The world has caught on to our secret.
There is a massive increase in the number of solo entrepreneurs setting up shop. Known as “Freelancers” or “Solopreneurs”, they are leaving the workforce to launch a business based out of their home or small office with no employees, few assets, and a desire to achieve both personal happiness and fulfillment with financial achievement.
Many of these Solopreneurs are starting service businesses that are client-focused (see note at bottom). Client-focused means dependent on clients to deliver a service–be it in the form of web design, graphic design, photography, writing, coaching, consulting, and training. They can do the work from home without any loss of quality, goodwill, or respect. With the current skepticism of the morality of big business these days, the Solopreneur is often trusted more by working out of an agency or design firm. He can get work done as fast if not faster than large companies because of low-cost technology (internet, software, processing speeds, productivity tools, etc.)
If you’re looking to start, good news is there: these self-employed individuals earn as much as they would working for a corporation while they enjoy working for themselves.
The bad news is that many of them fail, and it’s not because they don’t work hard enough. They fail for a number of reasons, but it starts with poor planning.
Many people equate being a Solopreneur or a freelancer as something that is easy, where the work just comes to you. The truth is far from it, actually exactly the opposite, and which brings up an important distinction that I’m going to use between Solopreneur and Freelancer.
In my eyes, when someone says freelancer, I think of someone waiting for work. Someone who has no negotiating power, no command over the type of work, no idea when the work is going to dry up. I picture the Solopreneur as someone who is defining the projects s/he wants to work on for premium prices.
There are three key differences:
- The Solopreneur plans. He writes a business plan to get extreme focus on who is best equipped to serve and what exactly he wants to deliver them. He uses the plan to figure out how to leverage his resources to grow quickly without necessarily sacrificing his own life. The business plan is used to create services that he is channeling his passion into.
- The Solopreneur works to be number one in his micro-niche. The Solopreneur is the big fish in a small pond, while the freelancer is swimming in a pool of tiny fish with a big fish lurking nearby. Instead of simply being a web designer that has a broad set of skills in most disciplines, the Solopreneur will master one part of that, and if he has to, subcontract the rest of the work. Or the Solopreneur will master an industry. I had a recent student who specialized in websites for hip-hop musicians. Solopreneurs can pick a topic they know something about, be it origami, home construction, and single mother issues.
- The Solopreneur brands himself. This goes back to the first two points. One can’t brand if there isn’t an identity or a micro-niche! This branding goes beyond a tagline and a logo. It is creating an entire identity around your niche. This includes visual/graphic elements like fonts, color palettes, and images. It also includes the manner in what emotional benefit you are selling to clients. Most entrepreneurial coaches just react. The great ones bring every concept back to a singular goal which they themselves are branding themselves as the expert on. For instance, I’m working with a substance abuse coach who making himself the local specialist on those who are abusing yet are dealing with sexuality issues as well. Most other coaches are simply reacting. This coach is tying everything back to his central philosophy and brand.
Please note:
Compare the Client-focused with other Solopreneurs. First, the Product-focused Solopreneur. The former are those who engage in light manufacturing (creating a new skincare line), e-commerce (selling the skincare product online), and retail are obvious. Then the more traditional service worker, where many of them are more of a trade than a knowledge-based business. (I think of landscapers, painters, cleaners, etc.) Professional services, i.e. dentists, real estate professionals, architects, lawyers, and doctors I don’t consider in the same field because they struggle without an office space and a staff. The client-focused Solopreneur is about understanding client needs, educating them, and delivering something of high value.
Marketing Tips For the DIY Solopreneur
You either are already or are becoming an expert in your product. You are not expected to be an expert in marketing, but the reality is that many new solopreneurs cannot afford to hire a marketing professional. If you can afford to hire a professional, insist on seeing his/her portfolio (pieces they’ve created for other people) to determine if their styles match yours.
