Overview

About

Flying Solo is an online community which has been created for the fastest growing segment of business: the solo & micro business owner. As well as speaking to the solo & micro business community, Flying Solo aims to speak for the community. We provide an impressive array of free resources and advice to aspiring and actual business owners.

Audience

A survey of Flying Solo newsletter subscribers has revealed a fundamentally happy group of individuals who enjoy their work and cherish their freedom.

The majority work in a consultative role, selling their expertise for a fee. Most are active networkers, take professional development seriously and welcome access to experts.

69% run their business from a home office and two thirds operate on their own (no staff). The gender split was 58% female and 42% male. 47% were aged 40-54 with 36% aged between 25-39 years. The other key findings from the survey Understanding Micro Business, 2008 can be read here.

Our audience enjoy being challenged, are always on the lookout for new ideas to improve their business and readily embrace strategies to work smarter.

Application process FAQs

When can I apply?

Applications from potential contributors are invited throughout the year and are considered on an approximately quarterly basis.

You can expect to hear from us with prompt acknowledgement of your application. At this stage we will also make you aware of when you can expect feedback on your submission.  

When is the next review?

Applications received between now and 31 December 2008 will be reviewed in January 2009.

What does the application consist of?

We ask potential contributors to send an article which complies with the following guidelines, along with outlines for two more story ideas. If we accept your submission, we will ask you to write up the remaining articles over an agreed period of time.

Topics of interest

New articles are posted on Flying Solo every weekday. All articles have a solo & micro focus/angle and fit into one of the following categories:

	attracting new business	health & wellbeing
	building confidence	managing email
	business branding	office administration
	business innovation	online marketing
	business growth	outsourcing
	business marketing	presentation skills
	business networking	pricing strategy
	business performance	problem solving
	business plans	professional development
	business psychology	public relations, PR
	business processes	sales strategies
	business technology	setting business goals
	business tax tips	small business blogs
	business start up	social responsibility
	business websites	stress management
	business values	time management tips
	choosing a career	using surveys
	communication skills	work and family
	customer relationships	work life balance
	customer service	work motivation
	decision making	work styles
	email newsletters	working alone
	financial management	working from home
	grants and funding

How do I maximise my chances of being selected?

Each of the links takes you to a description of the category and a list of article teasers. You should read up on the categories of interest and browse the teasers to check your article idea has not already been covered. Your application will be more appealing if you focus on less well covered areas.

What if my area of expertise isn’t on the list at all?

If it is solo relevant, but it is not on the list, please contact us. However, we encourage you to read through the remainder of the guidelines beforehand.

Why is the procedure is so thorough?

Because of the number of contributor applications we attract and the number of articles (500+) already on our site, we are able to be very specific about what we’re after. Our discriminating approach also ensures successful applicants enjoy the benefits of a long-term relationship with Flying Solo. For example:

• The more articles you have published, the more times your profile is viewed by visitors.
• If you supply articles on an ongoing basis, you can expect stronger client leads and enjoy an enhanced expert presence.
• If you become a regular contributor, we will arrange to get your profile page optimised by our search engine specialist. You can expect a higher Google ranking as a result.

From Flying Solo's perspective;

• The application process enables us to more effectively gauge the extent to which you can help our audience of solo business owners.
• We can publish articles on a wider range of topics and avoid covering repetitive themes.
• Our demanding process encourages contributors who are committed to supplying on-going, quality content which in turn ensures loyalty from our growing readership.

While we want contributors who can send us articles regularly, this does not mean we expect to hear from them frequently. The exact level of commitment is discussed with each individual upon acceptance.

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