When the Money’s on the Way: How to DIY for Free Until the Profits Start Turning
A few days ago, I took a day off from the real work and created a production company for a friend. Now, I know there are people and companies that are experts in this arena, who know branding techniques and SEO secrets and all the best ways to establish and promote you or your client, but if you’re just starting out and your budget hasn’t yet proved profitable, creating a viable presence on the Internet isn’t as pricey or difficult as it may seem—just remember that everything is connected, and just because it’s free, that doesn’t mean it can’t get the job done.
The Web Site
You may, in the future, decide to hire someone to create a professional site for you or your business, but if you don’t have the hundreds to shell out in the beginning, there’s no shame in going with a freebie site. I’ve had a lot of success with www.moonfruit.com, as they have 1000’s of templates, endless customization, and it’s all basically WYSIWYG drag-and-drop stuff. Especially nice if you’re looking for something simple—and if you’re a freelance writer, you don’t really need a lot of bells and whistles—this DIY method is not only ideal for those light on funds, but it also gives YOU all the control over content and design. Most importantly, though, a Web site can be the starting point that lets YOU feel like you’re a bona fide freelancer with a presence in the business world.
The Blog
Again, blogs can be created for free with popular sites like WordPress, and with tons of themes and widgets that can do a whole bunch of SEO work for you, your blog can be the ultimate promotional tool AND a creative outlet. Just like the free Web site templates, WordPress blogs are customizable to the nth degree, and can link back to your Web site and any other elements of your “package” you may want people to have a look at. If your Web site is the face of your business, your blog is its heart—this is where content will change and you can get visitors to come back for more.
The Social
You can’t do anything these days without running into someone’s Facebook or Twitter, and for the even more business-oriented, LinkedIn. Setting these up is a snap, and once you’ve created fan pages for your biz, you can spread the word on anything you’re doing. You can also give your Fans and Followers relevant information, unique links, and even offer deals and giveaways to rally interest. You don’t have to rely simply on Social Networking sites, however—become active in communities and forums that have some connection to your field, and whenever you post your witty, always on point comments (nobody likes a troll, nor do they want to read something full of blatant self-promotion), put your Web site info in your signature, which will contain your contact info, which gets your name out there.
See, the key to starting yourself up doesn’t mean you need to dig yourself into a big hole before you ever begin. Take control from the get-go and grab on to all the free marketing the Internet has to offer—you don’t need to be an expert, you just need to know how to connect everything together and get your name out in the Web-i-verse!
Freelancing is my life. It's what I know, it's what I'm good at, and I can't imagine doing anything else. You can call me "Freddie the Freelancer"… because I'd prefer not to use my real name for reasons that I'll tell you about in a moment.
