Bridget Willard | SaaS Marketing Agency

Category: Business Advice

  • What do I Need to Build My Small Business Website?

    Updated 2/4/2025

    It’s 2025. Your small business definitely needs a website. Yes, your brick-and-mortar shop needs a website. Yes, your online store should be your website. Now that we agree, what happens?

    To build your own small business website, you need to get all of your figurative ducks in a row first. This means branding and content. You need a marketing strategy, content layout, and, oh yeah, branding.

    Even if you hire a company to build your small business website, they will ask you tons of questions. To be a better client and speed up the launch of your site, you should gather the following.

    Developers I recommend:

    Quick Overview

    1. Write your marketing strategy.
    2. Establish and/or confirm logo and color scheme.
    3. Write Copy for Website in Google Docs including 3 blog posts for site launch.
    4. Purchase a Managed Hosting for WordPress Plan.
    5. Choose and install theme, plugins.
    6. Get a Google Analytics UA (Universal Code).
    7. Launch your website.
    8. Set up Google Alerts for your name and/or business name.
    9. Publish once a month on your new blog.

    Marketing Strategy

    Engage with current and potential clients while allowing the website to serve as a primary place for discovery and validation from word of mouth and search-based referrals.

    Establish Branding

    Before you build your small business website, you need to confirm or establish color and font pairings in a digital format. Colors need to be in hex codes and you need the names of the fonts you are using. The fonts should be accessible.

    Also, ensure your logo is digitized at the proper resolution. Ensure there is a square version of your logo for a profile photo on current and future social networks as well as your website.

    At the very least you need:

    • Primary Color Hex Code
    • Secondary Color Hex Code
    • Tertiary Color Hex Code
    • Heading 1 Font
    • Heading 2 Font
    • Paragraph Font

    Some tools that you may like are Google Fonts and Coolors.co.

    You have other things to do as a small business owner. You may want to hire someone. Your time is more valuable than trying to learn design. If you build the site yourself, at the very least I urge you to hire a designer to help with this section. It will be a better use of your marketing budget.

    I recommend the following people that I have worked with and actually seen their work. Seriously, it makes a huge difference.

    Website Content: Words

    Design is nice but people like words. Google likes words (around 300 at least). Siri and Alexa want words. Did I  mention you need words?

    You need to write about your business. Write this content in Google Docs so it’s ready when you start building your site (or hire a developer to do it for you).

    Start with the basic pages that should be in the main navigation:

    • Home
    • About
    • Contact
    • Services
    • Blog

    People get stuck with content for their blog posts. We all have trouble there. But sit down and think about the questions you’re always answering or things you wish your clients knew. I have a free WordPress Plugin to help you.

    Website Content: Photos

    Now, words are awesome. You still need photos. Each blog post should have a photo. Your about page should have photos of you. If it’s a family business, have a photo of you with your family. You need photos of your products. You need photos of your process, your office, things that interest people.

    A post just on photos (like Kinsta did here), is probably warranted but not by me. My basic advice is to rename your image files based on something that makes sense. If, God forbid, you just email a bunch of photos to your web developer, then at least make the subject line of the email make sense. It shouldn’t be IMG8675309.jpg with a blank subject line.

    These days, most of the photos you want for your site are probably on your phone. Work with your web developer and ask her how she wants them sent.

    There is no perfect time: just start.

    Even if you hire a WordPress Developer, you will still need to write content, provide photos, logos, and/or make decisions on branding. So get that done first.

    If you start with the basic page content and it takes you 30 minutes, that is 2 hours and 30 minutes. If you spend 30 minutes each day completing one at a time, you’ll be done by Friday. You can always edit the text later. Or hire an editor like me.

    Just do it.

  • Productive Procrastination: How To Stop It

    Procrastination isn’t always being lazy sitting on the beach. For those of us who work for our own businesses, it can be much more productive.

    I’ve talked about procrastination before. I never saw myself as someone who would procrastinate. After all, growing up I would do my homework during class. I always did my school work before I went out to play. At almost 46 and self-employed, I still practice this.

    In order to help myself stay on track, I even set up a recurring event on Fridays from noon to 2:00 PM to write. This week I slept until 2:00 PM.

    The truth is that being self-employed and single I’ve noticed that anxiety has crept in. It manifests in productivity. But it’s still procrastination.

    What is Productive Procrastination?

    I’ve become productive in my procrastination. Busy being busy. Not doing anything really.

    So, it’s Sunday (two days late) and I’m finally keeping the promise I made to myself and writing this post. (more…)

  • How Do You Manage Client Work?

    As a freelancer, how do you manage client work? When you are a freelancer, you often have to assimilate into your client’s pre-existing systems. It can be nerve-wracking.

    One client uses Asana, another communicates with What’s App. Three of your clients use Slack but one prefers email. Do you create your own Trello board and spend a bunch of time managing the systems you are forced to use?

