Know-How Exchange : Taglines/Names

Commiserations on being laid off: I've been there twice in the last three years so I truly do sympathize. Of you many skills, which thing are you best at, most passionate about, and is the most lucrative?

Believe me, even in these tough times there are real opportunities. Please do not go to Elance or the likes, they'll have you groaning in the space of a week. I could do this myself but I prefer marketing to paperhanging - and I still get requests for my skills three years on.

Which is what it's all about: quality. Do a good job irrespective of the price. If this is what you do anyway, you're onto a winner. OK?

First step: buy Howie Jacobson's Adwords for Dummies (https://askhowie.com) and take a look at https://perrymarshall.com too.

You know your business, you know the questions people ask, their objections - write it all down, literally as you speak it. Just have a conversation with them - they ask a question, you answer it. Each of these is a landing page on your website (EddieGonzGardener.com or something like that). That'll bring in traffic from Google - too few websites ask the questions that are put in the search box.

Now: Google adwords. They're looking for someone like you in your area (please read the book!). You have asked their question, talk to them. It'll be tough to start, once you get the hang of it, your business will hum. Make sure people can sign up to a newsletter so that you can keep them in touch with seasonal things to do (or get done).

You'll waste a good $200 doing this - by the time you have, you'll have landing pages and the rest just right for those you're advertising to. From there, it's a matter of broadening out (again, read the book!) and making sure you have a steady drip feed of new customers.

Remember you can also offer an afternoon a week/month paid in a lump sum or periodically. This will allow you to do this when times are slack, and any jobs that turn up needing attention won't interfere.

Does this help? Any further questions, don't hesitate to answer. I probably won't be around until Sunday as I'm in Germany.

You need to match the skills you have with what people are searching for. You can do many different things, but it's likely that not all of them would be equally profitable for you (based on competition, advanced training, and your portfolio). As for what to call it - this will vary based on your region. If you're unsure, look at your competition. Who are they - and what do they call themselves? Your naming choice will help to showcase how you want others to perceive you.