Do you realize that if you are a freelancer or a small business, you can still have an edge over those big agencies and corporations?
Speed
Back in 2003 I was a Sr. Analyst for a company about the size of 300+ employees. Not a very large corporation by any means. Yet when I presented the idea of an Intranet to help improve training, resource dissemination and other employee essentials, it took about 6 months just to get the idea in front of someone who could say yes.
Unfortunately by the time they were ready to move forward, I was also moving forward in a different direction as well. The bigger the machine, the more time it takes to make things happen. But for those of us freelancing or running a smaller business, we have the opportunities to make things happen right away.
So take advantage of that edge.
Resources
The other edge we have is in the resources we get to use and acquire. Sure the big companies have I.T. departments and some pretty cool resources. But at the same time you can get stuck using older software and older machines as well. When I was working for someone else it was hard to convince them of the benefits of having a second monitor. It was like pulling teeth.
Now when I find a need for more monitor real estate, I go out and get it. I don’t have to get a sign off on the tools and resources I need. Of course I can’t always afford the biggest and the best of everything but as the business grows, so does my toolbox.
So don’t be afraid to make that purchase if it is going to save you time & money (or to keep you from going crazy like that old scanner that keeps jamming every other scan). Ditch it and get yourself the latest HP All-In-One. Remember that’s your edge. Part of having an smart business strategy is utilizing whatever edge you can find over the competition.
Flexibility
Another example of that is my Divi tutorial blog. The Divi community is filled with far more talented developers out there. Some of which also run their own awesome tutorials & blogs. But it occurred to me that I have an edge. That edge is that I was the first blog that I could find that was doing these newbie, friendly, easy to use, step-by-step Divi tutorials.
So in 2015 I re-branded the blog from “The Entrepreneurs Blog” to “The Home of the Original Divi Tutorials”. That little change (along with some changes to the SEO of the blog) did wonders for the traffic and lead generation for my web design business. As Divi’s customer base grows, so does my traffic. Almost all my clients now find me through this blog.
Versatility
Another edge we have is versatility. For example it was never part of my strategy to get into white label services. I did not even think about white label services until I was approached to do white label services. And then within weeks it seemed I was given the opportunity to do white label for another company. And before you know it, I am doing white label for a number of businesses which gave me a steady stream of work without the hassle that sometimes comes with negotiating with my own clients directly.
Now I offer it as a service and get as many leads for the white label service as I do regular website design requests.
So look for your edge, find your edge and utilize your edge to your fullest ability.
IMAGE: Depositphotos.com
Geno is the Owner/Creative Director at Monterey Premier, a web design agency that specializes in Divi and is based out of Monterey, Ca. He is a Divi expert and is known for his Divi tutorials & tips on Quiroz.co and is an excellent source of knowledge for anything related to Divi. Geno is also a Canva expert and helps other Canva users with his tutorials and tips here on the Monterey Premier blog. He has been designing websites since 1996 and enjoys all things design, traveling, hanging out with friends, encouraging other believers, and experimenting with new technologies.
