1. Develop “free samples” of your service. Usually the best samples are written or recorded information. Write a tip sheet or a short list of frequently asked questions (FAQs). Record a speech you give to a local organization.

2. Improve your existing advertising by writing ten new headlines for your newspaper or Yellow Page ads. Test these new headlines against your existing headlines in small classified ads. Measure the results and let the winner be the headline the next time you run a larger ad in the Yellow Pages or newspaper.

3. Host a wine tasting or open house in your place of business. Invite several potential clients and prepare a short talk on a topic of interest to them. Use the tip sheets or free samples you prepared above to give to each attendee.

4. Request testimonials from your best clients.

5. Volunteer yourself and your employees to assist in a charitable cause. For example, your team could man the phones at the next public radio or television membership drive or help other organizations with fund raising.

6. Join a new group. Select organizations that allow you to get involved and meet potential clients or networking contacts.

7. Find a non-competing business that serves the same client base as you. Approach this business about forming an alliance and sharing referrals.

8. Sponsor a talk and invite a visiting expert on a topic of interest to your potential clients. Send out invitations and press releases to alert the media.

9. Get in touch with ex-clients who no longer do business with you. Find out how you can help them and get their suggestions about how to improve your services.

10. Sponsor a children’s club or sports team.

11. Give an award for the “Best of ___.” Use this award as a way to attract publicity.

12. Create a profile of your ideal client. Then determine what groups these ideal clients are members of or what specialized publications they read.

13. Find an online discussion group. www.boardtracker.com is a search engine that specializes in discussion groups. Just read the conversations as they go back and forth for a while (this is called “lurking”). Then, after you have a feel for the personalities involved and the group’s protocol, start adding your own input.

14. Develop a “needs assessment” that you can use in new client interviews.

15. Do a client survey to uncover your strengths and weaknesses. Make it clear that you are seeking honest and open comments and are looking for ways to improve.

16. Become more active in your local Chamber of Commerce and other organizations that open up networking opportunities.

17. Create a list of reference books and CDs you can recommend.

18. Create a 21 word description of your business that clearly tells what you do, who you do this for, and what makes you distinctive. This is your “elevator speech” that can be used on your marketing materials, press releases and given to someone who introduces you at public speaking opportunities.

19. Find barter organizations or set up barter relationships on your own. Not only can you reduce the cost of goods and services your business needs, you will gain new clients.

20. Buy season tickets to a local sports team. If you take clients or give tickets to people you do business with, they will be t
    Multiple Channels, Multiple Times
    I've just been reading about the frustrations of a Human Resources manager. He's tired of having to answer the same questions about benefits over and over again.I understand that, having been on both sides of the issue, both as a consumer of benefits and in communicating about them on behalf of corporate clients. Benefits can be the slippery eels of internal communication.But, to put the issue into context, this is another case of complex communication. In this
    tasting or open house in your place of business. Invite several potential clients and prepare a short talk on a topic of interest to them. Use the tip sheets or free samples you prepared above to give to each attendee.

21. Request testimonials from your best clients.

22. Volunteer yourself and your employees to assist in a charitable cause. For example, your team could man the phones at the next public radio or television membership drive or help other organizations with fund raising.

23. Join a new group. Select organizations that allow you to get involved and meet potential clients or networking contacts.

24. Find a non-competing business that serves the same client base as you. Approach this business about forming an alliance and sharing referrals.

25. Sponsor a talk and invite a visiting expert on a topic of interest to your potential clients. Send out invitations and press releases to alert the media.

26. Get in touch with ex-clients who no longer do business with you. Find out how you can help them and get their suggestions about how to improve your services.

27. Sponsor a children’s club or sports team.

28. Give an award for the “Best of ___.” Use this award as a way to attract publicity.

29. Create a profile of your ideal client. Then determine what groups these ideal clients are members of or what specialized publications they read.

30. Find an online discussion group. www.boardtracker.com is a search engine that specializes in discussion groups. Just read the conversations as they go back and forth for a while (this is called “lurking”). Then, after you have a feel for the personalities involved and the group’s protocol, start adding your own input.

31. Develop a “needs assessment” that you can use in new client interviews.

32. Do a client survey to uncover your strengths and weaknesses. Make it clear that you are seeking honest and open comments and are looking for ways to improve.

33. Become more active in your local Chamber of Commerce and other organizations that open up networking opportunities.

34. Create a list of reference books and CDs you can recommend.

35. Create a 21 word description of your business that clearly tells what you do, who you do this for, and what makes you distinctive. This is your “elevator speech” that can be used on your marketing materials, press releases and given to someone who introduces you at public speaking opportunities.

