Before the recession, PR campaigns for big companies was ALL I did. Big companies would pay me generous retainers to “just do their PR for them.” When the economy got tough, many of those clients pulled in their dollars as they did what they could to survive. Social media gave companies more control over building their buzz than ever before. Traditional media started to shrink at a quick clip. It was a triple threat of challenges that gave me and my business serious pause.
In fact, about a year ago, I remember sitting in a client’s office after multiple phone conversations, in-person meetings, and proposal drafts. The client declared during the meeting that they wanted to begin work on their high priority scope of ongoing work THAT DAY. Then, they delayed and delayed and delayed. They are STILL delaying.
Being a small business owner, this was disheartening to say the least.
I decided to take back control over my destiny and create a new suite of services that would be an “easy yes” for a different target audience to enjoy. That has made things better for many clients and for me. Today, my focus is on serving solopreneurs who engage my services in bite-sized ways that make a big difference for them at fees that make good sense. That makes it a whole lot easier for me to “bend and sway” with their comings and goings with a lot more ease and grace in the best and the most challenging of times. Clients are singing my praises. And I am loving my work more than ever before.
Today, Startup Nation named my company among their list of Ultimate Resources for Home-Based Businesses. And, among the 70 Unique Strategies to Land New Customers/Clients noted on this popular blog by Carol Roth, my suggestion ranks #10 on the list. Word continues to travel far and beyond to my ideal audience about the ways I make a difference for their success. The future is bright for all of us.
As it turned out, that client’s delay in getting to YES a year ago turned into a great gift. Reinvention is a powerful thing.
Have you reinvented your business to emerge stronger in 2011 than before? Please share a comment here at the blog and tell your story. Your story could be a gift to someone else seeking to thrive in today’s demanding times.
