Agreed. I've pretty much stopped working now (man of leisure, indulger in lifes finer pleasures, exotic destination connoisseur, list goes on... ) but one thing i definitely recommend having is a strong website with good google optimisation. having a poorly designed or "cheap" looking website, simply makes you appear to be a "cheap" and most likely incompetent spark. After all first impressions are very important, we all know this.
Having said that, most of you will probably now look at my website, call me a massive hypocrit and spit at me, but my websiote only cost me £100, no monthly fees, no hidden catches and i have been VERY lazy in maintaining it. The serious element of having a good website is getting it LOOKED AT, otherwise its as good as wearing anne summers edible knickers under a set of painters overalls..... we've all been there right?
So paying a webby chap a bit of wedge to get your website ranked and key word linked up on google, is an investment worth every penny. It may cost you quite a bit of cash, but your website will get looked with way more frequency. If you can get your site in the top 10 search, your laughing, ask yourselves this, who EVER goes onto page two of google? never. thats where the losers and miscreants hang out.
Alternatively, you can set up a google Ad campaign where they advertise your site and charge you on a "per click" basis. So they make a nice banner of your site on the front page of google or whatever after the right key words have been typed in "electrician in surrey" for ex, and then everytime somone clicks on your page, they charge you say 50p. So maybe you get 10 hits and no work, its costs you a fiver, but the 11th viewing may land you a CU change, £300 heavier - £5 for marketing, its off to the pub, thank you very much.
Thats the route i chose, and i found it very useful. i set my monthly limit to like £100 @ 30p a click and it got me work. It seriously worth checking out. If you a total spazmatron like me on computers, then meet a webby for a coffee, sit down, discuss your business and they will get you sorted out.
Hope this has been of some use.
1. Google is the key
2. Bad websites will most likely LOSE you work
3. Invest to earn