After weeks or months of work suddenly you face the dreaded drought when the client flow slows down or STOPS!

Making excuses such as the failing economy, people are cutting back, it’s the weather or it’s always quiet at this time of year just won’t help.

Although some of these external factors will have an impact, focusing on reasons which are outside your control can’t solve the problem.  Instead, you could find yourself in a negative, pessimistic and downward spiral which will hold you back from taking positive steps forward.

So what can you do?

Dr John Demartini in his book ‘How to Make One Hell of a Profit and Go to Heaven’ writes about the prosperity and austerity cycles in business.  When you are in a prosperity cycle you’ll feel positive and optimistic but often stop doing all the things that got you there.

As a result, over time, the demand for your products or services declines.

Then, in times of perceived austerity you’ll act purposefully and become creative leading to an increase in demand and you’ll swing back to the prosperity side of the cycle.

But as Demartini says the skill is to moderate these ups and downs and neutralise the swings.

If, however, you are in a valley here are some back to basics tips to increase the demand for your services….

Do you need to review your niche or target client? As we change and grow so does our business and it may be time to refine, tweak or overhaul who you work with, what you do or how you deliver your services.

Is it clear what problems you solve and the benefits you provide? If there is lack of clarity in the outcomes and results that clients can expect when they can do business with you, they will go where the message is clear.

Audit and keep track of all your marketing activities.  This is a golden opportunity to review what is working, what needs more attention and what you can stop doing.  Common mistakes are not marketing consistently, fuzzy or mixed messages about what you do or not reaching enough people in your target market.  You may want to explore new ways of marketing to revitalise your approach such as videos, direct mail, joint ventures, free or low cost introductory seminars.

Make a list of all your past clients and how they found you. If you’re not capturing this information then it’s important to start tracking this now so that you can capitalise on your best sources and stop wasting time and money on non-productive activities.

Make a special offer to your existing client base to give them an opportunity to sample your services and generate new interest or referrals.

Hire a coach or mentor or find an accountability partner.  It’s very difficult to grow a successful business if you try to do everything yourself.  Having someone who can share your successes and listen to your disappointments is invaluable in helping you gain perspective and most importantly generate solutions.

‎And just remember as Denis Waitley said, ‘When you are in the valley, keep your goal firmly in view and you will get the renewed energy to continue the climb’.

If you would like help to consistently grow your business then join us for the Prosperous Business Programme, starting Thursday 22 March 2012.  Click here for all the details  http://www.realcoachingsolutions.co.uk/prosperousbusiness/

The energy at the start of a new year can be a wonderful time to map out a marketing plan that will inspire and excite you, pulling you forward to achieve your goals and intentions.  And it doesn’t need to be difficult or complicated.

Although for some of us just the thought of working it all out might seem overwhelming, I’ve learned from my own experience that leaving things to chance, or making it up as I go along, can often be the difference between having a truly successful year or a disappointing one.

Here’s how to get started:

Preparation: Capture and write down all your ideas, goals, intentions and projects for the next 12 months.  This could include existing services you offer, new product launches, workshops, programmes and projects that you plan to deliver.  Once you’ve done this I recommend putting this to one side for a while and then revisiting your list to make sure it is realistic, achievable and will help you reach your revenue targets.

If you are confident and excited about the way forward then the next step is to create….

Your Yearly Plan: Either grab your diary or a wall planner and using post it notes initially decide on the dates when each of these will take place.  This can work whether you want to publish a book or land a corporate contract and haven’t yet got a clue about the ‘how’.  At this stage set a target date to aim for.  By using post it notes initially you can move things around until you feel confident about timings.

From there you can work out your….

Monthly, weekly and daily activities that you can plug into your marketing plan.  You can do this by taking each service, product or programme and writing out in detail all the steps you can take to raise the awareness and visibility of what you offer.

