When someone asks you what you do, do you freeze up or start stammering? You need a concise, memorable response prepared for all the times when you’re asked about your work. This is sometimes called your “elevator speech.” Why? Imagine stepping into an elevator with your biggest prospect. She turns to you and asks, “So, what exactly do you do?” You have 30 seconds—the time it takes for the elevator to get to her destination on the 25th floor—to describe yourself in such a way that she immediately understands why you are the solution to her problems.
Introvert’s Tips for Great Headshots
After having my Happy Hour Headshot, I thought back on what made it such a good experience, despite having arrived home from Australia less than 24 hours earlier and being someone who doesn’t enjoy getting her picture taken.
Let’s face it – some of us don’t naturally warm up and smile when a camera is pointed at us. That doesn’t mean we can’t take good headshots; we just have to approach the experience with a fresh attitude.
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Happy Hour Headshot – solopreneur profile
I recently saw a blurb for a Denver photographer, Jennifer Buhl, who had an unusual pitch. If you need a professional, hip, affordable headshot in a convenient, urban location with a former paparazza, check out HappyHourHeadshot.com. Now making Coloradoans look like celebrities!
Earning word-of-mouth referrals
Maybe it’s because I was getting ready for my webinar, From Zero to Clients: Starting (or Re-starting) Your Word-of-Mouth Referral Machine, but I reached out to my network several times last week, asking for referrals for various jobs I needed done. What I experienced showed me just how critical these referrals are for solopreneurs and how important it is to excel if you have been referred to someone.
Just a dog-walker, or “compassionate companion-animal care”
Recently, a friend told me about her dream of leaving her corporate job and finding a way to make a living doing what she loves — in her case, caring for people’s pets. She already had a name picked out, “Caring Hearts Dog-Walking” and was thinking about how many of her elderly neighbors might want her to walk their dogs.
Specialist or generalist? – part 2
In my earlier post, I talked about finding my specialization not in a particular field but in a special service I provide my clients. That may not be the best approach for you, particularly if the service you provide doesn’t by itself set you apart.
Why nerdy passion matters
I’m often asked by people who are just starting their business whether they need to specialize and how they can differentiate themselves. I recently had a great opportunity to see from the buyer’s point of view what really matters when buying a professional service.
Moving up the value chain
Do you think of yourself as a freelancer? self-employed? a consultant?
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The Un-Elevator Pitch
When someone asks you what you do, do you freeze up or start stammering? You need a concise, memorable response prepared for all the times when you’re asked about your work. This is sometimes called your “elevator pitch.” Why? Imagine stepping into an elevator with your biggest prospect. She turns to you and asks, “So, what exactly do you do?” You have 30 seconds—the time it takes for the elevator to get to her destination on the 25th floor—to describe yourself in such a way that she immediately understands why you are the solution to her problems.