Marketing for solopreneurs is a different animal than what most try to do.
Today you're going to learn how easy it should be to grow your one-person business.
Easier than the internet and the “experts” would make you believe.
I come from traditional marketing background. I worked not only with small businesses but Fortune 500 companies as well.
I had to completely re-learn and re-adjust my marketing when I decided I wanted my business to be a one-woman show.
You do not have to do all things marketing to make money online with your expertise!
First of all – you don't have time to do it all. Don't use lack of time as an excuse for why “you're not making it” – use it as a reason to simplify and optimize to the max.
Second, you will cut out so much stuff you don't need. All the “traditional” is time consuming plus complicated to learn or do.
As a solopreneur you can ditch the old school and do it your way.
If you want the how-to for solopreneur success without old school marketing, you can scroll to the bottom for the six step list.
Here are the top seven things you can change today, and grow your business faster:
Ideal Client Avatar
You've read about how to create one. At times, those tutorials are frustrating and confusing AF.
You don't have to know what type of magazine your ideal client reads at the doctor's office.
What you need to know is the problem your ideal client is struggling with right now. If you know this – you're golden.
When you have extra time to dedicate to perfecting this avatar, instead of demographics (age, gender, race), think psychographics (interests, values, beliefs).
This will make your messaging dominate.
Customer journey map
Every customer goes through a journey. They start with not knowing they have a problem, all the way to knowing you have the solution to their problem.
This journey can be long and complicated but your map doesn't have to be.
Marketers made this stressful for a solopreneur, insisting on piles of content for every stage of the journey.
As a solopreneur you can choose when to enter the customer's journey.
Instead of spending time trying to wake up people to a problem they have, work inside the last steps of the journey. Target people who know they have a problem and are already looking for a solution.
Enter the conversations already happening and show them “I have exactly what you need”.
Omnipresence
It would be great to have big audiences across many platforms. But it's unrealistic and you would need a team for that.
Even reposting one piece of content on different platforms is not a solution. Different platforms want different formats. Instead of feeding them what they don't want to eat, pick one and go all in.
You're not going to lose out on big money for not being everywhere.
Pick one platform, use tools that help you get most engagement, and learn to write good content.
One platform with followers who need what you're selling can feed you for life.
Advertising
Majority of “launch your business” courses will tell you to run Facebook ads as the fastest way to get sales. We are not here for that.
I used to run my own ad agency, we had $60k contracts closed regularly… and I don't run ads for myself. What!?
Facebook ads are great… for certain businesses. For a solopreneur who's creating a business from their expertise – they cost more than they are worth it.
Every Facebook ad agency will tell you ads are the holy grail of getting clients. But, when you're early in your business, or targeting a very specific client avatar – you'll waste money.
It takes time and money to test winning ads. If you're new you have no proof of concept for your biz. You may not even be clear on who you're selling to or what you are selling. Most experienced agencies won't even take a new business as a client, knowing how much more work it is to get them a client than it is for a developed brand.
What you need is learning how to write good clickable “ads” and posting them organically.
List segmentation and dozens of automations
Start building a list as soon as you start a business – this is a non negotiable. But don't stress over segmentation, automations, conditions, tracking every single click, etc.
When you're a solopreneur, you can split your list into “subscribers” and “customers”. Then, set up one automation to take a new subscriber to a customer, and be done.
Expensive website
You don't need one to make money. If you have a way to accept payments (direct link from your Stripe account) – you are in business.
You can create a free one page portfolio site in a few minutes (check Carrd). Even better – talk to the person with the problem you solve, forget the site for now. I've closed big contracts without ever sending a proposal or having a sales page.
When a potential client realizes you know what you're talking about, they won't ask for your sales page. They will ask “How do I pay you”?
Visual branding
I love solid brands with great visuals. We all do. Still, you don’t need this to start and grow a one person business. A good brand expert doesn’t come cheap and this is not the first investment you need to make in your business.
Instead, create basic brand guidelines (pick your colors, fonts, style of writing…) and follow them until it's time to take your business from five figures a month up.
So what would be the way to apply all this?
- Learn to write
- Go all in on one platform to grow your audience
- Talk to people who have the problem you solve
- Offer them your solution
- Take the payment
- Rinse and repeat
