I can’t believe how long it’s been since I posted here. I never imagined being this busy and caught up with trying to get other things done. But more on that later, right now I’d like to get to today’s topic!
I attended one of my networking meetings today. I’ve discussed the importance/necessity of networking groups in the past, so I’ll just reiterate briefly how they are VITAL in the world of solopreneurship. Being around people with similar goals and visions pays off immensely. I’ve been in this particular group for at least a year now and it’s consisted of the same group of people for the most part, so they’ve seen me from day one of hardly having an elevator pitch, to the more established business woman I am today. We asked ourselves and each other a very tough question – “what would you like to see me do more of, given how far I’ve come this past year?” I honestly wasn’t ready for the responses, but here they were in a nutshell (I’m giving you their titles instead of their names):
Social Media Strategist’s advice – formalize your packages
more and charge more because that’s what you’re worth!
Health/Wellness Consultant – Show up to more meetings to use your voice more!
College coach/consultant – Put yourself out there more often because you have a rare magnetism that very few people carry!
Wow. I was floored – in a good way of course. I didn’t realize how much these colleagues were paying attention to me and my work. I’ve worked with some of them for client work in the past which caused for a closer relationship, but still – wow!
This made me take a closer look at myself and realize how my personal value has a direct impact on the success of my business. Starting, I naturally made mistakes that I eventually learned from and have applied new changes since then. For example, I had a habit of being empathetic towards potential clients when it came to pricing. I would actually price according to what I thought they could afford and the size of their business so that I wouldn’t lose them. Big mistake. I have flat fees now no matter what. There are people out there who will pay what I charge because they know the quality of my work and they will get what they pay for and be satisfied. So witht hat powerful feedback I received today, I plan on doing the following:
- Increase my social media presence. I’ve made excellent connections offline, but I know great connections await me online. In fact, I recently experimented with Periscope! It’s awesome! I will definitely post on that in the near future!
- Voice my opinion more in meetings and events. I’m so used to writing everything and observing, that I won’t actually say much for a while. Some people don’t get that part about me. I like to sit in the background and observe. Well as the clientele and vision continues to grow, I have to become more vocal. I realize people love listening to what I say. But that’s not the main reason. I also realize that what I have to say can help folks and make a difference for them.
- I will no longer be doing individual pricing, or charging a la carte. It is the one of the worst moves a freelance writer can make. I’ve seen the work of notably successful writers and know that my work is just as good or better! Why not charge accordingly? There will be packaged pricing from now on instead of charging for a blog article here and there.
Will these strategies help my business grow? Stay tuned and find out!