By Aditi Maheshwari
Being a female Solopreneur sounds like an autonomous power, but in the true sense, it is more of balancing and multitasking assignments in an efficient and effective way.
In the case of entrepreneurship and working with public and private companies, you can accuse or blame others for the delays, defective executions, or non-performance but for a solopreneur, you cannot make such excuses. Being a female solopreneur means you cannot transfer the responsibility on anyone.
Personal accountability is the trademark of a solopreneur. Whether you are a consultant, freelance writer, graphic designer, e-commerce seller, travel agent, translator, etc. being productive is the only hack to build your business.
As a female solopreneur, you will be exposed to advise and suggestions, but you know what it means to put everything on the line, and so it is extremely necessary to trust your instincts before making any decision. You will have to believe in yourself when nobody else does. Being true to yourself helps you build an authentic identity of your brand. You can reach your true potential, only when you know “WHY” and when you have the guts to stay consistent because the rewards of your hard work will come after a long period of hustle.
The journey might be a lonely ride because of little or no support from anyone. But it is important to understand that all greatness comes from some element of loneliness, some element of solitude, and our minds work best in the absence of dependency on anyone else other than the divine. Loneliness is an opportunity to bring your best self out.
Female Solopreneurs have what it takes to drive solely trusting in their journey and believing in themselves. If you have set of skills and some creative psyche, and you can believe in yourself when no one will, then solopreneurship is for you.
Most solopreneurs understand that just because something does not go as planned, does not mean it is not good; sometimes it could result in something more meaningful and magical.
Solopreneurs welcome uncertainties; they welcome the gift of solitude.
For solopreneurs it is best not to wait for opportunities but to create them. The most powerful tool in the hands of anyone is how they respond and not react towards people and circumstances and at the same time, not let negativity take the best of them.
Some practical tips for solopreneurs to work smartly are:
- Keep records.
Maintain a detailed record of all your customers i.e. contact details, records of sales, conversations you had with your customers, their expectations, their feedback, services due, etc. If you meet the requirements of your customers, you will earn trust and reliability. For starters, records can be maintained in spreadsheets, that would be sufficient, but as your work expands, you can use Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Software System. Also, separately maintain a record of potential customers so that you can pin them occasionally.
Maintaining records help to save time from an unnecessary search of any required information when you can just click open the specific file, and all necessary data is at your reach. This will help you to stay organized and improves your efficiency.
- Be innovative.
Since there are various channels of communication these days, it is essential to optimize each channel for closing deals, for providing customer service, for advertisements and publicity, etc. It is best to be creative so that you do not wear out from the face of your customers/clients. Consistently update your social media a/c’s, provide a stable web presence, create a message for email enquiries, etc.
- Be available and stay connected.
As a solopreneur it becomes naturally challenging to handle everything all by yourself. Nonetheless, this should not be an excuse for poor performance. In order to develop an individual connection with each customer, it is necessary to stay connected. When you develop a personal relationship with your customers, and they feel belonged, they turn from one-off customers to long term and loyal customers who will end up bringing referrals.
- Employ automatic methods.
Since a solopreneur has to single-handedly create, develop, build, manage, market, handle accounts, provide customer service, approach potential customer, get feedback, solve grievances, follow up, etc., it is advisable to employ automatic methods like; automate files, use phone reminders for calls, etc. so that the process becomes easy and effective.
- Seek and value customer’s feedback.
You need to resolve customer grievances, respond to the customer’s feedback and never ignore it. Incorporate the feedback received into your business practices; this will help you understand your customers better and will also make your customers choose you over your competitors. Also, it is advisable to request the customers to share their experiences on social media.
If you use the customer service and feedback tips wisely, you will build loyal customers for your brand, and that will provide you with enthusiasm to do better and serve better. Remember, your brand value depends on goodwill which is earned through loyal long term customers; nothing can replace customers.
Most importantly, always make time to learn. The more you learn, the better self equipped you to become.
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