So really I was going to kick this whole “blog writing” thing off by writing a post about how hilariously bad web designers are at designing their own websites and then share a bunch of resources. Then I didn’t really know how to make it funny. And the essence of the story really is – they just are. The end. That’s a pretty short blog post. I juuust finished designing my own one (check it out here) and while I love it, it took me 2x the amount of time it takes me to design for my clients. Typical!

What I’m currently really marveling at is the process that has brought me from my first wobbly freelance steps to this point in my business where I finally feel things are starting to work. (Note: This process has taken me three years. I did not become a six figure success overnight. Oh wait. I have not yet become a six figure success. Sorry, wistful thinking.)

Here are some of the main resources that really helped me grow my business from totally clueless to paying the bills and keep some of my sanity in the process. A trail of crumbs:

Rebecca Tracey // Uncage Your Business

Rebecca’s coaching was the first serious investment I made in my business, and I’m feeling the results to this day. I gained major clarity on where I wanted my business to go, what I wanted to be doing and who I wanted to be working for. Before I’d been working with a lot of ill-fitting clients, and was no longer enjoying design. I was pretty much ready to give up on the freelance thing. Along with clarity, I found a peer group of lovely ladies who were on a similarly alternative path to mine. Having people to reach out to, who understand what you’re going through makes a major difference when you suddenly realise you’re not alone in your business woes. You can ask questions, share sorrows and celebrate each others’ successes. One of my peers in this group was…

Jamie Jensen // Your Hot Copy // Copywriting

Jamie is currently in the process of helping me re-write my about page. She also became my partner in crime for our joint sales page design and copy service The Pageama Party, which has been a major key for me to gaining exposure and getting the sort of work and clients I really wanted to be working for. Jamie is one of the loveliest people I’ve had the pleasure of meeting online and she’s freaking amazing at what she does. If you need words for like – anything – hire Jamie. She’s a serious word sorceress. Jamie in turn helped bring my attention to…

Anna Long // Ease & Profits Coaching

Anna’s coaching was yet another big scary business investment I made, and it had pretty much payed for itself about two months into the program. Which came as a bit of a shock at the time. In a good way. Anna is amazing at helping you knuckle down and really focus on the essential instead of trying to do everything at once, as I was trying to. She’s been a huge strategic support to getting my business basics down and has also helped coach me through some emotionally difficult business stages such as when I was hit by unexpected growth I was ill-equipped to handle or through business, health and life low points. Speaking of difficulties…

Love, Business Owner // Client Communications

I actually won my membership to this awesome service with my “worst client communication ever submission” and it’s really helped me write a lot of those super awkward e-mails to clients that you really don’t want to write. Not a desperate necessity, but super helpful if you struggle with words and awkward client situations like I do and want to sound more professional. Another thing that has really really really helped me look and feel more in professional in my business is…

Leah Kalamakis’ Stress Less & Impress

This course has had some of the biggest impact on my business sanity and stress levels and for that it was a pretty small price to pay. Before SL&I I literally had no systems in place and had no clue why everyone kept harping on about them. After doing this course and implementing just automated client scheduling, questionnaires and online contracts I was a complete convert. Seriously guys, get your systems in place, it is one of the best things you can do for your business. You save yourself so much e-mail back and forth hastle, it saves you SO much time, money and energy you can put to better use. Contracts and scheduling used to be an utter nightmare for me, now I send a couple of links to the client and we’re good to go. Easy. Plus, I look more like a pro. “You want to schedule a call – sure, here’s a link to my calendar.” Sweet.

Halley Razz Gray // Evolve and Succeed // Sales Page Course

I think I originally stumbled across Halley via the Uncaged Lifers Facebook group. Halley’s sales page course really struck a chord with me because I’m not a fan of writing lengthy sales pages myself, and her stuff seemed wonderfully short and to the point. I purchased her self-study course, and it’s been the basis for all my sales page copy on this website. I wouldn’t have known where the hell to start writing without it.

My biggest takeaway of the past three years has really been – don’t try and do it all alone. Pay for knowledge and skills so you don’t have to learn everything the hard way. Hire people to hold your hand along the way. Find a group of peers so you don’t feel so godawfully lonely when you’re going through business struggles that none of the 9-to-5ers around you understand. Find your people. Connect. That’s where the real magic happens.

Another thing lots of people try to do alone in the beginning is designing their website. Seriously people, there’s a reason people get payed to do that stuff. I understand the need to save when starting out, and it’s worth DIYing to start with until you have some clarity, but if webdesign’s not something you naturally enjoy doing, it may not be a skill worth adding to your skillset, it comes with a lot of frustration and it’s a field that’s constantly changing and evolving. Your time is probably better invested in the work you actually set out to do. Not fiddling with yet another theme that doesn’t look quite right.

If you’re over and done with trying to do it all alone and are ready to up your business game, click here, I have one webdesign slot left for July. Let’s create you a fabulous web presence that’ll blow your clients’ minds.

Merken

Merken