When you’re first launching a new creative business, most people don’t have lots of funds to put towards marketing. Over the years, I’ve learned some tips and tricks I like to share with other creative entrepreneurs to fuel their businesses on a shoestring budget. When I say “Google”, most think only of Google Chrome, their internet browser; or they use the word as a verb, “to Google,” meaning to search something on Google Chrome. However, not everyone knows that Google offers many, many tools a small business owner can use.
As a creative coach to sensitive entrepreneurs, I frequently work with musicians, coaches, writers, and artists. While they creative souls love sharing their art and work, not all know that by using a small handful of free and cheap Google tools to grow their creative businesses, they’ll land more clients, book more gigs, and see an increase in revenue.
Table of Contents
#1 – Google Business Profile (It’s FREE)
Recently when texting a few friends with a simple request, “Would you be wiling to review me on my Google Business Page?” I had several friends who run ministries and businesses ask how they, too, could get a Google business profile. It sparked this idea for this article. Google’s end game with most of their free services are to eventually get you to spend money on Google Ads, their revenue giant. Ads through search and ads through YouTube are the biggest revenue generators for the behemoth. When you’ve set up your listing, you can access and update your information through the icon called, “Business Profile Settings” in your Google menu on the right of your Gmail inbox, which can be accessed through the small rubics cube of dots icon.
Pro Tip: Take advantage of this Google Business Profile by listing your services, approximate fees, even take bookings. I feel that the biggest advantage of this listing is to have one place online for people to review your services. Check out my Google Business Profile.
#2 – Google Forms (It’s FREE)
Oh how I love Google forms, let me sing thy praises! There are lots of paid form solutions out there, but, I like saving money, and I don’t need to use forms all that often. I’ve used them to collect interest in being on my book launch teams and for guest writers to submit their content for my various blog projects. Google Forms organizes and stores all the responses for you in a downloadable Google Sheet. You can also go back and update your form but keep the data from previous uses, if you like. There can be some irritating setting issues, so always send the final link to someone to test to make sure they can submit.
Pro Tip: Before you launch your first live form to the public, set up a test form and send it to a few friends or family members so that you can test how it works and tweak the layout, question and response options, and notification settings.
#3 – Google Workspace (It’s CHEAP)
I’ve been a Google Workspace user since before time began, when there was a free version. Then I was on legacy free until they started making everyone pay. Now, I’m on the least expensive option for $7 a month. This allows me to use Gmail with my private domain name, laurenhunter.net, and therefore have branded email, [email protected]. If you already have a website hosted somewhere, it looks much more professional to have your email branded (and not just pointing to a generic gmail.com account). I also get a good amount of storage space across Google Drive, Photos, and Gmail.
Pro Tip: If you’re setting up a new business, first purchase your domain name (I prefer Dreamhost for my domains and web hosting).
Lastly, Google is know for creating many, many minimum viable products out to see how they might attract new users. You probably already know this, but you do have to have a Google account to use any of their free or paid tools. There are other wonderful productivity tools such as Tasks, Gmail, and Calendar that I use religiously but won’t talk much about here. I’ve learned my lesson and know that the highly sensitive entrepreneurs I work with DO NOT want to be overwhelmed with too many suggestions. So, since we all like three as a simple number to start with, I’ve keep this list short and sweet. You’re welcome.
*This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links*
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