For those of you who are left to DIY (Do It Yourself), here are some tips:
- Determine who your ideal client is. Whose needs are best met with your product? Who can afford your product?
- Determine where those ideal clients congregate…in person, through print, online. Larger companies also look at where they congregate for TV (what shows) and radio (stations and shows).
- Determine how they like to receive their message…in print, email, online, in-person, text message, Twitter, Facebook, through organizations or associations (like clubs or charities, etc.)
- Create your message telling those ideal clients how your product or service meets their needs and is readily obtainable. (Do they need financing or training to buy or use it?)
- Make sure your message makes it easy to respond to you. If it’s email it should have clickable links to your web page and your email. Direct mail should include a phone number and URL or email address.
- The message has to be presented in a way that is consistent with who you are. A dog walker should not use a formal text as he wants to portray warmth, love and adaptability. An accountant may not want to use a font that looks like crayon. If however, you have built an entire brand around that with a clear message as to what that style brings to your customer, you can use anything you like. Consistency in your message and what that message (color, texture, font, sounds, smells) tells the client is your brand.
- If you are not skilled at polishing your presentation, this could be the place to hire a marketing professional, editor, voice over artist, or virtual assistant to help you polish your overall presentation Your presentation is where you tell the client how your product or service meets his needs. When it’s a generic presentation aimed at your ideal client or specific audience it’s marketing. When you are presenting one-on–one with a prospect you have moved into sales.
- Distribute your message. Let the world know you are open for business and what your product or service can do for them!
Remember: Marketing is how you tell the world that you’re open for business and what your product can do for them.
Solopreneurs Enjoy Online Success
If you are a solopreneur with a service or product to sell, chances are very good that you’ll need to think about moving online to enjoy success. Many solopreneurs have opted to begin ventures on their own in their niche. For instance, many speakers, writers, and trainers have decided to take their chances as solopreneurs in order to gain visibility and credibility in their industry. If you have that excellent idea that sets you apart from your competitors, you’ll want to be sure that you have an Internet marketing plan to help in your solopreneur endeavors. In this article, we’ll explore ways in which solopreneurs have enjoyed online success.
First, because we live in such a technological age, it is crucial that all good solopreneurs utilize Internet marketing as a way to become visible to their prospective clients. Perhaps, you are a writer, offering services in freelance journaling, blogging, proofreading, or editing. Maybe you are a motivational speaker, offering services to industries all over the country. Or, you might be the developer of a great new product for a selective target audience. No matter what industry you are in, you’ll want to reach clients across the World Wide Web. The first thing you’ll need to do as a solopreneur is to develop a content-rich website, optimized for key word searches so your name will pop up at the top of highly recognized search engines such as Google and Yahoo.
Next, you’ll want to be sure you are a credible and visible force online. Many great solopreneurs suggest networking with other industries within your niche. For instance, if you provide editing services, you may want to consider exchanging links with a website featuring tutorials for new writers. By having a link to your website on another website within your industry, you’ll likely enjoy more traffic to your own site. Thus, you’ll generate new clients from other sources.
When you first embark upon your solopreneur journey, you’ll want to be sure you keep customer service in mind. It is vital that anyone who visits your site, or takes advantage of your services, be treated as the golden client. Many solopreneurs reap the benefits of having repeat customers. Many successful solopreneurs credit their quality customer service as the key component to their success. It is important to remember that you want to stand apart from competitors. While going online is vital to gaining exposure, you must consider the fact that online shoppers can easily “travel” to your competitor’s site. However, if you stand out as providing quality service, you’ll likely retain clients and visitors.
In summary, many solopreneurs have found that going online, creating that perfect website to market their services, has been credited for their success. Furthermore, networking with others in the same industry has helped solopreneurs enjoy visibility on the Internet. In addition to Internet marketing, it is vital for solopreneurs to always provide the same quality customer service online as they do offline. When these tips are followed, solopreneurs will reap the benefits of their online endeavors.
