You’ve got your business name, business plan, all legal items taken care of, and your target market identified. Now it’s time to get the word out. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
Professional Website & Blog
Set up a professional website with a blog. This will tell your prospective clients about your business. Avoid free websites if possible. You will need a domain name, website hosting, and preferably a self-hosted WordPress website. The cost is relatively small and it varies from provider to provider. If you don’t know how to set up a website, visit our Training and Downloads page and watch our videos on how to get started with WordPress. WordPress is one of the easiest platforms and there are many different ways you can use WordPress for your own business.
Social Media Accounts
One of the important aspects of setting up your profiles on your social media accounts is consistency. Your profile picture should be professional and headers should be the same throughout all your social media accounts. When people look at your profile, it will tell them what you do, who your clientele is, and how to contact you.
All social media networks are not the same. For instance, LinkedIn consists of business professionals so the picture you posted on Instagram of your dog may not be suitable for your LinkedIn newsfeed.
Email List
An email list is a list of names and email addresses of people who signed up to get updates and promotions from your business via email. They are interested in what you have to offer.
You can speak to your target audience through the blog on your website. To get people to your website, use a variety of methods such as social media, SEO, guest blogging, and networking. A sign-up form for freebies on your website will capture their information and build a relationship of trust with them so they will want to work with you.
Networking
Join professional organizations for networking opportunities to make business connections. This is a great way to build a positive reputation for your virtual business.