Lianne Cousvis is a graduate of QC Design School with certifications in decorating (IDDP), staging and redesign (ISRP), color consulting (ICCP), and professional organizing (AIOP). Lianne grew up in the Bahamas where color is celebrated, and she now owns her own design company ChiChi Fringo Designs in Toronto, Canada.
If you have graduated from QC’s Professional Organizing course, you are well on your way to starting a successful organizing career already. After earning your organizing certification, you’ll set your sights on landing clients. Don’t overlook small businesses. They can be a great source of revenue for you. As the saying goes, “Good things come in small packages”!
You might think that a small business would not have the resources to hire you, but think again. Many businesses, small or large, will find your services invaluable. In fact, many small business owners may feel stressed out and overextended. They may be experts in their field but that does not mean they are experts in yours.
Below, I’ll share why and how you should market your professional organizing services to small businesses.
Tell them what a professional organizer does
One of your biggest barriers is a small business owner not knowing what you do. To sell your services, you first have to educate them on you and the profession. They might not even know that your services exist, what they entail, or more importantly, how you can help them. They are just one example of clients who don’t know they need a professional organizer!
Give examples of how your professional organizer solutions can benefit them
Research shows you have an average of 6-8 seconds to capture someone’s attention. So you really only have about a minute to sell someone on your services.
The first thing you have to think about is exactly why you would be an asset to this small company. If you don’t know the answer, you can’t market yourself in the best light. Being clear about how your services can benefit them will allow them to be more open to the idea of hiring you.
Sample professional organizer solutions
- Organize the filing system to help them sort, organize, and pay their bills
- Install systems so everything has a home and is easy to find
- If they have a business that people visit, the well-organized atmosphere will instill confidence in the customers.
As business owners ourselves, we know it’s a lot less expensive to keep a customer than to get a new one! And money is the number one reason they should hire you! Your job is to create professional organizing solutions will help them become more efficient in how they run their business. As they become more efficient, it will save them money in the long run. Efficiency will lead to more revenue for them. Period.
Where to find professional organizing clients
A great way to start marketing yourself to a small business is by starting locally. Identify the small businesses in your community. Research the area to find a company that you feel has great synergy with your brand.
Supporting local businesses allows you to create a great sense of community. People like to support those they feel connected to. If you are both small businesses and in the same area, reaching out is a great way to integrate yourself into the local community. You may even be able to connect with other local, small business owners.
One of your references could be someone they know in the community. Or, maybe you volunteer at the same library that they do. When you connect with them on a personal level, it will help build confidence right from the start.
How to land the professional organizer job
Prepare as much as you can before approaching a potential client. Include details on the scope of your services and your previous professional organizing jobs. Be sincere in your approach and have proof of your success to back up what you’re saying.
Then, try it out on family and friends. Keep practicing until you have a smooth and professional elevator pitch that will sell your services for real. Think of it as a job interview. You may not actually have an interview, but you can go in prepared with the same mindset.
Tips for interview success
- Dress in a professional manner. This means no jeans or no rips/tears in clothes.
- Good hygiene is a must
- Have neat hair/makeup/nails
- Bring examples of your work, portfolio, business cards, letters of reference
- Have a confident and approachable attitude
- Maintain eye contact
- Smile
If you walk into a business with a business attitude and appearance, you will be taken seriously and will be more likely to get the owner’s attention.
Should you offer free professional organizing services?
Don’t be afraid to offer a service for free. If you are able to do a small organizing project as a trial, the company will keep your brand at the top of mind when they are ready to hire you. This time and effort on your part can go a long way in building brand loyalty down the road if you can show how relevant you are to them.
Do you have a tip on how to reach out to small businesses? Leave it below!