Getting Clients and Keeping Clients for Your Service Business: A 30-Day Step-by-Step Plan for Building Your Business »

Many books are written on how to attract more business for retail stores or new products, but this is the only book written for the small business service provider. Whether you are an attorney, doctor, accountant, consultant, personal trainer, insurance agent, Web or computer consultant, graphic designer, dentist, landscape or pool caretaker, professional cleaner, wedding planner, tree trimmer, caterer, or pet sitter, this book is for you. The truth is unless you keep a steady stream of clients coming through your doors, you will never be as successful as you would really like to be. If you're great at working with clients and you do an excellent job of providing your services, you have the capability to turn your service business into a highly profitable firm, easily. If you re like most small business service providers, getting and keeping new clients is hard work and takes up most of your time. And it is a big challenge. Yet this wasn t the reason you went into business. You went into business to assist your customers and make a financially rewarding business for yourself. This new book will guide you back to your original goals for going into business while making your life easier. Developing a low-cost proven marketing system doesn't have to be difficult or time consuming. This book details the principles and practices of marketing for the professional service business. In 30 days or less, you will be so successful in attracting all the business you will ever need that you can select the clients you want to serve. This specialized book will demonstrate methodically how to market and promote your services easily, inexpensively, and most important profitably. You will learn how to find new business clients quickly and keep existing ones satisfied by selling client based solutions and services by putting technology and low-cost marketing devices into place that take little or no time on your part. You will learn to develop a marketing plan with hundreds of practical marketing ideas to help successful service providers attract new clients and increase business with existing ones.

Introduction     11
Getting the Jump on the Competition     13
Why Do People Need Your Services?     17
So You Call Yourself an Expert     35
"Brand" Your Business and Yourself     41
Personalize It All: Logos, Brochures, and Web Sites     49
Extending Your Brand to Other Areas     75
Learn to Make Your Business Visible to All     103
Make Your Business Stand Out From the Rest     107
Finding Your Target Market     113
Start Your Business's Engine     125
Create a Unique Positioning Statement for Your Business     129
Building Your Business's Credibility     133
Networking Is Key     137
Forming Alliances With Vendors     151
Learn the Art of the Article     155
Learn to Use the Media to Your Advantage     163
Some Pitfalls to Avoid     169
Grabbing Your First Clients     177
What Type of Marketing Should You Do?     179
Where Should You Start Your Marketing?     183
Marketing Success Ingredients     185
Creating a Winning Plan     201
Setting Goals and Keeping Them     207
Making Contacts and Appointments     211
Keeping Track of Your Contacts     217
Following Up With Contacts After the Appointment     221
When Clients Start Flooding In     227
Your First Clients     229
Customer Service Basics     233
Keeping Your Employees Motivated     245
The Wonder of Referrals     249
The Beauty of Advertising     257
Specials and Discounts     259
Cater to Your Client Base     263
Keeping Your Information Organized     267
Software to Keep Track of It All     271
Keep Your Business New     275
Conclusion: In the End     279
Bibliography     283
Biography     285
Index     287