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 (members only)

Many aspects of business are driven by numbers, but marketing often seems to be all about words. Whether it’s naming your business, coming up with a tag line, or writing copy for your website, you probably spend a big chunk of your marketing time trying to find just the right words Read more (members only)

Selling professional services can often be a challenge because of their intangibility. When a client hires you to deliver a service such as accounting or web design, they can’t see the outcome in advance. They have to trust that your work will produce a result they will like, Read more (members only)

“How can I improve my marketing?” a student recently asked me. “I’ve spent hours and hours trying to get clients, and none of my efforts seem to pay off.” Read more (members only)

Sometimes my quest for just the right information can completely consume the day. I find myself spending hours searching for the answer to a crucial question, seeking out a product to solve a business problem, or looking for an expert who can tell me what I need to know. Read more (members only)

We self-employed professionals are constantly faced with difficult choices about how to best grow our businesses. Should I pursue this line of business or that one? Would it serve me better to choose Niche A or Niche B? Read more (members only)

Evaluating a new business concept is one of the least glamorous aspects of launching a new product, service, or enterprise. When you are excited about a new idea, you may not want to take the time to stop and examine it critically. New business ideas sometimes seem Read more (members only)

Do you choke on your words when it’s time to tell a prospect your fees? Do you find that you’re doing more than you contracted for without being paid for your efforts? Do you notice that your clients don’t do their part to make the most of your work together? You might be devaluing your services. Read more (members only)

“Relationship marketing.” “Word-of-mouth advertising.” “The future of marketing is one-to-one.” “People like to do business with people they know, like, and trust.” You’ve heard these adages many times before. But what does it really mean to build relationships with people in order to sell something? Read more (members only)

You’ve decided to take the plunge and make networking a regular practice. You’ve picked the organizations or events where you want to go, and you start to meet people. You’re doing a good job of breaking the ice with a creative opening line or two, but then what happens? Read more (members only)