627: From $30/hr to $300/hr: The Software Consulting Playbook
Aug 29, 2024
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Kristi DaSilva, an expert in software consulting, shares insights from her work with DaSilva Life, helping small businesses integrate tools like HoneyBook and ClickUp. She discusses the Piggyback Principle, highlighting how it’s easier to leverage existing demand. Kristi delves into her transition from virtual assistance to software consulting, the importance of niching down, and strategies for client attraction. She also emphasizes the power of educational content and effective social media engagement to enhance client relationships and drive conversions.
The Piggyback Principle emphasizes leveraging existing demand in software tools to achieve faster business growth with less effort.
Christy DaSilva's journey from personal assistant to specialized consultant showcases the importance of niching down for higher earning potential.
Creating educational content on platforms like YouTube effectively engages potential clients and establishes credibility in the consulting space.
Deep dives
The Piggyback Principle
The piggyback principle highlights the advantage of building a business on existing demand rather than creating it from scratch. By leveraging the popularity of established software tools, entrepreneurs can more easily gain traction and visibility in their niche. This strategy, termed SWAS (Software Weakness as a Service), involves offering consulting or support services that complement popular software products. By riding the wave of a product's popularity, business owners can secure quicker results and more efficient growth.
Christy De Silva's Journey
Christy De Silva transitioned from a nanny and personal assistant to a successful virtual assistant during the pandemic. After discovering the Virtual Savvy program, she took a leap of faith to invest in her education, ultimately replacing her former salary within 90 days. Initially, she offered a broad range of virtual assistance services but later realized the importance of niching down. This transition led her to specialize in project management tools like ClickUp and HoneyBook, allowing her to command higher rates as a consulting expert.
Building a Customer Base
Christy managed to acquire her first customers by reaching out to personal connections and engaging actively within Facebook groups. This approach included sharing her virtual assistant services directly and offering valuable assistance in groups where potential clients were searching for help. Her first client came from a personal connection who owned a garage door business. This strategy laid the groundwork for her growing client base, which would expand through word-of-mouth referrals and effective marketing tactics.
Growth Through Educational Content
Utilizing platforms like YouTube, Christy focused on producing educational content that addressed the specific needs of her target audience. By creating tutorial-style videos, such as 'Five ClickUp Dashboards That Will Change Your Business,' she generated significant interest and trust among potential clients. This type of engagement not only helped in establishing credibility but also in directing qualified leads to her consulting services. As her content resonated with viewers, the majority began to engage with her as trusted experts before ever contacting her for services.
Scaling the Business Model
As Christy developed her business, she strategically shifted her focus to larger clients, specifically targeting seven to eight-figure agencies. By providing tailored solutions to high-revenue businesses, she increased her service rates and expanded her consulting offerings. This scaling required careful planning and execution, identifying specific pain points for larger clients and refining the business framework to accommodate growth. Additionally, Christy aimed to further develop her offer suite while empowering her team to handle increasing client workloads, allowing her to focus on higher-level business strategy.
This episode is all about making use of the Piggyback Principle — why it's easier to fill demand than to create it from scratch.
Just like how kids would rather get a piggyback ride than walk because it's easier.
The same is true in business — this strategy allows you to ride the wave of success software products are experiencing to catch that rising tide and get better, faster results with less work.
DaSilva Life helps small businesses build success by setting up and integrating two popular software tools, HoneyBook and ClickUp, into their workflow and operations.
This earns her thousands of dollars per project along the way.
Tune in to Episode 627 of The Side Hustle Show to learn:
how to use the Piggyback Principle to build on what's already popular
how to combine software with consulting or services to add value
how to guide your audience with clear calls to action in every piece of content
Full Show Notes: From $30/hr to $300/hr: The Software Consulting Playbook
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