Are you planning to build a sustainable freelancing career and quit the rat race?

But you’re charging peanuts, thinking you will eventually increase your price!!!

Take a pause and think, will it work?

If your answer is a big NO or you are confused, it is high time you start working on creating your brand. 

The first step is to find your USP (Unique Selling Point).

Do you still think it can wait?

Read the line below which should convince you to find your USP today.

As of the 26th of September 2020, there were 15 million freelancers in India. Further, the count is expected to increase to a whopping 20-30 billion freelancers by 2025 in India.

Are you now convinced to find your USP today itself?

Now, let us dive deeper to understand everything you need to know about USP.

What is a Unique Selling Proposition (USP)? 

A Unique Selling Proposition (USP) is the identity of your business or you as an individual. The purpose of USP is to make your business stand out from the crowd and attract the clients you wish to work with. 

Why do you need a Unique Selling Proposition if you want to sustain yourself as a solopreneur?

I won’t answer this question for you. I want you to find it on your own with this step.

👉 Google the term “Freelance < your profession > “. You will find a million freelancers in the industry you’re working in.

For instance, if you search “Freelance Content Writer” or “Freelance Content Writers”, do you see the pool of freelancers working as content writers?

I hope by now you have understood the importance of finding your USP. Now, let us focus on how to find your USP.

3 step framework that will help you find your USP. 

Considering you’re a freelance content writer, here is how you can find your USP:

(Even if you’re a solopreneur from a different industry, ask yourself questions around the framework I have shared here. The bottom line is to start broad and go narrow.

What type of content writer are you?

• A blogger
• Website content writer
• Product Description writer
• Social Media Posts writer (again, pick one or at max two platforms)

The list is endless, but the goal is to find out the answer to this question.

You may now ask, what if I am starting with no content writing skills? In this case, you need to work on your skills first and create a portfolio by writing for yourself or joining a writing agency.

What niche interests you?

It can be a tricky one to answer but try this.

You will have some topics that interest you. For instance, health and wellness, fashion, travel, eCommerce, blockchain, crypto, etc. However, instead of exploring multiple niches and working for multiple niches, choose 2-3 at max when starting.

As you gain experience in these niches, you will understand what you enjoy writing about and voila! Select the niches you are most comfortable with.

You are scared, what if you won’t get enough clients?

I have been there as well, only to realise I’m being paid low than the value my skills bring to the table. I started with the health and wellness (Mental Health specifically) sector but soon explored finance and then the eCommerce sector. 

Now, after almost a year of working for these niches and offering various services like branding and content creation, I’ve figured out what works best for me.

But you don’t have to wait for a year like me, because you now have the framework to find out what is it you will enjoy the most.

Find out how you can stand out in the crowd of freelancers who offer website content writing services for the eCommerce industry?

• Pricing: 
  Wait, are you thinking to now using low price as your USP? Please think again!!! As easy it sounds to increase your prices later on as your gain experience, it would be late, or at the very least, you will not know how to do it.
  When I talk about pricing, it is about instead of charging per word or hour, charging a flat rate and easing out the process for both you and your client.

• A “can do” attitude:
  If you are a newbie freelancer, this can become your USP in the early months of your freelancing journey. Though you lack experience, you can showcase the enthusiasm and eagerness to learn things quickly while offering the best service to your client, and you will ace this.

• Project Delivery Speed: 
  Do you have the skills to finish a quality blog in 72 hours rather than a week? Make it your USP, now.
  Can you finish that website content writing project in one month with quality content compared to the writers who deliver it in 2 months? Make it your USP.

• Unusual Technology or Streamlined Process: 
  If you’re using a tool that a fellow freelancer is not using as a service, it becomes your USP. 
  Well, this is all you need to find your USP.

ProTip

Roll out a customer satisfaction form. Ask your clients the following questions once you finish the project:

• Why did you enjoy being my client? In other words, why did you choose me over other fellow freelancers?

• What additional services would you like to see me provide?

• Rate my service out of 5. If you have rated me less than 3, please share how I should improvise on my service quality?

• May I publish your testimonial on my website? [optional]

You can create this form using SurveyMonkey or Zoho forms. Please avoid google forms as they don’t appear professional.

At the end of this exercise, you should have your USP defined as a solopreneur.

If you’re still struggling to come up with your USP, and need help, connect with me.