36. Find barter organizations or set up barter relationships on your own. Not only can you reduce the cost of goods and services your business needs, you will gain new clients.

37. Buy season tickets to a local sports team. If you take clients or give tickets to people you do business with, they will be t
    Loyal Customers Take Commitment
    In today’s competitive world of retail, many stores are implementing external marketing programs designed to attract new business.Unfortunately, the cost can be very high with little return on investment. What is often lost in the mix is the fact that it can be much more cost effective to have a loyal customer base that returns again and again rather than constantly seeking the next new customer. Not that there is anything wrong with new customers, but if that is you p
    e as you. Approach this business about forming an alliance and sharing referrals.

38. Sponsor a talk and invite a visiting expert on a topic of interest to your potential clients. Send out invitations and press releases to alert the media.

39. Get in touch with ex-clients who no longer do business with you. Find out how you can help them and get their suggestions about how to improve your services.

40. Sponsor a children’s club or sports team.

41. Give an award for the “Best of ___.” Use this award as a way to attract publicity.

42. Create a profile of your ideal client. Then determine what groups these ideal clients are members of or what specialized publications they read.

43. Find an online discussion group. www.boardtracker.com is a search engine that specializes in discussion groups. Just read the conversations as they go back and forth for a while (this is called “lurking”). Then, after you have a feel for the personalities involved and the group’s protocol, start adding your own input.

44. Develop a “needs assessment” that you can use in new client interviews.

45. Do a client survey to uncover your strengths and weaknesses. Make it clear that you are seeking honest and open comments and are looking for ways to improve.

46. Become more active in your local Chamber of Commerce and other organizations that open up networking opportunities.

47. Create a list of reference books and CDs you can recommend.

48. Create a 21 word description of your business that clearly tells what you do, who you do this for, and what makes you distinctive. This is your “elevator speech” that can be used on your marketing materials, press releases and given to someone who introduces you at public speaking opportunities.

49. Find barter organizations or set up barter relationships on your own. Not only can you reduce the cost of goods and services your business needs, you will gain new clients.

50. Buy season tickets to a local sports team. If you take clients or give tickets to people you do business with, they will be t
    Machine Shops
    Machine shops are places where engineers or mechanics design and fabricate finished parts from metals, and repair machines of various types. The machines may be domestic appliances, bicycles, complicated four-wheelers or even airplanes. The job may involve repairing a malfunctioning part or replacing a non-functional part with a new one. Repairing a malfunctioning part may require many technical or mechanical operations to put it back into working condition. The mechanical op
    hey read.

51. Find an online discussion group. www.boardtracker.com is a search engine that specializes in discussion groups. Just read the conversations as they go back and forth for a while (this is called “lurking”). Then, after you have a feel for the personalities involved and the group’s protocol, start adding your own input.

52. Develop a “needs assessment” that you can use in new client interviews.

53. Do a client survey to uncover your strengths and weaknesses. Make it clear that you are seeking honest and open comments and are looking for ways to improve.

54. Become more active in your local Chamber of Commerce and other organizations that open up networking opportunities.

55. Create a list of reference books and CDs you can recommend.

56. Create a 21 word description of your business that clearly tells what you do, who you do this for, and what makes you distinctive. This is your “elevator speech” that can be used on your marketing materials, press releases and given to someone who introduces you at public speaking opportunities.

57. Find barter organizations or set up barter relationships on your own. Not only can you reduce the cost of goods and services your business needs, you will gain new clients.

58. Buy season tickets to a local sports team. If you take clients or give tickets to people you do business with, they will be t
    Getting Ideas is the Easy Part- Here's What You Need for Innovation
    Ideas, including good ones, come naturally to human beings. As Robert Tucker said: "Anyone who has ever taken a shower has had a good idea." But good ideas are only the starting point for innovation.No less an authority than Joseph Schumpeter put it this way: "to carry any improvement into effect is a task entirely different from the inventing of it, and a task, moreover, requiring entirely different kinds of aptitudes." In other words, it takes work to turn good ide
    rtunities.

59. Create a list of reference books and CDs you can recommend.

60. Create a 21 word description of your business that clearly tells what you do, who you do this for, and what makes you distinctive. This is your “elevator speech” that can be used on your marketing materials, press releases and given to someone who introduces you at public speaking opportunities.

61. Find barter organizations or set up barter relationships on your own. Not only can you reduce the cost of goods and services your business needs, you will gain new clients.

62. Buy season tickets to a local sports team. If you take clients or give tickets to people you do business with, they will be tax deductible and fun as well.

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