Written by Claire Emerson
Running a business is hard.
Beneath that idyllic ”laptop lifestyle” lurks layers of learning curves, technical hurdles, and tough decisions.
And given us creative-types already have a tendency to procrastinate (and overbook ourselves) it makes sense to take advantage of tools designed to help you free up your time.
And more importantly — follow through with your plans.
So that rather than pussyfooting around your priorities. And putting off the work you really want to do...
Your most significant projects get shipped AND you get to have more fun making things that matter.
No-code isn’t new, but...
The speed at which the movement is growing is remarkable.
It feels like 2020 catapulted the creator economy into the mainstream market. So now it’s not just early adopters embracing the ease of building businesses online — it’s everyone else, too.
The opportunities for people like you and me, who can’t code but want to build a life around the things we enjoy doing, have never been more abundant.
These days you can have;
- A website up in a day
- An email opt-in in under an hour, and
- A “pay me this much money now” link in under 10 minutes.
You can even build an app in less than a week.
And as more and more people become aware of the freedom that no-code presents, the bigger and better the creator economy will get.
And that means the tools that serve that community will become greater too.
No-code vs code: An unnecessary debate
Predictably, whenever a movement skyrockets into the spotlight you get a debate.
People's opinions and preferences permeate the discussion and let’s just say — it can get heated.
So before we get into why no-code is so nifty, let’s get one thing straight:
No-code is not a replacement for code. It’s not better or worse. It’s just different.
In fact, no-code tools often work even better if you know a bit of code.
The point is, that straight out of the box, without needing any prior knowledge about programming, these creator-focused tools can help you build something useful.
Without all the hassle and hang-ups that technical work often involves.
And if the ease of operations isn't enough to get you hyped for the no-code movement, here are nine other reasons you should get on board, today.
Why you should be using no-code
1. You can quit stalling and get started, quickly
No-coders love to share what they’ve learned.
(A simple search of the #buildinpublic hashtag on Twitter will show you that instantly.)
So if you’re looking to get started with a side-hustle, upgrade your tech skills, or power-up your processes within an existing business — it’s likely someone else is doing exactly what you want to do.
And you can piggyback off their approach for your own project, cutting your learning curve significantly.
This also gives you the option to validate your ideas earlier, with less time and resources.
If you’re feeling stuck and not sure where or how to start, propel your progress by looking toward the people who are already building the kinds of things you want to build.
They can help you bypass ground zero and get your project off the ground, fast!
2. Earn an affiliate commission for your recommendation
Is there anything better than getting a product you once paid for, for free?
As someone who is self-employed, I can assure you that no, there is nothing better than that.
Anytime I can reduce my overheads, I am all for it!
And once you start using no-code tech, you’ll find you’re naturally making recommendations about the tools you really love.
So why not make some money from it?
Most people think you need to have a huge email list or a massive Twitter following to make any kind of money with affiliates. But even just one recommendation a month can help pay for some of the products you already use.
If you find yourself constantly recommending a tool you love, take a look at whether they have an affiliate program — and sign up!
Of course, you could go all-in with affiliate marketing and build something like Smart Passive Income.
But really, just a few referrals a month can make all the difference in dropping your expenses.
3. Start teaching what you know!
Tech difficulties are a huge hurdle for many people.
I know a ton of technophobes who wish someone would just hold their hand through the process. Or better yet, give them something plug and play.
Even as a technical person, I still find myself googling tutorials on how to use new tools. Because I’m always down to save time.
The great thing about the internet is that as soon as you learn something new, you have the opportunity to help others at the levels below you, learn it too.
So, I encourage you to write about your experience.
Documenting your work and processes not only helps with your own skill development but will likely open up doors to new products or services you might be able to offer clients and customers in the future.
You can even join programs like Makerpad’s Creator in Residence program, where you can get paid to teach.
Or start your own build-in-public style blog. And have subscribers follow along on your journey.
There is no doubt that when you start teaching what you know, the possibilities are plentiful.
4. No-code is perfect for passive income because you can automate at your own pace
For instance: I use ConvertKit for my email marketing.
And while I’ve only scratched the surface of what it can help me achieve (and how it can help me buy back my time), it’s already doing so much of the heavy lifting when it comes to:
- Welcoming new subscribers to my newsletter and getting them situated
- Letting students of my free email course self-pace their learning, and
- Providing data points and feedback for helping me sort and qualify new leads
And of course, it takes all the fear and anxiety out of selling.
