Build an Online Business for Free
Issue #6: Bi-weekly insights for mothers interested in entrepreneurship
Dear Mums,
When I decided to go freelance, it was after years of telling myself I couldn’t do it.
One of the many reasons I’d convinced myself of was that I didn’t have enough money.
I’d always been of the impression that starting a business required a huge financial investment and that entrepreneurs require tons of cash. After all, that’s why Dragon’s Den (or Shark Tank) exist, right?
Not anymore!
When I began actually doing it (instead of just talking about it), I realised that wasn’t the case. In fact, I discovered that no only could I start a business with no outlay, I could move forward without there being any financial risk.
And the same is truer today than it was when I started 6 years ago.
Let me drive the point home: there has never been a lower financial barrier to entry, or less financial risk involved with starting a business. That is especially so in the online space.
How I Built a Business with No Money
Once I’d decided what I was going to offer (at the time it was freelance writing for Real Estate agents in Australia) I then got laser focused on getting the word out there.
I built a website on WordPress to showcase my work
I sent outbound email campaigns using a free online platform
I booked sales calls via Skype
I used email and Google drive to liaise and share work with clients
No social media, no established platform or connections. I relied solely upon sending cold emails (which means I didn’t know the recipients before landing in their inboxes.)
And it was hugely successful for me. I began earning money within about 5 weeks.
I want caveat that by saying: even though cold email campaigns worked very well for me at that time, there are a lot more regulations in place now regarding sending unsolicited emails. Honestly, many people still do send emails without consent—and use it as a way to generate leads—but it doesn’t come without risk.
Even though I’d be more careful in using the cold email method, I would still implement the same principles.
Building Blocks of an Online Business
Fundamentally, when you’re pursuing business online, you need:
A way to get in front of potential customers/clients
A way for them to find out more and/or follow up with you
A way for them to pay
To do this for free has absolutely never been easier.
As I mentioned above, I set up a website for my first offering, and boy was it laborious. I had absolutely no idea what I was doing, and WordPress comes with a learning curve.
In 2024, though you don’t need to fuss around with any of that. There are simple—free—and accessible tools you can utilise.
If I were starting a new offering today, here’s what I’d use (depending on what your service is, you’d cherry pick which tools would be relevant to you):
Social media is by far the most accessible way to connect with potential customers and/or clients. Your job is to find out where your target audience are most active—whether it’s Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X, Substack or another—and focus your efforts on posting content there. Please do not try to juggle several platforms at once, I promise it will overcomplicate things.
Don’t just listen to me: Clare Venus—who heads up two incredibly successful publications Sparkle on Substack and Creatively Concious—encourages us to bring intention to just one online space at a time.
Carrd is a simple, user-friendly platform that allows you to create beautiful, responsive one-page websites for free. It’s perfect for showcasing your services, capturing email addresses, and directing potential clients to take a particular action (i.e book a call with you, buy a digital product etc…)
(The aforementioned Clare is a great example of someone who directs potential customers from Substack to her website, which you could do with Gumroad. I highly recommend you have a nose to get some ideas!)
![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7dca2ba1-4c12-4855-bdcf-f95f11e558c1_1407x600.png)
Gumroad is an e-commerce platform that allows creators to sell digital products, such as e-books, music, videos, software (and physical goods products) directly to their audience. Gumroad works on the basis it charges a 10% free for every sale made, so they don’t charge until you start getting paid.
Calendly is a scheduling tool which integrates with your calendar, allowing clients to book appointments at times that are convenient for you. It saves the back-and-forth of trying to find a mutually available time and gives a professional touch to your booking process.
Stripe a comprehensive payment processing platform that’s easy to set up and integrates with many online tools. It allows you to accept credit card payments directly on your website or through invoices. It’s secure, reliable, and free to set up, with transaction fees only when you make a sale.
Many online tools have integration capabilities which mean they work with one another. For example, you can connect Calendly to Zoom so that when calls are scheduled into your calendar, links to the Zoom are automatically sent. You need to check the settings for this but it is so helpful to have an automated system in place (especially if you’re a little bit of a frazzle brain like me!)
So in summary, here’s effectively all you need:
Social media
Carrd for landing page
Gumroad if you’re selling digital products
Calendly & Zoom if you’re booking calls with client
Stripe if you’re taking payments from said clients
Rather than just setting up the tools and hoping for the best, here are some actionable steps you can take to boost your business growth.
Free Ways to Boost Your Business
Leverage Your Network: Don’t underestimate the power of your existing network. Inform friends, family, and professional contacts about your new venture. They can provide referrals and might even be your first clients. Share your new business on your existing social media (even if the imposter in you tells you not to!)
Offer Value First: Whether through a free consultation, a small sample of your work, or valuable content shared on social media, showing your potential clients the value you can bring will make them more likely to hire you.
Seek Feedback and Iterate: Early on, seek feedback from your clients and adjust your offerings based on their needs and suggestions. This will help you refine your services and improve client satisfaction.
I’ll reiterate, by utilising these tools, you’re well on your way to building a successful online business without having to spend a penny!
Remember, the key is to start small, stay focused, and continuously refine your approach based on what works best for you and your clients.
Eventually you can reinvest in your business, whether it’s a more in depth website or signing up for paid tools to widen your offering. But for now, you have no reason for money to hold you back.
I’ll leave you with that for now, feel free to reach out via DM if you want to run your ideas passed me!
Speak soon,
Tasha x
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