1. Have a colleague in a non-competitive business write an endorsed letter on your behalf to his/her clients. You write the letter and take care of the mailing expenses. Offer your friend editing rights to make him comfortable.
2. Go to local chamber of commerce and offer to help them with their accounting for free for 6 months (your success will generate referrals). Think of them as a center of influence with 1,000+ businesses they might refer you to.
3. Run a seminar on how to increase your profits in your business – or save money. Give away your notes to anyone who offers you their contact information.
4. Create target list of select prospects. Call their secretary and ask to send a fax. Send a fax then follow right up with a phone call. She’ll put you through to the boss if your proposition is powerful.
5. Donate a small block of your time to a school/fundraising auction. The exposure may draw in some clients.
6. In a direct mail piece, attach a check made out to yourself in a letter and say, “I’ll buy your initial consultation for you.”
7. Discover centers of influence in the city and market to them. Could consider them the Dream 100, or donate time to get endorsements.
8. Join Rotary Club and Toastmasters.
9. Join up with a hurting magazine to J.V. – they carry my ads and you help them with your accounting services.
10. Ask people, “How would you see us working together?”
11. Be the founder of a think tank and invite the brightest minds in the field to participant. As a participant, it implies your own genius. Put a press release out calling for applications.
12. Go to a client and say, “Who would you like me to help?” They will likely suggest someone. This is another way of asking for referrals, but is less “salesy”.
13. Donate your time to a high-profile non-profit or market through big centers of influence. I’ll get referrals.

To schedule a free coaching call to see if coaching might be the help you need, simply call 760-930-9604. There is no charge. This is a no-pressure, no-obligation opportunity to see if coaching is right for you.

Overcoming the dreadful question “What do you do?”

Elevator pitches are powerful marketing tools that tell your story quickly. They are useful for any business person to have in their bag of networking tools.

Do you hate it when you are at a networking event and someone ask you “What do you do?”  If so here is a simple exercise that can help you overcome that dreadful question.

Feel free to leave your elevator pitch in the comment section below.

Networking is an essential skill for most business people, but especially for entrepreneurs. The strong association between the entrepreneur as a person and his or her business demands that entrepreneurs get out into the world and create and maintain business relationships.

If it is your first time networking, then it can seem very overwhelming and uncomfortable.  Keith Ferrazzi is a networking expert who’s written a book entitled Never Eat Alone, and gives you some great advice for anyone that feels uncomfortable in a networking situation. Watch this video

The most successful networkers adopt a mindset and attitude that focuses on the person sitting across the table from them. Most entrepreneurs I know, myself included, think about and consider themselves first. So it’s a bit unnatural to try and think of another persons needs first.

Tip: Think “How could I help this person?”

Cash in on keyword domination and get top ranking in search engines like Google by using social media, blogging and local search strategies. I created this quick video to show how easy it is to literally blow your competition away with proper online marketing strategies.

This video was shoot on Friday afternoon and still there was over 2 million page views with lots of paid advertising all competing for the key word phase “Professional Business Coach and Life Coaching”. As you will see on this video I ranked in 3 different places on the first page of Google using a Facebook Fan Page, WordPress Blog, and Merchant Circle for local search.

Interesting that the day before I made this video there was over 10 million page search and I still came up with 3 different positions on the first page of Google.

Remember keyword domination equals more clients, customers, sales and profits for your business.

Need help putting together a keyword rich domination strategy?

Call me for a free initial consultation at 760-930-9604.

Here is a great resource for doing keyword research. Helpful Keyword Research Tool For Busy Marketers - Micro Niche Finder is an amazing keyword research tool for anyone looking to start business online or affiliate marketing. Claim your FREE Micro Niche Finder videos! Micro Niche Finder

Business owners, professional and entrepreneurs are often wondering what can I do to get more clients now. Well here is a list of ideas to get you started.

Do at least 25 of these.

