You might never dress in Dior and adorn yourself with Cartier bling. And you might never find yourself walking a red carpet. But as a solopreneur, you do (believe it or not!) share some things in common with the famous personalities that were abundant at the Golden Globe Awards. Here’s how you can use them to your advantage…
Like it or not, you’ve earned a degree of celebrity status.
As a business owner, you’re out there in the public eye. Just because the paparazzi aren’t chasing you around every corner, doesn’t mean that people aren’t paying attention. Being in business expands awareness of you as an individual within your community. And thanks to social media, you could very well be making a name for yourself in circles well beyond the place you call home.
Use your celebrity status (no matter how great or how small) to build a positive brand image. Be helpful, interesting, giving and responsive to your audience. And set out to be role model for other solopreneurs and members of your community. Be real. Be optimistic. Be accessible.
How you perform is constantly under critique
Just like the actors at the Golden Globes, your work gets reviewed by an audience. And the individuals within that audience (your clients, your blog subscribers, your social media connections) have differing tastes, frames of reference, and levels of tolerance.
Not only do you need to do your best work at all times, but you need to be cognizant of the unique wants and needs within your diverse fan base. Unfortunately, it’s not always possible to please all of the people all of the time, so get a grip on who you need to focus on satisfying the most (Hint: Keep your target market in mind!).
Appreciation and gratitude build adoration
When Golden Globe winners express genuine gratitude for the accolades received and appreciation for the people who helped them along the way, they give off warm fuzzies that make adoring fans even more adoring.
That can go a long way for solopreneurs, too. Be generous in acknowledging others for their recommendations and referrals. Reciprocate when people share your blog articles and comment on your social media posts. Spread the word about vendors’ services. You have so many easy and cost-effective ways to show your appreciation and gratitude readily available to you. Use them!
What other ways do you find yourself in the spotlight as a solopreneur? What challenges have you met because of becoming better known locally and online as you’ve been building your business?
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Good words, Dawn. Right on. I have been thinking about my old corporate days and realize that there was an entire department dedicated to PR. Fortunately, we all have the benefit of not having to work directly for someone. However, it also means that we have to take the time to put ourselves in the limelight and work on image. As we enter this post-information age, I think its required.
Thanks for your comment, Charles. You are so right – there are definitely perks and challenges that come with being the master of one’s own destiny! And with “being the brand!”