As your business has grown, have you had to market as much?Now that you have some solid leads to target, it’s time to start spreading the word about your services. Part of marketing involves approaching prospects and converting them into clients; the other part involves less direct methods that will strengthen your platform as a professional, lending you the kind of credibility that attracts clients to you.
No matter how good you get at what you do, or how many referrals you receive, it’s a good idea to continue marketing your services on an ongoing basis. Through time, you may not have to put so much effort into marketing because you will have a solid client base and an influx of projects from referrals. I like to remember, though, that clients aren’t permanent, so you always need to be ready to obtain new ones at a moment’s notice in order to stay in business.
I like to put some thought into the different marketing tactics I use. There could be more than just one, and there probably should be. For example, I use promotional strategies to boost my overall credibility and image, but also to promote myself to leads.
One of my marketing goals is to secure work with companies that will give me projects on an ongoing basis, providing a feed of work. Another objective is to garner glowing testimonials and referrals. You may also want to get more experience to build up your portfolio of clips, which, in turn, generates more leads and builds your brand.
A lot of rookies tend to focus solely on securing projects, and I understand that mentality because, well, bills need to be paid! Remember as you go along in your career not to ignore existing clients; even if they don’t use your services regularly (or ever again), they may refer you to someone else who can send on work. Existing and past clients are a valuable demographic that you’ll want to keep on your hotlist.
When you establish your marketing goals, be sure to remember the most important ingredient of success: yourself. Your creative edge has a lot to do with how effective your marketing efforts can be. For example, if you’re a better writer than speaker, cold-calling may not be your best bet. That’s okay; use an e-mail newsletter instead.
So much of what we hear when we look for useful information to run our businesses is “cookie cutterish.” It’s “Do this…” or “Follow steps one, two, three. …”
Screw the steps, guys.
When you’re filing taxes you need to follow rules and instructions, but when it comes to marketing you have more flexibility. Whatever you want to do, give it a shot. The worst that can happen is that it doesn’t work and you try another method.
Luckily, you have your inner compass to guide you. That is, you know what you’re good at. Use your writing abilities if that’s your forte. Leverage your love of gabbing to form relationships. Put your artistic skills to work for a cool Web site or business card. Those are the types of skills that can give you a competitive edge; you simply have to embrace them.
Before you launch your dream marketing campaign, you’ll want to think about costs. Trust me: It’s easy to get carried away when you see some of the cool things you can use to market yourself, so it’s important to curb your spending—especially until you know what works.
This all depends on how you want to market yourself. The avenues you use all have different costs associated with them; some are more affordable than others.
Take e-mail marketing. I’m a huge advocate of using the Internet to promote myself. When I began business, I would write short e-mails telling prospective clients about myself, my specialties, and what I could do for them. Aside from the time it took to craft and send the messages, it was virtually free.
E-mail marketing continues to be most effective for me, and I think a huge reason is because writing is one of my natural talents. Have some sort of budget in mind, but don’t make it a huge production. Just jot down some numbers and make sure you have the cash to cover your expenses.
Personally, I think bringing in a model like that can be confusing and could turn you off from marketing altogether. So until you get the hang of it, start with a simple budget (even $100 can work) and stick to a target list of maybe 50 or 100 leads.
Just to give you an idea, my postcard campaigns usually go out to about 50 people at a time. When I send out a 4” × 6” postcard, I pay about $35 for 100 postcards. Postcard stamps at the time of this writing were 29 cents. So to print and send all of them, I am looking at spending 64 cents per postcard, or $64. Pretty cheap, right? If I get just one project out of it, it has more than paid for itself. Usually, I accept a call from an existing client or prospective customer that says the card came at the perfect time—they’ve got a project they need to start next week. That’s what I call ideal.
There are plenty of models to help you determine the exact return on investment. My take? Don’t take a huge financial risk with your marketing so you don’t waste your time analyzing it! Start small, see what works, and then see what you want to do next. If one method continues to work well for you, stick to it and don’t rule out other approaches as time goes on. Keep the math simple to see how much your marketing efforts yield.
As your business has grown, have you had to market as much?
“In the beginning I was just happy to work for anyone that would hire me, but soon enough I realized I had to take control of my marketing, so some source book advertising in The Arizona Portfolio, Black Book, Creativa; and of course direct mail post cards to a mailing list I created, but frankly database management can be a full-time job, so services like Agency Access is great for keeping in contact.”
