Solopreneur Doorway

Issue 7

Read time: 5 minutes

It’s great to see you! You’re doing amazing work.

In this issue, we focus on 3 strategy action steps for your solo biz and a powerful interview with video expert Adam Laurie.

Jump to a section below:

Crafting a strategy for your service business is tough.

When I chat with solopreneurs who offer professional services, the first two questions I ask are these:

“Who do you help?”
“What is the transition your process provides?”

These questions work for 3 reasons:

You identify the prospects you can help
You create a helpful flow chart for your process
You develop and illustrate the transition your process delivers

Identify the Correct Prospects

The phrase ‘try to help everyone and you help no one’ rings true from day 1.

It’s essential to get specific on which prospects you can assist with your expertise and solutions.

For example.

Are you taking newbies from stage 1 to stage 3 or helping pros move from stage 8 to stage 10?

The newbie requires a different transition than a client who has expertise. It’s essential that you identify the correct niche so you can position your services to address their challenges.

Examples:

The new podcaster
The new solopreneur that needs copywriting solutions
The seasoned C-suite officer who is switching careers from healthcare to tech

Place your ideal prospect group on the appropriate sides of the bell curve, and be sure to stay out of the middle.

Next, create a process flow chart to illustrate how you collaborate with clients.

Create a Process Flow Chart

While you need confidence and clarity to discuss your process, the right graphic can turn your prospect’s confusion into an a-ha light that illuminates your process.

A process flow chart helps prospects identify the steps you provide and the benefits of moving in a specific order.

Your flow chart illustration should accompany your conversations with prospects so they can better understand how each of your steps leads to a desirable outcome.

When you illustrate the unique steps in your process, your next move is to demonstrate the positive transition your clients will experience.

Show Your Client Transition

Clients want your process to simplify their journey and deliver results. Your goal is to show the destination your prospects will discover and the incredible ‘feelings’ they’ll have once they arrive.

You can demonstrate this transition with 3 metrics.

Time

Does your solution save your prospect time?

If yes, it’s essential you show how much time and what they can do with the extra time your service delivers.

When clients complete your process, they want to know if it gives them more free time to pursue other business activities.

Value

Does your solution provide a unique benefit at a lower cost?

If yes, it’s key you demonstrate the ‘investment’ prospects make and the value your process delivers vs. your competition.

Highlight the investment your prospect makes and the exceptional ‘value’ they receive.

Money

Big surprise, right?

Prospects invest money to make money. It’s your job to demonstrate how an investment in your process increases their revenue or decreases their costs.

They want to invest money in a process that generates a high return.

If you want the right prospects to embrace your process, you have to illustrate the value and transition your system offers.

Key Takeaways from my Interview with Adam

Adam turned an internal business challenge into a strategy to solve 1 BIG client problem.
He maintains a positive mindset to weather the solopreneur roller coaster.
He encourages all solopreneurs to create a smart business plan.

Adam Laurie is an expert at leveraging video to generate and capture demand for his clients.

When Adam began his solo business, he faced common business hurdles. The biggest was how to develop 1 strategy to solve 1 BIG client problem.

Adam discovered and refined his strategy by following a wise step. He looked at his own business and found a challenge that affected his business’s growth.

During our energetic conversation, Adam was candid about his mistakes and successes.

He is bold in his pursuit of excellence and forthright in his approach to refining his solutions to assist clients.

Meet Adam Laurie.

5 Questions for Adam Laurie

Q1 / Erik: “When you decided, Adam, to launch your enterprise, did you see a gap in the market?”

Adam: “The answer to that is yes and no. It was actually a problem that I tried to solve for myself first.

What I decided to do was create a sales video. That sales video was of me pitching my services as a videographer. It worked because, up until that point, I couldn’t really get the attention of people that I wanted to work with.

I couldn’t stand out in the marketplace.

When I created this video, I got it to the top of Google listings and to the top of YouTube for certain keywords. Boom. Business started flowing in.

I decided to take that sales video strategy and start using it for my clients. At that point, I noticed there was a gap in the market.“

Q2 / Erik: “I like it. Let’s flip the script. The worst business advice you received?”

Adam: “I read a book called The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur a number of years ago. The author said not to bother writing a business plan.

And I understood why. You write a business plan. It goes into a drawer, and you never look at it again. Or your business changes quite quickly in a short amount of time.

I actually wish I had created a business plan.”

Q3 / Erik: “Can you tell us about a failure that you had that may have been a steppingstone to becoming even more successful?”

Adam: “Yes. When I was working as a freelancer and things were going really well, I would work when I wanted to and go traveling when I wanted to. It was great, but then work dried up.

What I stopped doing during that time was continuing to network and connect with new people.

I sort of took the relationships that I had with other companies for granted.

As a solopreneur, you have to keep networking, marketing, meeting new people, speaking to them, and explaining how you can help them.

So when they need your help, you are at the top of their list.”

Q4 / Erik: “Adam, walk us through how you would begin to collaborate with a solopreneur.”

Adam: “Yes, certainly. A solopreneur needs consistent sales and consistent leads. As a solopreneur, <it’s key to> understand the customer buying journey. You have awareness, then consideration, and then conversion.

I would suggest that a solopreneur focus on creating content for the conversion stage and the consideration stage. That’s essentially the low-hanging fruit.“

Q5 / Erik: “If I put you in front of 100 folks who are brand new to starting a business, what advice would you give them to make sure that they start down the right path?”

Adam: “You asked, ‘What’s the gap in the market that you’re looking to fill?’

I think <this> is a really important question to understand.

It's about knowing who your audience is and the needs, problems, or challenges they have, and then having a solution that's going to fit that.

I think it’s quite easy to jump into the market like I did.

I was passionate about working for myself and made things work.

If you want quicker traction, <having> a solution that fits a need is the better way to go.”

🔎✔️ That’s a wrap for this issue.

🚪🚶Stay curious and keep opening doors.

Who Should I Interview Next?

I’m always on the lookout for dynamic solopreneurs who want to share their story.

Drop me a note at erik@thinkaday.com if you have an ideal interview candidate.

If you are starting your solopreneur biz or ready to improve your current strategy there are two steps you can take.

Visit erikduncan.com for resources and strategy ideas
Coordinate a 90-minute strategy session: We can start your biz on the right path or tackle the root cause of problems you want to fix today.

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Book a Session with Erik

Note: Coaching sessions are with Erik and offered through Thinkaday, Inc.

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