    I used to be a secretary.

    The good thing, for me, is that I spent 30 years being a secretary. Though you essentially have a choice in your systems and processes, after a while it becomes subconscious. You get used to being interrupted. Resorting priorities is the norm.

    It’s like being a chef or working in a kitchen. Orders come in. You have prep work. But you’ll never know if two parties of 12 decide to come in at the same time. Unless, of course, reservations are required.

    Option 1: Set up Your Own Systems

    I’m sure some companies do this. I don’t personally know any self-employed freelancers who do this though. It could be good for your own workflow. The risk is that it may discourage onboarding from new or existing clients.

    I wouldn’t recommend using your own time organizing a new Trello board, for example, but if you use some automation or a virtual assistant, it may be worth it.

    Option 2: Assimilate

    You can log into to your each of your clients’ systems and processes. This is kind of a pain because you have to remember which clients have which systems. You may have to use their system regardless. In that case, acceptance is key.

    On the flipside, you can manage client expectations by making boundaries clear.

    “It’s your responsibility to tell your clients how and when they can get hold of you and this includes the times you won’t be available.” The WP Buffs

    Option 3: Hybrid System

    Set up a routine. Make a list of clients. Systematically go through them at the required intervals. Take notes in a physical book. This is how I manage my clients.

    Since I have packages, I know what kind of work I need to do for each client. For example, Twitter Pro, Twitter Basic, and LinkedIn Basic clients get a spreadsheet twice a month with content for them to approve. After approval, I schedule those 15 days.

    Making a simple Google Sheet helps me remember quickly which clients are on those packages. This helps for those who have other services like coaching calls or blogging.

    It’s your choice.

    You’re a freelancer for a reason. You have the freedom to make a lot of choices. Build in time to work on your own business. Save time wherever you can. Creating some kind of system will help you remember to bill on time, do the work ahead of time, and gain peace of mind.

  • Business Lessons From Kickboxing

    Learning a new hobby, sport, or skill allows us to see our lives and businesses in perspective. In kickboxing you have an external and internal opponent. There is just one person across from you. And yourself. So, as I refer to “your opponent” in this analogy, it may be outside peers, your client, but may often be yourself. That’s for you to decide.

    So, after four weeks of kickboxing lessons, here are some things I’ve learned that also apply to business.

    You never know until you try.

    It had been suggested to me (several times) that I find a hobby. So, I decided to reach out to a friend who coaches at a local MMA gym. So I hired Jake Vivanco from Fight Strong MMA in San Clemente to be my coach. I get to support him and my local economy. Win-Win, right?

    In business you never know until you try. When the opportunity presented itself, I decided to go for it. The worst that could happen is I fail. But it wouldn’t be because I didn’t try.

    It turns out I’m pretty good at kickboxing and business.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/BwYDeEahRTG/

    Having a coach helps.

    It’s really easy to take a kickboxing class. Group classes are cheaper and often part of the gym that you might belong to. I didn’t belong to a gym and wasn’t willing to start that expense without completing my fact finding. So, for me, having a personal coach was the right way to go. It keeps me accountable. I am more reluctant to cancel. He corrects me appropriately.

    In business, we often start from nowhere and fly by the seat of our collective pants. With that said, there are moments  when we need a corrective nudge here or there. If you don’t have the finances for a coach, then at least form your own peer group. Don’t keep only the “yes men” around. My favorite “non yes man” in my peer group is Robert Nissenbaum. It comes down to self-awareness. If you’re not self-driven, a coach may provide that accountability you need.

    Form is more important than speed.

    Kickboxing is great for a cardio workout. But one thing I have learned over the last four lessons is that speed isn’t important — form is. It’s okay to go slow to be able to work on the sequencing and footwork. It’s okay to go slow to ensure you are shifting your weight properly.

    In business, it’s better to have your form (systems, processes, niche) before you start ramping up and scaling your business. Test the waters. Futz with your pricing. Get your customers in the your system and your cash flow, flowing. Then start thinking about being fast.

    No matter what, keep your stance.

    Regardless of your offensive (or defensive) move and its success (or failure), always return to your stance. As you move around the ring, keep your stance. As you move forward or backward, keep your stance. If you don’t, you are at risk at being unbalanced, tripping yourself, or even being taken down by your opponent. Staying strong in your stance will cause your opponent to work harder.

    In business, keep your core grounded. Don’t leave that purpose. Don’t leave your why. Lots of outside forces will try to influence your direction and distract you with a jab or two — maybe even a body kick. Keep grounded. Keep centered. Balance matters. Achieving this balance depends on you as a person. For me, I need to exercise, keep learning things, and rest my brain. My body needs rest and my mind needs time to think. That’s when my big breakthroughs come.

