There might be something you are already doing that comes easily to you, something that you might take for granted, but which could be the best way for you to connect with potential clients. If you spend more time doing that, rather than trying to do all the various marketing activities that are possible, over time you'll achieve success.

Here are some ideas for growing your client base if you're in the early stages of your business:

Get the Word Out

Who doesn't know about you yet? Tell everyone you know about your new business. Let them know what you do and who you do it for. If you get in the habit of always telling everyone you know what you are up to and asking for their help in growing your business, that may be enough to bring you all the clients you need. Ask for their support and ask for referrals. Keep them updated regularly. And - remember to always ask what you can do for them.

Focus on Benefits

Focus on the benefits of what you do, not on the way you do it or the process you use. One mistake professionals often make is talking about HOW they work with people. Most people are interested in what's in it for them, not how you do your work. People want to hear what outcomes or results they might expect from working with you, not how you are going to get them that result. For example, an accountant might say that the benefit of their work with clients is 'peace of mind', rather than saying 'we'll have your monthly statements ready on time'. Hear the difference?

Develop a Powerful Self-Introduction

Many self-employed professionals lack the confidence and the clarity to declare succinctly who they are, what they do, and who they do it for. It often takes time to find the exact words that will have an impact. Having a clear self-introduction implies that you have made some choices about who your ideal clients are and what your strengths are in working with them. A simple formula for your self-introduction is to say who you work with, what their key challenge is, how you can help them solve that problem, and what the long-term effect of your solution would be for them.

Be Very Interested in Your Potential Clients

Don't try to 'sell' your services. That's too painful! Instead, engage in conversation with people and be REALLY interested in them, genuinely, of course. Stop trying to persuade people to buy, and instead, find a way to be in relationship with each person you speak with. Don't use a canned sales talk; have a REAL conversation that reaches into the heart of what this potential client really wants to talk about.

Network Like Crazy

Every encounter you have is a chance to expand your network. In order to attract more clients, you'll need to expand your circle of influence. You have to get the word out to everyone you know, then count on them to get the word out to everyone they know. And voila - thanks to the theory of six degrees of separation, hundreds, or even thousands of people will know who you are and what you do. You can network through groups or associations, or even by volunteering. Your local paper will have a listing of events you can choose from in the weekly business section.

Make attracting clients fun. Make it a game. Challenge yourself to approach more people and strike up a conversation. Reframe 'selling' to 'forming new relationships' and you'll be well on your way to having a steady stream of new prospects calling you.

There is no one right or best way to attract clients. Get your message out to as many people as possible. The more people who know about you, the more likely you will be to attract all the clients you can handle.

Copyright 2006 by Jan Marie Dore. http://www.janmariedore.com