through the Resolution Center, but you can't do it repeatedly for the same order. Furthermore, repeatedly using this option can get you banned from Fiverr.

3. Spamming Customer Support and Repeatedly Demanding Feedback Removal

Before the new Feedback Revision option, if you could prove that you had done exactly what was requested and that the feedback wasn't justified, it was possible to contact Customer Support with the proof and ask for their help. Now, though, sellers can only get the feedback changed if they contact the buyer through the Resolution Center and request feedback revision, and if the buyer agrees to do it. The only exception is if the buyer has clearly violated Fiverr's Terms of Service (for example, the buyer was abusive); if that's the case, Customer Support will remove the feedback, but if it isn't, they won't. Keep in mind that spamming Customer Support, harassing them, being rude to them, or repeatedly demanding feedback removal even after they told you it wasn't possible has never been a good idea. Customer Support is there to help all users; harassing them isn't going to help anyone, and could get you banned from Fiverr.

4. Naming and Shaming in the Forum

If you can't get the feedback removed, it might feel tempting to rant in the forum. It's perfectly fine to do that, as long as you don't break Forum Rules (in other words, as long as you don't name the buyer). However, keep in mind that, depending on the nature of the buyer's feedback, it's possible for the other users to think that the buyer was right, and to openly tell you so. If that happens, remember to stay polite to all forum users, and carefully think about what they told you, and about the ways to improve your service.

5. Spamming Other Sellers

Messaging other sellers to beg them to buy from you is considered spamming, and it's forbidden by Terms of Service. Even if you're afraid that, after the bad feedback, you won't be able to make more sales, begging other sellers to buy from you is still spamming, and it's still forbidden. Begging them to help you remove the negative feedback is also spamming – and pointless, because there's nothing a seller can do to help you.

Don't panic. Don't get abusive. Don't spam. Use the tools you have at your disposal, and if they don't work, move on.

A negative feedback isn't the end of the world, and it isn't the end of your business on Fiverr, either.

Keep moving.

More Work in Progress

Do you make plans, and then go and do something else? I do, and it's not necessarily bad, as long as some progress is made. After all, there's so much to do, and the day only has 24 hours; as long as something is done, it's good, or at least that's how I see it.

Last time, I said I would create a gig for scripts for kinetic typography videos, and I did. I also said I would create a gig for writing inspirational articles, but I still hesitate to do it. Will I like it? What if people only want to order in bulk? Will the clients expect the impossible, or demand something that I don't actually offer? I'll probably create it anyway, sooner or later, and then deactivate it if I don't like the outcome. Just not yet.

The questionnaire for video scripts? Not done yet. Not good. Being more active on the blog? Not as much as I'd like to, but I hope I'm getting there. Tweaking the gigs some more? Yes, and will keep doing it. Being more active on Twitter? Yes. Also, I have activated the Catwriter Facebook page again, and now I'm thinking about the stuff I could post there that I don't post elsewhere (otherwise, what's the point? Why would anyone want to look at the same stuff on all the social media?).

More progress: learning new stuff. I know way too little about advertising and about using social media in general (well, I'm not exactly social myself), so I've read Ogilvy on Advertising by David Ogilvy, and Crush It!: Why Now Is the Time to Cash In on Your Passion by Gary Vaynerchuk. The next one I intend to read on the subject is Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook: How to Tell Your Story in a Noisy Social World, also by Gary Vaynerchuk. A businessman teaching me how to tell a story? Sure, why not? He's great at it, and I'm always looking to improve.

I keep thinking that I could have done more. Well, I could have. It's always possible to do more. But then I look at what I've actually done (the stuff I'm posting here is related to being a freelance writer on Fiverr; I do other things, as well), and I think to myself that this isn't bad. It could have been better, but it's still not bad. Not bad at all.

5 Things to Do When a Client Becomes Abusive

It's rare, but it happens: some clients on Fiverr either start out abusive, or become abusive down the road, for whatever reason (a misunderstanding, or their own client pressures them, or cultural differences, or...). You might be afraid of a negative review, but you're not obliged to tolerate abuse, and in most cases, as long as you remain calm and professional, you will get help.

So, what to do if your client is abusive?

1. Try to Communicate

If the situation doesn't cross a certain line (for example, the client tells you that he/she wishes you were dead), it could be a misunderstanding, so politely explaining what's going on from your point of view might help. Remind the client what they requested of you, and what, exactly, you did to fulfill that request. Remind them that you want them to be happy with your service, and ask them to explain why they're not satisfied. It could have been just the language barrier and/or cultural differences, so this approach is definitely worth a shot.

2. Stay Polite and Professional

No matter how abusive the client becomes, remember to stay polite and professional. If necessary, step away, calm down, and then respond to the client. Harassment is strictly forbidden by Fiverr's Terms of Service; neither you nor the client are allowed to break the ToS, and if your response is unprofessional, you could get yourself in trouble. Besides, if someone is abusive on purpose, nothing will anger them more than seeing that they're not affecting you.

3. Document Everything

Make screenshots of the entire conversations, both in the inbox and on the order page. That way, if the abusive client doesn't quickly calm down, you have all the proof you need to support your case.

4. Contact Customer Support

If the client refuses to behave reasonably, and keeps abusing/threatening you, submit a ticket to Customer Support, briefly and politely explain the situation, send them the screenshots, and ask for their help and advice. Keep in mind that, due to the Privacy Policy, they can't tell you what they did with the abusive client (other than telling you that they have removed the negative feedback, if you have received it).

5. Be Patient

Sometimes Customer Support is surprisingly fast. Sometimes it might take them time to get back to you (say, they have a ton of tickets to respond to, so you have to wait for your turn). Don't open multiple tickets (it will just slow the whole thing down), patiently wait for the Customer Support to answer you, and once they do, don't forget to thank them for their help. If you feel that they didn't help you and if you disagree with their decision, it's still a good idea to stay polite; kindness and politeness will always get you much further than "yelling" at someone already swamped with work and complaints.

In short, stay calm, polite, and professional, don't break any rules yourself, and in most cases, you will receive the help you need.