How to Accelerate Your Consulting Business In Great Resignation
A lot has been happening in the world and the way we do business has changed forever. Uncertainty is evident everywhere and at the same time we have the Great Resignation aka the Big Quit happening all over the world. The need for freelance consulting and the opportunity to get your freelance consulting business up and running has never been this great.
What is The Great Resignation?
Something transcendental happened during the COVID pandemic. Not only did many businesses decide to offer their employees the opportunity to work remotely, but many individuals experienced an almost existential crisis. Moreover, they realised that life is short and it can’t be spent hating your 9 to 5.
People (mostly younger people between the ages of 30 and 45) started quitting in their droves. This was either because they couldn’t fathom going back to the office every day and enjoyed working remotely or simply because they found the courage to chase after their dreams. The Great Resignation is nothing more than normal people having much bigger aspirations and having the guts to go for them.
Key Business Findings during Great Resignation 2021
The COVID pandemic and the resulting Great Resignation has clearly redefined the business landscape. A recent study found that:
27.7% of employees are working fully remote now
67% of businesses have completely changed their management and business practices
53% of businesses are now open to rather employing freelancers than permanent employees
71% of HR departments are planning on increasing the number of freelance hires
How do I Take Advantage of the Great Resignation & Accelerate My Freelance Consulting Business?
Many realise that there is a golden opportunity to branch out on their own now. But not many actually know how to start and successfully run their freelance consulting career. Here are a few tips on how to fully take advantage of the Great Resignation 2021 and accelerate your freelance consulting business:
Get Social
It’s time to delve into the business side of social media. You will have to avoid thinking such as “but no-one uses Facebook anymore” or “but isn’t LinkedIn just an online CV?”. Learn how to run successful social media groups, pages and accounts as a business. What kind of content you should be posting and how often. How to run social media ad campaigns that actually work. Become a thought leader within your industry by sharing valuable knowledge via LinkedIn articles and blogs.
Get a Website
The number one rule for almost any business is to get an online presence up and running in the form of a website. Whether you will be consulting under a business name or your own, you will need to get a website up and running so people can find you online. Your website needs to tell people about you, the services you offer and how to get in contact with you.
Work the Buddy System
The best way to accelerate your freelance consulting business is to partner up. And with this we don’t mean creating a business entity partnership. But, simply working with a business or another freelancer where you can both refer each other to clients. You can even collaborate on a specific project or product offering.
Offer a Knowledge Sharing Add-On
We’ve already touched on having a blog where you can establish yourself as a thought leader within your industry. But you can also opt for a podcast. A podcast also works well in terms of the before-mentioned buddy system since you can invite partners to be guests on the podcast.
Show & Tell
As a freelancer it’s essential that you have a portfolio to show potential clients what you’re capable of and boast with previous successes. If you’ve just started you will need to make a point of building up your portfolio.
Get Involved
You need to start becoming an integral part of your industry and its community. Become a presence on online forums and industry events. Network and provide value to others. This is one of the best ways to market your services.
Cold-calling
Ok, you don’t really have to call, but you definitely need to pitch. Whether it is via mail, call or in-person presentation, you will need to pitch your services to potential clients. Make a list of some businesses you would love to work with and reach out, asking if you can tell them a little more about your offerings.
Review the Competition
Reaction videos and columns are all the rage these days and there’s no better way to show off your skills than to spotlight the lack thereof in your competitors. Be careful, though; there’s a fine line between critiquing for educational purposes and trash talking. You will also need to ensure that the competitor’s business/company name is blurred or emitted. Since this can be classified as defamation in many countries and lead to legal action being taken against you. As long as you’re merely reviewing and showing how you would improve on their work without mentioning the company/business name, it can be a useful (and entertaining) marketing tool.
Provide the Answers
Ever seen how many people ask for advice in all sorts of forums and social media groups? So be the one who provides valuable answers. We’re not telling you to “work for free”. There is a big difference between telling someone whether it’s better to use blue or green in their logo and actually creating a logo. Answer a question as a freelance consultant just enough so a business or individual can see how valuable your input can be.
Scope out Client Platforms
Many first-time consultants don’t feel comfortable finding clients completely independently. Many complain of not being paid according to industry standards (if at all) and others struggle to find a client or project that’s a good fit. An easy way to manage this problem is to make use of reputable platforms to seek out potential clients and projects. If you would like to find out how Consultport can help you in this area, please click here.
It’s clear that the Great Resignation 2021 has brought with it great opportunities. And by following our helpful tips and using our platform you are sure to find the freelance consulting success you are aspiring to.
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