How to make your business look LEGIT on a budget!
Are you a small business owner?
Want to attract people to come to your business? Want to make money? Of course you do!
What are you doing to attract your customers to you?
Do you have a good website? Do you have at least one social media account that is active and posting everyday? Do you have decent photos? Do you have a logo, fonts and colors that match everything? Hmm.. you don't huh... tsk tsk...
Well, that's why I am here to share a few of my simple and cheap secrets with you!
What would you do if you went to Panera and they had week-old bread sitting out? You wouldn't go there would you? Of course not! It's the same with a business. Make sure your online content stays fresh every day- ideally at the same time everyday.
I can't stress enough the images of good photos on your website. Don't use stock images if you can. First of all, they can be expensive and second of all- you might get in trouble for using them online!
Stock photos can make your business look stiff and impersonal, so hiring a pro that really can bring your business to new light is ideal!
If you can't hire a pro in your area, then maybe bartering with them a service, like a free haircut or manicure would sweeten the deal!
Just because you have a website and a facebook, doesn't mean that they look nice.
I remember that one day, my neighbor gave me his car detailing business flyer. It was literally written on Word with the default font all in black and white with NO images. It was not very eye catching at all.
Remember, simple is better, but too simple will be boring.
Online design is good to have too. I use adobe spark post for all my social media animation and image posts- it looks so professional and FREE too!
Please please don't be afraid of social media. A lot of business owners are! I have seen at least three this week tell me, either "I'm afraid to be on facebook because I don't want to get my life out there." Or "I've never seen the purpose for it."
Imagine social media is like a gigantic party where all your friends are invited, sitting down and having drinks and just talking about their life. People online, post about stuff they love and recommend those things to their friends indirectly through pictures and status updates. One person will say through a picture of their new hardwood floors, "I just got my floors done, love them!" Then a friend will see the post and ask, "Beautiful, I need to get mine done." Then the first person will say by tagging your business, "I love this company_____ use them." The second friend will trust the recommendation and call you!
This is how social media works- subtle advertising 100% free for you!
I was asked to make a logo for someone from my church. I made it and saw them at a social event so we started talking. She had already ordered her business cards before getting her new logo! She didn't know that everything had to match! I told her that her facebook/social media/website and business cards all have to have the same theme! It was like I was speaking a foreign language!
Don't have one social media account that doesn't follow the same theme as the other accounts. Try to use the same fonts throughout everything you do. Try to stick to very simple yet eye-pleasing colors!
If you don't have a logo, there are TONS of places online to have a simple logo done for you. Or if you want to be really cheap- make one yourself using a simple font on powerpoint. But remember, each fonts tells something about you. If you are more of a fun casual person, then a handwritten font might be best. If your business is more stylish- try a thin long font.
Mix a simple font with a complex font. For example: a BOLD font looks good with a thin font to even them out.
Colors on your website should be : one simple color (like a grey), one neutral color (like a like blue or a gold) and one pop of color (like a pink or a turquoise ).
Look at the color wheel (you can find one online). Colors that are opposite of eachother look good together!
Having a clean, simple looking website is KEY to today's world! Most of the time, a website will make or break a customer going with you. In my experience using a white-ish background automatically makes your site more professional looking. Also, try to keep all the fonts the same. Avoid using cheesy animations or font styles. Simple is ALWAYS better. Use a lot of space in your website, so that it's more pleasing to the eye.
Have your site be easy to navigate and find things.
If you can't hire someone to make your website- there are so many companies that can set you for success by using a template site. I use WIX, but there is squarespace and show-it that are beautiful for that!
Computers and social media can't replace a real handshake and a face talking about your business one-on-one with someone you have just met! Always carry around business cards with you so that other people can find you and follow your work!
________________________________
Christal
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