What are best practices for positioning yourself as a service provider in 2023?
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Welcome to part two of our State of the Union for Service Providers, and today we are talking about the opportunities that will be available in 2023, and how you can position yourself for success.
If you missed part one of this conversation, make sure to check it out!
Meet Our Panel
Sara Noked
Founder and CEO of boutique online business management agency, Sarah Noked OBM and the Online Training Academy, OBM School, Sarah equips corporate 9-5ers, other OBMs, and digital entrepreneurs and service providers with the tools to build thriving and profitable businesses. Her journey over the last decade from a VA solopreneur to an Online Business Manager and trainer, has enabled Sarah to effectively teach the necessary skills to find solid clients by utilizing your natural talents, and grow the confidence that will empower you to live life by your own design.
Best part of 2022: I’ve made a lot of really great relationships in the past year.
Hardest part of 2022: The mental toll of the pandemic as a whole felt very overwhelming.
Emily Reagan
Emily Reagan is a jill-of-all-trades when it comes to digital marketing and techie skills. She’s worked as a behind-the-scenes digital marketing implementer working with many creatives and furniture painters: Jennifer Allwood, Tracey Bellion, Miss Mustard Seed, Wendy Batten, and more, to grow their online businesses. She’s the founder of the Unicorn Digital Marketing Assistant School, where she teaches women the digital marketing skills to get hired online as an in-demand, highly sought-after unicorn digital marketing assistant.
Best part of 2022: I had to redo my course because of a trademark issue, and I had a six figure launch.
Hardest part of 2022: Balancing it all since I still have digital marketing clients myself.
Micala Quinn
Micala Quinn is a Kansas City mom, wife, former teacher, and current CEO who for the last 5 years has been helping moms start freelance businesses so they too are able to earn $3K+ per month working less than 25 hours a week!
When she’s not spreading the freelance message through her free resources, podcast, Insta feed, & the Live Free Academy, you can find her in comfy sweats sitting on the couch watching her kids play together.
Best part of 2022: I updated and relaunched my program, and added some great support elements for our students.
Hardest part of 2022: We had baby number four, and with changes in the online world amongst it all, it was a stressful time.
Melissa Froehlich
Melissa Froehlich is a sought-after business strategist, mentor, and certified mindset coach who works with established female entrepreneurs ready to own the role of being a leader in their business. She empowers and equips female entrepreneurs who want to carve their own path to build profitable businesses that bring them freedom and fulfillment.
Best part of 2022: Leaning into my word of the year, which was “allow.” I truly allowed myself to figure out what the next version of success looked like for me.
Hardest part of 2022: Actually “allowing” myself to lean into this word. We moved again, and it showed me that despite having those challenges was, my business was truly sustainable.
Jordan Gill
Jordan Gill is a 7-Figure Business Strategist whose mission is for high-achieving business owners to prioritize rest without sacrificing revenue! She’s helped over 400 coaches and consultants work with clients only 4 days a month with VIP Days! When she’s not spreading the gospel of VIP Days, she’s working on one of her thousand-piece jigsaw puzzles or traveling the world with her husband and bonus son.
Best part of 2022: After 2.5 years of selling one thing, I’ve been able to play with new offers. It’s allowed us to revamp and rebuild instead of continuing to sell and revamp at the same time.
Hardest part of 2022: Team dynamics. The biggest takeaway for me is that when hiring, if it’s not a “hell yes,” it’s a “hell no.”
1. What do you think the market is demanding from service providers in 2023?
- [Jordan] People are wanting to hire those who are tracking the metrics of their success
- In the future, it will be tougher to only have task oriented positions on your “resume”
- Whatever service you are providing, it is extremely important that you are tracking the success of your position because you will be asked by your client ”‘what are you bringing to the table?”
“You have to track your success, and you have to share your success.” – Jordan Gill
- [Sara] What is the return on value that I am giving my clients?
- When you bring the KPI value to the table, there is an expectation that the client is going to live up to their end of the bargain
- Leadership, emotional intelligence, strategy, critical thinking skills and presenting them to the leader as KPIs
- [Natalie] Reporting is so important; I used the principles I learned in corporate and transferred them to my online business
- I had a defined process of communication, and reports
- Have a promise, a process, set deliverables, actually deliver on them, and you will find healthy partnerships
- Make sure you are getting case studies and testimonials
- A case study is a document that tracks how you have been able to affect the business
“If you want to be in a place where you can demand more, have a higher seat, and be retainable… show your value through reporting.” – Natalie Gingrich
2. What services are needed more now than they were last year?
- [Micala] Marketing for local brick and mortar businesses
- How are people making decisions on where to spend their money? Take them through the customer search process and pitch them your services
- [Melissa] Solid implementers for long term commitments, who align with their values, are excited to do the work, and make a solid impact
- VIP Days, and quick wins
- Podcast launches, and/or marketing strategy
- Strategy and consulting: many businesses have a team but are not sure how to leverage them to the best of their ability
- [Natalie] Project managers
- CEOs are visionaries and they need people to create and manage the plans
- Human Resource support: everyone needs this in their business once they get to a certain point
- You don’t need an HR degree, but an understanding of soft and hard skills
3. What is the best way for service providers to get visible in 2023?
- [Emily] We have to give ourselves options down the line, so we have to make steps to grow our brands, and show up on social media
- You can get started doing the services first, but you do need to show up for yourself down the road
- You can show up minimally, but just make sure you have a presence and look like you know what you are doing
- Social media is ideal for people who have scalable offers
- Be the network connector, filling others buckets, and it will be returned to you
“What is really going to move the needle is your network. People need to be shouting your name when you are not in the room.” – Emily Reagan
- [Jordan] Curated combos where somebody could curate people to sit around and talk values and connect and find opportunities together
- I want to be in rooms with people who are serious about their business
- You will be able to find others who have similar values who can connect and collaborate
- How to: invite 3 people you know and have them bring people to the conversation
- Think of them as a “mastermind in a day”; a short term non committal mastermind where you can gather info and build relationships
- Service providers should initially look to connect with people who would be good referral partners
- [Natalie] Conversations: make a one-to-one connection
- Take ownership in those conversations; just ask!
- Get on LinkedIn and create good organic connection
Share a tip to help service providers uplevel themselves in 2023.
- [Emily] Lean into your unique competitive advantage… your soft skills that you bring to the table will help you stand out
- [Jordan] Get into new rooms. Step outside your comfort zone, and go connect with new people
- [Melissa] Get to know yourself more as a leader
- Use whatever tool you are interested in to do this (Kolbe, DISC, enneagram, podcasts). There are so many amazing free resources
- [Micala] How can you uplevel your skillset? Also, how can you stay up to date with your clients industry as well as your own?
- If you don’t have your data and tracking set up, you need to get the process in place immediately
- [Natalie] Define your vision, and understand your boundaries
- Constantly communicate your boundaries, which will help you make really clear decisions
It’s up to you to stay attuned to good business practices as you build your business. Create a solid foundation for your business as you look to partner with more people in 2023!
Weekly Ops Activity
What was your greatest takeaway from this episode? Let us know in the Facebook group!
Previous Episodes Mentioned
Episode 179: 2023 State of The Union for Service Providers Part 1
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