Don’t let your freelance business tagline box you in.
This is a tricky one.
When I’m coaching people who are starting out in their careers as freelancers, I challenge them to come up with a very clear definition of who they are and what they offer.
For instance, when asked in an elevator, a freelancer might say, “I’m a B2B freelance copywriter serving the financial services software industry.”
Good job. It’s important to be able to quickly and clearly communicate your particular area of expertise.
In fact, that freelancer might do well to add that statement as a tagline on his website.
And each time he is approached to do new work, he could ask himself, “Is this new job a good match for my niche position as a B2B freelance copywriter serving the financial services software industry?”
This guy knows where his focus lies, he knows who his prospects are, and he knows that by sticking with his niche he is building an enormous body of expertise in that area. He is building valuable relationships, a solid reputation and becoming a high-value authority.
If it’s such a powerful thing to have clarity on who you are and what you offer, why would there be a problem with allowing that clarity to define your future?
Good question.
It’s a question of interpretation.
One person might view their tagline or elevator pitch as a wall, a set of boundaries beyond which one should never venture.
Another person might view the tagline not as a wall, but simply as their core and foundation.
There is a difference. Walls keep you in. A strong core holds you in place, but without defining specific boundaries.
As an example, the freelancer surrounded by his walls might say no if asked by a publisher to write a book on Best Practices in Marketing Financial Services Software. He might say no to an invitation to speak at a conference. He might think, “Hey, I’m a copywriter, not an author or a speaker.”
Or he might say no when asked to work with a web services company which is creating a new social media platform for financial services software marketers. “No, I don’t write content for web services companies. I write copy for financial services software developers.”
Or he might decline a trusted friend’s suggestion that they build an information marketing business, focused on publishing materials that serve the needs of financial services software companies. “No, I’m not a publisher. No, I’m not an entrepreneur. I’m a freelance copywriter.”
So what about the person who views his tagline not as a set of walls, but simply as the core and foundation of what he does?
Offered the same opportunities, after careful due diligence, he might feel free to say yes to any one of these suggestions.
My point being, that while it is essential that you careful define and communicate your specific area of expertise, don’t allow that definition to become an unbreakable wall. Don’t box yourself in.
Instead, use that clarity of purpose as your core, a core from which it is safe to venture and explore new opportunities when and if they arise.
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