Traci Bisson of The Mom Entrepreneuer has created a great networking and support group for moms who are also entrepreneurs. Come on and join us, it's fun!
Teaching Sells is closing the doors to new members July 31st...but there's still time (not much though) to join. I am a lifetime member and I wouldn't steer you wrong with this. It is a FABULOUS place to learn about how to really sell online. Read why here. And join me in the Teaching Sells community!
I'm a freelancer and I LOVE the freelance life, but some days I don't feel very "free". So, I'm curious. If you're a freelancer, (i.e. a coach, a consultant, or anyone working solo) do you feel "free?"
I was reading this blog post by Julie Roads which I thought hit the nail on the head when it comes to working solo.
She says, and I agree, that even though we are free to set our own hours, start and end work whenever, and pick and choose which projects on which to work, we have other restraints that keep us from feeling "free"...namely:
- if we don't work the paycheck stops coming,
- we can't call a substitute, and
- it's really hard to turn away work.
Don't get me wrong, I LOVE MY LIFE, and I wouldn't trade it for anything. But some days, even though I'm technically "free", I feel anything but that!
How about you?
I got to thinking the other day about website problems and I want to ask you a question. Is there something about your website that drives you crazy?
It might be paying someone to update it all the time. Or columns not lining up. Or working with your software template.
What has your experience been like? If you think of something, I really want to know. I'm all ears so feel free to comment.
I'm guessing we're in the same boat when in comes to new business, eh? Referrals for you, too? I thought it would be fun to get your ideas about how you ask for referrals. Here are a few of mine to get us started.
- When I send invoices, I always include a line that says, "We appreciate your business and your referrals." Works great.
- I have a corporate account at Starbucks, and I like to send a Starbucks gift card to folks who mention my name to others.
- I have partnership agreements with pros who share my market but aren't competitors. Everybody wins - love this!
Okay, enough about me. What works for you?
This post is inspired by Brian Clark's Cosmo headline challenge. Thanks for the inspiration, Brian!
So here are my 10 Best Web Marketing Tips Ever
1. Picture your reader in your head when you are writing. There's something about conversational writing that just does the trick.
2.Use white space. You don't have to fill up the entire screen with text. Give your paragraphs some breathing room. And use images. An image can say a thousand words.
3. Use one focal point per page. This can be your offer (buy now) or your artwork (which could also be clickable). Too much on the page causes visual chaos and is confusing to your reader.
4. Be a thought leader. If you are a subject matter expert, don't be afraid to crow a little. Your blog is a great place for this, but you can also write articles, or record a podcast. Or try offering your opinon via product or service review.
5. Be sure your website is all about your reader. Like Brian, Tony and Shane say, "teaching sells.". Educate. Nurture. Inform. Build relationships.
6. Give yourself away, in small increments of course. If you are a consultant, offer a free 20-minute consultation. If it goes for 30 minutes, you've given extra value already, and your prospect will be that much closer to becoming a client.
7. Offer levels of services. People want to belong to the right group. They will self-select if you give them a choice (for example, beginners, intermediate or advanced). You will sell more packages as a result.
8. Use an opt-in form on every page of your site. Invite people to join. You don't have to coerce with a bunch of FREE stuff, though there's nothing wrong with that. People want to be invited to something. Invite them into your inner circle.
9. Do the grandma test with your website navigation. This is huge. If your grandma doesn't know where to click when she looks at your website, neigther will a whole bunch of other people.
10. Condense your tag line to 7 words or less. Include the "who" and the "what." For example, career consultant and personal branding specialist Wendy Terwelp of Opportunity Knocks says, "Are you ready for your next big gig?(tm)" Ronnie Noize of Vernoika Noize LLC says "I help small businesses attract more clients." Mine is "We help creative women prosper online." For a great tutorial on this, check out Wendy and Ronnie's cool audio here.
So...these are my 10 best....what have you found to work? I'm all ears.
To your success!
Check out my personal link to the Teaching Sells Free Report from the good folks at Teaching Sells. Highly recommended!
