Do You Need a Solopreneur Coach?
As the job market continues to recover from the economic downturn of 2008, more and more enterprising individuals are turning towards starting their own businesses. However, a large percentage of new businesses fail within the first year. How can you ensure your business doesn’t go down this costly and devastating path? A solopreneur coach may be the perfect solution.
What Is Solopreneur Coaching?
A “solopreneur” is simply an entrepreneur who single-handedly runs his or her own business. Does that sound like a daunting task? It doesn’t have to be. By creating your own work and your own guidelines, you can find financial success and personal fulfillment. It can be rewarding to cut the corporate cord and live by your own rules, but to find success, there are some general rules you should follow.
Create (and Elevate) Your Personal Branding
To successfully start your own business, you need a clear vision, mission, and achievable goals. This means the development of an action plan is essential. With a clear roadmap and measureable, time-based goals, you’re giving your start-up the best chance possible.
Once you have a plan in place, it’s time to work on your branding. This means elevating your PR game. To become a master of PR, there are a few things you can do.
Take to Twitter
Social media is no longer just an avenue to connect with your old college pals. With Twitter, you can use hashtags to spark a conversation with others in your industry, and with those who share your interests. It’s a casual way to network, but it can also be a valuable way to connect with potential clients or vendors.
Make Your LinkedIn Profile Shine
Don’t publish the bare minimum to keep your LinkedIn account public. Be as explicit and as detailed as possible. Include volunteer experiences, professional affiliations, hobbies, interests, or anything else you think will make your LinkedIn profile stand out from the competition.
Get Your Name Out
Networking is a powerful way to get potential clients to see what you’re all about, and you have to do so creatively, even if it takes you out of your comfort zone. Here are two ways to get your clients talking about you:
Start a blog. It takes a little creativity and a lot of upkeep, but starting a blog is essential if you want to start your own business. If you write about your field often and with authority, people will start to see you as an expert, making them more likely to come to you when the need arises.
Do pro-bono work. We’d all like to start making cash on day one, but the reality is that you need to prove yourself before people start to trust you. Don’t know where to begin? Pick a charity that means something to you, and offer up your services. You’ll be making a positive difference, and they’ll be more likely to recommend you to other organizations in the future.
Hone Your Marketing Skills
To succeed as a solopreneur, you’ll need to market yourself and your product. This means perfecting your public speaking and presentation skills, which fills most people with dread. But with proper coaching, you’ll be ready to take on the next conference or speak at that next local event.
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