I accepted a long time ago that the entrepreneur path is my destiny. There is a big part of me that likes the flexibility, freedom and creative expression that comes through working for yourself.
If one strategy doesn’t work, you simply try another one. No chain of commands or approval process needed.
But I would be lying if I said that switching hats from employee to entrepreneur just comes naturally…because it doesn’t.
Thinking seriously about joining the thousands of corporate escapees and becoming a consultant?
While there are many things that need to change and shift for you, here are a few top ones that come to mind for me.
Change your personal vision.
Your mindset has to shift because now you’re operating from a different vision and outlook, not as an employee, but as an entrepreneur.
So you no longer need to impress the company or your boss, you need to wow your ideal clients’ and their needs, wants and expectations are very different.
Revise your brand promise.
Your branding needs to change so that your promise of experience and promise of your value is appealing to the client.
An employer maybe focused primarily on experience and expertise while your ideal clients want to know your results with yourself or with clients like them.
Switch your marketing materials.
When you’re looking to land another position as an employee, the main marketing materials you’re using will be your resume a LinkedIn profile and sometimes a bio.
When you’re trying to land a sale with your ideal client, the marketing vehicles will be very different. You need to have a strong online presence (website, LinkedIn company page, social media profiles etc) and offline presence (capabilities statement, corporate bio, business profile etc) so the customer can learn about you, your background, and your services.
Be strategic with your messaging.
- How do you let the world know what you can offer them?
- How do you let ideal clients know how you can best serve them?
- What language do you use?
- What are the words that you are using?
You have to speak to your ideal clients’ pains, understand what they are struggling with and using the right messages to connect with them.
What are some other shifts and changes you had to make when you first became a consultant?
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