How many times already today has someone tried to sell you something? The ads come in by email, postal mail, fax, radio, magazines, newspapers, TV, and your web browser; the salespeople write you, call you, and approach you in the store or showroom. Read more (members only)

If you’re an active networker, it’s likely that the organizations you belong to will offer you an exhibit booth at an upcoming conference or meeting. But is this kind of exposure a good investment for a consulting or professional services business? Read more (members only)

In this audio workshop with a live audience of professional coaches, C.J. Hayden and Frank Traditi share how to create referral partnerships and strategic alliances that allow you to harness the power of people to bring your products and services to a larger audience. Read more (members only)

There are good reasons in favor of both sides of this question. If you post your fees on your site, you can prequalify prospects and save time responding to inquiries. But if you don’t post them, you can vary your fees based on the prospect’s needs and situation. Here are some pros and cons about posting fees and some suggested alternatives Read more (members only)

Pay-per-click advertising can be a useful method of increasing traffic to your website, but you need to make sure that you are earning more from each click than you are paying for it. The sales conversion rate of your website multiplied by the amount of your average sale must equal more than your cost per click. If it doesn’t, you are losing money. Read more (members only)

Do you know how your website site fits into the overall marketing strategy for your business? Do you have a strategy for your website as a marketing tool? If you’re like many self-employed professionals I speak with, you probably don’t. Read more (members only)

In an ideal world, every independent professional would have both an attractive, content-rich website and a high-quality, well-written brochure or marketing kit. That way you could use either or both to attract and approach prospective clients. But when time and money are short, you may need to choose where to invest your resources. Read more (members only)

“I’ve done everything I can think of to get clients,” a desperate self-employed professional writes. “I printed a brochure, I have a web site, and I’ve placed ads. But no one is hiring me. What am I doing wrong?” Read more (members only)