The first fundamental of marketing is the product (or service).

What products and/or services will you offer?

You need a strong understanding of your target market’s needs and wants. Your product or service should be designed to add value to your clients’ lives.

Products are tangible goods like food, furniture, clothing etc. It’s important to understand the features of your product in order to sell its benefits.

If you are offering professional services, having an honest understanding about your skills and which of them excites you the most can give you a good sense of which direction to lead your business.

As you develop your product or service, think about what benefits it brings to your clients. Your customers will purchase from you to meet a need they have. So, think about why your customers are buying your products. Does your product help customers have a healthier outlook on life? Do your services make them feel safer? Do you offer convenience by helping them save time and money? 

For example, getting a haircut provides more than a trim. For many clients, a new haircut can make them feel like they enhanced their beauty and can boost their confidence. Understanding the benefits of your product or services will help you define the need you are meeting.

Do you want to sell your product or service to businesses (B2B), directly to individuals (B2C), or both?

A B2B, for example, is a business that sells barber tools to barbershops so that they can provide service to their customers. A B2C is the barbershop, which provides haircuts directly to their clients.

Though any one could purchase from you, your clients are those who shop from you the most. What are some characteristics your average customer shares? In order to market well to your customers, you have to understand their demographics, needs, values, buying styles, interests, and attitudes towards technology because these attributes, amongst others, can affect how they purchase from you. 

To create your target customer profile, think about what your average customer looks like, how your customers reach you, and what products or services they purchase from you. For example, let’s imagine you own a barbershop in the suburbs of Los Angeles. Your target customers are men between the ages of 18-45, who prefer visiting barber shops over beauty salons and they are willing to pay more for a haircut because they value attention to detail. They earn between $2,500 and $4,000 per month and they value high-quality work, time efficiency, and self-care.

Knowing this information is important if you plan on charging $35 for a haircut. For example, your customer has to be comfortable paying for it, while for others, $35 might  be too costly, leading them to pay $15 at another salon. For others, $35 is worth the price for the experience and attention to detail. It’s important to know additional characteristics, such as their attitude towards technology. For example, if your clients are comfortable using technology, you may integrate an online appointment-booking system. Here are some questions to help you get started.

Do they prefer quality over quantity? Do they care for the environment? Are they health conscious? Do they value self-care?

Do they shop online? Or do they prefer shopping in person? Do they budget?

What are their age ranges? Where do they live? What is their monthly income? Do they have a family?

Are they interested in technology? Are they liberal or conservative?

Consider these segments, and others that may be important for your clients, as you create your target customer profile.

Your price should be a balance between what your customer feels is fair for the value they are receiving and what it costs you to provide your product or service.

This is why it’s important to know who your customers are. As a tip, show your product or service to your target customers and ask them: 1) would they pay for this product?  2) how much would they be willing to pay? 

Here are some questions to help you define your costs and prices. We will explore the costs in further detail in the budget section.

• How much does it cost to make a single unit of your product or provide your service?
• What are your monthly fixed costs? 
• How much do you want to pay yourself?

As you set your prices for each service or product you provide, consider what your competitors are charging. There are two main types of competition: direct and indirect. 

Direct competition are those businesses who offer the same products/services as you. For example, a coffee shop competing directly with other coffee shops. 

Indirect competitors sell a different product but compete for the same customers. For example, a restaurant that also sells coffee. Understanding your competition will help you understand your clients and what they need from your business.

If your target customer is local, does your business have a physical location? 

Do they spend a lot of time online or on their phone? If you sell online, do you ship or deliver? Do you offer your services virtually or in person?

When you choose how you sell, you have to make sure your ideal target market is there too. For example, if you sell fresh fruit and snacks out of a cart, you have to set-up shop near a high trafficked place, where your customers and potential customers can find you. As a tip, find where your clients shop and where they frequent. For example, if you are selling baked goods you may find your clients in farmers markets, or in Whole Foods. 

If you know your target market buys primarily from organic shops for example, you should not be selling your products at low-cost grocery stores, because you know your clients aren’t there.

Let’s start with a basic understanding of promotion and marketing. There are different types of marketing: digital, print, and those that fall in between.

