This week I’m going to a superb event called “Success in Heels”. It’s all about women empowerment and how to be a dynamic, successful woman in today’s world. The line-up includes female guest speakers who will talk about living your life on PURPOSE and dreaming BIG! I look forward to hearing from these women, each of whom are powerhouses in this country. From business moguls to publishers to entrepreneurs to qualified psychologists….The evening will not disappoint! I’m all about women doing it for themselves, and this event falls on the first of spring here in South Africa. What better way to welcome in renewal, growth, warmth and colour to our lives? Owning your own business is fun. I get to work in my pajamas if I want, I can take a vacation whenever I can afford it and I can take on the clients that fit well with my personality. Those are often things that don’t happen at an office job. But with an office job comes more stability. A lot of that disappears the minute you decide to be your own boss. It’s your job to bring in the money, clients and meetings. Here’s different ways on how to get the work you need if you are an entrepreneur:
- Organic/Search: People find you searching for what they need whether that’s on Google or another site like Dribbble or another portfolio site. It’s a great way to get a client since you’re not really doing much work but it can also lead to projects that don’t really connect with you since you were passive in the formation of that relationship.
- Referral: Someone that you know professionally or personally has referred someone to you. I’ve just recently begun discounting services when a potential client might have a great list of contacts. If you’re my client and provide me with 5 individuals or small businesses that might want to work with me, it’s very worth it to provide a discount.
- Social Media/Blogging: A potential client might get to know you on Twitter or on your website/ blog before they decide to work with you.
- Relationships: We know the client (and in-person) first. This includes past colleagues, people we went to school with or friends/family. While these projects come about from a very reliable source, they also tend to be less lucrative. You end up giving people you know discounts or you get a little lazy when it comes to signing contracts. As time as gone on, you should end up doing less and less projects for friends and family.
- Pursuing the Client: This is a situation where you reach out, connect and then offer ways in which you believe you can work together.
