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This week we are talking all about how to learn WordPress, update your site, and grow your freelancing business with your site. Resources: Free WordPress Guide Free 30 Minute Consult

Today we are talking about some myths of freelancing. I want to clear up just exactly what freelancing is not. Freelancing for me was freedom. Freedom from working for someone else. Freedom to do whatever I pleased. Freedom to make money the way I wanted to make money.

How many of your friends work from home? How many stay at home moms do you know that run an online business? How many people do you know that are trying to promote a side business online in addition to their regular 9 to 5? The answers might surprise you more than you think.

The trickiest part of starting your new online business is always the same thing. Not the website. Not the social media. But getting the clients. How can you actually get people to give you money when maybe you don’t have a portfolio or maybe you aren’t 100% sure of what you are even doing. Maybe you are even still developing your products. No worries. In today’s episode I’m going to show you how to get clients when you are just starting out in your business.

People say a lot of things about freelancing. What it is and what it isn’t. Well, in today’s episode I’m going to set things straight. Here is the good the bad and the beautiful of freelancing.

So many times I hear from people how nervous they are to launch their website. Well, I’m here to tell you, launching your site is only the first part. It’s what happens after that that can be scary. In today’s episode, I talk all about my summer fun and what happens after you build your website.

You know you’ve thought about it. You’ve sat in your office and stared out the window (if you have one) and said, man, it would be nice to be anywhere else right now. Summer’s are especially hard. All those people going to the beach. I couldn’t take it anymore. I had to quit my job. And let me tell you why.  

Referrals have been a huge part of how I get new clients. I make my client experience so amazing that they recommend me to their friends. How great it that! But it’s more than just me being so awesome. There are things you can do to help get you referrals as a freelancer.

If you haven’t tried ConvertKit, GO TRY IT NOW!!! I was so happy when I finally made the switch from MailChimp. Mailchimp was great when I was starting out, but nothing compares to how easy and simple ConvertKit is. It makes so many things easier for me and it integrates with just about everything!

When my business got to the point where I need to hire people to help me, I was in shock. My business had actually grown to the point where I couldn’t handle it all anymore. I needed to hire people to help me build websites and create social media plans and more. It was an amazing point in my life. See how I build my business from freelancer to agency.

My husband probably thought I was crazy when I told him I wanted to quit my job of benefits and steady income to do freelance work. He had already seen me making some money from it but certainly not enough to pay our bills. So I’m sure he was pleasantly surprised when I actually started to make money as a freelancer. And then when I actually started making more money it just became crazy. Building my business started as a freelancer. And yes, I was actually able to support myself as a freelancer. Check out how.

Think about your business a bit. What are the things you have to do for your clients every single month? What are the things you have to do for your own business every single month? Chances are, someone out there doesn’t want to be doing those things and would happily pay you a monthly fee to do them for them. That has been one of my biggest packages for my clients. Monthly website maintenance. Here is a bit more about how you can create a month package for your business.

There are so many different email list providers out there. I know. I’ve worked with just about all of them. There’s MailChimp which is a great solution if you don’t want to invest any money just yet. All the way up to Infusionsoft which is like the Maserati of list building. Personally, I prefer ConvertKit.  Let me tell you why!

My business started with just me. All alone. Running around like a chicken with its head cut off to get things done and learn all at the same time. Plus you know, life things like getting married or remodeling my house. I am still in awe sometimes at how I got all of that done. At some point during all of this chaos, I found myself needing help. I had more clients than I could handle. That’s when I switched from being a freelancer to growing an agency.

Content is king. Yes. No one will debate that. But you want to make sure you are getting the most out of your article writing. Your articles should be helping to promote your website and your business. Here are some tips on the importance of article marketing.  

Personally, I only like to add affiliate links to products I have actually used and loved. I certainly don’t want to promote an affiliate link to something I’ve never tried or even worse had a bad experience with. That’s not being honest with my people. So here are some tips on affiliate marketing you should know about before you sign up for an affiliate.

I hope you are using inbound links in your website. Especially in your blog posts. When you link to another site and they link to you, it makes both of your websites stronger in the eyes of Google. And that’s a great way to increase your traffic. Here are some tips on inbound links.

You probably are already pretty active in Facebook Groups. And those are amazing for making new connections online. But for SEO purposes, they aren’t really doing anything for you. Online forums are just like Facebook groups, but those links can get your website more backlinks.

For my blogger friends, I have good news. You are already doing this. And that is a HUGE thing you are doing for your business. For my website owner friends, if you are not writing articles, go write one. Whether it’s for your own blog, an online magazine, a newspaper, a guest post, whatever. Article marketing is crucial for anyone with a domain name.

Online marketing for real estate agents is a bit different than it is for a regular blog or website. You’re selling a person’s home or helping them buy a new one. That’s a very personal thing to be doing. You can help people with your website not only find a home but also get to know you a bit. Here are some tips for online marketing for real estate agents.