When you’re starting up a small business, you know you need a website. What you might not know is how to use that website to actually GROW your business.
Adam Warner joins the show today to talk about why it’s important for small business owners who are starting up a small business to learn more about WordPress than how to add a blog post, and how they can actually learn about using their WordPress site to grow their business. Starting up a small business can be hard, but WordPress makes it simple.
We think Adam’s on to something, and hope to see his campaign to revive WP Pro Business reach it’s goal. To support Adam, head over to his campaign page —> http://igg.me/at/wppro
Check out the interview or catch the recap below. And sit tight while Adam checks on his kiddo, it only takes a minute — I promise!
Starting Up A Small Business — The Importance Of Investing In Your Website
Adam Warner, co-founder of FooPlugins and all around awesome WordPress guy is passionate about getting small business doing more with their WordPress sites.
As a marketing firm that designs and develops WordPress sites, we see the same thing happen over and over again. Client is starting up a small business and goes through the process to build a site, we launch it, annnnnnd crickets. The site remains the same for months, with perhaps an occasional blog post here and there, but no growth or expansion of the site’s functionality. We’re helping our clients do more with their websites through our new LaunchPad program for people starting up a small business: monthly training and coaching calls keep our clients moving forward with their website AND their business.
Adam’s addressing this need by revamping WP Pro Business, a website dedicated to training small business folks on not only HOW to use their WordPress site, but how to grow their business using WordPress.
We’ve seen user and beginner tracks catching on at WordCamps and business-owner meet-up groups popping up, but there’s not really a great online resource that meets this specific need.
So, what can you, the small business owner, do today to make your website work harder and make your business just a little bit better?
1. Follow Adam’s Blog And Check Out His Campaign
Adam is starting a campaign to create a free WordPress business and marketing tutorial website to help small business owners who are just starting up a small business.
Unfortunately, the campaign has now ended (you can check out the campaign and see just how it turned out by clicking here), but that doesn’t mean you can’t still support Adam in other ways. He’s got a fantastic blog you can follow, a really great resources if you’re starting up a small business and want to learn more about WordPress.
2. Get in Over Your Head
Find someone who can help you make a staging copy of your website and start tinkering away. Not on your live site! Don’t do anything crazy there! But get a copy of your website where you can play, try new things, and get your hands dirty. The last thing you want to do when juggling all the tasks of starting up a small business is to break your website and have to spend time and energy you should be spending elsewhere fixing a website. You’ll be amazed at the things you can do yourself with a little time and a Google search bar.
3. Come to the Dark Side
Go to a meet-up, join a Facebook group, follow #WordPress on Twitter. Get yourself into the WordPress community. One of the most important things I did when I was starting up a small business was to get involved in the WordPress community. Adam and I talked about how supportive and amazing the people who work with WordPress are. It’s shocking how many people hang out in these groups that don’t make WordPress products or sell WordPress services. They are business owners, just like you, who came for some help and stayed for the community. You won’t find another group of professionals who will support you, teach you, and push you to be better.
Are you starting up a small business? What are you doing to make the most of your website? Share your experience in the comments. And if you’re still on the fence about how to build your site, check out what LaunchPad can do for you.
