What is a solopreneur?
Solopreneurs (businesses that do under $1 million a year) usually operate locally, but, in this economy many have moved online. Solopreneurs consist of small shop owners, direct sellers, and those that make a living working at home on their own. They usually do not have employees and tend to do everything for themselves. Solopreneurs are the Do-it-yourself (DIY) business people that wear every hat in every aspect of the way they earn a living.
When it comes to doing business online, you will find a number of solopreneurs with brick and mortar stores only dabble with social media.
It is the time constraint that usually gets in the way. However, those that do take the time to go further, will benefit with increased profits, more consumer awareness, and as long as the products and services are of high quality, will find people sharing their stories.
Even for me, social media can take more time than I could ever anticipate. That time has been spend building an audience, gaining readers, forming new business relationships, and finding new opportunities. I would guess that at least 3 hours of my day is spent online. The result? Writing gigs that I would never have thought possible, more books in more people's hands and a nice teaching contract. All of these came from the fact that I was online and paying attention to those paying attention to me.
So where do you start?
Start with a platform where you know you can add value. Create a business fan page on Facebook. or create a presence on Google+. Invite people you know to Like your page or join your Circle. Post interesting articles every day. The articles can be something you share or something you write, just make sure it is part of your daily routine.
Build your audience. Tell your customers about your pages and ask for theLike. Offer promotions on the page and ask for the share. Create online only specials, be creative in what you offer. Tell them to print your online coupon and bring it into the store for an additional bonus or discount.
Your online presence is crucial if you want to be a part of today's market. Where do you stand?