—Dan Coogan, photographer, www.cooganphoto.com
According to the 2012 Freelance Industry Report, solo-pros say finding clients is their biggest challenge. Why is it, then, that nearly 53 percent of them spend less than five hours per month on self-promotion?
After you have generated leads, there are five active ways to get the word out: marketing collateral, e-mail marketing, public relations, social media, and networking. Each can be used to generate leads, and each can be used with existing clients or prospects to land more work and build your street cred.
The thought of sending out a brochure may sound a little “old school,” but the tactic can be very effective. From time to time, I still send out a postcard or brochure. Print collateral is also a nice way to follow up with prospects so they have a tangible reminder of who you are and what you have to offer.
Marketing collateral is good for reaching the type of folks that prefer to have something in hand. That way, the next time a prospect needs someone with your expertise, your trusty brochure is front and center.
Marketing collateral can take a few mailings, months, or years to yield results, but most solo-pros agree it is a valuable tactic. A print campaign doesn’t need to be done monthly. In fact, you can probably get away with doing one a few times a year.
Try to be practical when it comes to collateral, because you have to purchase the materials to create it, design it, and then mail it. For example, how large is the piece you want to mail? Will it fit in a standard envelope, and if not, how much will appropriate envelopes cost? What will the mailing cost be? Can a standard stamp cover it? Can you save more money by having your hometown printer produce it, can you print it yourself, or should you look at on-line printing operations? These are all factors to put into a budget.
Resource
Check out nextdayflyers.com, www.jakprints.com, www.psprint.com, or www.vistaprint.com.
So there’s the old-school marketing manager or art director who likes print collateral, but there are also plenty of leads that like everything digital—including your pitch. Even though your message arrives electronically, it’s still collateral, so it still needs to promote you well.
There are two forms of what I consider as e-mail marketing: sending inquiries via e-mail and sending an e-mail newsletter. Let’s take a look at how these marketing strategies can help you convert leads into clients.
This form of marketing is almost second nature for most of us—so much that we may not realize it’s a proven marketing technique. Before I went full-time as a freelancer, I sent out casual e-mails to introduce myself to prospects. It seemed logical—not to mention economical—to say, “Here’s what I can do for you. Let me know if you are interested.” We talked about putting together this type of message in the previous chapter, so you should be familiar with what goes into a good prospecting message. Other than that, it’s all about timing.
I consider myself to have some pretty amazing powers when it comes to using e-mail for marketing. With almost every campaign I send, I receive at least one response back saying something like, “I was just talking to my colleague about hiring a copywriter. When can we meet?”
Realistically, you will not get a response from every e-mail you send. In fact, the majority of e-mails I send go off into a cyberspace void. That’s okay. The ones who respond are the people looking for your services.
This strategy can help you land clients, but it’s more about giving something of value to prospects and existing clients. You’re not just saying, “I need to pay my rent this month. Have any assignments for me?” Instead, you are sharing your expertise with at least one article that gives the recipients some value based on your specialty. They pick up on the value and think of you next time they need your services. In my newsletter, I like to offer writing tips, for example.
Publishing a newsletter is a wonderful way to highlight what you have been up to lately. I find clients think it’s cool to hear that I write books on the side, or am published in magazines they read. Sharing this information can be priceless, because you never know when they will relate to something you mention and contact you. Some may see an article you put together and pass it on to a colleague because they think the other person can use that information—and there you are in front of another prospect that was never even on your hotlist.
One more plus about e-mail newsletters: They make you look good. They show you’re into your profession and build authority. Perhaps a client who gave you work years ago wasn’t sure if you were the person to take on a new job, but then he sees that you have just published an impressive e-book and decides to give you a shot.
Resource
Popular e-mail marketing tools include www.mailchimp.com, www.godaddy.com, www.icontact.com, www.aweber.com, www.verticalresponse.com, and www.constantcontact.com.
Once you have something newsworthy to share with others, it can be in your best interest to do just that. It builds integrity, not to mention gives you a reason to blast out another e-mail newsletter when you thought you had nothing to write about. With something newsworthy, now you do.
After I published Creatively Self-Employed, I put out press releases to newspapers and news organizations. The local ones seemed to respond more readily than the nationals, especially because my book was self-published. Those press releases got attention, and a few publications interviewed me for a feature on local authors. That also got the word out that I was a copywriter, which was awesome for business.
Even if I didn’t get a call for work out of it, I put the clipping in a section of my Web site devoted to press—a section that publicity pros check out when they are deciding if they should feature you.
