You won't be the only one trying to win over the clients. To be always in contention for a new business, you can't be just one of many. You have to get noticed. Even having the best expertise in the industry doesn't guarantee you reaching the people you need and making them consider you. In this lesson, we'll teach you how to ensure you'll get found and make an impression.
Authenticity
The number one rule in branding is to stay true to yourself. Don't try to be someone you're not, even if you think it would bring you a bigger audience - it would be very hard to keep up that facade forever, and some people may see right through it. If you aren't a showman, don't try to be one. Instead, think about how best to utilize your personality and advantages.
Fill the void
Are there issues in your industry or niche that should be talked about more? Or does it lack a strong personality? If you don't see anyone being a thought leader and creating valuable content in a field you feel at home in, that's your chance to make it your own. Or maybe there is an audience within a broader segment that would appreciate a more personalized approach from someone who's in tune with the intricacies of their domain?
Resist the temptation to present your expertise in a very broad way in the hope of reaching the biggest audience possible. If you have worked with a wide variety of clients, you may want to narrow down your focus on a field or two. The more related these fields are, the better. This isn't about being unable to handle clients from varying backgrounds - it's about the clients being more comfortable with someone who specializes in their field. Everything around us is getting more complicated and nuanced, so having detailed knowledge about some sectors can make a difference in your ability to provide value.
💡 Keep in mind
Marketing expert Meredith Hill said it best: When you speak to everyone, you speak to no one.
The importance of content
If your work is visual-oriented and your potential clients can judge your skill set just by looking at what you did, you may get away with only a website and passive use of social media. Everyone else, though, will most likely have a hard time standing out. When you look at the most popular and respected knowledge-based solopreneurs from any field, you will find one common denominator, which may even be how you discovered them: content.
The rise of social media made content the name of the game in marketing. There are two key reasons it's so effective: it's the best way to gain recognition and a great way to demonstrate your expertise.
Recognition
Putting out ads isn't as effective as it used to be - they are everywhere, and many learned to ignore them. Moreover, in personal branding, being seen isn't enough. Personal brand is all about trust in the expertise of a given person - looking at their smiling face won't tell you much about the value they can provide. Clients are wary of the growing number of self-proclaimed experts. That's why the content is so great - it's 2 in 1. It combines the recognition part with the knowledge part.
Demonstrating knowledge
How else to show others that you really know what you're talking about than to actually talk (or write) about it? The more valuable information you can offer, the more it will spread. Your potential clients will have an opportunity to see you in action and evaluate whether what you're putting out there aligns with what they need.
People new to content creation are afraid to give out their knowledge for free because they fear nobody would need them afterward. That's a very unjustified worry. If a couple of sentences or articles can render someone's expertise worthless, the person probably doesn't have much expertise to begin with. So don't be afraid to put your knowledge out there - it will pay off many times over, with potential clients being impressed and coming to you. Sure, if you have a few secret weapons or very detailed knowledge that would lose the edge if it was made public, keep it for your clients only. However, solopreneurs are usually much more secretive than they should be with the knowledge and information they possess.
Be the first one
If you work in a fast-paced industry with a news cycle of its own, a surefire way to stand out is always to be the first to react to and analyze the breaking news. If you're a tax consultant, you can be the first to analyze every new law and describe its impact on your target audience. When something big happens, people are looking for information about it - you can be the one to provide it to them.
Challenge the status quo
A common way to make yourself heard is to take a stand against (or for) something that goes against the grain and connect this "revolt" with the field you want to focus on. Alternatively, you can become an advocate for your target audience and its activities. For example, if you're a language tutor who champions a new learning method, speaking out very loudly against the old methods can get you in the spotlight. While this method of gaining attention may be among the most powerful, it's also probably the riskiest if it concerns something controversial.
We want to warn you about three things here: First, you will likely burn some bridges, and there's usually no way back. Second, make sure you know what you're talking about - if you're clearly wrong and already have a reputation, restoring it would be very difficult. If you don't have a reputation yet and you're wrong, you'd get a reputation for being a dummy trying to make a name for himself on a non-issue, which is even worse than the previous case. Third, don't be off-putting - do you know these people who stand for something a bit controversial, you agree with them, but would never want to be around them? Don't let your passion and fight for or against something dehumanize you and make you (look) bitter.
💡 Keep in mind
There's no need to be edgy at all costs. You can become a proponent or detractor of something without generating any controversy. The risk will depend on how hot-button the issue you choose to focus on is.
Remember
👉 Don't fake who you are to reach more people.
👉 Start catering to a smaller, more specific audience.
👉 The best way to demonstrate your knowledge is through content.
👉 Talk about issues earlier than anyone else and try to lead the conversation.
👉 An effective but sometimes risky way to get attention is to argue against something established.
👉 A safer option is to become an outspoken advocate for something generally viewed as positive or non-controversial.
Homework
1️⃣ Look for issues in your industry that are not talked about enough or only very broadly.
2️⃣ Prepare some content ideas to cater to underserved niches and issues in your industry. If you're not from an English-speaking country, a good inspiration for content you can create can be English-speaking content creators who are, especially in the US, used to covering the smallest of niches in a very interesting way. If you are from an English-speaking country, you can still look for inspiration in different industries.
3️⃣ Write down your expertise and consider how to package it into interesting content.
4️⃣ Try to create a reaction post or a video about something that just happened in your industry and see whether this could be a way forward for you.
5️⃣ If you deeply understand and feel strongly about something in your industry, you can become an advocate for or against it. Consider how controversial it would be, its risks, and whether it's worth it.
Insights from solopreneurs
👏 You’re crushing it!
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