Practical Tips for Self-Employed Consultants and Solopreneurs
Advice and Insight
As self-employed professionals, we’re experts at helping our clients solve problems but we often struggle when it comes to building a healthy pipeline of leads. For most of us, prospecting for new clients is the very last thing we want to do. But what if there was a way to make it less of a chore and maybe even enjoyable? …
Read MoreLast month, we took our first look at insights from Stacey Brown Randall’s webinar, “How to Generate Referrals Without Asking.” We discovered her penetrating critiques of referral-generating “best practices,” and we learned about the science of referrals. Ultimately, we discovered that the common wisdom isn’t so wise, and that the best referral-generating strategies are the ones that empower referrers to serve their own social networks, boost their own senses of self, and close the loop on generous reciprocation. This month, we’re pivoting out of philosophy and into practice.
Read MoreA few months ago the PICA community gathered for a webinar with Stacey Brown Randall, a leading light in business referrals strategy. She spoke about one of the biggest problems in solopreneurship: the feast-famine cycle.
How do we put a stop to that cycle? How do we bring more clients into the fold? How do we systematize the business development process? And how do we do it all without spending money and effort on digital advertising and direct marketing?
Read MoreYour prospect pipeline dries up because you get busy and you stop talking to prospects and partners who can hire you or refer you to others.
You need to make sure you put time on your calendar every week for outreach. (Mimiran makes this really easy, but whatever system you are using, make sure there is time blocked off in your calendar.) With a CRM…
Most independent consultants have some FUD (fear, uncertainty, or doubt) when it comes to finding work. Even if you’ve been self-employed for years, dry spells between projects can still happen, and if you’re just starting out it’s especially difficult to find your own work. It can take several months to set up your business, establish your reputation, and build your network in order to find and bill your own clients directly. Subcontracting to a well-established consulting firm or through an agency or online platform can be an attractive option. This article and the corresponding quick reference guide summarize the pros and cons and offer practical tips for expanding your reach…
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This is where we post our latest content on how to be your best as a self-employed consultant. Nearly all articles are written by PICA’s Chief Advocate, Liz Steblay, based on her 25 years in consulting.
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