When I received my certification in resume writing, I let the local papers know by sending a press release. If you are chosen to speak at an event or conference, tell your newspaper about it. A competent image is another aspect of marketing that, as I said, can help you nab clients. When they see how credible you are, it can influence them to call.
I like to think of public relations as an “indirect” marketing technique. As you can tell from my own experiences, it is certainly one that can be very useful to cultivate your business.
I can hear the nay-saying already: “I don’t want to be in the spotlight.” “Sending out press releases about myself sounds so arrogant, doesn’t it?” This is a pretty common sentiment from most creative free-lancers. Because your business is you, you have to promote yourself as an individual and a brand. That’s what huge corporations do. In fact, they have large marketing departments devoted to things such as creating collateral, securing mentions in the media, and managing their brand.
Marketing—and PR in particular—isn’t about bragging. It’s about doing business. I’m not saying to jump on every possible press opportunity, but you have to work up to some comfort level in promoting your business and seize opportunities when they arise. The truth is, no matter how talented you are, you are not likely to be able to sustain a profitable business if you are not willing to promote it.
Must-Read
The New Rules of Marketing & PR: How to Use Social Media, Online Video, Mobile Applications, Blogs, News Releases, and Viral Marketing to Reach Buyers Directly by David Meerman Scott
Why do creative professionals need to work on public relations?
“I try to put at least a minimal amount of effort into self-promotion and public relations. Most of my self-promotion is done through my Web site and word-of-mouth. My public relations program can be summed up in one word: yes. For example, when I’m asked to speak to a group of business people or students about design, I like to answer with a big, fat ‘yes’; and when a friend needs a first-class logo designed for their save-the-world start-up business (without having the means to pay for it), I say ‘yes.’ Saying yes is probably a much better karma-booster than saying no, and it can also lead to business-boosting exposure.”
—Jim Krause, designer/illustrator/photographer/author, www.jimkrausedesign.com
I know that many creative professionals do not enjoy the writing process, but press releases are a standard tool in the business world; you should familiarize yourself with them.
A press release announces something newsworthy and timely. For example, if you provide Web site design, sending out a press release to the newspaper telling them about your artistic talent isn’t going to get picked up. If you recently launched a Web site for a company that enables consumers to purchase items online, your crafts got picked up for a television show, or you won a design contest, those would be newsworthy examples.
The following are five major components to writing an excellent press release:
1. The headline. Take a look at news headlines to get a feel for the style of writing. Think in terms of action when you write. Instead of “Ramen Noodles, Rent and Resumes Book Released,” you can see how “Local Author to Host Book Signing for Latest Book on Post-Collegiate Life” is more effective. It gives the news upfront and points to an event or something timely; that’s the newsworthy part. You can also create a sub-headline to give more detail and draw people to read on.
2. The lead paragraph. Reiterate the news upfront, stating what the news is, exactly. Cover the who, what, when, where, and why.
3. The quote. Break up the prose with a quote. It offers a personal touch, and gives you the opportunity to speak clearly and put a voice to the name of your business. When I wrote a press release to announce my book signing, I mentioned how grateful I was to the local bookstore for hosting the event.
4. The boilerplate. The last paragraph is always a short biography with a link to your Web site.
5. Contact information. Put your contact information prominently on the press release. If a member of the press is interested in writing a story on the press release, or maybe just rewriting it into a blurb, they can easily contact you to confirm any details.
Another way to use PR is to offer quotes to reporters looking for them, so you are sharing your expertise and positioning yourself as an expert. To do this, you have to go to the places where reporters scout out sources so you can respond to their inquiries and be featured in their stories and books. If you visit www.helpareporter.com, you can sign up for free daily leads from reporters. This tool, otherwise known as HARO (Help a Reporter Out), has been instrumental to assist me in promoting myself and my books—and it doesn’t cost a thing!
Remember when you pitch a reporter to offer something useful. Don’t just say, “I have a great story for your article. Call me!” Journalists hear a million requests like that. Instead, offer an enticing tip or offer to be interviewed. This is another fantastic way to get your name out there. It shows that you are a prominent leader in your field—and if nothing else, gives you something newsworthy to add to your e-mail newsletter!
How can creative professionals boost their writing skills so they can create their own content for e-mail newsletters, marketing, blogs, etc.?
“Read. Read lots. Why? Because people who regularly read develop an inner ear that is capable of hearing the sound, construction and rhythm of good writing—whether the writing comes from within or without.”
