3 Things I’ve Learned to Do Differently Since I Started Running a 1-Person Business
It has been 6 months of non-stop vertical ascent
Running a 1-person business is like climbing a 90-degree boulder.
I am sure you know that already.
You can imagine how it feels to be everywhere. Marketing, content writing, client pitching, running workshops & seminars, and chasing for that wretched overdue payment.
I admit. I must be nuts to accept this appointment.
That said, it is not impossible to grow a 1-person business.
What we need is an unrelenting focus on things that matter.
Thinking Things Through
That is what I do every Monday morning.
I call it Focus Mondays.
And I am serious about it. I would block all Monday mornings in advance to prevent any hijacks. Yes, I say no to client meetings during this time box.
Visualizing the week ahead and working on what matters… matter.
You may want to do the same.
It frees up time and mental capacity to listen to my intuition. I treat my mind like ChatGPT.
- I ask a question.
- Then, I go make a cup of coffee.
- I will come back to scribble what my mind tells me.
- Then, I review all the lines scribbled.
- I look for repeat patterns.
- I work on those.
The entire exercise does not exceed 20 minutes. Or, maybe, 30.
Yet, it unearths a treasure trove of information, shaping our 1-person business growth for weeks and months ahead.
1~ Clients Before Prospects. Prospects Before Leads. Leads Before Suspects.
I used to focus all my energy on building the sales funnel. No more.
Running a 1-person business is different from a small business.
There is no we. Only me.
And that points us to an energy equation.
There are only so many things we can do in a day. Or a week. Or a month.
Plus. We carry the burden of profitability. We will be asked to go if we fail to contribute to the company financially.
2 1-person entities in Brazil and South Africa kaput over the weekend.
Why? This is what my group CEO wrote in an official email.
“It is with a broken heart that I bring you this news. Shane (in Brasilia) and Jeno (in Cape Town) have parted ways for better opportunities. These 2 offices will be closed for good.”
Sounds wrong? You bet.
They have been under immense pressure to acquire new customers. And new logos are required for our inbound venture capitalists to release funds to the company.
Are they asked to leave? I think so.
And this is my key message.
Focus on prospects at the last-mile closing. Go all in and close them.
Next, give your full attention to existing clients. Keep them happy, and embrace 0 attrition. Upsell when you can.
That way… you keep your financial books healthy.
That way, you keep the retrenchment letter at bay.
2~ When Marketing Fails or Become Too Expensive, Go Door Knock.
Ever wondered what you can do when the website SEO is not working? Or did your marketing budget get sliced to near-nothing?
Yup. That’s me today.
I go door knock.
Figuratively, of course.
No one knocks on office doors these days. Plus… security guards at lobbies can identify a clueless sales professional with a glance and send their bulldogs chasing.
Bad idea.
Instead, this is what I mean.
- Attend industry seminars.
- Appear at professional institutes you are affiliated with.
- Ask to speak.
Shake hands, grab a coffee, collect LinkedIn profiles, build connections, and secure the first appointment fast.
That is the networker me speaking.
And then, there is the stage.
Make use of every opportunity to grab the mike. Remember, in a 1-person business, you are the business.
It does not matter whether the audience remembers you or your company.
You win either way.
So get up there.
Entertain. Educate. Engage.
Above all, enjoy yourself.
3~ Surprise, Surprise!
When you no longer have a sales team — Keep an email list.
This recommendation is synonymous with any digital business we are building during after-hours. There are variations, of course, but not much.
In short, you want to keep a running list of…
- Ex-clients,
- Prospects you failed to close,
- Leads who lost interest,
… because you never know when they will return to you with a deep ocean budget.
I closed one prospect (now a client) after chasing them for one year after exchanging emails at a convention. Then, I had a booth. I did product demonstrations.
They were interested.
We spoke, held seminars, consolidated requirements, and went back and forth on commercial proposals.
- They took 6 months to secure a budget.
- And another 3 months to clear the commercial proposal.
- Took the next 3 months to onboard the new software.
What keeps them going?
According to my direct counterpart, it was my weekly content.
It keeps them updated on new software developments they will get when they come on board. And they can see the benefits presented in my email.
Trust me on this.
Work on your email copywriting and content.
These digital robots help you follow-up when you are stretched.
The Close
Going bonkers? Yeah, I got your back.
Our time, energy, and attention are limited. Even Elon Musk has only 24 hours to splurge a day.
We must radically rethink how we can grow our 1-person business.
I have 3 suggestions.
- Focus on all last-mile closing opportunities in your sales pipeline.
- Go door knock at every opportunity.
- Bang big on a growing email list.
You will do well.
May the force be with you.
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