HAVE YOU HEARD of Fiverr.com? From hiring a spokesperson to creating a logo, there are many things that you can outsource for just five (US) dollars. Elite Agent Editor Samantha McLean takes a look at some marketing and other tasks where hiring a professional at low cost can make you look amazing.
WHAT IS FIVERR?
Fiverr.com (Fiverr) is an online marketplace where people from all over the world offer their services, starting at $5 USD. Service providers, usually called Sellers, set up a profile and create a description of their services called ‘gigs’.
Every gig must start at $5. The Seller can also create ‘gig extras’, which could be something like fast delivery.
For example, there are many writers who may offer to write 200 words for $5. They may define a ‘gig extra’ to write an additional 300 words for an extra $10, or to provide one-day delivery for $40; you get the picture.
When you land on Fiverr.com you’ll see a menu identifying categories of service. These include Graphics and Design, Online Marketing, Writing and Translation, Video and Animation, Music and Audio, Programming and Technology, Advertising, Business and a few miscellaneous categories. It’s worth trawling through the fun and bizarre category as well, where you can find people to interpret your dreams or rebalance your chakras.
It can be quite a bit of fun to browse through the different categories and subcategories. If you’re looking for a specific service, such as ‘logo creation’, you can use the search field to find gigs that meet that your search terms. Once you’ve chosen a category or completed a search, you’ll be taken to a list of available gigs.
HOW TO CHOOSE A SELLER
Just like online marketplaces such as eBAY, Sellers on Fiverr are given ratings based on their performance. A Seller starts as a ‘New Seller’ and once feedback has been received can progress to Level Two, One and Top Rated. People who have purchased from the Seller can leave ratings and comments, and many of them do.
When you’re choosing a Seller to work with, you can filter the initial list you see according to delivery time, Seller Level and Seller Language. The list can also be sorted by Recommended, High Rating or New. Generally the more experienced sellers will charge more for gig extras and sometimes it’s worth the money (I’ll leave you to decide that one!).
Payment is made when you order a gig. You will have the option of using PayPal, Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and even Bitcoin, if you have some on hand.
THE CAVEAT
Just like eBay, you need to be careful when you’re choosing a Seller. Take the time to read the feedback and consider the Seller’s Level. Read the description of the gig carefully and watch the Seller’s video, if one is available.
If you’re not sure if someone is a perfect match for your requirements, you can communicate with them on Fiverr before you buy to clarify your needs and their capabilities. Some of the services may rival those you can get elsewhere and some are far less than what you’d expect.
ONLINE MARKETING
WordPress WordPress is becoming the standard for small business website design and blogs. You’ll find gigs on Fiverr for setting up a WordPress website, fixing problems you’re having with a WordPress website and there are even sellers who can remotely access your computer to make non-hardware repairs.
Facebook business pages Get more out of Facebook with a professional design for your cover photo or profile picture.
SEO Ever wondered how well your website is set up to be ranked by the search engines?
Many Sellers offer SEO evaluations to allow you to take action to help you generate more online leads. Keyword research gigs are also offered.
DIGITAL
Listing videos You provide the home photos, contact details and logo. Make sure that you purchase a video with resolution that is high enough for your use.
Promotional videos You can also use videos to promote your business. You provide photos or images and the content to be combined into a video. Hire a professional spokes model!
Voiceovers If you don’t have a voice like James Earl Jones, you can have a Seller create a voiceover for listing or promotional videos that sounds really professional. The speaker can sound like a native Australian, or someone with a generic accent.
Photoshopping If the only day you could get outdoor photos of your listing was a dull and cloudy one, you can have the sky made blue or the grass changed to its true shade of green. The same holds true for your own photo. While people need to recognise you from your photo when they meet you, touch-ups are common.
WRITING AND DESIGN
Logos There are Sellers who will help you stand out from your competition with a logo design.
Board design Find a Seller to design a new For Sale or Sold sign using your logo and branding.
Property flyers A Seller can design a flyer for every house, or create a template for you to fill in for each home.
eBook covers Displaying a professional cover for your eBook gives the offer more strength.
Data entry Do you need to get that scribbled list of contacts into a form you can use? Hire a Seller to do data entry into a database of your choice.
Writing If you don’t write like William Shakespeare or Ernest Hemmingway, let others do it for you. You could outsource things like marketing letters, press releases, even web content or blog posts.
VIRTUAL ASSISTANCE
General administrative work General administrative work includes areas like internet research, creating Excel spreadsheets or entering social media postings.
Fiverr can be an excellent resource for low-cost assistance. If you choose wisely, you may end up developing ongoing relationships with Sellers which can really save you time and money in your marketing. Want to explore yourself? Click here!
