A website is a necessary part of running ANY size business in the 21st century.

But as a freelancer or small business owner, do you need one the moment you start thinking about freelancing? Once you have a good idea? When you get your first client?

Those are great questions!

Let’s dive into some answers.

When should you start a website?

This can vary. However, the smartest and safest move is to reserve the domain name (the URL) once you have a business name in mind.

Even if you don’t intend to start selling your products or services immediately, having the domain and social media handles ensures you’ll have the ones you want when you ARE ready.

As for actually building your website, the time is before you start pitching/marketing your services or products.

Once you start marketing yourself and your business, many people will Google you/your business before making a purchase.

Having a website means YOU get to control the narrative around how your business is marketed. You control the messaging.

Even as a freelancer, I believe a LinkedIn profile alone or other social media isn’t enough.

Many shoppers these days check the website as their first move.

Does the business look legit? If there is no site or social media, could this company be a scam?

Why should you start a website?

A nice website (you can get a free one on places like WordPress, Wix, and Squarespace!) basically gives your business credibility and legitimacy.

It’s a place for you to introduce yourself as a human person and not just a business. It lets you add humanity and personalization to your company.

It’s also simply is a necessity. You need a website.

Whether you’re an author, a freelance graphic designer, run a small agency, or anything else, you need a website.

You can sell products (like your books!) and services (consulting services!), post reviews from satisfied clients, add a portfolio of your work, have a place for potential clients to contact you, and even have a blog — a place to show off your skills and knowledge. And to optimize some SEO keywords and bring in website traffic and generate leads.

You can have landing pages, email newsletter signups, promotions, and so much more.

Websites are way more than just an ecommerce shop — they are a hub for you and your entire business.

How do you start a website?

This one is a little more complicated.

The easiest way to start a website if you have no experience is to use something like WordPress (my site is WP!), Wix, or Squarespace. These 3 consistently rank as 3 of the top free website builders.

A straightforward website builder can walk you through the process from signup to a beautiful site. WordPress is known for customization and flexibility but has a more complicated backend, while the other 2 are well-known for their simplicity and ease of use but may have fewer customization options.

You can either purchase a URL through them or use one you already own. Same with hosting.

Just know there are a lot of options, so you certainly won’t be left with nowhere to go.

As for what you should include, try looking at other freelancers/consultants/small businesses in your industry and see what they include.

This exercise will also help clarify what you do and do not like about those sites, which will help you when making choices for your own site.

The standard pages to include are:

• Homepage/welcome with a newsletter signup form or popup
• About me/about the company to tell your story
• Services page to show what you’re selling (sometimes they include pricing, sometimes not)
• A blog for contextualizing your work
• Contact form/page for people to message you

Other optional pages include:

A Portfolio page if visuals are part of your services or a Shop page if you sell physical products and things like landing pages for specific courses/books/products, etc.

You could add a use cases page to show how your services or product can be used in various ways.

You might want a “team” page if you have employees and want to showcase them.

Or a Media page to put links to articles about you or podcasts you’ve been on.

Perhaps a testimonial or review page to show what people think about working with you.

The world is your oyster! The sky is the limit!

It’s YOUR website. Let it show your personality and be proud of your business. Think of your website as your little corner of the internet.

Alexa, play ‘In My Own Little Corner…’ from Cinderella.

As a freelancer, it is so easy to stay connected ALL THE TIME.

Even on vacation, we often take our laptops or check emails every time we have signal.

But taking a break from work is normal — and really good for your mental health and general well-being.

While some businesses slow down naturally around the holidays (like general office work, sales, etc.), some speed up (seasonal stuff, hiring prep for after the new year, etc.).

But when you run your own business, any change — good or bad — can trigger negative emotions and stress.

And time off is imperative to keep going and staying happy and healthy.

So, how can you prepare your business (and yourself) for time off?

While it is weird to think you can just turn off your phone and computer for two weeks and come back like nothing happened, you CAN.

You just have to prep for it first.

When I am going on a real vacation — as in, not bringing my laptop and with no intention of checking work emails — I start by planning ahead.

About a month before my vacation, I email all of my clients to let them know the dates I will be away.

I let them know that anything with deadlines prior to the vacation will still be met and inform them of how and when I’ll be sending invoices and anticipating payment. I also let them know that I will not be available or responding to calls and emails in that time.

I then ask if there is anything they know they’ll need during that time — so that I can make a plan to either get it done ahead of time or find someone else to do it while I’m gone.

