Are you hobbyist that is looking to turn your creative passion into business so that you can start making money from your art? Are you frustrated at the stigma that creative work is nothing more than a hobby?
That was me 5 years ago when I started my side hustle as a freelance makeup artist. It was like pulling teeth trying to turn my passion for makeup into a profitable and respectable business. People did not take my job seriously because “I was just playing with makeup.” They didn’t feel this so called hobby warranted compensation—that was until I proved them wrong.
So, I’m here to show you a quick way to boost your status from a “hobbyist” to a “professional” in any creative industry that requires you to showcase your art and talent.
The first step in letting others know you mean business is making yourself look the part. One of the simplest and most inexpensive way to do this is by creating a website. Here are 5 advantages you will get with having a website, in addition to utilizing social media as part of your marketing strategy.
- Gain Credibility – when you have a website, it gives you a platform to share your story, who you are, what you do and why potential customers should buy your products or pay for your services. It gives them a reason to know, like and trust you without having to speak with you first. Your personal website allows you to share your story and create virtual connections that you otherwise wouldn’t be able to have with just a social media profile.
- Appears professional – Have you ever encountered any professional entity that does not have a website? I don’t think I have either. Even if you don’t have a bunch of stuff to share, it is still better than not having one at all. It shows your audience that you value your work and are serious about your business enough that you put in work to create and design your page. That in turn will help them take you and your business more serious.
- Easy access to all your contents and information-Even before someone purchases your products or services, they usually will have to know, like and trust you. And what better way to do that than sharing information or knowledge that helps demonstrate your expertise and work? By having a website, it serves as a central platform so that your audience can easily access all your content in one spot.
- Potential clients can locate you on search engines- When you have a website, it gives you leverage because your potential clients can simply find your site through search engines such as Google. You can also utilize Search Engine Optimization (SEO) to drive traffic to your page and gain more visibility.
- Virtual Portfolio – If you are an artist like me, you know how important it is to have a portfolio. That’s the first thing that potential clients or employers want to see. The beauty of having your own site and not having to carry around a binder with your work. Your client can find good quality photos loaded right onto your website.
With millions of people on social media daily, it is a no brainer that your business needs to be on at least one of these platforms to gain more visibility. And having your own site will help you stand out from your competitors who are too lazy to brand themselves as professionals.
Now, if you are convinced that a website is needed for your business and you want to get one up and running but don’t know where to start because (like me) you are not tech savvy, don’t worry! I got you covered.
You can click on the PDF for a beginner’s guide that has all the information you need to get started