Like many self-employed webmasters, I started out serving microbusiness clientele. Unlike many others, I decided to stay with this client base. I did so because of the people - I love working with this group of business owners. It isn't easy serving the smallest of small businesses. It can be very hard to meet the needs of businesses for whom needs are always high, and budgets are always low. It seems at the start that it is a losing proposition - that you'll always have to cut your own profit out of the equation to meet their needs. A business is not sustainable without profit, so always cutting prices below the profit point is a dead end road.
Over time though, I've learned that if I go back to the drawing board, I can learn how to be more efficient, in a way that does not gut the service of value for the client. Templates can be developed, software found that simplifies the tasks, and many services can be built around high quality Open Source frameworks. Repetitive tasks can be streamlined, clients can be taught through replicatable instructional materials, enabling them to do the less technical parts of the work when they really need a budget solution.
It does take time, and good resources to make it work. But it is so worth it. Sure, some of the prospective clients are just cheap - but you learn to spot them. The cheap ones really don't want value, so they won't be willing to do their part anyway. But the majority of small business owners who are ready and willing to pay for service, within what they can realistically afford, are hard working, dedicated, friendly, and fair people. They need a reasonable and effective service to help move their business forward, and I can now give them that, not because I'm the only one capable, but because I stopped trying to "move up" in contract size, and decided to become a true professional right where I'm at. It not only increased the quality of services that I can offer, while keeping prices contained, it also increased my profit margin. Everybody wins!
That is not meant to be self-promotion. Rather, an explanation of the change of philosophy that I experienced. If I can learn to do this, anyone who is motivated to serve this target market can do so.
MicroBusinesses are the fastest growing market sector in the US. The market is virtually recession-proof, because while some of your clients may drop out, others who formerly purchased higher priced services will move down into your service range when the economy tightens. The need for high value services increases in a recession.
MicroBusiness owners are, by and large, a loyal client base also, as long as you've truly given them good value. They'll refer you, encourage you, and treat you like a friend as well as a valued business partner.
It isn't an easy market to learn to succeed in, but once you develop a sustainable business operations model, it is stable and profitable. It is also rewarding beyond compare!
