Which got me thinking: why not give a "marketing coach's challenge" to my readers to get three new clients in the next thirty days? If treated like a game (so you have fun!) this challenge can help you focus your marketing, your decisions and your actions in a positive, motivating and profitable way.

So, wanna play the "3 in 30 days" game with me? The rules are simple: decide, take action, and then repeat. Ready to get started? Here are five important steps to "win" at this fun and profitable game:

Step 1. What is the program or package you are offering to your three potential clients? List the results they'll get from hiring you. By focusing 90% of your list on the results and 10% on the program's features, your potential clients will clearly understand WHY they need to hire you.

Step 2. What is the specific problem your offer will solve? Time to throw out tired phrases like "improve your work/life balance" or "feel better about yourself." With this marketing idea, you hone in on solving one specific problem, and thereby give the gift of simplicity and focus to your overwhelmed potential client.

Step 3. How many people can you reach each day? This is not the time to be shy! Set a direct marketing goal to contact a certain number of people each day. Choose from making contact with colleagues, network marketing, speaking, writing an article, giving a teleseminar, emailing your database, sending out postcards or connecting with potential referral partners.

Step 4. How many different ways can you follow-up? The fortune truly is found in the follow-up in small business marketing! If you did nothing but follow up with potential client contacts from the past year you would easily and quickly reach your "3 in 30 days" goal.

Simply pick up the telephone, dial, and tell your potential client that you are going through your files and saw that six months ago they were working on solving XYZ problem to reach ABC goal. You're calling to see how that's working for them.

Follow up again with a hand-written note. Follow up again with a postcard, an article you saw that made you think of them, or an announcement for an upcoming teleseminar. Truly, if you follow up with your follow up, you will have a never-ending source of referrals and you will never again have to attend another boring network marketing event!

Step 5. What daily action can you take to motivate yourself and your potential new clients into action? As a marketing coach, I recommend setting daily goals, such as a set number of phone calls, postcards, outreach emails, requests for referrals, etc.

Even better, write down your daily small business marketing goals, then check each off as it's completed. Be sure and tackle your goals FIRST thing in the morning when you're fresh. Get them done early and the confidence that they inspire, makes you even more attractive to potential clients all day long!

As far as motivating potential clients goes, set the intention to move your potential client forward with each contact that you make with them. Don't be afraid to ask for their business. I have landed nearly all of my best direct marketing clients by telling them how much I wanted to be part of their solution to reaching THEIR goals. It's honest, full of integrity and heart... and magnetizing!

One more marketing coach's challenge for you: please print out this article and put it where you can see it every day. Visualize me by your side, encouraging you each day that no matter where you are in you business - brand new, just getting by, or already into six-figures - you will make your "3 in 30 days" goal!