Dear Jan,
We have an article on starting a business editing web sites. It is an
interview by Liz Folger, and it gives practical advice on how to get into this
business. You can find it at:
http://www.powerhomebiz.com/vol53/typos.htm
To start this business:
1. Create your own web site. It should describe the kind of service that you
provide, and your brief bio. Direct potential customers to your site so they can
review more thoroughly your credentials.
2. Aggressively promote your site. Web site promotion is a multi- faceted
activity, but the most basic and crucial steps are:
- Get listed in the search engines. It takes 2-6 months to get listed on
search engines, but it is worth the wait. Get listed on Google, which is
free and used in Yahoo. Note that some sites like Yahoo and Looksmart now
charges a listing fee of about $299.
- Make sure that every email you send out contains a signature file that
contains your URL and a brief (2 sentence at most) description of your
service.
- Write articles and e-books about the importance of editing and good
writing. This will help establish your credibility. Submit your articles to
publications (PowerHomeBiz.com accepts article contributions). For examples
of this kind of articles, visit Marilynne Rudick and Leslie O'Flahavanyler's
article at http://www.powerhomebiz.com/vol12/homepage.htm
. They are in the writing business and has established themselves as
credible resource person in their field. Remember, the more credible you
are, the easier it is to attract clients.
- Participate in discussion forums, message boards, mailing lists and
Usenets to get exposure for your business, as well as network with web site
owners and webmasters.
3. Approach web site owners. There are many sites out there that do not have
someone to help edit their content. Present your services to them by sending
them an email or calling them and asking to talk to the site owner. Highlight
the benefits of having an editor helping them with the content of their site,
rather than pointing to them all the grammatical errors and misspellings.
Many small web sites are "labor of love" and their goal is to share
information and their passion with other people who may be interested. Having a
perfectly written content is not their goal. Your task, therefore, is to
convince them the many benefits of your service.
About
the PowerHomeBiz.com Guide:
Isabel M.
Isidro is currently Vice President and Managing Editor of PowerHomebiz.com, LLC.
She holds an MBA in Economics and is also a Research Project Coordinator in
a prestigious research foundation in Washington, D.C.
The opinions expressed in this
column are those of the author, not of PowerHomeBiz.com. Users should not
treat the Guide's response as legal, accounting, or professional advice as all
answers are intended to be general in nature. Such advice can only be properly
given by qualified professionals who are fully aware of a user's specific
geographical areas or circumstances, such as an attorney or accountant.
