Most independent professionals work hard at marketing their businesses, but far too many don’t succeed as well as they could. Unfortunately, some of the hardest-working self-marketers sometimes sabotage their own efforts. Read more

As a business owner, you know how important it is to reach out and make new connections, and it’s likely a lot of your efforts are directed toward outreach. No doubt, you’ve also heard about the importance of following up, and have that as part of your plan, too. While I know it can be hard to do the outreach, it may be somewhat surprising to learn that follow-up seems to be as hard, if not harder, for many people. If this sounds familiar to you, read on! Read more

It’s easy to think that any business can be successful if you work hard enough, but there are many situations where this just isn’t so. Consultants, coaches, and other service professionals often start a business believing that all they need to do is charge a “reasonable” fee and sell “enough” Read more

Even the best marketing doesn’t always pay off quickly. In the lag time between when you launch a marketing campaign for your business and when you start to see results from it, it’s easy to become discouraged. Especially when you work mostly solo, it can be a difficult task Read more

We sometimes look with awe and envy when we see someone who we consider has made it. Why? Because we believe they must know something we don’t know, have something we don’t have — and maybe they do. They had a vision they were willing to fund with their time, energy, Read more

I talk with a lot of marketing strategists who extol the importance of branding for a company’s success but it’s like pulling teeth to drag most of them down from the conceptual clouds and get specific about exactly what they mean. Read more

Entrepreneurs and consultants who fail to appropriately allocate their time and delegate tasks spend hours on activities and projects that drain their energy. They lose their creative edge; they can become frustrated and downright grouchy. Ultimately, by hanging on to tasks, Read more

If cold calling businesses and organizations is an approach that makes sense for your business, you’ll find this activity more productive when you do some advance research before placing your call. You’ll often have more success speaking to someone live if you already have the name of a decision maker before you get on the phone. Read more

Happy holidays to everyone. I can’t tell you how many folks I’ve talked to over the past few weeks who said, “Boy, am I glad this year is over!” More than ever, people are wanting to move forward, take stock of themselves, and look to the future. It’s a a terrific time to “stock your shelves” with an inventory of your unique skills. Read more

Joan Friedlander and Frank Traditi interview C.J. for Beyond Billable Hours. In this audio workshop, you’ll learn how an effective business model can make the difference between having a sustainable business and struggling, burning out, or giving up. Read more