The Only Thing We Have to Fear
There's no question that the state of the world economy is alarming. Here in the U.S., businesses are failing, unemployment is at record levels, and business and consumer spending in multiple categories has plummeted. And there's no clear path to recovery while the...
Is This the Right Business for You? Ten Essential Questions
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...
Being Unique Is a Good Thing… Isn’t It?
Self-employed professionals frequently hear the advice to "be unique" in their marketing. The basic idea is a valuable one -- to get attention in a crowded marketplace, you must stand out in some way. Distinguishing your product or service from the competition can...
Beyond Billable Hours
In any professional services business, you typically begin by serving clients one-to-one. As you improve your skills at marketing yourself and begin filling your practice, eventually you discover there are only so many hours in the day. You want to keep growing your...
Marketing in Need of Focus? Focus Your Business
"I'm having trouble building a website for my business," a student told me. "The web designer I'm working with says I'm trying to do too many things, and I shouldn't put it all on one site. But there are so many kinds of work I can do, and I don't want to limit...
Should You Pursue that New Business Idea?
If you're a typical entrepreneur, you're a creative person, and you frequently come up with new ideas for how to do business. So often, in fact, that you need to learn how to choose wisely about which ideas are worth your while to pursue. Making the right choice about...
Don’t Let Your Business Take Over Your Life
Does it feel to you like you work all the time, yet there's always more to do? It often seems that in order to do well financially, an entrepreneur must work through the weekends, ignore family and friends, and leave no time for himself or herself. How can you get...
What’s Your Specialty? If You Aren’t Sure, Your Clients Won’t Be Either
If you can perform many different kinds of work in your field, is there any reason to specialize? When you have a wide range of professional skills, it's tempting to market yourself as someone who can do just about anything in the area of computers, writing, interior...
Don’t Let Your Client’s Urgency Become Your Emergency
Every self-employed professional who works on a project basis has had the experience of clients who need something "yesterday." The small business client doesn't contact her graphic designer about a flyer until a week before the trade show. Or, the taxpayer client...
Summertime, and the Marketing Ain’t Easy
Summer is here, but it seems many of your potential clients are not. When you get the response "I'll be on vacation until..." one too many times, it's easy to become discouraged about summertime marketing. But fear not, there's plenty you can do to build your business...
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