One of the hottest small business niches is selling services to other small business owners. But while this niche can be fun and rewarding, if this is your only target market, you could be selling yourself short.
Each year in the U.S. alone, corporations spend more than $2 trillion dollars buying services and products from other companies – and a growing portion of that money is being spent with small businesses.
But is selling your services to the corporate market right for you? To help you decide, check out these five sure-fire signs that it just might be time for “Plan C.”
#1: You’re fed up with hearing, “I’d love to hire you, but I just can’t afford it.”
Some marketing gurus would have you believe this statement is a reflection of your marketing message and ability to close the deal – rather than the amount of money in your prospect’s wallet. And I’m here to say: Hogwash!
No matter how good your marketing, the fact remains that small business owners are strapped for cash. A national study conducted by Vista Print found that an astounding 50 percent of micro business owners (10 or fewer employees) earned $25,000 or less in 2010. Break that down into a 40-hour workweek, and those folks are making about $12.02 per hour.
#2: You want a freedom-based business.
Earning more and working less is the Holy Grail of entrepreneurship. But in order to have a freedom-based lifestyle you need to earn enough money to support yourself plus fund the activities on your vision board. And you need to earn that money with enough time and energy left over to enjoy life.
Landing a few corporate clients can help you do both because they have the ability to pay you top dollar for your services. They also have the need and the resources to buy from you again and again.
#3: You’re a “corporate refugee.”
Having prior work experience in a big company is not a prerequisite to selling your services to corporations. But it is a valuable asset.
What’s interesting, however, is that many women entrepreneurs won’t or haven’t considered selling to corporations because their experience as an employee ended with them running out of the building screaming.
Remember that this is business – your business. And your relationship with corporate clients will not be the same as that of a disempowered employee. It will be a business-to-business, arms-length agreement. One where you hold half the cards.
#4: You’re good at what you do.
Forget for a minute that little naysayer voice inside your head, and answer this question: Are you good at what you do?
Deep down, you know the answer. You know it because you see the results you get for your clients and you hear the elation in their voice when you’ve helped them solve their problem.
More than likely there are corporate decision-makers who, right this minute, are looking for someone who does exactly what you do. They want to hire someone who will get them results – and they are willing to pay top dollar for it.
#5: You want to help more people.
For many solopreneurs, business success is about more than money. It’s also about using their purpose to help more people.
Interestingly, there just might be no shorter path to achieving that goal then selling to corporate clients. By closing one contract with one company, your service offering could help dozens, hundreds or even thousands of employees who otherwise might never have the opportunity to work with you.
Guest Writer – Angelique Rewers, ABC, APR
Having successfully navigated the corporate buying process from both sides of the table, Angelique Rewers, The Corporate Agent, teaches micro business owners how to stop chasing cash-strapped clients and instead land lucrative corporate contracts. You can get her FREE CD, “Revealed! 7 Carefully Guarded Secrets to Landing Lucrative Corporate Contracts,” at www.TheCorporateAgent.com.