There’s a lot that goes into marketing a business. There’s the research, execution and then the measurement after to see if the first two steps actually worked. However, has anyone ever thought about what it takes to market yourself as an individual providing your very own work? Being your own boss? 

The thought of that is a scare all in itself. But it doesn’t have to be! In fact, more employees than ever have left their own companies in order to begin one with him/herself. Like the marketing tips and tricks showcased for a business, we’ll present how to do the same for yourself in a tailored and unique way.  

Dive Into a Personal Network 

Whether it’s building your network or reaching out to one you’ve already begun, nothing is more important than a trusted network pool that you can happily access. 

 Building Your Network: Don’t be afraid to introduce yourself at a work party or cool new event. You’ll never know who you’ll run into and how you can benefit each other. Always carry a business card with you too. There will never not be a time where it comes in handy, and it’s a great and simple way to transfer over your information without asking to grab for their phone or vice versa. 

Reach Out to Your Network: Now that you have the network pool created, it’s time to take out the connections made and reach out in a way that’s beneficial to both parties. Even if the connection isn’t needed in the direct moment either, it’s always great to keep in touch so that the networking efforts don’t fade away.

Pro Tip: Always go through your collection and ask yourself how each one can be useful to you and the present or future moment. By gaining that refresh, you’ll have a clear headspace of who you can reach out to down the line. 

Post an Online Portfolio/Website 

Make yourself easily accessible to potential work by advertising yourself on an online platform. Not only will you achieve work locally, but you’ll have the potential to win work on a national level. 

This can be achieved by creating your very own website or displaying your portfolio on a site such as LinkedIn. Better yet, if there’s something specific in your industry that allows you to post your work, definitely take that opportunity into consideration. 

 Also, don’t forget to use the benefits of social media too. By creating a specific page on a platform such as Instagram or Facebook, then you’ll be able to accrue followers in one area from all over the world. The amount of features on each platform will give better creative incentive to post in a way that aligns with your brand image most. 

Understand and Communicate Your Worth (Pricing) 

While it’s easier and faster income to take a lower-paying gig, it’s not something that will benefit you in the long run. Know your worth and the quality clients and work delivered will follow. 

Not sure how much to charge? Attend different webinars and look into what others are charging on various freelance platforms. This will give you real and true insights as to what other people are charging in real time.  

Don’t be afraid to raise your prices after a while either. As time moves by, your skills are bound  to expand, so your worth should too. Plus, if a potential client sees a higher price point, it could signal to them that your work is of higher quality compared to your competition. 

Allow Yourself to Grow 

If your business is outgrowing its current stance, allow it to with the right nutrients. Need extra hands on deck? That’s perfectly okay as long as you have the budget to justify that extra person to come on board. 

When your business finally hits a point where it can grow larger, there’s always a fear factor that will follow. Know that it’s perfectly understandable and worth the risk all at the same time. When the jump isn’t taken to expand, then you as the business might become stagnant and will stump itself of its growth. 

Build Out Your Email List 

An email subscriber is equivalent to a current or potential loyal customer because they are always receiving new information and news as to what’s going on with you and your business. Never stop accruing an email list as it’s a way to continue to build those loyal consumers. 

So, is this achieved? Offer an incentive at checkout to provide an email. When you’re selling a customer a service, ask them if they’re up to date on the current news in that specific industry. Give them a reason that is enticing in order to get them to hit the subscribe button on that email list, and then they’ll be a repeat customer for much longer. 

Make Social Media Your Best Friend 

There are so many features and benefits to social media that have the potential to launch your business to the next phase. 

For example, if selling artwork, you can feature your gorgeous pieces on Instagram, but then post your process and creation period as a video on YouTube. This way you’re showing customers the effort and quality of work that is going into the ultimate price of the finished product. 

Never be afraid to showcase your craft on this platform as it’s a great way to spread the visibility and give a new outlet for a return on investment. 

If Not for $$ Then Offer Work for Some Type of a Return

Don’t ever give yourself away for free! If this is done, you’re missing out on money in your pocket and the true exposure you deserve. 

However, if you do create work without the return of monetary value, then make it worth it in some way. For instance, if you do construction work like painting a new deck without money, but the client is giving you free access to something you need such as a storage unit for your construction tools full time, then that cost will be worth it to you. That expense for business has been eliminated. 

All you have to do is weigh in on how much worth this exchange will truly bring you. 

Don’t Stop Learning 

Learning is easily one of the best weapons you can have in your belt because it’s a new stream of information that can be taken and applied to your business. 

Are you a website developer? Then the use of new coding classes every few years may be just what you need to stay relevant in your field of expertise. If you’re a website developer and want to add additional services to customers, then new classes to reinforce them might be beneficial as well.   

The Bottomline  

When it comes to selling and marketing yourself, it’s just as important as doing the same for any other business. As time progresses, this method of money-making is only becoming more enticing as more employees want to become their own boss.

In order to not get lost in the crowd though, it’s best to take these practices and apply them in a way that will benefit you and secure more customers and clients for yourself. After all, the business world is quite competitive even if you’re only seen as a “one-man show”.