Face it, from ruling smart phones to dominating the internet, you’ve got some serious tech savvy. You’re also more than happy to use your considerable abilities to help the technically challenged adapt to an ever-evolving cyber world—free of charge. After all, sharing your knowledge to the benefit of others is a fun and rewarding experience, something worth Tweeting about. But here’s a news flash for you, in less than 140 characters…
You can turn your technical talents into a very profitable business!
Although you’ve been taking those talents for granted, there are literally legions of technically challenged souls lost in a world they cannot even begin to comprehend, let alone navigate—people who would be all too happy to pay for your skills. So if you’d like to start putting some money where your mouse is, here are 5 things you’ll need to get started.
1. Recognize and Hone the Skills You Want to Market: While you may be tech savvy in several areas, in order to market your skills effectively you’ll need to focus on what you do best. Maybe your talents lie in graphic design or web design, or maybe you’re a natural born blogger or you just “get” social media. Chances are, whatever you do best is what you enjoy doing most. If there’s an area of interest to you that you’d like to become proficient in, like designing mobile apps, for example, or something you’re good at that you’d like to become great at, you can find the help you need through online classes and tutorials. And the best part is, having already negotiated that learning curve, you’ll be qualified to help others do the same—for a fee. Once you’ve identified and maximized your skills, it’s time for step two.
2. Begin the Branding Process: Remember that even the stodgiest brick and mortar hold-outs in the business world are finally getting the message: In order to stay competitive and grow, let alone survive, they have to establish a viable online presence. Sure, they’ve got websites up, but many are based on the outdated notion that people are somehow drawn to websites through some magical process. Being that the first thing you’ll need to promote your services online is a website, beware of the “if you build it they will come” mentality. It just doesn’t work that way. Whether you hire a designer to build your website or do it yourself, you’ll want your site to give a crystal clear portrayal of the services you provide in an attractive, easy to navigate format. This is part of the branding process— something that goes way beyond coming up with a fancy logo or a catchy mission statement. It’s the process of creating an intangible message of confidence and competence that resonates with potential customers and hopefully prompts them to take action and become clients.
3. Build a Social Media Presence: Research your target market and start building a social media presence for you and your business. Set up a Twitter and Facebook profile and begin networking with friends, peers, businesses and other entrepreneurs to create a following. The goal is to brand yourself as an expert in your niche through sharing work examples, news, helpful tips and ideas that are relevant to your targeted demographic. Remember that with social media, while it’s important to come off as helpful and authoritative, it’s also critical that you be yourself so as not to come off as “spammy”.
NOTE: If you can create an attractive social media profile and demonstrate your proficiency with Facebook and Twitter, or setting up a blog, helping others do the same for a fee is a value added service you can promote.
4. Start Marketing Your Business For Free Online: One of the great benefits of the internet is that it provides a variety of ways to market your services for free. One very effective way to start growing your brand is to make a free Facebook fan page and start asking your friends and peers to “like” it for you, which will help you build a following. You can also build an e-mail list on your website or blog by providing visitors the opportunity to opt in to receive helpful tips and information or take advantage of the marketing promotions and special offers you will have from time to time. If you have a blog, be sure to keep it updated regularly with helpful and relevant information to keep your followers engaged and in the loop.
Always ask for referrals. Word of mouth advertising is the most effective way to get business both on and off the net. Make sure that those who know and trust you are aware that you are running a business and that you are actively seeking new clients that they might recommend.
You can also utilize sites like Craigslist, free of charge, to search for clients who are seeking your specific skills.
5. Cultivate and Keep Positive Relationships: Once you have a growing client list it’s critical to make and keep good relationships. Checking in with clients after the work is done is a great way to generate the good will that can bring new referrals and repeat business. It can also help you improve your quality control as you ask clients to honestly critique the value of the services you provided them.
You’ll also want to cultivate positive relationships with people in related fields. Once a trust is established, others may be willing to share valuable information about your industry as well as refer clients to you who need services they cannot provide. In turn, you should expect to do the same for them, thereby building lasting bonds based on mutual respect and a willingness to share.
Additional Resources: Shop online to get the right computer for your online business needs - whether it’s a laptop or a desktop.