How to play a bigger game as a solopreneur

by Natalie Sisson

If you’re the owner of your business and the only employee, there will be times when you want to appear more professional and larger than you really are in order to land the big clients.

Startups of today that are lean and mean (i.e you or just one other) also appear fresh, agile and more innovative than larger companies. So use that to your advantage and play to your strengths. Use your speed to react to initiatives and your fresh ideas to lead from the front.

For those times when you want to take it to the next level, here’s how to make yourself appear larger than life without spending a fortune.

Hire a virtual team

Outsource professional work to freelancers for a fraction of your hourly rate and get them to work on specific projects. One of your first hires would be a Virtual Assistant who can field your initial emails and direct your attention the priorities, while making sure clients and potential customers are still receiving excellent customer service. Then hire freelancers to work on making your website, marketing materials and product or service look and feel more professional. Invest in their skills and let them do what they’re best at so that you can free up more time by focusing on your strengths.

Build a big brand

If you want to appear bigger and more influential than you actually are you should always aim to be building and maintaining a powerful brand. If you, your work, and your opinions are everywhere - on social media, in the press and at events, the question of how many people you have working for you will be overshadowed by the impressive brand credentials.

"Yes We Can"

A simple rule of thumb is to refer to your company by using "we” instead of I in all communications, website copy and in your conversations at meetings, events and on the phone. It instantly makes you appear bigger than you really are.

Be a team player

You can always go the route of teaming up with a big player in your business niche and use the credibility of their brand to boost yours, and in the interim make you appear bigger too, in the mind of your customers. For example you could co-host a competition or an event together, or launch a new product or service together. For the bigger fish you may need to put in more work to make this happen but the end result will be a stronger brand and a great public image.

Be a social bunny

Using social media to interact with your community is a cheap and effective way to appear like a larger company. With the ability to create multiple profiles, you can comment and engage with a community from a variety of different viewpoints that align with your brand. You can also schedule out updates and your messages throughout the day and across a variety of social networks, creating the impression that you have a team behind you.

First impressions count

If you invest in a great website design then you’re more likely to attract new visitors to your site and make the right impression on those potential clients you want to work with most. Make your about page include not only you, but freelancers you work with, your virtual assistant and even interns you can bring on to help out. Post their bios on your site and give them email addresses for your company. As your business builds, your team will grow.

Hire a negotiator

As a solopreneur, do not negotiate your own deals. This puts you in a weak negotiating stance and positions you as though you are running the business out of your basement. As the business owner who provides the service or product, you need to be the hero, not the negotiator and invoice chaser. Hire someone else to take charge of your big deals.

There are numerous ways to grow into the business you envisioned you’d have when you started out. One of the best ways to do this is to think like you own a million dollar company. The way you act and present yourself is the most important thing. Create the vision of the company you want to lead and live and breathe it.

Natalie Sisson is a Kiwi Entrepreneur and Adventurer dedicated to finding creative ways to help you run your business from anywhere. She focuses on using online tools, social media and outsourcing to create more freedom in business and adventure in life. Her blog The Suitcase Entrepreneur features articles on all aspects of running a virtual business, a wealth of resources, biz and travel tools plus a large dose of inspiration, insight and intelligence.

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The views and opinions of the author expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of Hotfrog.