—Jim Krause, designer/illustrator/photographer/author, www.jimkrausedesign.com
Social media is growing in popularity and can be a useful tool to not only land gigs; it can serve as a useful platform for solo-pros looking to build a professional standing and establish themselves as competent leaders. Twitter and LinkedIn, especially, have been very helpful for my business. Plenty of creative professionals use those along with Facebook (and others) to promote themselves, meet other freelancers, and connect with prospective clients. (For me, Facebook is solely for personal use.)
Sarah Griffin, who works as a chemist in Kansas by day and runs www.secretsivenevertold.com on the side, said Facebook has been instrumental to generate publicity for her Web site and book. “I use Facebook to communicate with my followers daily. Offering specials and deals for your Facebook fans is a great way to get more fans, which is more people who you will be able to have constant contact with. Social media is where it’s at,” Griffin says.
Agreed, Sarah. Solo-pros just need to make sure they are using the tool effectively and professionally. By now, we all know not to rat out rude clients by name. For those of us who sometimes vent via Twitter, it may not always be the best idea though it can be a way to connect with others.
You’ll find plenty of material on-line about how freelancers can use these social networks professionally. When you create an account, think about what type of connection you want to make. For instance, I use LinkedIn to connect with prospects, obtain testimonials, and get specific contact information to pitch magazine editors. I like the groups, too, and have been able to find sources for when I am working on a story.
Whereas LinkedIn is more of a business tool, Twitter doesn’t necessarily have to be used for business. It can, however, be a very powerful tool if used correctly. I use it more to cultivate relationships with colleagues and fellow creatives. For example, after you meet someone at a conference or event, you can add him or her to your LinkedIn network and then send a tweet saying it was nice to meet her to reinforce the connection. I know freelancers that have tweeted others before an event, which paved the way for a smoother introduction when they met face-to-face.
I like to put a mix of tweets about everyday life along with links to articles I have written that offer value to colleagues and clients. It’s another tool to help me secure sources for interviews when I am writing a piece for a magazine.
If you follow my tweets, I know—I talk way too much about football! But that’s the kind of thing that has enabled me to connect with others on a more personal level. That’s why I don’t stick to only self-promotional tweets.
Twitter’s also a rockin’ tool to use to support fellow creatives as well as colleagues. I love the support I’ve gotten from other freelancers using it, and it’s always nice to give a shout-out to a client to show you are thinking of them.
When I first launched my business, I attended some networking events. At the time, I knew to network but didn’t realize how valuable it was to establish a goal in networking or see if the groups I was interested in were the right match for my needs. At the time, that was to drum up clients.
Networking groups can help you generate leads, and are also a goldmine if you’re a social butterfly stuck working home alone. In addition to getting you out of the office a little bit, they are an ideal avenue to exchange ideas, receive support, and meet prospective clients—or people who know them.
I once attended an event a well-known group of creative professionals in my area. I worked the room and doled out some business cards, heard a speaker, and ate lunch. I left with a bunch of business cards, mostly from other writers. That would have been perfect if I wanted to hire another writer or connect with other writers for support, but I was looking for leads. Sure, I can get work from other writers who may farm out their overflow, but I would stand a better chance to secure the type of ongoing work I wanted from my own clients if I met them directly.
After that, I gave up on networking, at least for a while. Until I realized I was doing it all wrong! Find out a little about the groups you are interested in and who the members are. If you want to meet other creatives, a group of artists is perfect. But if you’re looking for leads, try a group with people in other roles that need your services, such as creative directors, executives, and managers—the types of professionals in a multi-disciplinary networking group can use the marketing collateral that so many solo-pros develop, so reaching out to them would be a smart idea for a copywriter or Web site developer. If you licensed designs or illustrations, it may be a good idea to attend an industry trade show with prospects that are looking for artwork.
Be on the lookout for networking opportunities, but also pay attention to the costs involved. Town chambers of commerce can be very useful but often come with a yearly fee. Also, many organizations have meetings involving food, and that can cost you every time you attend. Instead, you may want to try to get a feel for some low-cost or free events first. Some groups you will mesh with; others you may not. Explore all of your options to find a group (or groups) that works for you.
Last year, I attended a meeting for a group of creative professionals and went solely because I wanted to connect with others in my field. I didn’t go expecting work out of it. I came out with some good, local connections I still touch base with. I’m eager to attend similar events in the future.
