Simply click the play button to watch my video tips for you:

Take Action Notes

• Decide what kind of clients you want.  If you haven’t yet created your ideal client profile, it’s time to get it done. You want to be specific and detailed as to exactly who you want to work with and what problems you will help them solve. Getting clear on this before you start asking for referrals will make it easy for you to explain to your referral partners what kind of leads you are looking for. Be sure to identify a few key phrases or situation “triggers” for them to watch for. This will help your clients and contacts to prequalify the referrals for you.
• Time your requests just right. Be sure to stay in touch with your referral partners regularly to maintain and strengthen your relationships. Schedule a monthly coffee or lunch date. Or stay in touch with a letter to let them know what you are up to. With your clients, the best time to ask for a referral is when they have commented on the quality of your work. Graciously thank them for their feedback and then ask, “Who else do you know who is looking for [SOLUTIONS CLIENT HAS ENJOYED]?” As they brainstorm who they can introduce to you, listen carefully to the contacts they have in mind. Be sure to explain simply how they can best introduce their contact, both so the individual is comfortable and so you can effectively follow-up on the lead.
• Don’t be afraid to ask! Many service providers stop themselves from asking for referrals because they are intimidated. But honestly, you have nothing to be afraid of. If you’ve been doing a stellar job for the client, it’s completely acceptable for you to ask for a referral. And what’s the worst they could say? “Probably, I’ll keep that in mind.” That is a good thing! The only thing you have to lose is the opportunity to be of service to a new client and increase your income.

• Many seasoned entrepreneurs have grown their business strictly by referral. If you like, you can be one of them. As with all effective marketing, creating the desired result, it simply takes focused, consistent effort on your part. By making it clear who you serve and what you do for them, you empower your clients and contacts to make referrals that will be beneficial to you and the people that they refer as well.

Simply click on the picture to watch my video tip for you:

Take Action Notes:

• Focus and consistency are keys to your success as an entrepreneur.
• You’ll get much better results with your marketing when you focus your efforts on ONE target market and ONE ideal client profile.
• If you’ve struggled with choosing a target market consider these points:
  1. With what group of people have you done your best work?
  2. What opportunities are currently available to you?
  3. What kind of clients do you want to fill your practice with?
• Keep in mind, your choice isn’t forever! Just choose based on the goals you have for your business right NOW (say for the next 30-60 days).
• There is no “right” or “wrong” choice. Just pick one and go with it! Remember, focus and consistency is the key to your success.

What target market are you focused on right now in your business? Let me know by leaving a comment below.

Service professionals have to be proactive about finding and acquiring new clients. The marketplace continues to enable normal people like you and me to earn a living AND gives others the opportunity to get the services that they need. Why is that? It is because we can easily access the people who need the solutions that we offer to solve their problems.

I have found various forms of networking to be highly successful strategies to help grow a business [i.e. enroll new clients]. If you want to see the best results with your service business, leverage the following opportunities:     MORE

One of the ways that I quickly developed a base of ideal clients was by attending live events that cater to my target market. Over the years I have consistently attended workshops, events and seminars that attracted several hundred solo service professionals who were looking for tips and strategies to grow their business.

Why am I telling you this?  Because attending has been a MAJOR contributing factor in growing my business to its current level.  Did it cost me money to attend this?  YES!  (The registration fees have ranged from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars!)  Plus, I paid my own travel expenses AND took off time from my business.  But was it worth it?  ABSOLUTELY!  I’ve gotten at least one new client from every live event I’ve ever attended. Every single one.      MORE

You've heard me say it before. Marketing is simply a matter of sharing solutions with people who are already looking for them.  So, the point of your marketing messages is to encourage your prospective clients to take the next step with you: hire you to help them solve their problems.

But if you aren’t clear on that step or don’t outline exactly what they should do to get that help, then you’re leaving your prospects hanging and leaving money on the table. If you want your marketing messages to have an impact, you need to carefully consider what you’d like them to do next, spell it out for them exactly and make it easy for them to do so. MORE

Blogging about your business is by far one of the best strategies for driving traffic to your website, educating your target market and connecting with ideal prospects.

However it's important to think about setting realistic expectation for your readers, as well as protecting your business interests while you are freely expressing your thoughts.

This quick article by Mashable highlights a few critical points all of us bloggers should take note of as we strive to add value to the marketplace and grow our businesses.

http://mashable.com/2011/06/16/blog-legal-tips/

Networking.  Love it or not, when done correctly, it's one of the easiest and fastest ways to grow your business and attract ideal clients.

Service professionals who do not LOVE networking often feel that way because they have convinced themselves that they aren't good at it.  Another common reason for resisting in-person networking is that some haven't enjoyed the results they expected.

Being effective at networking is certainly an acquirable skill.  If it's not one you currently possess, rest assured you can learn it with ease.  If you happen to be great at networking, you'll be happy to know that with a bit of ongoing effort you'll continue to connect with ideal prospects and close more business.

So how does one go about using networking opportunities to create more visibility and attract ideal clients?  Following are seven simple tips that will put you on the fast track to success: MORE

How do you attract the ideal client for your business? Follow these easy steps to wield your way through a pack of prospects and wind up with a selection of clients you love to work with.

Let's be real about this, to have a successful business, you need to have clients -- so why not make it your goal to attract the ideal client? Clients, like everyone else in your life, come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. Some are great to work with, others, well, not so much. Those "less than ideal" clients can cost you time and money, not to mention a healthy chunk of your sanity. So rather than struggling to 'fit a square peg in a round hole', it makes much more sense to focus your marketing efforts on attracting clients who will allow you to do your best work and for whom you can create the best results.

Here are four easy steps to attract your ideal client:   MORE

Having a client or another service professional refer you to someone in their network is the ULTIMATE compliment.  It shows that they value your work and that you've made a significant difference in their life and/or business. It lends credence to your abilities and provides a measure of confidence to those who may be considering your services for their own use.

While having a referral based business is the most preferred method of marketing and advertising, it requires more than just “hanging out a shingle” and being good at what you do.   Receiving referrals is most often the result of having a strong relationship with your clients and referral partners.  These relationships must be developed, nurtured, and respected.  The following are my three favorite strategies for developing strong business relationships and encouraging those in your network to refer you to others: MORE

"I need more clients!"  Have you ever made this statement?

Attracting ideal clients and keeping a full pipeline is often the number one challenge solo service professionals face. Fortunately, it is also one of the easiest challenges to overcome. By consistently implementing a few simple steps, you will be well on your way to achieving your business goals.

The struggle to attract ideal clients is often rooted in a lack of clarity, focus and planning.  Remember, when you have clarity of vision for your business, it is easier for your ideal clients to see it as well. So you first need to know WHO exactly is your ideal client, what makes them ideal and what solutions they are looking for.   Also, it's important to narrow and focus your attention on one particular demographic.  This will allow you to be more strategic with your efforts and spend your marketing time wisely.  The planning is important too, because allows you to outline exactly what you are going to do on a  daily, weekly and monthly basis to connect with ideal prospects, instead of leaving it to chance.

Once you've gotten clear on your target market, ideal client and what they need, it's time to start taking action.  Here are three simple strategies for attracting ideal clients to your business NOW:   MORE