When it comes to personal relationships, people often remind us that you’ve got to give love to get love, and, for the most part, the more love you give, the more you’re going to get in return. Though it may sound a little counter-intuitive at first, the same principle holds true in the business world, especially when you’re out their on your own as a solo business owner or entrepreneur. Ask just about any professional service providers who’ve made it big using new media, and they’ll tell you that the more free information and resources you make available to your target market, the more new clients and qualified referrals your going to attract.
Just about all of us who have much experience working in a traditional office environment have had the displeasure of working with a coworker or vendor who treats every aspect of his job duties as if it was a secret keys to a kingdom that must be closely guarded at all costs. While people like that might be able to squirrel away a position for themselves where they’re not easily replaced, the fact of the matter is that they’ll also be last on the list when others have exciting new resources or business opportunities to share. Instead, everyone takes their golden eggs to those open, authentic business partners who they’ve found so helpful in the past.
By going out of your way to establish yourself as a thought leader within your professional niche through free educational products like blogs, reports, tools and being just plain helpful, you’ll soon position yourself as that open, authentic partner that your professional network will be eager to help and promote whenever they can. Often referred to as education-based or information-based marketing, providing just-in-time answers and solutions to potentials at low to no cost is one of the best ways to stand out as solopreneur while building a brand that others will be proud to stand behind.