By working backwards and using post it notes you will build up a step by step schedule for what needs to happen and when; for example networking and speaking engagements, postcard promotions, advertising and social media strategies.  If you use a piece of flipchart paper or a blank wall to plot all of this out, then, you’ll get an immediate overview, will see scheduling conflicts and can add activities if you spot any gaps.  Finally document all of this in your marketing calendar.

I’m a bit of a stationery fan so to keep me inspired I like to keep track of all my activities by having on my desk beautiful journals and notebooks to record ideas and to monitor progress every week.

By creating your overall marketing plan you can more easily work out what’s working and what needs to change as the year progresses.

When I first started out in business I soon realised that I had an issue with been seen and known!  For years I had hidden behind my corporate persona and it took me a while to gain the confidence to step into something new.

I realised that I feared being judged or criticised as, for the first time, I was representing myself and not a well know organisation – would it work out?

Over time I’ve learned that building and maintaining visibility is a KEY factor in attracting clients, no matter what size your organisation.

As Anais Nin, the French-Cuban author wrote, ‘the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.’

But, before stepping into the limelight it is worth coming to terms with the fact that as more people get to know you that there will be some who will love what you do and will happily rave about your services and others who won’t …………and will also readily share their opinions.

For all the positive feedback you get there will probably be one or two negative comments.

None of us likes criticism, particularly when it can be seen as a personal attack. Just bear in mind that life has a way of bringing everything into balance.  Take what you can learn from this and ignore what isn’t relevant.  Most importantly don’t dwell on any negativity and don’t allow it to stop you being bold and brave, serving those who truly value what you provide.

Whether you are just starting out or you are at a more established stage and need that extra boost, here are 6 tips to help you raise your visibility….

1. Become a more active member of your networking groups by giving a short talk, chairing meetings or supporting one off events.  It will help you to stand out in the group and be seen as a valuable point of contact for others.

2. Put together your own media pack, craft a signature talk and then write to PR, Conference and Event organisers offering to speak.  You could include a link to a short video clip of you in action to create more interest.

3. Contribute regularly to blogs and forums by posing and answering questions and posting comments.  It’s a great way to learn about the challenges your target market faces as well as demonstrating your knowledge and expertise.

4. Send out a press release if you are launching a new website, service or product.  There are sites that will do this for free or for a fee.  Your details could be picked up by journalists or publications looking for an interesting story.

5. Host your own event which could range from a small workshop, a launch party to a larger seminar or conference where you get to showcase your business.

6. Film a series of video tips and post these to YouTube.  Video clips are becoming one of the preferred mediums for communication, particularly, when they are short and engaging. Being very versatile they can be posted on your blog, website, Facebook and newsletter.  Some business owners are now producing ‘video newsletters’ replacing much of the written word, finding that they often get viewed and forwarded on when the content is good.

The good news is that if you are a solo business owner or a small company you don’t need a big PR budget to get started.  There are countless opportunities for you to step out and be known.  And don’t hesitate when they come up….just seize them!

One of the most effective and enjoyable ways to attract new clients and grow your business is through recommendations and referrals.  

Yet I am sure most of us would admit that we mainly leave it to chance or fate, (unless you are part of a networking group that actively supports this approach).

We’re worried that we might appear pushy and needy.  So we just HOPE that we’ll be the top of someone’s list of ‘people to recommend’ when an opportunity shows up!

But being serious about developing this slice of your marketing wheel requires more than relying on the memory and goodwill of others.

So how do you become a magnet for referrals?

It needs a positive approach that focuses on being referable, building your reputation and nurturing relationships.

Be referable! When others know you, understand what you do or have had an experience of your product or service, they will feel much more comfortable telling others about you.  You can support them and make the process easier by  providing information on your ideal clients and the problems you help them solve, together with the best way to get in touch – through a newsletter, event or directly by ‘phone or email.  If the person who may refer others to you is not a client of yours, offer them a sample of what you do so that they can be reassured that their colleague will be well looked after.

Then where appropriate offer incentives for any referrals received.  This can be a discount on the next purchase your customer makes or a small commission payment if you have an affiliate scheme.

