Market a Small Business

4 Applications of AI in the Creator Economy

By MBO Partners

In spite of seeing a plateau in its population from last year to this year, the Creator Economy is positioned for big growth. With an expanding ecosystem of support services and content platforms incorporating technological advancements that help them, new creators from all age groups are finding low barriers to entry and audiences waiting to…

Read More...

Ideas for Special End-of-Year Thank-Yous

By MBO Partners

It’s the time of year when we express appreciation in a big way—to family members, coworkers, clients, and the service providers who make our lives easier. Even though you might mass mail (or email) thank-yous in your business, you may have some contacts or associates who deserve a more custom message. They could be fellow…

Read More...
consultant working

Help Solve the Challenges of Independence through Talent Marketplaces

By MBO Partners

Our State of Independence research defines independent workers as full and part-time workers of all ages, skills, and income levels. This includes consultants, freelancers, contractors, temporary or on-call workers, solopreneurs, gig workers, and others who work independently to build businesses, develop their careers, pursue passions, and/or supplement their incomes. According to independent workers who participated…

Read More...

Are you an Open Innovation Novice? Here Are Some Tips for Beginners

By MBO Partners

Adding open innovation to your independent business might seem daunting if you are just starting down that path. It can even be scary. While you may be an expert in your field, brilliant at writing winning proposals, and have mad marketing skills, open innovation solving requires that and more. With all your professional accomplishments, stepping…

Read More...

An Independent Professional Brand: What It Is and Why You Need One

By MBO Partners

The US independent worker population numbered 64.6 million in 2022, a 26% increase over 2021, which at 51.1 million showed 34% growth over 2020. Such impressive growth points to fundamental changes in the workforce as more and more enterprises strategically deploy independents to boost business growth and competitive advantage. While this is great news for…

Read More...
consultants talking

5 Ways to Get More Clients in 2023

By MBO Partners

When you run your own business, finding new clients is an often less-than-exciting part of the job. Patience and self-promotion are important parts of the process, and each can come with a lot of frustration before you get to that coveted contract. In the past, most independent contractors found new work through word-of-mouth, but in…

Read More...
Independent professional with long-term client

5 Best Practices for Developing Long Term Client Relationships

By MBO Partners

For many independent professionals, work can be tinged with uncertainty. The top two challenges reported by respondents to our 2022 State of Independence survey were not enough predictable income and concerns about the sales pipeline, and a big part of operating an independent services business is addressing them. In addition to these challenges, many independents…

Read More...
blog post

4 Reasons to Start a Blog for Your Small Business

By MBO Partners

Think of a blog as an opportunity to engage and grow your target audience. A blog for your business is more than something to update with your weekly experiences as an independent professional. Blogging is a great way to showcase your expertise, bring in potential clients, and grow your personal brand. In fact, blogs are…

Read More...
Home podcaster

How to Create Consulting Content that Sells

By MBO Partners

Service marketing differs from product marketing in a number of ways. One is the absence, usually, of a tangible sample that a prospect can hold, inspect, or try out. Creating content to promote services is a great way to demonstrate your expertise as well as your personality and work style. Building a content library can…

Read More...
consultant

5 Marketing Tips from John Jantsch

By MBO Partners

Marketing consultant, speaker, and best-selling author John Jantsch, founded the Duct Tape Marketing System and Duct Tape Marketing Consulting Network to train and license small business marketing consultants around the world. Jantsch acknowledges that marketing can be challenging for independent professionals, who are often working with limited time and resources. Nevertheless, he is confident that independents can successfully…

Read More...