1. Give your service away.
2. Give your services away to three clients who can get you all the clients you need.
3. Lead a workshop for your current clients and don’t charge them for it.
4. Lead a workshop for your friends, clients, prospects and the public for very affordale tuition.
5. Ask five key clients for five referrals each.
6. Host a weekly luncheon or monthly party.
7. Tell clients that their referrals are one of the ways you are paid.
8. Join three clubs or organizations where your ideal clients would likely be members.
9. Deliver a measurable 20% more than what your average client expects.
10. Open an office that inspires you to do your best work.
11. Offer to help three people in trouble who cannot afford your fee.
12. Become a known resource by having or getting to know 50 highly qualified people who
provide services that your ideal clients need.
13. Orient at least 25% of your business around your special gift.
14. Host gatherings of your competitors.
15. Train your clients how to speak about you.
16. Become known as unconditionally constructive.
17. Write an article on something new in your profession.
18. Mentor an apprentice in your profession.
19. Hire an appointment setter.
20. Know and articulate your three basic messages.
21. Tell people the 10 thing that you want for them.
22. Set your business practice standards high and honor them.
23. Clean out your closets.
24. Send out a monthly newsletter.
25. Speak to groups at least once per week.
26. Send birthday and holiday cards (look into send out cards).
28. Write a book that breaks the rules.
29. Send “request letters” to colleagues.
30. Become known for three special things, but deliver all you can.
31. Invest 10% of your revenue in training, coaching and development.
32. Dress better.
33. Be a professional.
34. Know what you are attached to and get released.
35. Know your vision and be able to share it.
36. Establish yourself as a center of influence.
37. Deepen your relationship with 10 centers of influence.
38. Make your clients and others right even when they aren’t because they are.
39. Raise your fees.
40. Get your personal needs met outside of work.
41. Give the right gift for each referral.
42. Master the skill of converting leads to clients.
43. Immediately acknowledge a referral.
44. Do not offer your business card; rather ask for permission to call.
45. Get clear how much business is enough.
46. Ask, don’t plead, for more business but do ask.
47. Be interested, not interesting.
48. Under promise, but get the client anyway.
49. Package your materials to stun people.
50. Have something worthwhile to say.
52. Have referrals call you; don’t chase them.
53. Acknowledge others don’t compliment them.
54. Do more work for current clients.
55. Know what services you cannot or will not offer.
56. Expect a lot from your clients.
57. Package your services to create an annuity stream that pays you forever.
58. Upgrade your clientele.
59. Drastically cut business and personal expenses to be 25% profitable right now!
60. Be coached.
61. Speak benefits, not features.
62. Speak from the “you”, not the “I”.
63. Take the initiative. Don’t wait.
64. Don’t gossip.
65. Put the relationship ahead of the result.
66. Establish a value on your time. No more errands.
67. Don’t hide behind a brochure or website.
68. Advance your profession.
69. Take a vacation each quarter.
70. Have something to look forward to each evening.
71. Be straightforward, but don’t spill your guts.
72. Offer to help when you can do so without such help “costing” you.
73. Know exactly what you can do for others and let them know it!
74. Invite key people out.
75. Tell people what you want them to do.
76. Disqualify prospects.
77. Take rejection like an angel.
78. Be fully caught up.
79. Have time slots open, blank files prepared and be ready for business.
80. Decide to embrace attraction marketing versus promotion-based.
81. Align your goals with your values.
82. Find out why people have not been referring to you.
83. Make a list of your top 10 clients and who sent them to you: the referral tree.
84. Introduce yourself in 10 words or less.
85. Know what would make you irresistible to your ideal clientele.
86. Serve, don’t sell.
87. Cut out the distractions.
88. Identify the 20% who can get you the 80%.
89. Believe in the work you do.
90. Be responsible for how you are heard, not just what you say.
91. Dress well even when you don’t have to.
92. Deliver the message; let people self-select.
93. Fully inform, don’t hold back from your clients.
94. Have a self-introduction that engages people.
95. Meet with your mastermind team or advisory board weekly.
96. Write at least one thank you or acknowledgment per day.
97. Be more interested than interesting.
98. Value your time at $100 – $300 per hour.
99. Make one unscheduled call to a client each day.

Please leave your comments below and let’s see if we can come up with 1000 ways to get more clients, customers and business.

There is a big difference between marketing your business and doing your business. One of the keys to building a successful business is to make sure your in front of the right people. That is people who need, want and are willing to pay for your product or services.

In this video I share a simple and fun exercise that helps you determine a successful targeted niche strategy focused on getting you in front of the people who want and need the specific thing that you offer.

Enjoy!

Greg Clowminzer

When running a small business it is very important to lay out a plan of where your business is, what you would you like to bring to the world through your business, where you want to take it and the best way to get there.

