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Photo by Product School
If you’re an entrepreneur or contractor, you’re always on the lookout for bigger jobs. You know that with higher positions comes more pay.
But how can you actually make yourself attractive and stand out from the competition? That’s the topic of this post. We look at some of the things you can do to land these larger contracts and sell yourself as the person who will provide the solutions firms (or clients) need.
Make Your Elevator Pitch Stand Out
If you’re going for a big job, it’s likely numerous other parties are vying for the same contract. They want the cash just as much as you do.
Therefore, it makes sense to craft an elevator pitch that makes you stand out. You want to appear head and shoulders above the competition.
The best way to do this is to create a 30-second summary of why you’re the perfect fit for the work and how you can contribute to the firm’s bottom line. It should be something simple and memorable that really sticks with the people interviewing you.
The pitch itself should sound natural. Even if you’ve done it a thousand times, keep the intonation lively. Don’t sound like someone at a call centre reading a pre-recorded message.
Once you have the elevator pitch ready, record yourself and see what you sound like. Ask whether it sounds professional or if you need to change the tone a little. Keep going until you have a format you’re happy with and that reflects your personality.
Research The Role
At the same time, you also want to be researching the role. Knowing exactly what you’re getting yourself into can be a tremendous help.
Try to go beyond the listing or work contract. Look for additional information that could inform how you might be of service.
For example, find out what software the company uses by calling the manager or person responsible for paying you. Get them to tell you more about the company’s processes and how it operates.
When you have this information, it can improve your standing with the firm or client at the interview. You can show them you’re up to speed with their processes and how your solutions will fit into them. This will make you stand out from the competition since you’ll have gone the extra mile to demonstrate compatibility with the client.
Highlight Your Accomplishments
When pitching, you’ll want to highlight your accomplishments and show how you can improve operations at the firm. Don’t talk exclusively about your responsibilities or how long you’ve been in the role. Instead, work to display confidence and understanding. You want to prove you have the solutions in your back pocket, and all the client needs to do is hire you.
If you struggle with marketing yourself, CV Experts recommend writing a professional cover letter. The idea is to highlight your achievements and make it clear you offer solutions the other party can leverage. Talking about responsibilities is okay, but you want the bulk of the upfront information you provide to demonstrate skill, understanding and problem-solving ability.
Point Out Your Ability To Lead
It also helps if you discuss your ability to lead. While this is something everyone recommends for job hunting, it’s particularly valuable to entrepreneurs and contractors. Clients don’t want to have to manage you. Instead, they want someone who can just come in and solve problems for them.
Letting clients know you offer a “turn-key” solution is one option. They simply buy your services and you deliver results.
You can also tell clients that you can provide active assistance if you’re an external consultant. Instead of doing what the big brands do and simply pepper customers with analysis, you can actually go into the firm and do the work for them. Not only will they pay you more, but they’ll feel happier with the results.
Be Confident
Of course, underlying this entire process should be confidence. You need to believe in your heart you can solve your clients’ problems, no matter the size.
Having this attitude is challenging if you’ve never won a big contract before. That’s why it can pay dividends to nail your processes and believe that you can achieve what you say you can do.
Once you feel confident, it will come through in all your interactions with other people. You’ll seem more capable and that will generate trust, encouraging them to buy from you.
So, there you have it: how to pitch yourself for bigger jobs. Try these tactics and see if they work for you.
