A 30-second commercial, also known as an “elevator speech,” is a brief verbal summary of what you do, who you do it for, and the key benefits and results you deliver. Here’s a template for composing your commercial, including the essential elements you should incorporate, and suggestions for powerful words to use. Read more

Let’s face it, many service business professionals treat self-promotion as a necessary evil. We know we have to do it, but we just don’t like it. Professionals often say, “I love my work, but I wish I didn’t have to keep finding customers.” We describe the process of marketing as distasteful, frustrating, intimidating, and just plain scary. Read more

You’ve probably seen many people offering free teleclasses or webinars to land clients for their products and services, and it may seem to you like this is an easy, affordable approach. But it’s not for everyone. Whether or not this is a good idea depends quite a bit on how you plan to attract people to attend. Read more

The GET CLIENTS NOW! book was written with action groups and reading groups in mind. The 28-day program outlined in the book is ideal for use by a group of independent professionals working together, and the book has been adopted as a text by entrepreneurial support groups Read more

Have you ever considered that prospective clients who are referred to you are much more likely to become your customers than those who come to you in any other way? The endorsement of a referral carries so much weight that referred prospects ask fewer questions about your qualifications, are less likely to shop for the lowest price, and typically make their buying decisions much more quickly. Read more

Especially when you’re just getting started, it may seem like building your own website is a good way to save money. In some situations, you may be right. But it’s not the best choice for everyone. Here are some pros and cons you should consider before making this decision. Read more

In a previous article, The Pop Quiz You Need to Pass, I talked about three simple questions you must be prepared to answer any time you speak with a prospect. One of these three is: “How will I benefit by using your services?” Read more

Q. When is it time to get help in my business?

A. Look sooner rather than later. The best time to look at getting help is before you need it. By the time you decide you need a hand, you may already be so overloaded that you don’t have the time to find it. Every time you make a choice that expands your business, consider what will happen if your expansion is successful. Read more

That’s really the million dollar question, isn’t it? If only you knew why your marketing efforts weren’t paying off, you could change what you were doing, and start seeing better results. In a recent article, I wrote about the five most common marketing saboteurs. Read more

A curious thing happens to entrepreneurs in the spring of every year. They wake up one day and realize they had better figure out how much money they made last year so they can pay their taxes. But wait, shouldn’t a business owner already know how much money he or she made last year Read more