So you want to be an entrepreneur or a freelancer or a businessperson? Whether this is something that you’ve always wanted to do, or it’s an idea you’re just starting to toy with, it can seem intimidating. Leaving your comfortable and reliable job, or straying from a predetermined career path that your parents have laid out for you can seem like a big deal – and it is. But it doesn’t have to be so intimidating that you never do it. Because like anything else in life, if you plan for it, if you work hard, and if you believe in yourself, you can make it happen. Sometimes, it’s just the idea of doing things alone that can really freak you out. And that’s understandable. But it is really important to remember that you’re never really going to be alone. Not for long anyway.
Starting a business, even as a freelancer, makes you feel as if it’s just you and the world. But it’s not. It’s you and the internet. Even if you’re starting a store, the internet is going to play a huge part in your success. Yes, you’ll be alone to begin with. But before long, there will be contractors, colleagues, mentors, experts, and suppliers by your side. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves.
Right now, you want to know how you’re going to do this thing – set up solo. You want to know exactly how to get started, and what it’s going to take for you to see real results, how long it will take, and that you can actually find the success that you’re looking for. Whether you just need some motivation or you want to know the practical steps to follow, you’ve come to the right place. Here are twelve tips that do just that.
- Determination
So before we get into any of the practical things or tools that you need to do to make this happen, let’s cover off an inner trait that will take you a long way. Because when you want to do your own thing, you need to be determined. You can’t doubt yourself. You need to know that you’re going to do what it takes to get to where you want to be. Where hard work is concerned anyway. Because this is a kind of career path that can test you, and you need to have that vision that will push you to where you want to be.
- A Goal
Now that we’ve gotten that part out of the way, you’re going to want to set yourself a killer goal. And it has to scare you. As a businessperson, you need to have vision. So think about where you want to be in five or ten years time. When you set ten-year goals, it gives you the incentive to work out what to do today, so that you can get to your end goal in the future.
- A Business Plan
To back up your goal and to make sure that you’re going to be able to achieve it, you need to create a business plan. Now, you don’t have to spend a lot of time on this, but you do need to be thinking about everything from your growth ideas to your marketing strategy. Even as a freelancer, if you know you want to get to a certain point with your career, this plan is going to help you.
- A Website
Next up, you’ll want to get yourself a website, if you don’t have one already. Whether you’re launching an online store or you’re providing freelance writing service, you need a fast website, learn more on that here, that will generate business for you. It should sell your services, provide information, engage your audience, and be easy to use. This will be the bread and butter of your business.
- A Blog
If the website is your bread and butter, then a blog will be the jelly on top. A business blog allows you to boost SEO and rank on Google, gives your visitors something to read, can land you sales, and provides you with content to share on social media too.
- Social Media
So you’re then going to want to make sure that you start to build up a social media presence too. And this is incredibly important if you want to be able to grow. Because your audience is online. No matter who they are, they will be on social media. So think about the key platforms that you should have a presence on, and start to engage with others early.
- Market Research
Next up, you’re going to want to make sure that you’re doing some kind of market research. You’ll want to really work out who your audience is, what they need from you, and how you’re going to meet their needs. When you do this, you’ll be able to ensure that your content, your products, and your services are what they want.
- An Engaged Audience
Then you’ll want to ensure that you’re doing what you can to engage with your target audience. If you’re not sure how, you can discover more on that here. But after you’ve done your market research and you’ve chosen your platforms, you should find that this is so much easier to do as long as you keep at it.
- Professionalism
Even though you’re new to the world of business or freelancing or entrepreneurship, you can still look professional. It doesn’t matter that you have no experience, because if you set things up right, you will still get the business you want. And professionalism helps with that. So make sure that you’re acting like the business that you want to be, not the business that you are today.
- Key Skills
You’ll also want to make sure that you’re confident with selling your business idea, and that you can look after your customers too. Sales and customer service skills really matter if you want to be able to get your business venture off the ground.
- Organization
Now, you also need to be organized. As you start to get busier, things can feel a little hectic. You could honestly work endless hours on your business and still have a million and one things to do. So to make this more manageable, and to stay sane, you need to bring in the right organization strategies to help you. You may also find that start to delegate work to contractors or getting an assistant will help you to stay organized with everything you need to manage too.
- Forward-Thinking
It’s also going to help you to always be thinking ahead. Not so much that you’re just not focusing today, but you need to know where you’re going. When you think about where you want to be, and not where you are today, you’ll be able to put the plans in place that will get you there. Don’t ever dwell on how small or inexperienced you are, because you won’t be tomorrow. Keeping your eye on the prize is a great way to grow.
Finally, you just need to ensure that you believe in yourself. Each of the twelve tips above are going to help you to get to where you want to be – but only if you actually believe you can get there. Confidence and self-belief can really get you to where you want to be. So follow the steps, stay motivated, and know that you can find solo success.
