Many clients I’ve had before are “old school” and often don’t even have a single social media profile.
Imagine how hard it is to tell them the benefits of facebook marketing or optimizing their websites…..
Never fear though because if you are one of those people I’m going to help you navigate the path to finding a great internet marketer for your business.
First off, you must understand a few things about hiring a freelancer…….
They are happy to serve you and deliver the best work possible, but many of them get into this line of work for the independence it gives them. So they don’t like the typical boss-employee relationship.
Give them the space to get the work done, listen to their advice, and give them everything they need to make a good campaign for you.
But that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t ask for updates on their work either. And a good marketer will keep you updated on what’s happening as well as any efforts that must be undertaken.
But here’s a few questions I get a lot before I start work with a client.
Do You Need To Spend A Lot On A Good Website???
Absolutely not. In fact, you shouldn’t spend more than a $1000 dollars.
Why that amount? Because someone will have to install and setup a wordpress theme, get good content on your site, optimize the site for the search engines, and setup a simple funnel and call tracking system onto your website to keep track of leads.
Or at least that’s what I do…..
A website is only the beginning.
It’s not your business card! Read that again, it’s not a business card.
It’s a tool to convert prospects into customers.
And how do we do that?
By using internet marketing strategies like conversion optimization, list building, SEO, social media marketing etc. to get people to visit and then stay on your website.
If the guy you’re think about hiring isn’t concerned all of this that makes up the big picture, then you’re in trouble…..
Do People Read Or Watch Long Content?
I’ve heard the idea that people won’t watch long videos or read long sales letters for a long time!
That’s absolutely not true. Why do people binge watch shows on Netflix and HBO if that’s true?
Now your content may not be as dramatic or interesting as the antics of the Lannisters and the Starks, but to someone who needs help with a certain problem……
They will appreciate all the information you give them.
And you can never give too much away, as they’re not going to buy a house by themselves or do their own dental work by just the little info you give them.
All they most likely want is a professional they can trust to get the job done and get their money’s worth.
Do I need to use Social Media?
Most people think Facebook or Twitter is just for socializing……
Dead wrong.
Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, & Youtube carry the most traffic on the internet and particularly in the United States.
According to Alexa, Facebook is number 2 while Youtube is close behind.
Google is #1 in case you didn’t know. Twitter is further down the top 10.
Do you think having a presence on these sites will give your business more exposure?
You bet, and it’s vital for spreading your sales message.
HOWEVER! Don’t expect to post something once every 6 months and get a long of website visitors. These channels require time, patience, and strategy to build into something that’ll benefit your bottom line.
Why Isn’t My Traffic Converting?
This is another big misstep because many small business owners don’t understand how people buy things online.
You need more than just people visiting your website….
Traffic is NOT king. Good content, conversion optimization, and relationship building is.
You must be steadily building up all your reserves online, or else you will get left behind.
Getting lots of “hits” to your site is crucial, but you want people to call you for more information or sign up for some free information.
I mention because there’s a few websites in town that get lots of traffic to their web sites, and then sell advertising on there promising that a number of those people will call or visit.
The thing is that most people don’t visit a big website to shop unless it’s Google or Amazon. These websites I’m alluding to give local news and sports updates.
It’s REALLY hard to push people to buy your widget or service after just reading about their favorite football team.
Another big factor is this…….
You can’t expect to dump this job completely on a freelancer or other IMer without at least a little bit of research and maybe even some interviewing.
In order to attract the best customers, you need to understand everything you can about them and take the time to help your guy or gal create an appealing image for your business.
Sometimes this will be easy, and sometimes it will take some effort.
I really hope this article explained a little bit about what I and many other internet marketers do for small businesses like yours.
It can be really confusing after hearing about the mythical word of mouth, but it is definitely possible to get good business online.
And in the future, or maybe even now, it’s a necessity.
Would you like to talk more about getting leads and new business through your website?
Then please contact me! Thanks again for reading.