For someone new to consultancy, looking into the opportunity of being independently self-employed can be a confusing and scary business. That is why we put together 4 steps to get you all set for your new career!

1. Be authentic.

   When starting your own business it’s a common mistake to make yourself too available if you’re afraid you won’t get any clients. Don’t do that. There are always others in your field who offer similar services to what you do, but what makes them successful at their own game is that they have managed to brand themselves. You need to do that too! What is the heart of your business? What type of person are you? If you’re offering a creative service, what is your style, your aesthetic? When you have all that figured out, you need to let this notion integrate into all parts of your business, down to the color scheme you use on your website, the tonality in your text on Instagram, everything.
   
   If you work thoroughly at your branding, you will eventually find clients who won’t hire you just because they need someone to fill a post, but because they like YOU. And your work. Therefore, take your time and evaluate yourself and your service. Your future self will thank you.

    

2.  Take note of what works for you.

   These days there is an ocean of information on how to market yourself, and it can be overwhelming to always hear “you need to be on this platform” “you have to post this often” “everything you write needs value!”. These examples are all important to take note of and can be of great help to you, but just as long as you don’t feel pressured into thinking you need to be on every social media channel and forcibly produce content every day that doesn’t feel authentic to you.
   If Instagram is not your thing, don’t bother. A guideline could be that if you do not feel curious about it if it feels more like a chore than a gateway to new opportunities, it might not be for you. As stated, there are tons of different ways you can market yourself, and you can always explore different methods until you find your preferred one. Once you find your method, your content will come more naturally to you!

    

3.  Evaluate your progress.

   By working with agile methods, you earn a greater insight into the flaws and strengths of your business. Make sure to take your time to analyze all parts of your business; are you managing your time effectively, what results are you getting? Are you growing on social media platforms, if not, what is not working out? Are you taking enough time every week to find customers, and creating valuable content? Also, how is your cooperation with clients working out? Do you need to place new boundaries? (You are allowed to place demands on them too you know).
   
   By evaluating your work, you make sure that you are working as effectively and as fair to yourself as possible. It is also not sustainable to work with clients who don’t respect your time or boundaries, and you need to be sure to set some limits. This will earn you wonderful clients in the future, clients who make you feel appreciated! It’s all too common to forget yourself in your pursuit of a successful business. This brings me to my next point.

    

4. Take breaks.

   This one is very important. Forgetting to take breaks happens all too often when you are just starting to build your business. It can take a while to adjust to having more autonomy of your time (which a lot of consultants have), and that is something you need to learn how to manage. Do not work yourself to the bone is what I am saying. Go for a walk, go get lunch with a friend, and when your workday is over, make sure you drop everything. It’s natural to keep thinking of what to do about that one problem that arose earlier that day, but try to have faith that you will handle it tomorrow, during your work hours.

I hope this text has been of value to you. Our team here at iNext is passionate about improving the consultancy market, and that starts with empowering our fellow consultants. Make sure you follow us on social media to stay tuned with our posts!