So you’ve decided to finally take the time to get a website for your business. I’ve put together a list of things that you can do now to be fully prepared when it’s time to start building your site or before you hire someone to build it for you. ( BTW, Some of the links below are affiliate links.)
1. Secure your domain – What exactly is a domain? In layman’s terms, a domain is a unique name that identifies a website. Each website has a domain. So if your business is called Simple Truth, a good domain name would be simpletruth.com or simpletruth.net
2. Find a reliable web host- In order to get your website online, you need a good, reliable web host. If you’re going to go the WordPress route, I would recommend Bluehost or a managed WordPress host. I personally recommend Flywheel for your managed WordPress provider. Check out this blog post I wrote about web host: What is a Web Host?
3. Choose the right platform for your business- There are many different platforms to choose from. It all depends on your business needs and how much monthly maintenance you want to do. Some options you have are Squarespace, Wix, and WordPress. Most of my clients prefer WordPress because of its flexibility and its ability to grow with your business.
4. Write down your needs – Decide the who, what, and how of your business. Are you a hairstylist who needs a site to display your work and book appointments? Or maybe you are a consultant who needs a one-page site that has a blog and a simple contact form and links to your social media pages.
5. Get a professional headshot- You’re going to need a great image of you for your site and a low-quality pic won’t do. Schedule an appointment with a local photographer and get one or two headshots done.
6. Write a bio- Who are you? and what do you offer? Whether you decide to create a full 5-page site or a one-page site, you will need a bio.
7. High-quality images for your site- Good photos can make or break your site. You don’t have to break the bank. You can use stock photos. one of my favorite sites to get photos is unsplash.com
8. Copy for each page/section of your site- Great pics are nice and you may have found the perfect layout/template. None of that matters if you don’t have web copy. What is copy? Website copy is the text that guides people through your website and tells them what they need to know. It’s what’s on your home page, your about page, your products and services pages,
9. Business E-mail address– There’s nothing wrong with having a Gmail address, but having a business email is important. You can get a business email through your web host or you can get one through an email host. I use G-Suite for my business, and a few of my clients use Zoho mail. If you would like to try G-suite and receive a 20% discount per user for a year. you can use this link: G-Suite Trial .
10. E-mail marketing provider – I wish I had known the power of email marketing when I first started. Even if you don’t have clients or customers yet, I would recommend that you start building your email list. My recommendation would be Mailchimp.
There’s no way to be 100% prepared, but these 10 tips will get you off to a great start. If oyu have any questions or comments, do not hesitate to contact me .
WordPress 5.0, featuring the new Gutenberg editor, has officially been released! And if you’re like any of my clients, you may not be ready for the big change. No worries! If you’re not quite ready to embrace the change, I want to show you how to install the classic editor and switch to the Gutenberg editor when you are ready.
Step 1: First, you want to head over to the Plug-in section and search for Classic Editor. You can also download the link from the WordPress Repository site here: Classic Editor Plugin.
Step 2. Next, you want to click the Install Now button.
Step 3. Once the plug-in is installed, click on Activate.
Step 4. Head over to the Classic editor plug-in settings and click on use classic editor as the default editor for all users.
That’s it! You should now be able to post using the classic editor. Hope this makes sense. Feel free to contact me if you need a little help.
Hello, my name is Olivia and I am a creative solutions expert. If there is a problem, I do not stop until I find the right solution. I haven’t written in a while, but as you all know, life can sometimes happen and cause you to get lost in your own thoughts and mental stuff.
That’s a big part of the reason why I am taking the time to write this post today. As of today, I am 21 weeks pregnant and on bedrest until April 17th. Sounds kinda scary right? Well it can be quite overwhelming if I try to think of how to get through 19 more weeks in one night. It’s kinda the same way I approach business at times.
Based off of the phone calls and strategy sessions that I have with a few of you, I ‘m learning that most times you all have the answers, but often get overwhelmed or distracted by a mind full of what-ifs or trying to find the way that is guaranteed to work. Then before you know it, weeks have gone by, and the problem still exists.
Let me help you. Whenever you feel overwhelmed with a problem, take out a pen and pad and write the problem at the top of the paper. Draw a line under the problem and write a list of all the possible solutions. Don’t try to figure out anything. Just get it all out. Once you’ve got it all out, eliminate the options that you know won’t work. Trust yourself! Be patient with yourself. Eventually, you will get the right solution, or find the courage to try each one until you find the right one. And if all else fails, reach out to me or set up a strategy session with me.
