Marketing

Internet marketing strategies and tips to get your name 'out there'.

Marketing
By, Debbi Cunnington

I spoke to a friend today about my freelance business. She is looking for a way to gain income without losing her sanity. I told her that I felt I was doing well, my business was growing and I was continuing to find new clients. 'How are you marketing your business', she wanted to know. Well, I replied, mostly through trial and error!

My main marketing strategy has been to get my name known. I really do not have a target market, as almost everyone has the need of a skilled bookkeeper from time to time. Lately, I have expanded into customer service & light web design, which has narrowed my focus a bit. But it is still all about getting your services seen.

A surprising source of potential clients comes from my local Sunday classifieds. Almost every ad looking for a bookkeeper will receive my information, either by mail, fax or email. Basically, I describe in my letter the benefits of having their business needs outsourced, how they profit, and a little bit about how it works. I also provide a brief resume-type page, listing my past employers and my contract jobs. I also list a reference page with some of my current clients, their email addresses & phone numbers.

We are lucky today in that a lot of business people are considering the idea of outsourcing their work. There are few negatives involved in outsourcing, but I have learned the hard way that if a person is not open to outsourcing, I will never be able to convince them. I call it the "Zen of Outsourcing". Either they have it or they don't. The recent terrorist events and security issues have many more people wanting to work from home and many more employers willing to try it.

Another great marketing strategy is using the free classifieds in many of the small business websites. I recently landed my first job through an ad I placed at Woman Owned. It is a truly wonderful feeling to land a new job!

Another source is through creating and maintaining your own Website. I wouldn't recommend spending a lot of money on your Website. It is possible to create a simple one yourself, or if you want to hire a professional, at a reasonable price, visit Elance. The idea is to create something that lets people know what services you provide and gives your contact information. It doesn't have to be fancy, just functional.

Hosting services are available now for as low as $5.00 per month. There are also many free hosting sites that will allow you to post service sites; be sure to read the terms of service before you proceed.

A few other ideas include purchasing a magnetic sign for your door. I have found these for as low as $75 for two panels. You can always check out the freelance sites, many of which I have listed as sites to see. Get some inexpensive business cards printed and pass them out to your friends & family. The idea is to get the word out that you are ready to work for a reasonable price. After you start receiving calls, then you must learn the fine art of selling yourself & your service without sounding completely desperate.

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Debbi Cunnington is a freelance professional who has been working independently for the last 4 years. Highly skilled in many areas, including Accounting, Design & Virtual Assisting, she has been quite successful.

Her company, BearCreative, is dedicated to providing Web Design for small to medium businesses that are looking for unique, inexpensive, attractive websites.

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