4 Marketing Strategies That Work for 1:1 Service Providers
We’ll be the first to admit, there’s a lot of noise when it comes to marketing strategies for small business owners. The online marketing space has exploded in recent years and with that, inevitably, comes some confusion. With the focus of those strategies being mostly geared for folks who have the desire (and skill) to move to a 1:many model (i.e. offering digital products like courses, memberships and downloads), 1:1 service providers have been left in the dust.
These same service providers are left thinking those same strategies will work for them, or worse, that the only way for them to reach their goals is to change up their entire business model.
We’ve seen these scenarios play out time and time again…
A service provider has an amazing skill set that they can use to directly help other people with. It might be interior, web or branding design. It could be photography, event planning, coaching, or copywriting. It might be accounting, bookkeeping or legal. The options are truly endless with the amazing services we’ve seen our own clients offer the world. But what happens is this…
That 1:1 service provider has some goals they aren’t quite reaching. It’s either around financial goals or lifestyle goals (they’re not making enough and/or they’re not getting enough free time). Typically, it’s both. So they come to the interwebs and podcasts and social media to learn something new. To unlock a new way of marketing their business so they can reach those goals. But what they’re sold is their offer, their business model...won’t work. That it’s not sustainable.
And the only way to fix that...is to offer something new. Something passive. They’re told time and time again that they have an income gap with 1:1 services. That the only way to reach the financial goals they have is to sell a lower priced offer to more people. That their goal shouldn’t be to put more of themselves into their business, but to find ways to remove themselves from as many places as they can.
Drumroll please…
Most service providers are finding this doesn't work for them. It doesn’t feel in alignment with how they want to show up in the world. With how they want to impact others. With how they want to actually market and sell.
It isn’t that the 1:many business is inherently bad (hello, have you met us). But it’s the simple fact that 1:1 service providers can reach their financial and lifestyle goals with their service. There doesn’t have to be an income cap when offering 1:1 if it’s done properly. You don’t have to put in 60+ hours a week working with clients just to reach those goals. You don’t need to also create content, thrive on social media, grow an email list, or create multiple offers.
Our service providers are craving simplicity. Without sacrificing quality or income. And it can happen. We’ve rounded up some new ways of marketing that will work for 1:1 service providers in this new era of doing business.
STAY FOCUSED ON YOUR ZONE OF GENIUS
You’re, like, really good at what you do. We know you want to impact more and not less. But what if we shifted that a bit to focus on how you can impact deeper? What if we let go of vanity metrics and data that doesn’t actually mean anything and focused on life-changing relationships?
You’re able to do that by staying focused on your zone of genius. By offering the world the thing that you’re good at. And showing up to serve that in ways like never before. We know that you want to grow and reach new goals (make more money, bring your partner home, grow your family, take that vacation). Believe us when we say you’re a lot closer to those things than you think you are.
We recorded perhaps our best episode to date and we’d love for you to give it a listen. It’s Episode 580: The #1 Thing Service Providers Shouldn’t Do if They Want to Grow. This step is critical in you taking the next step.
IT’S NOT YOUR SERVICE YOU HATE, IT’S HOW YOU’RE RUNNING IT
We hear time and time again from service providers, “I think I might just be tired of _____[insert service here]”. We always come back with this question…
“Is it actually [copywriting/photography/design] that you’re tired of or is it [responding to clients/billing/delivery]?”
Oftentimes (like, 99.9% of the time) you aren’t actually tired doing the thing you’re really good at. You’re frustrated with alllllll the other pieces your small business and clients need. If we can find a way to automate, eliminate or restructure those pieces all of the sudden your heart gets a little bit lighter.
We broke this strategy down in Episode 578: How to Become the Creative Director of Your Service Based Business so definitely give that one a listen.
YOU ARE YOUR OWN BOTTLENECK
Yup, it’s true. But good news, it’s totally fixable! You could be hindering your own growth and progress without even realizing it, honestly. You could be the bottleneck when it comes to how much you’re charging, what you’re offering, how you’re onboarding clients, where you spend your time getting clients, etc.
It’s being this hold up for yourself that is 100% the reason why you haven’t reached your desired income goal (no matter what it is). It’s isn’t that you aren’t talking to enough people. It’s not because your latest Instagram Reel hasn’t gone viral. And it definitely isn’t because you only have 12 people on your email list.
You’re focusing on the wrong things. If you want clarity on what needs to shift for you definitely go listen to Episode 582: The Single Mindset Shift You Need to Double Your Income in the Next 12 Months.
PUT YOUR HIGH-TOUCH SIGNATURE SERVICE ON AUTOPILOT™
We’re not saying that there aren’t pivots your 1:1 service based business might need to make in order to reach your financial and lifestyle goals. But what we are saying is that you don’t need an entirely new business or audience in order to do that.
Over here, we’re known for taking really big concepts or processes and dialing them into tiny, actionable and simple steps. Everything from “what do I need to work on today?” to entire client processes to project management systems for teams. And all of it is done with the lens that works for 1:1 service providers. That works for people who crave simplicity, ease and fun in their business. For those of us who absolutely need a life-first business model.
If you’re ready to make shifts in your business (that don’t involve you pointing at the camera for 15 seconds) then we encourage you to apply for The Incubator. The entire team here at Boss Project is ready to work with you. You can find out more and apply to The Incubator here.
