Taking the leap and becoming your own boss is as challenging as it is rewarding.
Perhaps the biggest challenges facing newbies is the concept of Internet marketing with its millions of moving pieces.
Blogging. Social media. SEO. Link-building.
It’s a lot to take in, especially if you’ve been laser-focused on your product and service rather than how to make yourself look like a million bucks. Likewise, there’s somewhat of a mental hurdle involved for many new solopreneurs who don’t want to come off as arrogant in their pursuit of more leads.
Don’t be overwhelmed by the wild world of Internet marketing. There are seemingly endless opportunities for solopreneurs to stake their claim on the web, but newbies should focus first on the essentials. Consider the following absolute must-haves for modern solopreneurs and how you can get your marketing strategy under control sooner rather than later.
The Tools of the Trade
First of all, the majority of solo businesses are going to be focused on the following three pieces of their marketing strategies as the most important…
- Your website as the sort of “hub” of your business and a place to capture leads
- Your social media profiles to make yourself more visible to potential clients and customers
- Your email presence as both a form of contact and a place to gather leads
It’s important to note that there are a wealth of totally free tools out there to help grow your presence on each of these respective platforms. Before splashing cash on anything, bear in mind the power of…
- Free WordPress plugins such as Yoast and AddThis to supercharge your company site and blog, making it more attractive to visitors and search engines alike.
- You should also look into premium plugins if you want to make the most out of your website. For example, you can get a WordPress table plugin to create interactive tables and charts.
- Tools to create custom graphics for social and blog posts to grab the attention of your audience.
- Email platforms such as MailChimp which offer a free option for smaller brands to build their lists.
Don’t Ignore Your Website
Many people feel that traditional websites don’t require as much focus given the popularity of social media; however, few industries can actually replace their old-school site. From showing off your past work to awesome “About Me’ and contact pages where clients and customers can get in touch, don’t make the mistake of letting your website fall to the website. Even if you don’t decide to blog regularly, having a sleek site will automatically set you apart from the competition.
The Right Social Sites
Spreading yourself too shin via social media is the kiss of death for many Internet marketing newbies. For most solopreneurs, a presence on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter are more than enough to cover most of your bases. Networking opportunities via LinkedIn alone are enticing if you’re in the marketing or consulting fields; meanwhile, there are private Facebook groups for just about any industry.
The point is this: don’t run around on social media all day without some sort of plan in place. Doing so will ultimately waste your time. If you aren’t sharing content or sowing the seeds of networking, ask yourself whether or not you’re spending your time wisely.
Much Ado About Email
If you’re just starting out, building your email list is definitely a long-term project that isn’t going to happen overnight. Many marketers often lament the fact that they didn’t establish their lists sooner. That said, a list may not be your top priority if you’re still getting your footing or don’t have much content to share.
There’s much more to email than just your list, though. For example, you can come up with a cold emailing strategy to reach out to prospective clients and customers during your early days. Either way, use a professional email address versus using a personal account.
In short, don’t try to be a million places at once when you can stick to the bases and see just as much traction. Internet marketing is definitely difficult to wrangle; however, starting with these tips first will help keep you on track.
