Veronika, I enjoyed your article- these are all very good points.

You say in #3 "chances are there are people out there who really want and need what you've got to offer," and this is so true. But I think people underestimate the importance of finding them! One of the benefits of being small is that you don't need hundreds of clients. You can pinpoint the ones who are ideal and cherry pick them. To me that seems so much easier than marketing your services to everyone!

Well put, Danielle. I think this is very good advice for anyone creating a communication piece.

I agree that it's easy to jump too quickly and neglect these 5 important steps. I always recommend that clients have an ongoing method of communication to help support their goals, such as quarterly direct mail campaigns and email newsletters, but I think it's important to take these steps into consideration for each and every piece. Thanks for a good article!

Elge, this is a topic I had on my list to write an article about. But you've done such a good job, now I don't have to. In fact, I think I'll spread the word about it by posting a link to it on my blog (www.marketingmixblog.com) next week.

Thanks so much!

Zita, thanks for this great article. It takes patience to be a farmer; that's why many like the idea but don't actually do it.

I also love your list of what people notice when they see you in action and what inspires trust. In fact, I might like to excerpt that for the Marketing Mix Blog (with a link back to you, of course).

Your points on gaining trust are excellent, particularly the point about listening intently. Without really understanding what someone does, it's impossible to know if they would even need your services. I think if all the hunters out there read your article, they'd find their networking to be a lot more successful.

Nobody likes being just another target! I stress the importance of networking to my clients, but many are scared because they think they have to sell, sell, sell. They are relieved when they find out that's not true!

Joseph, I can't agree more with #2- setting actual dates, and #7- take action!

I mentor creatively self-employed people, many of whom are just starting out on their own. They have goals they want to reach, and like you said, they get paralyzed by the size of the goal instead of attacking it step by step. The goal that I see overwhelming people most often is starting, and sticking to, an ongoing marketing plan for their business. They would take small bites out of the elephant, but not consistently! My answer was to create a marketing plan that is also a calendar. All the marketing tasks are filled in- and everything has a specific date which holds the user accountable! Someone told me yesterday that they can't believe how far they've come in a few months by following the calendar. It just proves your point even more about the importance of setting actual dates! It always amazes me how a feeling of accomplishment can easily replace that overwhelmed feeling simply by taking action- no matter how big or small that action is. I absolutely agree with your points and would recommend them to anyone trying to reach a goal. Thanks for the article!

Chris, great article! I haven't spent much time in corporate America myself but I do come across many clients who see themselves as incompetent at marketing. But the funny thing is, they're not really. That's just the excuse for not doing it.

The ability to promote one's services (or not) is not genetic. These are skills anyone can learn, even if you don't like or feel comfortable doing it.

Very nice article, Lori. One way to keep in touch with everyone you meet is to get them into your "loop" -- that is, the marketing tool you use to keep in touch on a regular basis. For some, that's an email newsletter; for others, it's a monthly postcard.

Of course, you can't just add them to your list. You do need permission. So in my follow up, I often end with this question, "May I keep in touch via my email newsletter, Quick Tips from Marketing Mentor?" (http://www.marketing-mentortips.com/)

More often than not, they say yes.

Rickey, I can definitely agree with #2, Lighten Up. People get too worked up about networking. Sometimes my clients don't attend an event because they aren't feeling "in the mood." I always say, you don't have to be in the mood, you just have to be there and be open! Often, you end up talking to someone interesting and you find your mood improves naturally. Like you said, networking is not about blatant selling. You don't need to be in sell mode to attend a networking event; you simply need to be friendly and open!

Chris, I think this is a fantastic article and it has inspired some great discussion. And Jasmine, thank you for plugging our "What Should I Charge" webinar at http://www.howdesign.com/webinars/webinarpricing.asp

I'm so glad you found it helpful!

I agree with Chris that when you charge by the hour, you may be cheating yourself. As many of you said, over time, you get better at what you do--sometimes a lot better. But if you charge by the hour, the better you get, the less time you spend and the less money you make. Pricing by the project, although more challenging, is better for you in the long run.