Massachusetts-based freelance writer Susan Johnston (www.susan-johnston.com) says that it takes time to see the positive effects that can come from networking. “A lot of people expect networking to have an immediate effect, but it takes time to see the results of those interactions, so it’s more of a long-term strategy. Even if I don’t leave an event with the business card of someone who’s likely to hire me, I can appreciate the fact that the event got me out of my apartment and gave me practice at networking with others in the industry,” she says.
I’m going to a networking event. What can I expect?
“Bring a plethora of business cards. You will need them. Don’t be surprised if you’re asked to introduce yourself to the group and briefly describe the services you offer. It’s also a good idea to send a ‘so nice to have met you’ e-mail to each person who gave you a business card.”
—Amber Timmerman, graphic designer/Web designer, www.mintyfreshdesign.com
So there you have it: five actionable strategies that you can use to get the word out about your services. In addition to the action steps, having a platform in place to funnel leads to is key. For example, when you send out a direct mail piece or an e-mail newsletter, you want people to contact you, so you would include your phone number and Web site address.
Your Web site is kind of a landing space for most prospects, because they usually like to check you out before they call. They want to know which clients you have worked with and see samples of what you have done. That’s why having an awesome Web site is so important.
We touched on this in Chapter 2, but it seems fitting to include more information on the importance of your Web site. You can’t shove it in front of prospects’ faces, but when they are interested in your services or products, you can be sure it’s the first place they’ll look. From its design and functionality to wording and content, your Web site has to be phenomenal.
Bryn Mooth, a freelance writer based in Cincinnati, used designer Jill Anderson (www.jilllynndesign.com) to create her masterpiece at www.brynmooth.com. I like her Web site because it visually conveys her brand and was built around her specialties in the food, health, and design arenas.
Mooth says it took her a while to realize that her original recipe blog wasn’t representing what she had to offer. She says Anderson’s design is professional and feels very authentic with regards to who she is as both a person and a professional. “The type, color scheme and ‘linen-look’ background of my site has a sort of organic, homey appeal, and it reflects the honest, personal approach in my writing,” Mooth says, referencing her current Web site.
Letting your personality shine through is important. Keep in mind that the Web site doesn’t have to be flashy; something simple works as long as it looks authentic and neat. It’s going to be the hub where you put all the testimonials you work so hard for as well as your press clippings—and so much more. Make it good!
Must-Read
Creative Girl: The Ultimate Guide for Turning Talent and Creativity into a Real Career by Katharine Sise
Why on Earth is there a section about resumes in this book, you may ask? Because I find that many solo-pros think they are exempt from having one!
“I don’t need a resume. I’m not ‘corporate’ anymore. I’m an ‘indie’ now,” you may say. Or you may not have much of a background in the field of your creative talent and think your resume could wind up empty.
Newsflash: It doesn’t matter. You still need a resume.
Why? That’s twofold. First, no matter how independent of an independent contractor you are, you’ll need to do business, and that will likely happen with other companies. If you want to earn money from that world, you have to speak their language—or at least show you know it on paper—and you do that with a resume. Having a Web site is not enough!
The other reason to have a resume when you have no intention of getting near a cubicle again is because it is a fantastic basis for your marketing platform. Think about it: You send out postcards or an e-mail newsletter to get clients. They visit your Web site, which has the standard page about you and a listing of your services. Without a resume on your Web site, you are alienating the prospect that comes to your page and wants to go directly to a document to find out what your background is. Clips are great, but the traditional hiring model relies on resumes, so your marketing efforts could go to waste if you don’t appeal to that crowd, too.
Resumes may not apply to artisans who sell products as much as they do to other types of creatives that provide services. Still, you should have one. If you want to obtain creative freelance projects, they are likely handled by a company’s art or marketing department. These departments are parts of companies, so again, speaking their language is critical. Even if the art director is laid-back about hiring contractors, he may still need a resume to include in your hiring paperwork.
Sadly, some creative professionals are so anti-corporate (rightfully so, they’ve may have been burned by a company or detested the corporate lifestyle enough to start a solo biz) that they never accept how important it is to have a resume and therefore do not create one. You could be the most talented person in your field, but if you don’t have a resume, you may not be able to apply for the job you want.
Your resume does not have to go on your Web site; if you post it or not, that’s up to you. But do come up with a resume and have it on hand. Nothing is worse than losing an amazing job opportunity because you didn’t have a resume to submit.
