One of the issues many independent contractors struggle with is self-promotion. If you’re one of those, the time for being shy is over. Here we share four business-boosting ways to promote yourself and your services.
1. Have an impressive CV
Does your CV do an excellent job of showing who you are and, more importantly, what you can do for prospective clients? Or is it just another run-of-the-mill list of previous jobs and skills that anyone in your industry would have anyway? Your CV represents you and needs to stand out from the crowd. Think of it as your own personal brochure, which illustrates what makes you the right person for the job. Your CV should look good, be easy to read and understand and contain honest and pertinent information.
DO: Have a professional help you with your CV and/or brochure.
DON’T: Try to spruce up your CV with corny pictures and terrible fonts.
2. Team up with all the right people.
Even if you’re an independent contractor working alone, there are many people who can help you along the way. Sign up with top agencies, choose an umbrella company with personal service and a proven track record, find a reputable accountancy firm, and network with industry leaders.
DO: Seek out people and companies who share your values.
DON’T: Sign up to any service unless you have done thorough research.
3. Make your online presence work for you.
Today, you simply cannot afford to not be online. The internet increases your networking potential tremendously and allows you to promote yourself to many more people in a day than knocking on doors will. The trick is to get yourself known as an expert in your field. A blog is an obvious choice, and you could build up a massive following in a year or two if you generate enough quality content. You could upload your own instructional videos, send out informative monthly newsletters, participate in forum discussions, join online groups, or start a Facebook page for your business – anything you can think of to achieve a little online fame. And when this happens, more people will want to work with you, because you will be considered an expert in your field.
DO: Give people free information that actually helps them.
DON’T: Send emails without permission or blog about your personal life on your business blog.
4. Be the best
Finally, you need to ensure that you are walking the talk – in other words, that you are in fact the best. Brush up on your skills with courses, books, e-books, articles, training, and anything else that might enhance your skill-set and knowledge base. Be the go-to guy or girl, because your service is impeccable, you are reliable, and you are genuinely good at what you do.
DO: Work on improving your skills and services all the time.
DON’T: Boast about skills you don’t actually already have.
This helpful guest post was sponsored by 1st Contact Accounting.
