|
|
Getting started with the home buying process
There are probably few things in life that are as exciting--or
as nerve- racking--as the search for a house. All the good
emotions and the bad emotions seem to converge when the house
hunting begins. Don't worry, this is a normal reaction, and...
Go With Quality Over Quantity And Your Business Will Prosper
In the early days of developing my home business, I went for the numbers instead of focusing on targeting prospects. It took me a while to appreciate the importance of targeting (quality) instead of just going for the big numbers (quantity). ...
How to Help Adults Learn Best
How to Help Adults Learn Best Three Keys to Help Them Stretch!
"Everything must be made as simple as possible, but not one bit
simpler." -- Albert Einstein
Here's something for you to try. (C'mon, I'll wait for you to
get out of your...
Leverage In Your Home-Business, Guarantees Success
"Give me a long enough lever, and I'll move the world." ~ Archimedes 287-212 B.C. Successful businessmen use their marketing experience, education, money, consistency and hard work. Stalwarts among them however, leverage their limited...
Special Delivery! Tips for Improving Your Humor
Delivering humorous speeches involves a lot more than simply having good material. Take some time to incorporate these tips into your presentations and watch the fun and laughter factors rise. In Fun Sigmund Freud wrote: "The most favorable...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
5 Low Cost and Successful Methods For Independent Professionals To Get Clients
5 Low Cost and Successful Methods For Independent Professionals To Get Clients Copyright 2002 by Paul Bednar
It goes without saying that clients are the lifeline of every independent professional. You sure won't be in business long without them! There are many marketing methods used to get clients. Some methods, such as magazine advertising, are quite expensive while others cost very little in comparison and produce better results. Here are five inexpensive and successful marketing methods to get clients.
1. Networking
Like it or not, getting clients is done through one-on-one personal communication. The strength of your relationships is paramount. You won't get to know anyone or develop any relationships if you hide in your office or behind your computer. Get out there and press the flesh!
Clients want to feel comfortable about the independent professionals they retain and prefer to know them personally or have a trusted person recommend someone. Go where the decision-makers are that can hire you. Go to the same conferences; join the same associations, read the same magazines and newsletters.
Make a habit of regularly staying in touch with your network. Contact all of your friends and colleagues. Tell them what you are looking for and what you're interested in. Be sure to contact prior employers and bosses too. If you've departed on good terms, this is a great way to get clients.
2. Writing articles
An independent professional that writes articles and gets them published in industry magazines, trade journals, newsletters, etc. becomes positioned as an expert.
Potential clients that like your articles will contact you when they want more information. Some of these contacts will become clients.
Consider writing articles for a variety of publications in your industry such as magazines, journals, print newsletters, ezines, and web sites. You can write articles on a variety of topics such as the new trends, a creative way to solve a common problem, your thoughts on the current state of business, etc. There are numerous possibilities!
Unless you are extremely well known, don't start out submitting articles to the most prestigious magazines and journals. Start small. It is best to target publications where you have the most likely chance of getting published.
Be sure to include copies of your published articles in your literature to potential clients.
Do not ask to get paid for your article. Having a publication print your article and position you as an expert is the best kind of advertising you can get.
3. Speaking
Giving speeches, lectures,
seminars, etc. is another marketing method that positions you as an expert. This concept is similar to writing articles: potential clients that are impressed with your presentation will contact you for additional information. Some will become clients.
Use your knowledge and experience to develop talks on a variety of issues such as upcoming business changes, offer a unique solution to a recurring issue, etc. Be creative!
There are multitudes of speaking opportunities. It is best to concentrate on organizations where you have the most likely chance to speak. Contact local chapters of your professional organizations. Look for other local, regional, and national conferences too.
Do not request payment for your presentation because the recognition you receive as an expert is better than any advertising you can buy.
4. Your competition
Get to know your competition. They can be an unusual source for clients.
Has anyone ever told you that they were too busy to handle your business and they gave you the name of a competitor that could help you? This is the same concept.
This is not to suggest that you refer all your clients to your competition. However, there are circumstances when this practice is appropriate.
Form reciprocating referral relationships with your competitors. This means you refer potential clients to your competition when you have too much business and vice versa. With these relationships everybody wins!
5. Subcontracting
Subcontracting opportunities exist when an independent professional has a client and needs some help. This independent professional retains or "subcontracts" you to perform a specific aspect of their client project. Once your particular aspect is complete, your involvement with the project ends.