To help you create a resume, here are three tips to keep in mind.
The first thing other than the design of your resume that will likely grab attention is what comes first. In the past, it was a once-sentence objective, but times have changed. Nowadays, you only use an objective if you’re fresh out of college or just entering the workforce. I think most people reading this book have had some professional experience, even if it is not in the creative field they are pursuing. In that case, a profile is a better choice than an objective.
What’s the difference between a profile and an objective, you may ask? The profile gives a summary of your skills and what you have to offer, whereas the objective states what you want to do, or your goal.
When you set out to create your profile, really think about what message you want to get across. Jot down some notes before you try to come up with fancy wording, then draft three to seven sentences to create your profile. Browse sample resumes on-line to get an idea of phrases or words you like, or visit my Web site (www.kristenfischer.com) to take a peek at my resume.
A lot of the resumes I see floating out there typically include a list of bullets that only offer a glimpse into what a person has done. Instead, I recommend breaking up each job into duties and accomplishments so you show not only what you did on a typical day, but how you excelled at it and the results you achieved.
Most people I write resumes for do not believe they have anything worth writing about, but when you think of your experiences, consider small things such as “delivered consistently excellent customer service” or “implemented a new system.” Any way you can show how you went above and beyond speaks volumes about what you can do, especially as a solopreneur.
You don’t have to be a pro resume writer to produce a knockout document. Write from a third-person perspective. Jazz up the wording with some verbs and industry buzzwords. Even if you worked formerly as a receptionist answering phones, you could state something like “Responded to client phone inquiries.” See how the right words elevate the tone of the document?
Add specific terms to show the breadth of your expertise. In my resume, I don’t just state that I am a copywriter; I include the types of services I have to offer, such as creating Web site content, brochures, and press releases. I add industry terms such as media relations and branding.
Finally, start statements in the section on personal experience with an action verb, and don’t repeat the same word.
As you can tell, how you represent yourself is a vital component of your overall marketing efforts. In the sea of freelancers, “looks”—at least how you project yourself and what you have to offer—mean everything. Even if you work in grungy jeans and t-shirts covered in paint every day, make sure your resume sparkles.
How can I get my work out there so people can get a feel for my visual aesthetic and my unique sense of style?
“The best way that I’ve been able to get my work out there is through my Web site—contacting people and sending a sample image or two along with the link. I like using HTML e-mail templates, too, such as MailChimp. I’ve also entered call for entries for exhibits, online, and through galleries.”
—Carey Kirkella, lifestyle/portrait photographer, www.careykirkella.com
Sweet Success
Webbing Clients With Your Web Site
Head over to www.aubreandrus.com so you can see the power that comes with having a fantastic Web site. Aubre Andrus, a Seattle-based writer, says that launching her Web site was instrumental to her success as a solo-pro. “It was actually amazing how relieved and ‘official’ I felt once the site went up,” recalls Andrus, who retained a former coworker to design it and let a friend’s younger brother program the Web site. They created the comic-inspired motif with bold colors that makes Andrus’s Web site such a distinctive delight. “The Web site has gotten tons of compliments and it helps me stand out from the competition. It’s a super-creative design—not your typical, boring writing Web site—but most importantly, it shows off my portfolio, blog, and social media presences,” says Andrus.
“Meanwhile, my matching business cards—although adorable—are collecting dust in my desk drawer,” she notes. “I only pass them out to other writers I meet at conferences.”
Beginner Mishap
Missing the Target
When Amy Philip (www.careercertain.com), a leadership career consultant and resume writer from Brooklyn, decided to launch her business, she figured a broad range of services would work best. She created a Web site, logo, messaging, and overall brand to reflect herself. “Big mistake. It’s not about me—it’s about the customer,” notes Philip. “I believed that I needed to be open and willing to take on whatever type of work came my way. I didn’t quite see and appreciate the full value of specialization.”
Philip then asked herself what kind of messaging, look, and feel she wanted to project through her brand and collateral. Then she aligned her marketing strategy with the branding message and marketing collateral to better target the types of clients she wants—and those she can provide the best value to. “If what you do doesn’t speak to and resonate with your target client, it’s not going to work and it will attract the wrong type of client and confuse the client you are trying to attract,” she says.
“I can’t be all things to all people…the more targeted you can be the better,” Philip says. “This translates into everything you do for your business—from the content of your on-line marketing to the tone of your messaging and blog posts you write…everything you do needs to speak to your target client base.”