Since I do regular check-in calls with clients, I remind them about the dates I’ll be gone starting about two weeks ahead of time.

About 2–3 business days before I leave for vacation, I send a quick reminder email to all clients that I will be gone and unavailable and reiterate the dates.

Then, finally, starting at the end of the business day the evening before I leave for vacation, I set an out-of-office email message, block out my calendar, and turn off all available dates on my Calendly (an appointment-setting tool).

Learn more about the tools that run my business!

Then, I go on my work-free, guilt-free vacation!

There is absolutely nothing wrong with going on vacation — even as a business owner or freelancer.

Here are my tips for having a stress-free, guilt-free vacation:

• Remind yourself that you are allowed to have time off. You don’t get angry when you clients take a vacation, and not one is mad at you or disappointed in you for doing it, either.
• If you DO happen to have a client who kicked off, really think about if that is the type of person you want to be doing business with.
• Pause your Slack notifications, email notifications, etc. Or put your phone on do not disturb!
• Remember that you are at your best when you are rested, relaxed, and ready to work. You deserve a vacation and need one to be at your best for your business.
• Give yourself grace — it takes time to stop thinking about work when you’re always connected.
• Tell your partner/travel buddy that you want to go completely work free, and let them remind you of that when you think about sneaking a look at your emails when you stop for coffee.
• Enjoy yourself!

Just remember, there is not going to be some writing emergency that will burn down the Amazon while you’re gone.

You MUST have time away from work and clients to be mentally and even physically healthy!

There is an acronym in the sales/marketing world: ABC. It means “always be closing.”

While this is a fantastic strategy and mindset when marketing for new clients, many self-employed people don’t think it applies past the “yes” and starting to work together.

So, in this short article, I will give you the 3 best ways you can make more money and continue to “sell” yourself to clients you’re already working with.

1. Ask for more work

This may sound simple…“Oh, duh, just ask for more.”

But the truth is that once you have a contract in place and are working with a client, it is often easy to go on autopilot and do the work and move on to looking for more clients.

But you have a golden opportunity here! The client already likes and trusts you, you know the voice/tone for their business, and they already understand the value you add to their business (since they are already paying you!).

So, ask for more work.

Let’s say you are a content writer/blogger, and you’re writing one post per week for a client.

Reach out to the client and ask if they’ve considered writing additional posts per week/month.

And ask if they need writing in other areas! Writing skills help with much more than just blog posts. For example:

• Writing social media posts
• Writing content for LinkedIn that parallels with the blogs on the client’s website and links to the site
• Writing website copy
• Email campaigns
• Newsletters
• Writing email templates for a business

And more. Use your knowledge of the client’s business and their goals to find ways your specific writing skills can help the business grow.

2. Expand/upsell more services for the same client

Similar to the first tip, this next one is about expanding past simply writing and using any other skills you have to “upsell” your services.

For example, instead of just writing and editing blog posts and sending them to the client, you can offer to take the entire blog process off their plate. Let them know they can simply provide ideas (or you can put together a list of ideas to choose from!), and you’ll write the post, source images, edit the post, then physically go into WordPress, Medium, LinkedIn, or whatever blog platform they use, and post it for them.

Or you can offer to use your knowledge of SEO to search for relevant keywords and use SEO optimization techniques to improve their rankings in the SERPs.

Or you might use your social media savvy to offer to manage their social media accounts and create beautifully-written Instagram or Facebook posts.

Maybe you took a course on IG and FB ads and can upsell your services to include creating and managing paid ads for the client.

Depending on your skills and areas of expertise, there are tons of ways you can expand the type of work you do with a client. Small businesses, especially, love working with this type of freelancer because you are ultimately saving them time and energy of dealing with other (necessary but sometimes annoying) parts of the business.

3. Ask for referrals

Finally, one of the best things you will ever do for your business is to remember to ask them for referrals.

Now, I never wait until AFTER I finish working with someone to ask for referrals.

Once I have a good working relationship with a client, I shoot a quick email with something like this:

I really enjoy working with you and wanted to check in to see if anyone you know may need similar services. I recently finished a large book editing project and have the time and bandwidth to add 1–2 new clients to my roster. If you know of anyone, I’d love an introduction!

And I also periodically (about 2–3 times per year or when it makes sense) reach out to old clients I am no longer working with to check in and ask if they or anyone they know needs anything.

I also take that opportunity to remind them of my skills.

