When I started my business, many people had opinions on what I should do to get clients — speak to groups, join the Chamber of Commerce, attend a networking group, etc. One of the suggestions that came up often was doing promotional events, which can mean different things. It might mean getting a booth at a trade show, or hosting a free one or two hour event to introduce yourself and your services while delivering a snack-size portion to the attendees, sort of like a Tupperware party. It could mean creating a longer event, half a day or day-long, where again you deliver value and charge a nominal fee, making it easy for people to attend. It might be hosting a meet-and-greet reception, holding a complimentary teleclass, or having a Twitter chat party. Read more

It often seems that it’s the destiny of the independent professional to exist in a constant state of feast or famine. Either you are working day and night to keep up with client demands, or you’re wondering how much is left in your savings account and whether the phone will ever ring again. Read more

You know about the 80/20 rule, right? It’s the guideline that 80% of your return comes from 20% of your investment. For example, 80% of your referrals come from 20% of the people in your network. 80% of your new business comes from 20% of your prospects. 80% of your new contacts come from 20% of the networking activities you engage in. And so on. Read more

“I don’t recommend you host your own teleclass,” I told my client.

“Why not?” she asked. “I thought public speaking was a great way to get clients.”

“It is,” I replied. “But hosting your own free teleclass isn’t public speaking; it’s a promotional event.” Read more

Have you ever considered using public speaking as a way to get noticed and get clients? Does the idea of standing up in front of a group, even a small one, strike fear into your heart? Or maybe you love it, yet haven’t explored using it in your business. And what is public speaking, anyway? Read more

“What’s wrong with my marketing?” That’s a question I often hear from clients, students, and readers. It’s a useful query, as there frequently are areas where you could do better at marketing and sales. But while the question “what’s wrong” can uncover your marketing problems, it doesn’t always suggest answers. You may need to ask what you’re doing right. Read more

Are cold calls a good idea or a complete waste of time? What about pitching business via letters and emails – does writing to strangers pay off, or should you focus on contacting people you already know? When marketing online with a newsletter, blog, or social networking, should you reach out to folks who haven’t heard of you or stick to your existing network? Read more

Have you ever thought about calling someone to offer them your services, or invite them to coffee, or some other business-y thing, only to put the phone down and get distracted doing something else? When I think about drawing a straight line from my activities to making money, direct contact is the #1 thing that comes to mind. Which leads the question, what is direct contact, why is it sometimes so hard to do, and why does it strike fear into the hearts of so many of us? Read more

Most of the dialogue about networking to build your business centers around attending events or social networking online. But I’ve always found that one-on-one networking is where the real magic happens. Meeting with people individually, in person or by phone, builds the “know, like, and trust” factor, generates referrals, connects you with new resources, and creates lasting relationships. Read more

Publishing a newsletter or blog can be a powerful way to attract clients to your business and make them want to hire you. But if you’re not a professional writer, the process of composing posts and articles on a regular basis can seem daunting. Read more