Mar

Creative Marketing Ideas: Marketing Beginnings…

By emily

Creating marketing strategies are one of the best ways for new consultants, contractors and service providers to market their services. When it comes to building a following, a book of business, or even just a list of qualified prospects, what starts out as a trickle can build into a stream… But building that trickle in the first place can seem pretty tough.

Where can you go to “become an expert” when nobody knows you’re out there?

That’s where you need some creative marketing ideas to get you started. One great place to start AND get paid at the same time is by working as a freelancer in your chosen field. There’s nothing like getting paid to earn experience in the field and get in touch with clients and potential clients at the same time.

Where Can You Go To Drum Up Business AND Get Paid For It?

It’s never been easier to employ creative marketing ideas to freelance your services. The Internet has made the entire world available for you to prospect, and a few key services are putting buyers and sellers in touch.

Try www.realperson.com – This site allows you to charge by-the-minute to talk to clients on the phone about topics in which you are an expert. Existing experts are available in fields as varied as interior design, real estate investing, legal or tax matters, or even offer therapy – all from the comfort of your home or office. You set your per-minute rate and the company takes a 30% cut in exchange for brokering the service.
You’ve heard of www.rent-a-coder.com and www.elance.com, these are great places to go to sell your technical skills if you’re in the IT field, graphical design, a flash programmer, etc. But it’s a tough marketplace, especially since you’ll be competing with service providers from overseas who are willing to work pretty cheap. However, check out www.AssociatedContent.com. This service allows you to work on topics of YOUR choosing (rather than bidding on topics requested by the people hiring you and hoping you get the job). Assuming your article is accepted 75% are, you’ll get paid upon completion and earn residual income as clients of Associated Content choose to buy and republish your work.

Not only do these sites offer a way to get some money, experience and client contact, they offer credibility. You can share with potential clients the fact that you are an expert author published on a variety of online sources. Although it might seem easy to get started, these types of credentials can still carry weight and add depth to your portfolio of work.

It’s time to put yourself to work with your own creative marketing ideas.