Because I can make offers automatically without the emotional hang-ups I normally carry with me in face-to-face and live interactions.
Having purpose-built tools for managing your marketing and growth makes for a smoother transition from working in your business to working on your business.
And frees up your time to work on more of the things you love (and are better at doing!).
5. Simplify your home life and connect with your loved ones
Not only can no-code help you run and build your business better (and faster) — the skills you learn (and the tech you have access to) can translate into your home life too.
Whether it’s you and a bunch of roomies who need a better way to manage the chores, or your family who needs a central place to organize activities and personal projects — there’s likely a tool for that.
The no-code movement has done wonders for personal productivity and remote communication.
And given we’re living through especially isolating times, having access to tools that easily connect us with our loved ones, has been an uplifting upside to all the uncertainty.
6. No-code is tech designed for people who aren’t “techy”
The best thing about no-code is that it’s user-friendly.
Of course, there are good and bad products out there. But the best ones really are a god-send to anyone who feels like they “suck at tech”.
Not to mention, with a no-code tool, you can almost guarantee that one great YouTube tutorial, or even a hyper-focused course, is all you need to get your project from idea to done.
Beware though!
Due to the ever-growing amount of tools available, you can end up getting stuck in analysis-paralysis mode when it comes to choosing what to use.
My best hack for making that decision is to search YouTube and see how many people have made tutorials for the product. As well as check out the companies support docs, too.
Best believe if plenty of people are teaching other people how to use the product AND the support knowledge base is full of helpful content — I’m going to trust that tool more.
7. Focus on your strengths and find more fulfillment from your work
If tech isn’t your strength, and systems and processes make you snore, then leveraging no-code to eliminate as much of that stuff as possible is a no-brainer.
If you set yourself up with smarter tools and healthier workflows, like upgrading how you onboard new clients and customers, or how you capture traffic on your website, you can make more space for the work that DOES exercise your strengths.
Your tech (like your website and your CRM) can operate in the background, while you work on practicing your craft. And doing more of the things you love to do.
You can set your systems up so that they do all the work when it comes to:
- Signing contracts
- Sharing files
- Working on projects collaboratively
- Making sure you get paid
- Communicating with clients and customers
- Getting feedback and referrals
- Collecting research and data
And often, as I’ve mentioned before, there are people who have already set these systems up and are willing to share their solutions.
The important tip here is to focus on incremental progress. Because trying to do it all at once is overwhelming.
So pick something small to upgrade first. And let the joy and momentum of getting it done, propel your next improvement.
8. Capitalize on the no-code network
Some of my best clients and most wonderful internet friends have come from a shared interest in a tool or program.
Often, the people who use the same stuff as you do are building similar things. And battling similar problems!
When you plug in to the no-code network it can make it easier to:
- Find experts and specialists to help you with your own work
- Gain high-value clients who need help with theirs
- Join like-minded communities to interact and share your experience with
No-code might not be new, but the language around it is. And having that shared language helps us identify and connect with our people.
Nothing beats the support of a great community that you choose to be part of.
9. Uncover a hidden talent for tech
When I first started freelancing, I quickly realized how much more technical I was than most of the people I knew (or had previously worked with).
And having all these new tools to play around with and implement in my business pursuits, ended up being not only fun but something I was good at.
I got a huge confidence boost from that deeper sense of self-awareness. And it helped me secure higher-value clients because of it.
So my point here is that you don’t need to learn to code to be technically skilled or useful to other people online.
You can simply become better at using no-code than the people who want to use it (but don’t have the time to set it up themselves). There is good money to be made if you discover you have a talent for “techy stuff”!
Of course, there is still a ton of value in learning to code, too. And if that’s your prerogative, no-code can simply be a stepping stone for getting more familiar with the skills required for the behind-the-scenes work.
After all, no-code is built on the back of… wait for it… code!
No-code, no worries
The important thing to remember is that — without having to rely on web developers and programmers to bring your most meaningful projects to life — you’re no longer at the mercy of your technical limitations.
And even if you’re clueless and just starting out, there are tools that even the most technically-challenged creator can use.
Better yet, founders have started building things specifically for those of us who work inside a company of one.
There are tools for:
All designed to help you multiply your time, make it easier to make money and scale, and of course, navigate new technical territory with ease.
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