I deal with many creative professionals who wonder if they're charging enough. And they probably aren't. I remind my clients that they are not selling their time; they are selling their brain, their attention and their creative imagination- and that has a value that can be difficult to quantify!

More on that here: http://biznik.com/learn/articles/fees-pricing/what-exactly-are-you-selling

As far as hourly rates- you need to know what yours is. It's one of the building blocks of your price, but you should never reveal that hourly rate in a proposal or in conversations with your client. When figuring out what to charge, there are many factors! You need to factor in your desired salary, overhead and profit. I could go on for pages about this topic (at the risk of promoting myself, I'll just mention that I actually do in my new book, The Designer's Guide to Marketing & Pricing, co-authored with my partner, Peleg Top).

It deals with the nuts & bolts of running a creative design business, and I think it's particularly helpful for anyone who asks, "Am I charging enough."

Chris, thanks again for a great article.

Michelle, i agree with you. sometimes the best thing you can do for your business is remove yourself from the day to day.

Twice a year, I do a retreat with my partner, peleg top, where we clear our heads, and leave the clutter, phones and the emails behind. we remove the chaos and take some time to really focus on the big picture. Some of our best ideas come from these retreats. I think it's even better than a vacation, because it leads us closer to our goals. Thanks for the article.

Great article, Nicole, and I think you pointed out something very important with your Lead Nurturing Program Example- that you should keep contact with a prospect for an extended period of time!

People give up way too soon. They're afraid of being a pest. But I always tell my clients when in doubt, err on the side of more contact than less. What the worst thing that can happen? The prospect will ask you to stop contacting them. But more often than not, your continued contact serves as a reminder of your services- and when the right time comes- there you are!

Stacy, I agree that pinning down a target market is a good way to start.

I'd like to add something about deciding which market to pursue. When my clients are just starting out, I always recommend they try to find a specific niche or industry within their market. For example, if you are getting started as a self employed graphic designer, then you have a huge potential market. So many companies need graphic design services! But trying to tackle this entire market would be overwhelming and impractical. So I recommend picking a specific niche within the market, such as the automotive industry. (I usually recommend choosing an industry you either have experience in or you are knowledgeable about.)

Once you've chosen a niche, it's easier to find your prospects. You can pick networking events and find groups to join because now you know where your prospects gather. Once you get a handle on that niche, you can branch out to others.

I have a worksheet from our new book, "The Designer's Guide to Marketing and Pricing" (available for pre-order on Amazon.com) that can help you decide which market to focus on.

The worksheet is called, "Define Your Market" and it's available to anyone who sends an email message to ilise@marketing-mentor.com with "define your market" in the subject line.

Great article, Andrew and I have to agree that a daily plan and checklist are important in making progress towards long term goals. Unless you're organized and keep those long term goals in mind, it's easy to get lost in the daily tasks. I've been hearing this dilemma for years from my Marketing Mentor clients. They are all self-employed, and most find they get off track unless they are extremely organized and proactive. Like you said, they find themselves reacting instead of acting. With all the emergencies and emails coming at them, they weren't giving marketing the attention it deserved. I absolutely agree with you when you said, "Even if you only spend 30 minutes today advancing your goals, you've ADVANCED them." It's all about making some time.

I hope it's not too self promotional, but I wanted to put in a plug for our response to the dilemma: The 2008 Grow Your Business Marketing Plan/Calendar. It was designed specifically with the needs of our the creatively self employed in mind. There are two versions, one for Veterans who already have an established business and want to develop their marketing, and one for Rookies who are just starting out. Both calendars are based around daily, weekly and monthly to-do checklists and incorporate a year-long marketing plan to help grow your business and keep qualified leads in your pipeline.

The daily, weekly and monthly checklists include the basics that should be done every day, week, and month. They also include specific marketing tasks, and a place to fill in additional tasks. It helps you stay organized, and it also helps you track what you've accomplished. The calendars have plenty of space to write in each day, and also room for notes and events, leads and prospects. We think it helps people focus on the big rocks while still making time for the pebbles, sand, and water which are also important to the success of their business. Having a plan and a checklist is a great way to stay focused, and we thought this might be a relevant comment for your article. Thanks! (You can find more info here: http://www.marketing-mentor-store.com.