Build your reputation. Providing good quality services to existing and potential clients within a niche market and sharing your successes will help you continue to grow your reputation – it’s essential.  But when you go the extra mile and provide exceptional service by giving more value than is expected you become much more memorable. That’s when you create raving fans – your clients will be so thrilled that they’ll want to talk about their experiences with everyone.

Focus on relationships. Building relationships with others takes time so I always recommend that you give before you receive. Giving referrals to others and supporting them in their businesses demonstrates that it’s not just one way traffic.  You can also develop generous and supportive reciprocal arrangements by promoting your colleagues’ events and services through word of mouth and social media, benefiting everyone.  Then if it works form more strategic alliances, joint ventures or partnership with others who serve a similar client base.

Finally, set up a system to keep in touch with potential clients, centres of influence and referral partners so that you can stay on top of any developments and successes in each other’s businesses.  Life changes, time passes (rapidly!) and it’s easy to lose sight of what you and your contacts are doing.

Some golden rules!

When someone has taken the time to speak about you and pass on your contact details it’s important that you keep them informed; if this doesn’t break any confidences.  They put a lot of trust in you that you will meet and hopefully exceed expectations.

And please, most importantly, always thank the person who recommended you, with a personal call, a handwritten note or a small gift.  I know from my own experience that having referred several thousand pounds worth of business to a colleague, without any acknowledgement, I am now reluctant to do so again.

Every referral is an incredible gift.

Focus means concentration and single minded attention on the actions that will create important outcomes for you and your business, each and every day, whether this is making 5 sales calls, filling your workshop or launching a new product.  It is the fastest way to achieve rapid results in your business and ultimately takes the effort and struggle out of getting things done.

Unfortunately, one of the pitfalls of working for yourself is what I call the Law of Distraction!  This can show up in the form of negative self-defeating thoughts which stop you taking action, escape activities on social media or pursuit of the next bright shiny idea that you know will be the magic solution to all your problems.

By not focusing on what you need to do on a daily, weekly, monthly and annual basis, you are vulnerable to wasting time and money on less important ‘stuff’ with little or nothing to show for your efforts.  You may have experienced that feeling of another year having passed with very little to show for it!

It sounds SO simple to focus but many of us (probably most of us!) would admit that our concentration and motivation easily drifts or we become bored.  Especially if you’re an entrepreneur who loves variety and has a hundred ideas you just can’t wait to get off the ground.

Well here’s a challenge for you…….

If you want to see a difference in your business results this month why not experiment with the following steps to harness the power of focus over the next 30 days:

Step 1: Write down your most important monthly goal; let’s use this as an example: ‘To have signed up 3 new clients.’

Step 2: Identify all the actions you need to take to attract new clients such as asking for referrals, sending out a special offer, attending networking meetings, setting up calls etc.

Step 3: Then work out what you will do on a daily and weekly basis and keep a note of this on your desk as a reminder.  At the start of each day write out your intentions eg ‘My intention is to confidently and clearly communicate my services to engage others at the meeting today.’   Where your attention goes your energy flows.

Step 4: Put to one side any other projects or longer term initiatives that can be put on hold.  As new ideas come up capture them to work on at another time.

Step 5: If you don’t yet have a support team hire someone to do your administrative work and get help with errands and household duties, even if it is only for the next 30 days.  You will be amazed at how much time this will free up for you to focus on marketing and promoting your services.

Step 6: As distractions come up during the day ask yourself to what extent spending time on them will contribute to your goal.  Being aware of the financial implications will help you to become much more discerning about what you do.  If your hourly rate is say £200 per hour, does spending 1 or 2 hours reading tweets and watching videos on line represent the best return on investment?

Step 7: Track your progress and most importantly……celebrate your success!

By then end of the 30 days as well as experiencing a shift in the way you conduct business, you’ll release more energy, determination and motivation to take you to the next level of success.