Become Freelance

Here’s another puzzling topic for most Freelancers. The website. MOST DO NOT GET IT RIGHT. There are too many elements to get a website wrong before you find the elements that make it right. As little as 10 – 20 years ago, a website wasn’t all that much of a factor in starting a business. Now it is unquestionably the biggest factor.

If you’re a Freelancer – you must have a website! People are not using the same means of finding suppliers these days. They don’t flip through the yellow pages nearly as much as they used to. Most folks don’t even own a home phone, as the entire world rapidly switches over to cellular. Newspaper subscriptions are way down, as people read all of the news they need online in a shorter, more effective use of time. We are inundated all around us with more information than we can possibly process.

Yet, what is one more little website in the world going to hurt? Don’t drag your feet on this one. Trying to go the traditional route is really going to hurt you, rather than harm you. It’s okay if you want to be the Mom-n-Pop sort of business with a down-home service or local product, but you still need a website! Picture a bed-and-breakfast who relied just on old methods – like placing an ad in a tourist guide; or hoping someone drove by the property on last year’s vacation and wrote down the number to call and stay there. Not likely.

IF you’re not online, you’re not making money.

For the bootleggers and speed readers – you can create your own very nice website on the cheap by using one of the many resources you will find online. GoDaddy.com; YahooBusiness.com; WebsiteSource.com; DotCommerce.com; and a million others out there will provide you with templates, domain registration, hosting, shopping cart services and everything you need to get started on your own.

For those with a bigger budget to spend, it would be great to get someone to help you design, manage and optimize your site initially. If you want, they can hold the reins and manage it for you, or they can turn it over for you to handle on your own after it has been set up for you. Working with a qualified web designer and company who specializes in small businesses will be an ideal solution for you because it will free up your time to be prospecting, marketing or performing other tasks of your business. No matter which route you choose by doing it yourself or hiring a pro, your website should have these strong elements:

• A consistent and effective message that is easy for readers to navigate
• Relevant information that explains what you do within seconds
• Exciting visuals that are not too busy nor too dull
• Urgency to buy today
• A showcase or portfolio of your ability and/or product line
• Well arranged, clear photos with easy-to see and read ability
• Identifiable personality

Ask other people to look at your website after it is finished. Find honest people with bold opinions. Your mom will likely say, “Wow, that’s nice dear!” so find people who already own websites or who have loads of experience on the internet. Have them answer the following questions:

• Were they able to navigate easily through your site?
• Were there any sections that confused them?
• Was everything spelled properly and grammatically correct in the content?
• Did the photos enhance the site or detract from it?
• Were the colors and tabs visually pleasing?
• Were there any elements of your website they especially liked or hated?
• Did your website make them want to buy your product or hire your services?

Your website will be an ongoing project. It is important for you to keep it fresh and updated throughout the year. In this day of click, click, click you want to attract those people who will visit and re-visit your website often. Remember to HELP THEM, PLEASE THEM or SATISFY A NEED. It doesn’t stop there. Once you have a really cool website, you still need to promote it and drive the right type of business to your site. We’re going to learn about that next.