This can be a formal business plan, which is an excellent strategizing tool to develop for your business, which you can update and refocus from time to time. Or you can start with a more informal mission statement and assessment of your strengths and areas that need improvement. This second option is a lot less intimidating and will help you gain clarity and focus on what is really important to you and the best strategies for achieving it.

The most important key is to develop a complete marketing plan. This will cover your business philosophy and your strategies for adding value and client extras all the way through what advertising you might place and where to reach your target audience. These ten tips will help you update your business planning and give you a fresh look at your business.

1.. Pay attention to articles in newspapers, magazines and television shows about trends and changes in national and international demographics.

This information can be very helpful in finding new business opportunities for you, increasing profits and ideas for providing additional value and service for people who do business with you.

2. Go right to your most knowledgeable source, your clients.

Ask them for referrals. Explain to them how important this is to your business; give them an extra incentive for spreading the word about your products or services. Providing a small gift is a nice way to show them how much you appreciate their help in referring new business.

3. A marketing plan is only as good as the tracking system you put in place.

It will enable you to see where your marketing dollars are being the most beneficial to your business. You will need to track each client or request for additional information. Get in the habit of asking your clients “How did you hear about us?” Then keep that information in your database along with their name, address, and any special request or preferences they may have. It is important to know how that client found you – through an ad, referral, your web site… You will see patterns begin to emerge allowing you to focus your marketing efforts where they are the most effective.

4. Joining your local chamber of commerce or other trade associations will help you to network and connect with other small business owners.

You will be able to share experiences and bounce new ideas off of these people, and share with other people experiences you have had providing solutions to problems they may be facing. More and more, the small business world works best when businesses co-partner and act in a mutually interdependent way.

5. You are always marketing your business and yourself.

Even if you don’t think it is a “business setting” you are still conveying an impression of yourself and your business. Be helpful and listen to people. Helping people is rewarding all by itself, but you will find that other people notice and will think of your business first when they need the product or service you offer because they know you are committed to the community and helping others.

6. When advertising, don’t think big, as in circulation and exposure. Think targeted.

Find out how your clients spend their time, what they read and what they like to do for fun. Then use this information to help you target your marketing efforts so your message will reach the specific group of people who are interested in your product or service.

7. Develop different ways for potential clients to get to know you.

Writing articles, doing workshops or speaking are great ways to interact with your potential customers. They will get to meet you and experience your style first hand. If you are uncomfortable doing these things, think of ways to start small and build your confidence. Maybe give a book presentation at your local book store or library on a book you found interesting that has some correlation to the services you provide. Perhaps you could partner with someone else and present together.

8. Keep everything consistent.

What is most important to you? What is the essence of what you would like to provide to your clients that is fulfilling to you. Narrowing your focus and determining what you want to share will help you define your business style. You can then have all of your marketing materials reflect that style. This will attract the best clients for you.

9. Give your clients several options for beginning to work with you.

Think of ways you can develop and tailor your services so they can work with you on a small scale to begin with. Offer different services with different price points. People like to test things out, make sure they feel comfortable and pleased with the services you provide. If you are offering different ways for them to start using your services at graduated prices, they will experience first hand the value you provide and continue to do more business with you.

10. What types of projects or goals that people have would you enjoy working with most.

Are there clients in a particular industry, age group, personal philosophy, or with a greater level of challenge that you would like to work with? When you focus on what is important to you in the characteristics of the clients or the projects they bring you, you will attract clients that are the most rewarding to work with. You’ll be excited by the work you do together and have a great person to refer you more potential clients who poses the qualities that are rewarding for you to work with.

Call or write to schedule a  complimentary “Business Breakthrough” coaching consultation. I may be reached by phone at (760) 930-9604

I was talking with a coaching client yesterday and we started to brainstorm ways to create killer content for online success without having type 120-150 words per minute and put out some valuable content. Check out the video to hear what we came up with. And if you have any idea you would like to share please leave your comments below.

Thanks for the inspiration Lou.

Main Street Marketing Machine

I created this short video to demonstrate how effective video plus blogging and social media combined can get you to the top of major search engines. In this video I show you how in less than 24 hours I completely dominated a top search engine for the key word phase “How Best Business Practices Are Changing”. As you will see out of over 24 million page searches I completely dominate the search page. If After watching this video you are interested in learning how you can do the same for your business and start driving massive traffic to your website then check out the link at the bottom of this page.

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