I’ll be honest, I don’t think there will be too many DON’Ts on this site, because I have DIY’d everything, and sometimes that’s the way to go. As a copywriter, I believe you could use some direction on marketing and staying consistent with your audience. But I know that if you’re at the DIY stage, it can be a big investment (and a big unknown) to hire a writer.
So. Here’s what to do (and sometimes what not to do) as you get started.
No judgment, though!
DO: Buy a Domain & Set Up Email
Again, no judgment, but if you’re trying to be a successful business owner, you shouldn’t be running your business from “@gmail.com”
Start by buying the domain you love (they’re pretty cheap, so you can buy more if you need to), and set up email. I wrote a blog post WAY BACK that shows how to set up Gmail aliases so you always look profesh, even if you’re using a free email.
Want to get Google Workspace? I LOVE IT. Use it for everything. I would be honored if you used my referral/affiliate link here.
DON’T host on GoDaddy
Look at that, I found a DON’T. While I try not to judge, GoDaddy is not the place for you. It’s the worst host. Not enough storage for your site. Gets hacked sometimes. Etc.
Redirect to a better host. I don’t love BlueHost either, and I personally use SiteGround (yes it’s affiliate).
A serious website builder will tell you to get something fancier, but so far I have great speed and results on SiteGround.
DO: Get a great website theme
You cannot beat the price and flexibility of Divi. People love to hate on it, but seriously. Cannot beat it. That lifetime license saves you money year after year, and if you like to build out friends’ websites or start a business, you can use Divi.
This website is built on Elementor(affiliate) because I wanted to try something different. I like it, and I think it’s easy-ish to learn. The premade Divi templates look better though. I couldn’t make Elementor templates look as good with my VERY MINIMAL design experience.
DO: Start with One Page
Look, you don’t need a 20-page website when you’re starting out. You do need SOMETHING more than an Instagram profile and a LinkTree.
While 5 pages are probably the ideal for a brand-new site, you can get away with one long scroll page.
I have a course with exactly what to include on your one-page website. I was going to make a bonus segment on how to build the website based on what you’ve written, but I didn’t get around to it 🫣 Let me know if I should.
DO: Start with Copywriting
Any good copywriter will tell you, COPY BEFORE DESIGN. Always.
I’ve written about this a lot because it’s hard to force copy to fit into a beautiful layout. Things look great but then there’s not much substance. Or it doesn’t follow the flow of your visitors’ thought process. You need to start with copy.
And seriously, start with my little course. You’ll learn the best tricks and write this one-page website in a day.
DO: Focus on Email
Growing your list can be intimidating. It feels worse writing to 25 people than to 10,000. Trust me. And when your relatives say they read all your emails you want to dieeeee.
But, the email list is the only thing you truly own. As we keep seeing across the internet, social media can disappear in an instant. Someone can hack your account, the government can ban your platform, enough people can report you as spam and get you taken down. Email is the only thing that lasts.
I have a bunch of ideas in my Free Marketing Strategies posts for lead magnets, so see if any of those spark your interest.
DO: Claim Your Spot on the Map
Make sure you register your business on Google Maps with Google My Business (or whatever they’re calling it these days).
If you have a local business, THIS IS THE PRIMARY WAY PEOPLE FIND YOU.
…. go and sign up now. Then come back and keep reading.
DON’T expect to grow too fast
Unless you’re selling social media services with the headline “Grow Your Following Instantly!” then you probably won’t grow fast. Those reels are practically clickbait, and everyone follows, hoping for a breakthrough that never works for them.
Also – a large following DOES NOT EQUAL $$$
The best way to grow is IN PERSON. Making real money. Getting real Google reviews. You will make the most sales from friends and friends of friends long before you have thousands of followers.
DO: Have Fun!
You are living your dream! The more you show that side of yourself whether on Instagram or through your email list, the more people will be addicted to you.
Your buyers just want to have fun with fun-loving people, and you can make that happen.
It’s kind of hard for me because I’m always thinking of all the terrible things happening in the world. But you can be the light in your corner of the market.
You have worked hard to get to this point, so enjoy yourself!