When you're an independent creator, adding value depends on your knowledge, skills, and talent. It's easy to think that creative professionals should brand themselves.
Before choosing this route, ask yourself these questions:
• Do you want to be the only resource for customers?
• Do you ever want to retire and earn passive income?
• Do you want your small business to grow?
In short, do you really want to create a personal brand prison for yourself?
Some people like to be the man or the woman. They love the fame and fame of being a professional in demand. That's fine, if the limitations and restrictions that come with it are acceptable consequences of brand self-image.
But let's say you want to leave the doors open for the future. Let's say that you are interested in a way out of your business that does not involve closing the store for good.
Let's say the only asset of your business is your brain – what's going on then?
Think product, no service
Many creative professionals sell their services. They put all the emphasis on themselves, the very act of creation. It is a mistake. It seals the perception that no one else can do what you can – and limit the growth of your business.
The best answer is to start transferring attention away from you, the professional. Treat your services as products. Reduce the importance of you, the person doing the task. Start building the perception that the customer is receiving something tangible when working with you. It does not matter if the customer can maintain or touch what you have created. The customer has actually received something from you, even if it's just a feeling that persists.
You are not your product. You are not your service. The client does not leave with a slice of your brain.
If you want to increase the value of your business, stop having importance on your own shoulders. Begin to treat the result as more important than the act of creation.
Extended faith
When you run a business, you work hard to build a good, solid reputation. That's what makes customers come back to you, does not it? Tap into the incredible asset at your disposal: an established confidence.
People already know that you are providing something beautiful. They believe in you. They know that you can give them what you want. They trust you.
When you extend your trust and trust to another person, bringing them closer to your business, you transfer some of your client's trust to that person. Your clients trust you – they will trust your judgment and will be more willing to accept someone else as your equal.
Yes, you are developing your business. You grow. You are no longer alone and your partner will work with you to maintain your established brand.
Guess what? You can take a vacation. You can leave. You can attract more people and create a larger team. You can expand and connect to new services. You can retire. You have a backup, a plan B and an escape.
You get freedom.
This guest post is courtesy of David Lieberman of Best for a Car.
