The BIG 3:  Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Everybody who’s anybody has a profile in each.  And it seems everybody is preaching the same thing:

• You HAVE  to have a Facebook Fan Page
• You HAVE  to be on Twitter
• You HAVE  to join LinkedIn and participate in groups

But, do you really HAVE to do any of this?  Will your business fall in the water if you don’t?

The answer depends on your target audience.

Remember, your target audience determines where you should be and how you spend your time.  If your target audience spends their day on Twitter, then that’s where you should be engaging with them.  While it may be a little challenging to have a full-fledged conversation, you can still interact and find out what their challenges are, participate in the conversation when they are looking for solutions and become a trusted adviser.

The same could be true if your target audience hangs out on Facebook.  Maybe they prefer to interact there because there’s no character limit (like the 140 characters on Twitter.)  They may like the back and forth conversation of posting comments on each others wall and seeing their updates throughout the day.

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Are you confused by the "noise" of all the different strategies available to market your business?  You may hear one “expert” saying you HAVE to do social media or else you can’t have a thriving business.  Someone else is saying that you HAVE to do pay-per-click advertising to drive traffic to your website.  Still another claims that blogging is the "golden ticket" to your success!

Then there's the fact that, as entrepreneurs, we often find it difficult to get through everything we'd like to accomplish in one day.  You may be so busy serving clients and doing your work, that your well-intentioned marketing plans fall by the way side.  If you don't have a head for marketing or aren't tech savvy, it can seem downright impossible to make any headway in growing your business.  And what happens then?  Because you can't decipher what to do next, are pressed for time and have limited marketing knowledge you become overwhelmed and wind up doing nothing.

Doing nothing to market your business is not an option.  If you don’t consistently market your services, you won't continue to attract new prospects and eventually your client base will dry up, leaving you with no revenue and no business.

So what's the solution?

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You're not the only professional offering your particular service. To consistently attract YOUR ideal clients, you need to show prospects that you are the ONLY solution to their problems. So how do you go about doing this? How do you stand out from the pack? Implement what you learn in today's episode and you'll never be without a full practice of clients!

How to Stand Out From Your Colleagues and Create a Thriving Business (SSMS Episode 16) [ 9:38 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (217)

As the year starts to wind down, perhaps you're starting to think about taking a well-deserved break.  Maybe you're planning a vacation or a holiday getaway to visit family.  Whatever the case, consider how you can use the opportunity to create more exposure for your business.

Nothing can boost your income quite like tapping into a "new" market. Think about it - if you have done any networking in your local area, you know the power of connecting with ideal prospects and building relationships.  Meeting new people, the RIGHT people, is often the quickest way to enroll new clients into your practice.

The same can be true when you go out of town.

Take the time to research what networking or speaking opportunities are available in your vacation area.  Whether you visit another BNI chapter, a Chamber of Commerce meeting or some other event, you'll be introduced to a fresh group of people with whom you can develop relationships and create opportunities.

Of course, for best results, you want to be sure to focus your attention on events that will connect you with a group of your ideal clients or prospective Power Partners. Remember your goal is to meet new people and start relationships with them - NOT sell to them.  You want to build visibility for what you offer, do some market research by asking questions and extend/receive referrals.

Following are a few ideas for finding events to attend:
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As you consider which marketing strategies to pursue that fit your voice and your message, it's important to remember that offline marketing is just as powerful as having a strong online presence.  In some cases it can even be more powerful.  One way to position yourself as the expert and attract your ideal clients is to host your own fr.ee event.  People are always looking for fr.ee resources, seminars and training opportunities.  Maybe they just want to learn a little more about a particular topic, or maybe it's the way they entertain themselves.  Either way, fr.ee events can help fill your practice.

Think about fr.ee events kind of like your blog and ezine, you give out lots of fr.ee content to attract visitors and get them interested in your expertise. Then you give them an opportunity to learn more and get one-on-one support from you by means of your programs and services.   Fr.ee events are the same thing, but they just take a little more planning to be effective.

