When the posturing is exhausted and people get 'real' again, they admit that they're worried. They feel they don't have any control over what is going on in the world and how it may influence their business and personal lives.

I know that feeling. I wrapped up my work with a client after eight months. And when I looked at my pipe-line it looked pretty dry. I became a watcher and hoper - watching my phone and hoping it would ring.

Now, I know I chose this business model on purpose for the independence and variety. Even so, I get stressed when all I see is an empty calendar. I sure don't like staying in that state very long so there are a few techniques I use that help me weather those micro-downturns.

The actions I take are just as relevant during the 'normal' business slow periods as during the mega-stress times we have going on right now.

So here are several techniques you can use to fill your pipe-line, right now, when you've got that extra time on your hands.

Create A MasterMind Group

You're not alone. In good times and tight times it's a huge benefit to have others you can learn from and be supported by. A MasterMind group is ideal for this.

No two people have built their business the same way. And no two people have the same contact list. Gather six or eight others and commit to getting together face to face once a month to brainstorm for yourself and each other.

You can divide up your time together to focus on each person and offer tips on how you can each become known to new prospective clients. You'll likely discover you can make introductions that can get each other unstuck and in motion to build your businesses.

Spread The Word

If you've been in business for more than 5 years, you have something to say. Even more so if you've been in your profession or industry for fifteen years or more.

So, get out and say it.

Writing and publishing via the internet is easily one of the most powerful ways to get your name out in new circles. The internet is constantly hungry for content. It's just waiting for you to offer up your words of wisdom on any topic at all.

Now is the time to become known for your expertise. The quickest way to do that is to get your name spread throughout the communication waves by writing articles, and submitting them to on-line article directories. That's where other folks come to find content for their newsletters, email lists, and so on.

Grab a blank piece of paper and write down ten things you know about your business or industry, or the challenges people are facing in it.

A mere 500 words of information can be repurposed over and over, to make your time even higher payoff. The original material can be recorded as audios, assembled into white papers, reprinted and sent to your clients and colleagues. And by including an author's bio and contact information, the wider world will know where to find you and why.

Become A Legend

Create an internet blog, using your own name, and post 150 words every 3 days. It will put the pressure on you to stand for something, have opinions about it and let the world know.

The more you write about what you know, the easier you'll find it to inject those thoughts into conversations. The more you speak what you know, the more other people will keep you in mind.

Once you've made it a habit to write articles and blog posts on a regular basis, you'll find you've quickly amassed the material for a book. And imagine how easy it will be to edit the material you already have into a new format, and self-publish that book.

Think about it - from stuck and worried today, to actively building your professional identity tomorrow. In the span of ten to fifteen weeks you'll have the internet humming your name. As people go searching for answers to their questions, they'll find you right there to answer them.

Take those simple steps today. They're like pouring fresh sunshine right through the gloom, releasing your worries through action, and perking up your possibilities.

Copyright (c) 2008 Linda Feinholz