I got free mini business cards from Moo.com thanks to my Klout score! Yay me!
A lot of you have been emailing me, talking to me on Twitter and commenting on Facebook about how you would like to see more material on freelancing here on Grad Meets World.
Well, you asked and I am going to deliver!
In honor of the first GMW Ebook that is launching in November, I have decided to dedicate the month of October to my favorite section: Side Hustles and Solopreneurship.
(Don’t worry, I’ll also give you sneak peeks into the other sections – in fact, you can check out the first sneak peek on our Facebook Fan Page!)
Side hustles and solopreneurship are two topics that I am particularly passionate about. It’s how I started coping with unemployment after college and I still feel all giddy inside when I make my own money. A little over a year into it and I don’t see myself stopping any time soon. In fact, I don’t think that anything would make me happier than being my own full time boss someday. Sure, it’s a lot of work that comes with sacrifice -but the return is so worth it!
There are a lot of aspects that go into a side hustle: social media, marketing, setting up a website, payments, monetizing a blog, the list goes on! I hope to cover a lot of these this month so that you all can perhaps start your own side hustling endeavors.
And so, without further adieu…
Why Your Blog Should Be On Your Business Card
Since most of you already have blogs of your own I figured this would be a good place to start. I’ve previously written on how your blog can land you a job, but I haven’t really emphasized how blogs provide the perfect platforms for creating a brand.
I have two sets of business cards. One for my portfolio and one for my blog (pictured above). What business card I end up handing out depends on who I’m talking to, however I can say that most times I end up writing in my blog url on my more professional business card anyway. Why? Because blogs create the perfect portfolio, the perfect opportunity for branding and the best way to show a potential client that you have authority on a niche topic.
So let’s start from the beginning…
Blogs Create the Perfect Portfolio
It can be difficult to find some paying gigs when you first start freelancing, let alone gigs you actually enjoy. Fortunately, blogs can give you the necessary platform to let your skills and shine and get the juices flowing. They can also be used by a variety of freelancers – from writers to web designers – as a means of marketing. Finally, blogs can be used to show clients that you’ve got some serious skills including: writing, internet marketing, social media management, and so forth.
So basically blogs are like a multi-pronged portfolio that you can use to market yourself and show off your mad skills.
Perfect Opportunity for Personal Branding
Personal branding is of the utmost importance if you want to make it as a digital entrepreneur. People don’t just want the product or the service anymore – they want the whole story behind it. They want to connect to the person trying to sell them something. They want the human aspect of it all.
What better way to share the story of your journey than through a blog of your own?
Show Authority on Niche Topic
There’s nothing wrong with being a jack of all trades – but niche topics are what’s going to get you clients and readers in the freelancing and blogging world. You have to show people that you have some sort of authority on a topic before they can even trust you enough to hire you. You can establish this authority by giving people what they want – answers to their questions.
For instance, I started this niche blog because I has questions about finances, entrepreneurship, careers and adulthood in general. I figured other people my age had the same questions and started sharing all the answers that I found through extensive research of my own.
Take a look at your life and your passions. Then see what kinds of questions people may have about them. Once you start answering these on a blog you will begin establishing your authority on the niche of your choosing.
Looking for some business cards? Check out this offer!
At the end of the day, if your blog isn’t on your business card you may be missing out on a lot of opportunities to land some extra clients – or at least get new readers.
I know that a lot of you are anxious to get your businesses up and running. Here’s my gift to help you get started:
10% Off Of Your First Order from Moo.com!
I’ve been using Moo business cards for almost a year and I always get great reactions from them! I hope you get as much use out of them as I have.
Enjoy 
$29.97 for a complete guide on post-grad life - from finances and job hunting to side hustles and health!
I am a freelancer right now and I love it. Great and useful information – thanks!
Lauren
http://www.laurensthoughts.com
@lrstewar
I’m glad you found it useful! Feel free to suggest any topics you’d like to see covered