C.J. Hayden interviews Marcy Nelson-Garrison on how to create tangible products to complement your professional services business. Here’s what you’ll learn in this interview: Read more (members only)

Clients and students often ask me, “C.J., you always seem to have a million things going on. How do you keep track of it all?” Their questions imply that they believe I am more organized, focused, or productive than the average bear. Personally, I’m not so sure that’s true. You should see my desk, for example! But I do have a system, and in honor of New Year’s resolution-makers everywhere, I’m going to share it with y’all. Read more (members only)

There’s a lot of talk from Internet marketing gurus about how to drive more traffic to your website. Some will suggest you try to get a higher page rank on Google by optimizing your site for search engines. Others preach using pay-per-click advertising like Google AdWords to attract streams of new visitors. Read more (members only)

If you’re starting a new business or expanding the one you have, a valuable first step is developing a written plan. You’ve heard about business plans, but did you know there is more than one type? Depending on your situation, you may need a complete business plan, a simple business plan, and/or an action plan. Read more (members only)

The fear of hearing those words when marketing your professional services can stop you in your tracks. It’s the response you may most dread hearing when you make a sales pitch: “You? You think I should hire you? Well, who do you think you are?” Read more (members only)

A helpful tool for presenting your services to prospective clients is a repertoire of success stories about the results your clients get from your work. Here’s a template and example for composing some success stories of your own. Read more (members only)

“I think I’m really good at what I do,” declares technical writer June, “but I don’t ever seem to get a chance to show people.” June is experienced, highly-skilled, and has written dozens of procedure manuals and other how-to guides throughout her career. But she isn’t getting enough work to earn a living as a freelancer. Read more (members only)

C.J. Hayden is interviewed by Milana Leshinsky on the future of coaching as a business and what coaches need to do to succeed. Here’s what you’ll learn in this interview: Read more (members only)

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 (members only)

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 (members only)