    Take productive breaks.

    Between our two minute rounds, Coach has us do 30 seconds of rest. Well, it’s not really rest. It’s 30 seconds of squats or 30 seconds of abs or a 30 second plank. We keep moving. The activity has changed but the momentum is sustained. Now, this is only one hour, once a week, but the lesson is clear. While you are working, work.

    In business, it’s easy to be swayed by our own exhaustion or laziness. Batch your work. Then do something else in your business. Block out your time. When you’re working, work. Be productive.

    Preparation is key.

    The first week of kickboxing, I borrowed my coach’s gloves but didn’t wrap my hands. Boy howdy! Was that ever a mistake. Week 2 I had my own gloves and wraps and I was ready. Learning to prepare and taking it seriously prevents long-term and short-term damage and injury.

    In business, the preparation can be in the form of a contract, invoice terms, or even your accounting system or business type. Whatever you need to do to protect yourself, do it. It takes time to wrap your hands and isn’t as fun as punching a bag, but you’ll regret not doing it.

    The hurt feels good.

    Kickboxing isn’t as glamorous as it seems. Well, it’s not glamorous at all. I never knew one hour could hurt me so much. But after my first lesson, I had so many endorphins in my brain. I knew that when I walked and my quads were sore, it’s because I could do squats and I did so many, I’m hurting.

    In business, there are ups and downs. It’s work. Sometimes, work hurts. Growing pains hurt. Progress is slow but the pain shows us progress. This is the most difficult lesson that I’m currently learning. I am far from mastery at this.

    Don’t overthink your move.

    This is the most difficult for me today. I keep trying to imagine my body in space doing the punch Coach just showed me. But when he has me do it just a bit faster, my form improves. So, for me, overthinking is a bad thing. It keeps me from doing anything. That’s never a good thing in the ring.

    In business, it’s so easy to analyze and then analyze your analysis. You’re stopped. In business, if you’re not going forward, you’re sliding backward. It’s not good. Being decisive is important. Learning to trust your intuition and instinct during times where you are forced to pivot will make you stronger.

    Keep your chin down and your face protected.

    In boxing, our face is the most important thing to protect. Hands up and chin down. This is contrary to most advice with business.

    “Keep your chin up. Things will get better.” They may tel us. But we still need to have protective measures in place. Saving face is an important part of protecting our brand and not allowing our most sensitive organ (our brain) to become vulnerable to outside sources.

    Never turn around in the ring.

    Last week while I was in the ring with my coach practicing with pads, I was so tired, I turned around. “Never turn around,” Coach said. The round isn’t over until the bell rings. If I turn around, I’m making myself an easy target for my opponent. Don’t stop until the round is over.

    We get tired in business, too. We want to give up. We just want a break. Turning around is a bad thing. In kickboxing, we move around, following our opponent; in client work we often follow the movements of our clients. It’s important to not be so tired that we give up.

    Never turn around. Keep going. Protect. Prepare. Stay balanced. In and out of the ring.

  • Get Paid: You Have to Follow Up on Payment

    So you did some work. How do you get paid from your clients? Here are a few of my tips.

    In no way should this be considered legal advice. If you need that, please consider my friend Rian Kinney and eCommLegal.

    My Collections Background

    Collections is where I started in my adult career back in 1991 when I worked at a Trucking Company. I was trained by my late husband who was an amazing businessman. Many of the techniques came from him. So, thanks Mercier.

    As the Accounts Receivable and Collections Manager for Evans Roofing (2001-2006), I was proud of my record. I had less than 4.6% of my receivables over 45 days.

    When I started my own business in October of 2017, I began offering a service on my secret menu. I will do collections for your WordPress agency for 20%. I had quite a few successes.

    How do you bill clients?

    In this case, my first question is how do you bill clients? For myself, and my former employer who is an advertising agency, I do no work until I get paid. So, that solves a lot of collections issues right there. I don’t bill by the hour, I bill by the service.

    Don’t be afraid of the Phone Call

    Call and ask for the Accounts Payable department. Be polite. Ask for help. Take notes. Accounts Payable professionals know that a list of accounts and their due dates is called an aging. You can say you’d like help getting it off the aging or getting it paid. I’ve had better success asking to get an invoice off of the report. 

    “Can you help me? I’d love to get this off of our aging? Did you receive the invoice?”

    Asking for help is not a sign of weakness; it shows empathy and fosters connection. Share on X

    Getting Paid By Clients Requires Prevention

    Not everyone can pre-bill work. In that case, I believe in prevention. Let’s get the billing done in a way that prevents confusion and mistakes.

    Mistakes were the number one reason why we weren’t paid on time at the roofing company.

    1. Do you have a contract? If you don’t, contact eCommLegal.
    2. What is the correct billing address?
    3. Who is the billing contact? It may not be the same as the development contact.
    4. What are the terms on your invoice? Is it prepaid, due on receipt, net 15, or other?