I am here to help and I love to find solutions.
Remember, there is a solution to every problem, we just need to find it.
1.You can create your own t-shirts, I-phone cases, pillows and more without having to order and store any inventory. Learn more about the process here.
When I was on bedrest about 9 years ago, I started creating handmade earrings.
Before I started selling online on my own my WordPress site, I started an Etsy shop. It’s easy to set up as long as you have great pictures, product descriptions, and prices. Check out my Etsy store.
3. Resell Clothes on PoshMark
I’m not much of a shopper, but I love going to the thrift store to see what I can find for myself and my Posh store. Posh mark is a great place to resell clothes that you’ve outgrown or resell thrift store finds. Check out my posh closet here.
4. Resell on E-bay
E-bay is also a great place to sell not only Check but any items that you need to purge from your home. We sell everything from action figures, to printer ink to shoes and clothes.
5. Sell digital products on your website/blog
Perhaps you’re really knowledgeable about a skill or topic. You could create an ebook about that particular topic and sell it on your site.
If you are a technical person, you could help others who need assistance with small gigs and projects. Data entry, graphic design, or writing copy for other small businesses and entrepreneurs. I’ve used Fiverr to outsource some of my logo design and graphic design projects. I’ve used Fiverr to outsource some of my logo design and graphic design projects.
Thinkific is a great platform to use to create free and paid courses. I recently created a WordPress 101-course using Thinkific. I also wrote a blog post about my experience with the platform.
8. Become a coach or consultant
Maybe you have the gift of helping others business or life in general. You could become a coach or consultant and sell your services to other small business owners.
9. Become an affiliate for your favorite brands
Affiliate marketing is a great source of income. You receive a small commission for sharing your favorite brands with others. For example if you have a favorite host that you use to host your website, you can sign up for their affiliate program and receive a commission if someone uses your link to purchase.
There are many other ways to make money online. I have experience with all 9 of the suggested revenue streams. If you need any help or more information about any of them, please feel free to reach out.
What are some ways you can make extra money online?
Before embarking on a journey into the land of WordPress, I was a full time hair stylist. Most times I needed the same information from my clients. After a year or more of printing sheets and filing them or having to sort through them to update client info, I decided to create digital client intake forms and questionnaires.
Sounds complicated huh? Well, it isn’t as hard as it seems. About 2 years ago I started using Gravity Forms to collect pertinent client information and usernames and passwords from my clients. If you’ve ever submitted a quote or worksheet through this site, you’ve used a few of the forms.
Forms can be used for any industry. Hairstylist or anyone in the service industry can use them to create client information sheets. Coaches and consultants can create custom worksheets or workbooks.
Here are a few examples of forms that I’ve created using Gravity Forms:
You’ve chosen a managed WordPress hosting provider that doesn’t have email included. If you want to keep email separate from web hosting, you’ll need an email host.
Solution:
You need a reliable e-mail host and luckily for you, there are several options. Before I discuss any options, let me make sure you understand the basics of email hosting. Email hosting is a service that runs email servers. Most web hosting companies provide you with emails. The email service provided by web hosting companies supplies you with basic email and basic spam/virus protection.
If you own a small business, then you should consider using email using a professional email hosting service. Using a professional email host will give you a chance to focus on your business. The email host provider manages your email services. Most providers offer many webmail features including the following:
unlimited aliases
unlimited forwarders
autoresponders
large attachments
robust spam/virus protection
mail rules
IMAP/POP3
online storage
calendars
backups
archiving
folder management
contacts management
You would also be able to access your email from anywhere using webmail, smartphone, and your favorite email client such as Outlook. Best of all, professional email host packages are very inexpensive. You could get monthly services for as little as $3.00 per user per month. While there are many options to choose from, there are 2 solutions I offer to my clients. G-Suite or Zoho. I personally use G-Suite. So even if I decide to switch web hosts, my email service won’t be interrupted.
In the next post, I will give you a detailed overview of each. In the meantime, I want you to check your email needs. Do you currently host your email with an email host? If so, who do you use? Comment below and be on the lookout for my next post.
Need some help with deciding, contact me to chat more.