“It was great working with you earlier this year, editing your book was a blast. I hope it is doing well! I wanted to reach out and see if you or anyone you know needs any writing or editing assistance. In addition to editing books, I also write blog content for businesses, help authors with the self-publishing process, put together social media or editorial calendars, and can even help create sales scripts and email campaigns. Hope to hear from you soon!“

This reminds them of our work together, lets them know any new skills I’ve picked up, and keeps my name in their mind when they do need anything.

Another time I might reach out to old clients is if I am running some kind of sale. If I’m doing some kind fo “10% off all packages” or something for the new year or other holiday, that is the perfect excuse to shoot an email to an old client and let them know — while also asking for referrals.

The most important thing to remember is that when you have great customer service and were responsive and easy to work with, people are generally quite happy to recommend you to friends and colleagues!

Summary

These 3 things are why my entire book of business is from referrals and word of mouth. I rarely need to actually market myself to attract new clients.

As the gig economy continues to grow, more and more people are opting to work as freelancers. While freelancing can be an attractive option for those who want to work on their own terms, it can be challenging to market yourself effectively — with or without a traditional resume.

For me, I choose to keep my traditional resume updated and good to go, but I’ve never needed to give it to a prospective client. Instead, I focus on my website and my blog to show my experience.

But the question of whether freelancers need a resume is a valid one, and the answer is not a simple yes or no. Let’s discuss when having a resume as a freelancer might be useful and other ways to market yourself if you choose not to have or don’t need one.

3 Reasons A Freelancer Might Have a Resume

As you know, your resume is a solid marketing tool to summarize your education, work experience, certifications, and skills. While it is most typically used to apply for traditional jobs, it can also be useful for freelancers.

It may be the case that these benefit beginning freelancers or those without a website more than more experienced ones.

1. To showcase your skills and experience

As a freelancer, you are your own brand. You need to be able to communicate your skills and experience effectively to potential clients to secure new projects.

A resume can help you do that by highlighting your previous work experience, education, and any relevant certifications or training you’ve completed. This information can give potential clients a better understanding of your background and the value you can bring to their projects.

2. To establish credibility

Having a well-crafted resume can help establish your credibility as a professional freelancer. It shows that you take your work seriously and have put in the time and effort to build a strong foundation for your business.

A resume can also demonstrate your attention to detail and professionalism, which can be appealing to potential clients who are looking for someone reliable to work with.

3. To differentiate yourself from other freelancers

With so many freelancers in the market, it can be challenging to stand out from the crowd.

Having a nicely-formatted resume that highlights your unique skills and experience can help differentiate you from other freelancers and make you more appealing to prospective clients.

3 Alternatives to a Traditional Resume

Traditional resumes are often geared toward full-time jobs, and they may not fully capture the more unique nature of freelance work. Plus, some freelancers may not have a traditional employment history or formal education, making it even more difficult to create a traditional resume.

If you choose not to have a traditional resume, there are alternative ways to market yourself as a freelancer. Personally, these are 3 things I’ve done to market myself and find new clients.

Create a blog or portfolio

One of the best ways to showcase your skills and experience as a freelancer is to build a blog or portfolio. A portfolio, like a blog, is a collection of your best work samples, and it can help potential clients get a sense of your style, quality, and capabilities.

You can include a link to your portfolio on your website or social media profiles to make it easily accessible to anyone interested in hiring you.

Instead of a resume, when I apply for freelance gigs or message a cold prospect, I include a link to my blog so they can see my writing samples and style.

Create a website

Having a website is an essential tool for any freelancer. It serves as a central hub for your business, and it helps potential clients and other people easily find you online. You can use your website to showcase your work with links or images, list your services and rates, and provide information about your background and experience. It’s a great way to introduce yourself to people!

You may also choose to have your blog on your site, a contact form, and even a media page if you’ve been featured on other sites.

Leverage social media

Social media is an incredibly powerful tool for freelancers. You can use platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram to showcase your work, connect with and message potential clients, and build your professional network.

And by sharing updates about your projects and engaging with others in your industry, you can establish yourself as an expert in your field, thus building more authority and credibility and attracting new clients (or email subscribers!).

Summary

While a traditional resume can be useful for freelancers, it is not always necessary. Freelancers can also market themselves effectively by building a portfolio or blog of work samples, having a website to showcase their work, or using social media to market themselves.

Do you use a resume as a freelancer? Why or why not?