Examples of digital marketing are promotions via social media, paid ads, search engine optimization, and email. 

Examples of print marketing are business cards, flyers, and newspaper/magazine ads, and novelty advertising like pens and hats. 

There are others that fall between digital and print, such as signage, referrals via word of mouth, and news coverage via radio or television.

Simply put, your brand tells others what they can expect from your products and services. Your brand is rooted in who you are, who you want to be, and who people perceive you to be. Your brand will also help you stand out from your competition. 

What kind of customer service do you want to offer?

Your brand is a culmination of the experience, perception, and reputation that people have of your services. Branding is the actions taken to build your brand. A brand identity is the tangible expression of your brand (logo, typography, colors, etc).

Your branding could be reflected in your uniforms, your logos, your website, and social media.

A logo is the first thing your customers see. It can quickly grab viewers’ attention and communicate what your business does in a simple way. 

It is imprinted on your products, your business card, website, social media, and most importantly, in the minds of your clients.

Your logo can include pictures, words, or both and should be something your clients can easily identify.

Building a basic website that communicates your business, story, and product can be quick and easy. Software services such as Squarespace allow you to purchase a website address (URL) and begin building your page using one of the templates provided

Your customer profile will determine what social media platforms you should promote your business in. Observe the social media platforms that your target market is using. 

Some social media platforms, such as Facebook, have Groups designated as spaces where people can connect with others based on their specific interests, such as mountain biking, baking, childcare, dance music, and thousands of other interest areas. You can join these groups to spread the word about your business, and learn from these prospective customers about how their interests, needs, and wants are changing.

Keep in mind that while anyone can use social media, there are trends in terms of who uses which platforms. For instance, Facebook is popular among users ages of 25-34. Instagram is aimed at users between the ages of 18-44.Twitter has a broad following across multiple segments, while LinkedIn is primarily used by professions of all demographics in order to network and share knowledge and opportunities. If you are providing a service, or offering products like food, we recommend you include the use of other platforms such as Yelp and Google for businesses. This way, when a potential customer seeks your product or service, they can learn more about your business through information you are providing and information other clients are providing as well. 

Many of these social media platforms will also offer services like ads. As a tip, consider ads only when your business is financially prepared for the investment, you have positive reviews potential clients can consider, and a specific goal in mind. Remember to have patience during this process. 

Elevate your business by using a professional email address instead of a personal one. If you have a website, consider matching your website URL with your email. For example, if your website is www.xyzflowers.com, then your email address could be yourname@xyzflowers.com. 

If it makes sense for your business, a monthly newsletter about your industry, craft, or expertise can add lots of value to your customer. You can also use this strategy as a way to follow up with customers after they’ve made a purchase to measure their satisfaction and encourage repeat business, such as by offering coupon codes or other special deals.

If you decide that you will use an email marketing campaign, we recommend that you use a service that allows you to manage your lists of newsletter subscribers, and allows your email recipients to unsubscribe or subscribe easily. Services such as Mailchimp, Constant Contact, Sendinblue, and Drip are currently among the most popular direct email marketing campaign software.

There are other ways to promote your business, including with print marketing like business cards. This may not be necessary for all businesses, like companies who do business online, however, if you provide products and services in person, business cards may be a good way to promote your business. Your cards should include your business name, logo, and how your clients can contact you. 

Carry your business cards everywhere you go! You may come across a potential customer and having a business card and your elevator pitch ready could help you gain a new client!

Here are some tips on how to talk with potential clients about your services as an independent contractor: 

• Set up a time to meet with new contacts, and offer to pay for their lunch or coffee. 
• Be prepared to talk about legal aspects of independent contracting as this offers some protection for both you and your prospective client.
• Talk about your previous work and academic background. 
• Talk about how your services match up with what they are looking for.
• Know your competitive rates for the services you provide.
• Ask a lot of questions and listen to their answers to the following questions:

• • What are their biggest and most immediate needs?
  • What has been their experience in working with consultants and contractors for this line of work?
  • What are their expectations in terms of the work product, time, budget, etc.?

• List out the next steps you both will take before you end your conversation.

Additional Resources