Back in January, I started reading Get Clients Now! A 28-Day Marketing Program for Professionals, Consultants, and Coaches by C.J. Hayden.
This book walks you through creating a 28 Day Marketing Program to help promote your business. It’s particularly aimed at service based businesses, but I’m sure the techniques could be adapted to those selling products as well.
With a title like that, the book instantly caught my attention. That and the rave reviews I saw on Amazon. (Yes, that’s an affiliate link above… if you plan to buy the book anyway, I hope you’ll help a girl out by clicking the link, LOL)
From the first few pages, I was very excited to get started with the 28 day program. I believe I share a lot in common with many small business owners -we love what we do, but we are designers or writers or [insert job title here]… not necessarily marketing specialists!
As a small business owner, though, you end up wearing many different hats - including that of a sales man (or woman).
The Universal Marketing Cycle: A Brief Overview…
Get Clients Now! focuses on the four stages of the Universal Marketing Cycle:
- Filling the Pipeline
- Following Up
- Getting Presentations
- Closing Sales
C.J. Hayden explains the strategies and ingredients necessary for improving your performance on the stages above. As part of the 28 day cycle, you are able to put together your own program, selecting the specific ingredients, techniques and daily actions that appeal to you.
The Importance of Self-Promotion
I’ve found this to be a very motivational book, and I can honestly say that I have accomplished a LOT because of it. I’ve completed several success ingredients, and have been networking through this blog and other social media. I’ve met a lot of great people, and formed relationships that I never would have if not for this book.
Some of the contacts I’ve made through the networking suggestions in the book have turned into qualified leads, too (and that is the point of the book, after all…)
Now, I love the concept of the 28 Day program… BUT - and there’s always a “but” - I’ve started 3 programs so far, and I have yet to actually complete one!
Although I always hit the ground running, I end up slacking off before reaching the final week (or two). I hope that doesn’t reflect poorly on the book itself, it’s just the side of me who ends up putting clients first, before my own business.
Avoid the Feast or Famine Cycle
Unfortunately, this throws me right into the vicious cycle of feast vs famine.
In other words, when business is slow, I market like crazy, which is great! But when things pick up and I’m juggling several clients at once, I feel I “don’t have time” for marketing.
This is most certainly NOT the smartest approach to take - because although you will not notice it during the busy times, you will most definitely feel the consequences “next month” when the work you were doing is finished, and there are no new clients on the horizon.
It’s important to keep planting those seeds, so you have a steady stream of work sprouting up.
Enter a NEW Month… and a NEW 28 Day Program!
So, this post is all about creating some accountability for myself. This time will be different, as I’ll be posting weekly updates right here.
Nothing like putting it all out in the open to help make you accountable!
Care to Join Me?
I’m planning on starting a new program very soon - a little over a week from now, on Saturday, May 17th.
The book suggests starting the program on a Saturday, but otherwise you have weekends “off” while you do the majority of your program tasks during the work-week. Of course, if your schedule is different, you can easily re-arrange the dates to better suit you. Point is… it’s 28 days of marketing and self-promotion.
You can’t go wrong there!
A Book Club, of Sorts…
I’d love to open this up to anyone else who has the book; have been planning on getting the book; have never heard of the book, but your interest is now peaked… well, you get the idea, right? 
I’ll be posting weekly updates as I go through the program. It might not all make sense to you if you don’t have Get Clients Now! but you can get a general idea of what to expect if you do eventually want to try it for yourself.
Are You In?
So, if you want to participate, please make a comment below or post on your blog, etc. It would be great to have a group of people to help hold each other accountable. What’s there to loose - your business could (and likely will) benefit from it!
For those of you joining in on the fun, you can download the FREE marketing plan worksheets from the Get Clients Now web site.
Have You Already Completed A (Several) Program(s)?
I’d love to hear your thoughts… Has it worked for you?
Do you have any suggestions?
BTW, like Naomi’s recent small business game post…
…this is NOT a meme! LOL
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