Marketing Your Small Business: Beyond the Referral

Because you do a great job for your clients, most of your new business may come from referrals. However, referrals alone may not be enough to generate adequate or successful revenue. The truth is that most independent professionals like yourself get the majority of their new clients through referrals

But expanding your client base takes effort and time. It's always best to start with a plan — in this case a marketing plan. Your plan doesn't have to be complex or lengthy to be good. It just has to include your goals (for example, to increase your revenues by 25 percent this year), and the steps you'll take to reach them. Begin by brainstorming all possible marketing strategies and tactics: Put yourself in the shoes of your potential customers and imagine what would lead them to hire you. Are they attracted by great references? An innovative design? A low price?

What are the best ways to reach your desired client base? Advertising? Targeted email messages? Cold calls via telephone? If you're targeting Fortune 500 corporations, your approach will be vastly different than if you're targeting local mom-and-pop businesses. Study your competition and find out how they market themselves — can you learn any lessons?

Analyze your options, prioritize them and get to work. Devote time to the task of marketing and be consistent about following up with clients.

One more thing: If you don't already have a "Wow!" portfolio of sample work, you'll need to create one — it can be an extremely powerful sales tool.