    “But a well-written contract can be your best friend if worse comes to worst. While you could rely on your emails, a more formal contract will solidify the details of your agreement and take care of any potential ambiguities. An official contract will also be easier to interpret and refer to in the case of a dispute.” Pressable

    Getting Paid Requires Sending an Invoice

    It sounds crazy but you’d not believe the stories I’ve heard about people jumping the gun on client work without sending an invoice. While you’re at it, be nice. Thank the client for the work. It makes a difference.

    Make sure your invoice is as clear as possible referencing the agreed-upon scope of work. It should have your contact information (phone, email, mailing address). If your work will be above $600, send them a W9 at the same time. This ensures the accounting department will not hold up your payment because they don’t have the required paperwork.

    “The first thing we noticed in the data is that when it comes to invoice payment terms, being polite really matters. A simple “please pay your invoice within” or “thank you for your business” can increase the percentage of invoices that are paid by more than 5 per cent!” Freshbooks

    Getting Paid By Clients Requires Follow Up

    You’re not a jerk because you’re following up on your invoice. The squeaky wheel gets the grease. Don’t be afraid to make phone calls.

    Are you using accounting software like Freshbooks? It should have an aging feature and notification. Once an invoice turns 15 days old, it’s time to start contacting the client. It’s possible that the invoice from your accounting software didn’t hit their inbox (spam, junk). So be polite and ask them if they received the invoice.

    Sometimes Getting Paid By Clients Requires Escalation

    If this is true, you can hire a collections agency, a billing party, or reach out to people like me who do this on the side. Sometimes, a client needs to see a filled-out small claims notice. Sometimes, you need to stop work. We did that all the time in construction. It’s fair to protect your boundaries.

    Once an invoice is 30 days old, I start to escalate the language. Also, I keep records of when I talked to someone (via email, phone, chat, etc.) and what their response was. This helps so that you’re not rattled when they said they cut the check.

    You may also consider physical mail.

    Physical mail shows that you are serious. You have no idea if their email is working or if they're no longer employed. Share on X

    Also, cutting a check is easy. Mailing is is a different thing altogether. Don’t be afraid to ask for clarity. “Are you the right person to speak with regarding this account?”

    Don’t Be Afraid of Small Claims

    When it gets bad (90 days), I send a copy of the small claims form that I filled out. That way the client knows I’m serious. If it’s much more than small claims allows for your state, you can either consult your attorney or CPA. It may be cheaper to write it off as bad debt at that point.

    Don’t be afraid of small claims. Most states walk you through the process online. Decide if you want to set your own personal boundaries. It’s okay. Really. I promise.

    What’s the worst that could happen? You lose a client — a client who doesn’t pay.

    Don't be afraid of small claims. It's about setting your own boundaries. It's okay. Share on X

    I’ve been to Small Claims twice when I was in roofing and won both times because of the contract. The judge said, “Did you agree to this work? Did they do the work? Did you pay? Then pay.”

    Breathe. Bad debt happens.

    Bad debt happens to us all. It’s a cost of doing business. But if you can stay under 5% bad debt, you’ll be golden.

    1. Make sure you’re sending the right invoice to the right person.
    2. Believe that you do deserve to be paid.
    3. Do not let the client bully you (scope creep).
    4. Stop work until you are paid. Be polite, but firm.
    5. Decide if you want to keep that client.
    6. Continue being awesome.
    7. I believe in you.

    Below are some boilerplate examples you may use. Please use them. Get paid. Pay your vendors. Succeed.

    Example Collections Emails

    15 Days

    Subject: Following Up on Invoice [Invoice #] from [Your Company Name]

    Body:

    Hi [client name],

    I’m following up about Invoice [Invoice #] in the amount of [dollars] that was due [date]. Did you receive it?

    Please let me know if you need anything further to process payment.

    Kindly,

    [Your name]

    30 Days

    • Start calling the client if you haven’t already.

    Subject: Past Due Invoice [Invoice #] from [Your Company Name]

    Body:

    Hi [client name],

    Can you help me?

    I’m following up about Invoice [Invoice #] in the amount of [dollars] that was due [date]. It has been more than 30 days which is concerning.

    When I emailed you on [date], you said that [whatever the reason was]. Is this still the case?

    I’d like to get this invoice paid.

    Kindly,

    [Your name]

    45 Days

    • Start calling the client if you haven’t already.

    Subject: Severely Past Due Invoice [Invoice #] from [Your Company Name]

    Body:

    Hi [client name],

    I’ve written to you a few times about past due Invoice [Invoice #] in the amount of [dollars] that was due [date].

    Unfortunately, we’ll have to stop working on this project until your account is caught up.

    Kindly,

    [Your name]