Entering a New Market - My Innovative Strategy For Solopreneurs and Microbusinesses
I, like many of you, am a serial nomad. I’ve spent the last 15 years traveling around Asia, moving a new country ever two to three years. I spent the first several years of our Asian adventures working in a tech startup, before moving, having babies, and deciding I wanted something that was portable, flexible, and creative. So I tuned into a longtime passion for Photography and launched my business, That Wild Road Photography in Jakarta, Indonesia. And just as I was gaining traction in that market, our marching orders came, and it was time to move again.
I’ve repeated this cycle several times, and several times I’ve started agin in a new market. I’ve developed a strategy that I think is really helpful, particularly for service-based solopreneurs and microbusinesses. I’m a photographer, so that’s an obvious user story. But I could totally see this working for a graphic designer, a makeup artist, a coach, a tarot card reader…really the possibilities are endless!
THE GOAL
GET YOUR WORK IN FRONT OF EYEBALLS
When you’re running a service-based business, particularly a creative business, and you’re starting in a new market, the goal is to get your work in front of as many eyeballs as possible. You want people to see your work, connect with your work, and want to engage with it….and of course, hire you based on your work. But microbusinesses don’t have massive marketing budgets (and probably you’ve also just moved….so your pockets are empty!) So, how can you accomplish this goal without a huge financial outlay?
Yes. Here’s how.
As a creative solopreneur, you might not have stacks of cash to devote to marketing, but you do have your time, your passion, and your work. And your work will speak for itself. So instead of investing money, you invest time so your work can be seen.
THE STRATEGY
WORK FOR FREE
But not really. This is my favourite method of cracking a new market. Here’s the move:
Work In Exchange for a Charitable Donation.
Let me colour this in a bit.
Select a charity that has meaning for you and is related to your story. I have a child with a rare genetic disorder that can cause blindness, so I always work with Orbis, an organization that provides sight-saving surgeries for people in the developing world. I feel a real connection to this cause and feel really good about donating my time and energy to support it. I also feel really good on an existential level knowing that my work is taking on a new level of meaning.
Select a time-frame in which you can reasonably donate your time without renumeration. Is it a week? A month? Whatever works for you. (I typically do a month of photography sessions.)
Clients book me by donating to my charity directly. This creates full transparency, eliminates any room for misunderstanding, and also allows the client to benefit from any tax breaks.
The client sends me a copy of the donation slip as “payment.”
I offer the service on a “pay what you can basis.”
BUT and this is a very important but, you define your usual rate, and you publish that as a “suggested donation.” So, all your advertizing material states something along the lines of “Pay what you can! But a suggested donation is my rate which is xxx.”
THE BENEFITS
There’s A lot! Plus It Feels GOod!
Now here’s the magic.
You get free promotion.
First up, your client is going to be blown away by your work. They’re going to talk to their friends. They’re going to post it on facebook, link to it on their website, share it on twitter. You’re going to share the work too, you tag your clients, and they repost. They’re going to do your advertising for you. Boom. Your Work in front of eyeballs.
You Test The Market
Here’s a really cool part of this strategy. You can figure our what price point the market will bare. If everyone who books you pays the suggested donation, you know you’re too cheap. If no one does, you’re too expensive. If most people do, but not everyone: goldilocks.
You Get Access To Other Free Channels
There may be networks to which you belong that don’t allow advertising, but provide GREAT access to your target market. Running a charity campaign can give you access to these networks. You can sometimes advertise a charity campaign when otherwise you wouldn’t be able to promote your work. Of course, always ask the group moderator first. But I’ve found most often, people are supportive of these projects.
You Connect With People You Wouldn’t Otherwise, and These Are Usually Great People
People who are motivated to donate to a charitable cause are usually cool people. I adore the people I meet this way, and they’ve become some of my favourite clients, some are even friends now. And, by alowing people to “pay what they can” you get in contect with a wider variety of people on the socio-economic spectrum and that’s really great, because its lovely to know and connect with different types of people.
You Feel Really Good
Being altruistic feels good. I love when I do this project. I just feel an extra layer of meaning about my work, and that’s really nice.
One Final Note. You don’t HAVE to reach out to the charity you’re promoting, but you can. And you might. They might also give you a bit of a boost!
So, there you go! That’s my strategy, and I hope it’s inspired someone to try it out!
