Your website is your home base. It’s the one place online where you have complete control over what your customers see, how they interact with you, and how they experience your services.
However, setting up a website takes planning, thought and development, and while that’s going on you don’t want to miss out on chances to start connecting, networking and plain old getting the word out on that great big world wide web!
So, here’s just 3 things you can do right now, before your website goes live (even before you think about getting a website). There’s plenty more ways of course, but this will get you started.
This is a no-brainer, and chances are you’ve even already got a business page on Facebook.
Facebook is a great way to build relationships right where your potential customers already spend a lot of time. So of course you’ll want to be there too.
What can you do right now?
- Like, connect and comment on posts from others in your field, or industries that are complementary to yours. {If you’re a wedding photographer don’t miss the chance to connect with florists, make-up artists, celebrants, and wedding hire companies.}
- Share posts from businesses you think your customers might be interested in.
- Post photos or videos of what you’re up to with your business (or even behind the scenes looks if you’re still getting ready to launch).
- Ask questions and get feedback about the types of products you’ll be selling (great, free market research).
- If you’ve started offering your services this is a great way for your to promote them. You could add these on your About Page, set up a static page linked via one of your tabs, post an image of your services or packages, let people know when you’re going to be at markets, etc…
Why do this?
- Currently 1.15 billion people use Facebook, actively. So, it makes sense for you to be active there too.
- It’s a great way to get your friends to help you promote your business, without ruining the friendship.
- It’s easy to set up, and chances are you’re one of those 1.15 billion users anyway, so it will be familiar to you.
- It’s a good way to get your products in front of people’s faces.
- It’s a good way for you connect to and build relationships with others.
- It will give you a way to direct people to your website once you’re ready to do business there.
How to get started?
- Here’s some great tips for setting up your Facebook Page >>
If you’re not already using Instagram, or not even sure what it is, think of it a bit like sharing photos on Facebook. You share a picture that you take, and the people who are following you like and comment on what you share.
It’s a nice, simple to use interface; it’s a quick way to share with what’s going on in your world; and it’s a great way to connect with people who you might not come in contact with on Facebook.
What can you do right now?
- Post pictures of your day to day life…had a great cup of coffee, saw a beautiful avenue of trees, found a lovely new shop, had a blast from the past….
- Post pictures of your products or business life…a progress shot of a new project, your workspace, a business coffee catch-up, the set-up for your new market stand…
- Like, connect and comment on pics from others in your field, or industries that are complementary to yours, people you know, people you don’t know, people who post pictures that you like…
Why do this?
- People can start to see you as a real person, and get to like you…before they even know you have a product to sell, or a service to offer.
- You will connect with people that you might otherwise never come in touch with.
- It’s also a great way to keep in touch with friends.
- When someone likes or comments on your photo that is shared with all their friends, so this another great way to share what you’re doing in your business.
- It will give you a way to direct people to your website once you’re ready to do business there.
How to get started?
- Download the Instagram App, sign up for an account, start snapping!
- Here’s a few more tips for using Instagram >>
To start an email newsletter you do need somewhere online to launch it. But your Facebook page, or the placeholder page for your new website, will both work well for this.
Someone signing up for your newsletter is giving you permission (asking you even) to send them news and information straight to their Inbox.
This gives you an ideal way to regularly contact them and promote your business, and to also give them some extra value to around your products and services.
What can you do right now?
- Lets people who sign up to be notified, know when your website goes live and/or your business launches.
- Give free tips and information about your industry and services. {Say you are a photographer, maybe you could send little tips for taking great photos on your phone, or links to nice Photoshop actions, or link them to photo tutorials you’ve found…}
- Give them a sneak peek of new products or services you’re going to be offering.
Why do this?
- You are building a list of people who are basically giving you permission to try to sell to them!
- You can foster a feeling of exclusivity, by giving your subscribers special or advanced deals.
- You can let people know when you introduce new products or services, without relying on them going to your website regularly (cause the reality is they won’t, unless you give them a reason to, and remind them about it).
- It will give you a way to direct people to your website once you’re ready to do business there.
How to get started?
- Here’s a guide on how to start a newsletter >
