Known internationally for her work in career and personal development, Angela Loeb provides services through her firm, InSync Resources, is an instructor for the Center for Professional Education at The University of Texas, and co-facilitates 
Business Builder Bootcamp™, a program for coaches, consultants, and freelancers who want to start a business or grow an existing business to the next level. Angela also produces and hosts Be Radiant Radio podcasts, is the author of three books, and has published 500+ articles. More at InsyncResources.com.
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On Wednesday, May 8th, Freelance Austin welcomed Angela Loeb to speak about how freelancers can identify their WOW factors in order to stand out to potential clients.
Angela told the group that each of us has multiple superpowers. Hers include taking big concepts and putting them into a practical program. From her experience in career consulting, advising, coaching, and assisting in the job search, Angela developed her program Business Builder Bootcamp to share what she’s learned since she became a solo freelancer in 2007.
The WOW factors consist of your Why, your Offer, and your Who
Angela advised that when starting a business, freelancers need to figure out what makes them different and remarkable. Rather than worrying about competitors (36% of the American workforce is freelancing these days), think of fellow freelancers as colleagues, or potential referrals. Knowing how you are different can make your customers even more loyal.
Your Why Factor
To describe what she means by the Why factor, Angela quoted from The Art of the Start author Guy Kawasaki who says that when you’re getting started, “the core of entrepreneurship is about making meaning…if you make meaning, you’ll probably make money.”
According to Kawasaki, there are 3 ways to make meaning:
1. Increase the quality of life.
2. Right a wrong.
3. Prevent the end of something good.
Angela then described the difference between your vision statement and mission statement. Your vision statement is what you want the end result to look like. Your mission contains the things that you will do to advance the vision that you have.
Your Offer
The second aspect of your WOW factor is your Offer. This should be aligned to both your vision and your mission. In determining your Offer you can also consider differentiation, which is distinguishing a product or service from others in the market, as well as positioning, which is identifying your market niche and getting established in that area. What products, services and companies compete with you? What do they offer that are similar to or different from what you offer? Angela advised us to consider this but not to get too caught up in it.
Your Who Factor
Finally, to get to your Who factor, you need to consider your Ideal Client. This is someone who finds the perfect solution to their problems/needs in the products/services you provide. To generate an ICP, or Ideal Client Profile, consider demographics & psychographics, timing, buying strategy, qualities/traits.
Ask yourself questions like: How does your product/service improve your client’s life or work? What is your client’s financial situation? What problems/needs do they have that you CAN and WANT TO solve? Why should your client buy from you rather than from someone else?
Well worth the trip
It was a very rainy afternoon in Austin, Texas, but the group of Freelance Austin members who gathered for this presentation were very glad they came. For more information on Angela Loeb and her Business Builder Bootcamp™, visit InsyncResources.com.
- May Meeting Recap:What Are Your WOW Factors? The First Step to Being Remarkable - May 9, 2019
- January Meeting Recap: Create More Content in Less Time - January 21, 2019
- Should Freelancers Ever Offer “Friend Discounts”? - August 24, 2018