You get paid by the independent professional that retains you, not by their client. Generally, subcontractors don't get paid as much as if they got the project on their own.
Here are 3 main reasons why subcontractors are used:
A. An independent professional has too much work and needs an extra set of hands.
B. You can perform a particular task more efficiently so it is more economical for the independent professional to have you do the work.
C. Your expertise is necessary to complete the project.
About the Author
Paul Bednar helps people cut the corporate chains and become a free agent or consultant. Visit his web site for other articles, answers to common questions, and lessons learned. Subscribe to the free newsletter at http://www.free-agent-information.com or by sending email to mailto:subscribe@free-agent-information.com.
|
|
|
|
|
Oral Presentation Advice |
Your presentation should not replace your paper, but rather whet the ... Below I consider goals for academic interview talks and class presentations. ... |
www.cs.wisc.edu |
  |
Presentation Skills |
This site contains annotated links to resources concerned with presentation and communication skills. |
lorien.ncl.ac.uk |
  |
Presentation Helper - Free PowerPoint templates, help, advice and ... |
Resources on how to make effective presentations. Includes tips on PowerPoint and topic ideas. |
www.presentationhelper.co.uk |
  |
Neurobehavioral Systems, Inc. |
Neuroscience stimulus delivery software can be used for cognitive psychology, fMRI, erp and single unit research (Windows). |
nbs.neuro-bs.com |
  |
Why tables for layout is stupid: problems defined, solutions offered |
Why tables for layout is stupid:. problems defined, solutions offered. Tables existed in HTML for one reason: To display tabular data. ... |
www.hotdesign.com |
  |
The Gettysburg Powerpoint Presentation |
This presentation prepared with the help of Microsoft Powerpoint Autocontent Wizard. ... Permission is granted to use this presentation in any course or ... |
norvig.com |
  |
Presentation Zen |
I love the clear presentation of the ideas in the book and the fact that the ... In the context of presentations, moving info away can help you and the ... |
www.presentationzen.com |
  |
Presentation Tips for Public Speaking |
Better Public Speaking & Presentation - Ensure Your Words Are Always ... On the Job: Public Speaking Tips - Twelve Steps to Great Presentations by Elise ... |
www.aresearchguide.com |
  |
Presentation - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia |
Presentation is the process of presenting the content of a topic to an ... You should plan to rehearse your presentation out loud at least four times. ... |
en.wikipedia.org |
  |
OSCON 2005 Keynote - Identity 2.0 |
“A barn-burner of a presentation. I loved this.” - Cory Doctorow. “I watched it twice, and greatly enjoyed it both times.” - Jon Udell ... |
www.identity20.com |
  |
Presentations - Effective Communication - Public Speaking |
Tips and tools for creating and delivering presentations: text, techniques and technology. |
www.presentations.com |
  |
Presentation Information Resources - Presentation Technology News ... |
Presentation Information Resources - Comprehensive presenter's resource providing instant access to up-to-date information on technology and techniques for ... |
199.249.170.231 |
  |
Effective Presentations homepage |
In addition, the skills needed to prepare an oral presentation can be used ... A spiffy presentation discussing Effective Teaching with Powerpoint from the ... |
www.kumc.edu |
  |
Impress |
Your presentations will stand out with 2D and 3D clip art, special effects, animation, ... Slide show Animation and Effects bring your presentation to life. ... |
www.openoffice.org |
  |
PRESENTATIONPRO - experts for Microsoft PowerPoint |
A series of products and services to help enhance PowerPoint presentations with templates and backgrounds. |
www.presentationpro.com |
  |
Leadership - Presentation Skills |
Presentation, PowerPoint, and Leadership. ... Presentations and reports are ways of communicating ideas and information to a group. But unlike a report, ... |
www.skagit.com |
  |
Presentation: See what people are saying right now on Technorati |
See all blog posts tagged with presentation on Technorati. |
www.technorati.com |
  |
Secretary of State Addresses the U.N. Security Council |
My friends, this has been a long and a detailed presentation. And I thank you for your patience. But there is one more subject that I would like to touch on ... |
www.whitehouse.gov |
  |
Rubric |
Organization, Audience cannot understand presentation because there is no sequence of information. Audience has difficulty following presentation because ... |
www.ncsu.edu |
  |
Presentation Skills |
Presentations are one of the first managerial skills which a junior engineer ... This article looks at the basics of Presentation Skills as they might apply ... |
www.see.ed.ac.uk |
  |
|