Do you need to have a fully functioning website before you start collecting the names and emails of individuals interested in your services?
No.
The sooner you start collecting contact information for individuals interested in what you have to offer, the better.
When marketing your services online it takes time to foster a relationship. Potential clients need to get to know and trust you. An offline relationship can grow much faster because face to face communication allows you to learn so much faster who someone is, do you like them, and do you trust them. Online it takes many different points of contact, or “touches”, before someone feels confident working with you. This is all part of your email marketing strategy.
An aside: The above point is why video is becoming so popular and such a useful marketing tool. While it’s still not the same as face to face communication, it does allow someone to see and hear you. This is an invaluable way to let potential clients learn who you are faster.
Since it takes time to foster a working relationship online, the sooner you begin developing these relationships the better for your business goals long term. Waiting until a website or program is complete and fully functioning isn’t necessary. All you need is a landing page that offers visitors an “irresistible offer”, so they provide you with their name and email in order to receive the “freebie”.
A freebie may be a free report, free ecourse, free audio, free consult, etc. For many potential clients, your freebie will be their first exposure to you and the type/quality of assistance you can give them. Don’t agonize over what you’ll give away, but don’t make it “cheap” either. You want it to be useful information that represents you and the quality of service you provide. You want readers to come to recognize you as an expert to help them with the problem they are working to solve.
Here are three example landing pages:
http://njnutritionist.com/sugarfree
https://detailprojectmanagement.com/7steps/
These are not overly long pages. They focus on the problem the freebie solves, the benefits provided, and an invitation to sign up. Most also include a notice that not only do those who sign up receive the free report, but also tips and information via a newsletter. This allows the business owner to regularly stay in contact with potential clients interested in what they offer. This allows a relationship to be fostered and gives the business owner opportunities to not only share tips, but promote their products and services.
All the best,
Lisa Nelson