Get Clients Now! The First 28 Days, Week 1

on May 17th, 2008 /

Welcome to Week 1 of my first public Get Clients Now! (GCN) program…

If you don’t know what I’m talking about, lol, be sure to read the first intro post in this series. Basically, I’m publicizing my progress in going through the 28 day marketing program found in Get Clients Now! A 28-Day Marketing Program for Professionals, Consultants, and Coaches by C.J. Hayden.

Class In Session (Or A Preview)

The program itself is starting today, but if you don’t have the book, don’t worry! Just follow along this month to see what you think… if you like what you see, you can pick up a copy of the book, and join in on the next round!

My thoughts being that by posting my process on this blog, it will help make me accountable for my actions - making sure that I actually complete the program and make the most of my marketing efforts.

In doing so, I’m also hoping to have as many of you as possible join in on the process - nothing like a group of peers to help support each other!

And yes, I realize this might not all make sense if you don’t have the book, but this series should at least give a general idea as to what the book entails.

Put Yourself First

As I mentioned in my previous GCN post, I have started 3 programs in the past, but each time I got too caught up in client work that I put my own marketing efforts on the back-burner.

Perhaps the most important quote from the book, and one we as small business owners should live by…

“Make marketing your first priority
instead of the last thing you do”

I’m guilty of putting my own projects and marketing efforts last, whenever client work comes in, so it was very good to read someone else stressing how important marketing is - that it should come first.

I’m starting with that new mantra today!

Program Focus

The book is built so that you can create as many plans with different focuses as necessary, depending on your particular marketing needs:

Filling the Pipeline
Following Up
Getting Presentations
Closing Sales

In my previous GCN programs, I focused on the first step in the Universal Marketing Cycle - Filling the Pipeline. I plan to complete this program by continuing to focus on this stage.

For those of you joining in on the program, please feel free to design your own program on any of the four stages above.

Action Worksheet - My Program Goals and How I Will Obtain Them

Below are my program goals and planned ingredients and actions for the next 28 days. Don’t forget you can download the FREE marketing plan worksheets from the Get Clients Now web site.

Start Date

May 17, 2007

What strategies will you use?

Direct Contact and Follow-up
Networking and Referral Building
Writing and Publicity

Where are you stuck or what needs the most work?

Filling the Pipeline

How much business do you have now?

$X,XXX / month
some things you don’t have to post for the whole world to read, LOL

How much business do you really want?

$X,XXX / month x 2
I’d like to double my monthly business income

What would that get you?

Extra money to pay off credit card debt… aka Less Stress!

What is your program goal?

10 new prospects / 2 new clients

What will be your reward?

Me Time / A complete day OFF!
No work! Sleep in late, take a nap, have an at-home girly spa/pamper day complete with manicure, pedicure and candle-lit bath… aka Relax!

Success Ingredients

Description of Services
This is mostly complete, but I need to tweak existing rates and services, as well as add new WordPress and eCommerce services.
by May 30, 2008
Networking Venues
I especially want to focus on maximizing my social media profiles by making the most of existing profiles and creating some new ones.
by June 6, 2008
Blog Concept / Topics
I need to focus on this blog as a business networking tool, mainly by producing quality posts on a more frequent basis, at least twice a week as a starting point.
by June 13, 2008

Daily Actions

Spend 1/2 hour each day on my Success Ingredient Projects
Spend 1/2 hour each day on reading or writing
Send 1 letter or email to a new person each week
Make 1 new community contact each week
Post 1 Q/A Question each week (on LinkedIn or Work It, Mom!)
Post 1 Q/A Answer each day (on LinkedIn or Work It, Mom!)
Post 2 blog comments each day
Post 2 message board posts each day (new and/or response)
Publish 2 blog posts each week
Plan my day each morning (or the night before)

Special Permission

I Deserve to be Successful!

Now It’s Your Turn

What are your program goals? What do you hope to accomplish over the next 28 days, and which daily actions are going to get you there?

Please feel free to post your Action Worksheet on your own blog, or in the comments below. This will help make you accountable and ensure you actually get this done (and if you don’t we’ll be here to motivate each other to continue).

Best of luck to you this month! Let the marketing begin!

7 Responses to “Get Clients Now! The First 28 Days, Week 1”

Rachael Says:
May 17th, 2008
These are great - I’d love to grab that book, but I can’t today.

I’m happy to see that my ideas about marketing my new business are mostly in line with your marketing plan; that must mean I’m not totally off base.

I look forward to reading the rest of this series!
Nicole Says:
May 18th, 2008
I started my 28-day program yesterday along with you! I’m also filling the pipeline, using direct contact, networking, writing/publicity, and advertising. Here’s my plan:

My program goal: 10 prospects and 5 sales of my e-Book

My reward is a spa service like facial, pedicure, etc.

Success Ingredients:
1. Ad venues and budget - My goal is to first set my monthly advertising budget and then find 5 good candidates for advertising within that budget (even if I have to rotate among 5 every other month). Due 6/6

2. Prospect List - I need one - Due 6/6

3. Write one article and submit it to a website - Due 6/12

Daily/Weekly Actions:

1. Spend 1/2 hour daily on Success Ingredients (I work FT so 1 hour was too much, I think)

2. Read/Write 1/2 hour daily.

3. Make 5 message board posts / week

4. Post 10 comments on other blogs each week

5. Post to my own blog 1-2x per week.

6. Write an article or tip once a week

7. Evaluate 1 new place to advertise / week

8. Spend 1 hour / week refining my online advertising campaign

9. Spend 1 hour / week on research

10. Schedule a day of fun each week (today I go shopping w/ a friend!)

My permission is that I deserve to be successful, too!
Good luck to us all!
Selene M. Bowlby Says:
May 19th, 2008
@Rachel - I hope you’ll check out the rest of the series… if you like what you see, you can pick up a copy and join me on the next round! That’s great that you are already doing a lot of the things here - much of it is common sense, but things you often forget about (or might not even consciously realize). I hope it works!

@Nicole - Thanks for posting your program goals! I’m with you on having a full time job in addition to my own business, so I had to cut my first two daily actions down to 1/2 hour each (the book suggests spending 1 hour a day on your Success Ingredients). That’s one of the things I really enjoy about the book - the flexibility it offers when creating your program goals and daily action items, etc.

Good Luck this month! I’ll post a weekly check-up post on Saturday to see how Week 1 went for everyone.

Anyone else want to join in?
Eric Davis Says:
May 20th, 2008
If you can stick with this program, you will have great results. I used it when I first started out last year and within two months my business was busy enough for me to start turning down potential work. Since then I’ve slowed down my marketing a lot and I’ve noticed a drop in business.

If you start a new one in June, I might join you. The accountability would be helpful.

Eric Daviss last blog post..Progress Review - April 2008
Claire Says:
May 20th, 2008
I think this is a great project! I would have joined in, but haven’t purchased the book yet. Next round - I’m in! I’m looking forward to seeing how you make out - I think you’ve definitely got the motivation and ability to get it done.

Can’t wait to see how it goes!

Claires last blog post..New Free Theme in the works
Selene M. Bowlby Says:
May 20th, 2008
@Eric - I was hoping you’d comment, since I know you’ve done the program before! That’s great to hear that it worked so well for you - hopefully it works for us too, LOL. I do hope you’ll join in on the June program - I know you’re big on accountability, so it would be great to have you involved!

@Claire - That’s ok for this time, LOL. I figured I didn’t really give that much notice anyway. This is somewhat of a test run, and I’m hoping a lot of people will be intrigued by the process - enough to join in on round 2. I hope to see you next month for the 2nd program!