We’re approaching the end of Freelancer’s Month and I wanted to touch upon a a subject lots of freelancers put on the back burner – marketing. Honestly, you could have all the talent in the world but if you don’t market yourself effectively you may not get very far. As a result I’ve put together a list of great marketing tools that I use for my online side hustles.
(P.S. Did you miss this week’s Email List Exclusive, Making Sure You Get Paid What You’re Worth? Subscribe to the email list to get exclusive content you won’t find on the blog!)
You must spend money to make money.
-Titus Maccius Plautus
A business is an investment. And while freelancing and blogging is a generally low cost endeavor I have pumped a lot of money into my expansions. In the last couple of months I’ve hired a web designer for my portfolio, an internet marketer to develop a kick ass sales page for my upcoming ebook, used Facebook Ads and purchased some marketing tools. All of this alone has cost me over a grand – and that’s with some deals!
How did I manage to pay for all of this? The savings plan I have set up helps me save for these kinds of endeavors. Here’s a little refresher – with every check that comes in (whether it’s from freelancing, ad sales or my day job) I try to save a nice chunk of it in order to invest it back into my business. Usually these expenses end up being worthwhile as I continue to build my brand.
So for those of you who are looking into expanding your reach or just showing your clients a more professional side I highly recommend some of the following products.
(Note: These are affiliate links. I have used all of these products myself and can vouch for their effectiveness. I would never suggest products that I don’t feel will help you.)
I’ve used the Catalyst theme for all the websites I have created this year. From Grad Meets World, to Digital Zen Ink and my portfolio, I use Catalyst’s easy to use interface to create sleek and professional layouts with little to no effort. The best part is you only have to purchase it once in order to use it on multiple sites.
PopUp Domination
PopUp Domination creates a lightbox that literally pops up when someone finds your website. It then gives them the option to opt-in to your mailing list or get more information about your products and services.
You may have already seen this on several websites all over the web. Some of your favorite bloggers may even be using this to pump up their email list and increase their reader base.
I think this is a particularly great product for beginners as you try and build your email list – one that I especially should have purchased sooner! The fact is that this little plug-in has dramatically increased my email list subscribers in a very short amount of time. Seriously guys, if you want to expand your reach look no further than this fabulous product!
I have to thank Justice Wordlaw IV for recommending this product to me. It’s an incredible WordPress theme that helps you create sales pages for your products and services quickly. If you want to sell products or services from your blog look no further than this sleek, easy to use theme. It seriously takes a lot of the guess work out of sales pages. You can find a killer example of a sales page over at Dave Ursillo’s book website.
As busy people who juggle multiple projects we don’t really have time to create marketing graphics. Many of you have already written ebooks (or you’re at least in the process) and may be wondering how you can create some of those killer covers you see all over the web. Look no further than ECover Creator 3-D. I’ve used it for Goals Are Dreams With Expiration Dates: 5 Steps to Stop Thinking and Start Doing and my upcoming ebook.
So once you feel like you are ready to really expand your online brand and land new clients, make sure to check out some of these products! I promise they are worth the investment 