To create your own lead-generating event, follow these simple steps: MORE

How different would your business be if every time you offered a product, program or service your ideal client jumped at the opportunity to work with you? How would you feel? And how would that make a difference in your life? It would be pretty awesome, right?

I'll let you in on a secret. Turning this scenario into your reality is completely possible and has nothing to do with what YOU think your clients want. It has everything to do with what THEY want! Discover how to determine what that is in today's episode.

SSMS Episode #11 – I Hate To Break This To You...But What You Want Doesn't Matter! [ 11:12 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (154)

Did you know there are pockets of money "hidden" in your business that you don't even see? It's true! For EVERY single client that I work with, the first thing I do is assess the opportunities in front of them (that they are too close to their business to see) and then create a "Money Map" to help them dig out the additional profits they're looking for. You can do the same for your business...starting NOW! Listen to today's episode as I share details on the importance of creating your own marketing plan, what benefits you can expect to enjoy in doing so and how to get started.

SSMS Episode #9 – How to Find The Hidden Profits in Your Business [ 8:48 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (163)

Working with your ideal clients and only your ideal clients doesn't have to be a fantasy.  You can work with only the people you are meant to serve ALL the time - IF you know exactly what they want.  Keeping in tune with what your ideal clients really want is the key to your success.

So the first step to making sure you're deeply connected with your ideal clients is to figure out how well you know your current clients.  Are you providing the services and solutions they need now?  Are they repeat clients?  If yes, why and if not, why not?  There are 3 basic questions to ask yourself to ensure you are attracting your ideal client and keeping your current clients happy.

1. Have you done your market research? When was the last time you checked the pulse of your ideal clients to find out what their challenges are right now?  Keeping on top of their current needs, immediate challenges and hot topics is key to providing the services they need NOW.  If you don't know, you simply need to ask them.  You'll want to conduct research on a regular basis, by asking probing questions of all new prospects and conducting surveys of those in your network.
2. Who is your ideal client within your target market? Focusing on a particular segment of the population is great, but you need to get clear on the ONE type of individual that you want to work with, within that market.  For example, say your target audience is real estate agents.  But what kind of real estate agents; residential or commercial?  A man or a woman?  How old is this person? How much experience does he/she have? Where does this person live and/or work?  The more specific you are the better able you will be to create solutions that meet their needs.
3. Where does your ideal client "hang out"? In order to drill down into the nitty gritty of what your ideal client needs and wants, you need to connect with them and get to know them.  Find out where your ideal client is hanging out online and offline and meet them there.  This can mean participating in one of the social networking groups where you know they're active or attending an appropriate networking event in your area.  Wherever it is, make sure you know where you need to be, get registered and be visible there.

Remember, marketing is simply a matter of sharing solutions in an appealing way with people who are already looking for them.  So, by doing your research and finding out what your ideal client needs will help you provide the solutions they are looking for.  And, since you're in tune with their needs, you won't ever need to "sell" yourself or your services because you will be clearly seen as THE expert problem solver.

When was the last time you did market research on your ideal clients?  Did you find any new challenges or ways to present your solutions to better serve them?  Post a comment below to let me know what you discovered and how you plan to use the information!

For most solo service professionals, in-person networking is a significant piece of their ongoing marketing strategy. Getting out and meeting the right people is often the quickest way to enroll new clients into your practice and generate additional revenue.

Though networking can open the door to numerous opportunities, that doesn't necessarily mean it's one of your favorite activities. I know a fair number of entrepreneurs who dread networking and consider it to be a necessary "evil" of running a business.

Whether you LOVE networking or do it out of sheer necessity, I'm confident you want to enjoy the best possible results at every opportunity. Following are some of my proven, Smart, Simple Tips on how to use this strategy effectively to connect with your ideal clients and create opportunities to grow your business:     MORE