As a starting college student, generating credibility or expertise in a given field is an uphill drive. You don't have the little paper with cute calligraphy that guarantees your completed degree, and as such, you are nobody.
Or are you?
Pardon me, folks, but I beg to differ! In fact, if you are majoring in any communications related major, you've got it easier than other college students. Why? For the simple fact that you don't need to worry about the dangers of a miscalculation that could cause a bridge to collapse or prescribing the wrong drug that could kill your patient.
As a communications major-be it journalism, creative writing, film, broadcasting, or even art-the worse that can happen is not having your project turn out as nicely as you hoped it would. And even that is solved by spending a little extra time perfecting the little details of your print article, interactive graphic, or film. Or worst case scenario, re-doing it.
But I'm getting off track. Can you, as an undergrad college student, create an expert platform so as to start generating income? Yes! And I'm not talking about a non-paying internship. I'm talking about marketing yourself!
Marketing, you say? I know, I know...it sounds like such a big, scary word. It really isn't. Here, let me give you a simple definition of what marketing entails:
Selling your services + Getting your name known= $$$
There, now that wasn't that complicated, was it? The real question here is how to get your name out there. Google comes to mind. High page ranks on your personal blog or website. Any of this ringing a bell? It should. We've discussed in previous posts how to get your first freelance writing assignment and how to keep up a professional blog that will in essence become your online portfolio. Now all you have to worry about is generating traffic and getting quality back links to your site.
In order to accomplish this, you will need to focus on 3 things:
1) Blog/Personal Website:
You need to get your name out there. A professional blog and/or website will become your online portfolio that will brand you as a competent worker. Focus on generating traffic, high page ranks, and quality back links to your site.
2) Submit E-zine/Hub Page articles:
Article submission is free and quite simple. Every article can have 1 or 2 back links to the author's personal or affiliate site. Eventually having a number of these out there will help your name to have higher page rankings in Google. And isn't that what we all want?
3) Submit a press release at Prweb.com:
Once you have some freelance experience under your belt (whether freelance work done for a local newspaper or blogging site), you can send out a press release detailing your company services. Because as a freelancer, you are the boss of your freelancing company!
Or are you?
Pardon me, folks, but I beg to differ! In fact, if you are majoring in any communications related major, you've got it easier than other college students. Why? For the simple fact that you don't need to worry about the dangers of a miscalculation that could cause a bridge to collapse or prescribing the wrong drug that could kill your patient.
As a communications major-be it journalism, creative writing, film, broadcasting, or even art-the worse that can happen is not having your project turn out as nicely as you hoped it would. And even that is solved by spending a little extra time perfecting the little details of your print article, interactive graphic, or film. Or worst case scenario, re-doing it.
But I'm getting off track. Can you, as an undergrad college student, create an expert platform so as to start generating income? Yes! And I'm not talking about a non-paying internship. I'm talking about marketing yourself!
Marketing, you say? I know, I know...it sounds like such a big, scary word. It really isn't. Here, let me give you a simple definition of what marketing entails:
Selling your services + Getting your name known= $$$
There, now that wasn't that complicated, was it? The real question here is how to get your name out there. Google comes to mind. High page ranks on your personal blog or website. Any of this ringing a bell? It should. We've discussed in previous posts how to get your first freelance writing assignment and how to keep up a professional blog that will in essence become your online portfolio. Now all you have to worry about is generating traffic and getting quality back links to your site.
In order to accomplish this, you will need to focus on 3 things:
1) Blog/Personal Website:
You need to get your name out there. A professional blog and/or website will become your online portfolio that will brand you as a competent worker. Focus on generating traffic, high page ranks, and quality back links to your site.
2) Submit E-zine/Hub Page articles:
Article submission is free and quite simple. Every article can have 1 or 2 back links to the author's personal or affiliate site. Eventually having a number of these out there will help your name to have higher page rankings in Google. And isn't that what we all want?
3) Submit a press release at Prweb.com:
Once you have some freelance experience under your belt (whether freelance work done for a local newspaper or blogging site), you can send out a press release detailing your company services. Because as a freelancer, you are the boss of your freelancing company!
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