Imagine for a moment that you were launching your first marketing newsletter, and it was time to compile your mailing list. How many people who already know you could you put on that list? To make your newsletter effective, that number should be in the hundreds. This is one test that will quickly tell you if your pipeline is sufficiently full. Read more

Bartering can be a very useful strategy, especially when your business is young. By arranging trades for certain products and services, you can obtain what you can’t afford to buy, save money, and avoid incurring extra debt. Read more

Many business owners start the year with a written list of things they intend to accomplish, yet by year’s end these goals have either been forgotten or left by the wayside, ready to be recycled for the coming year. Read more

If I had to name one thing that causes more independent professionals to fail at marketing than any other, it would be lack of follow-up. Every day, I see entrepreneurs do a fabulous job at filling their marketing pipeline with prospective clients, and then fail miserably at following up with them. Read more

If you’ve been networking for a while, you most likely have a long list of people you want to connect with on a regular basis. There’s the initial follow-up you do after you first meet someone, but what are you doing to ensure that people will remember you months or even years from now Read more

We all want more people to refer clients to us, and one way to encourage more referrals is offering to pay for them. By offering cash instead of merely our thanks or a small gift, it’s possible to increase the number of referrals you will get. However, this practice isn’t appropriate in all circumstances, and may have some unintended consequences. Read more

Never underestimate the power of a thank you. Recently, I thanked someone for helping me solve a technical problem. She replied to my note of thanks by inviting me as a guest speaker for a group she chairs. I didn’t even know she chaired this group and I had never considered speaking there. This speaking opportunity would never have occurred if I hadn’t taken a moment to say thanks. It started me thinking about how often saying thank you turns into paying business. Read more

Marty Marsh interviews C.J. Hayden on what’s stopping you from getting clients and what to do about it. What are the barriers that prevent talented entrepreneurs from building a thriving business? You can overcome these challenges and attract more clients with less effort Read more

When business is slow, every lead has to count. If there may be fewer opportunities for you to pursue, you need to take maximum advantage of every one. When you pursue a prospective client all the way through the sales cycle, but in the end they choose someone else, the rejection can be painful. “Why wasn’t it me?” you keep asking yourself. Read more

This sample proposal for a corporate training program could easily be modified to use for a consulting or coaching proposal. It includes a summary of the client’s needs, description of the trainer’s qualifications, outline of the proposed program, and two pricing options. Read more