The two most effective and least expensive ways to find new opportunities:



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First--a little self-reflection:
 
  • What is your primary role in your organization?
  • How do you get new projects?
  • Of these sources, which seem to yield the most satisfactory results (professionally, financially, and artistically)?
  • What do you do when you are not delivering a project?
  • What do your best clients say about you? Your worst?
  • How much do you budget a year for sales activities?
       

The two most effective and least expensive ways to find new opportunities:
 
  • Existing clients
  • Be the expert with a teaching spirit
  
       
Existing Clients  
   
  • Honesty is the only policy
  • Talk to clients as equals and become their friend—don’t be a vendor; know that they are going to be sharing their expertise with you, too!
  • Be a true consultant and know what you’re talking about
  • Let clients know when you are not on solid ground and find them an expert
  • Under promise, over deliver
  • Communicate the good; communicate the bad
  • Call when you’re late (and call before you’re due)
  • Eliminate “they’ll never know” from your thinking
  • Take responsibility for your errors
  • Never bill unless you’ve added value; and don’t forget to bill
  • Be a philanthropist (but get a receipt)
  • Train even when they don’t understand
  • Promote through your clients (and make that part of your contracts)
  • Always make your client the hero
 
If your organization is not currently set up to allow you the time to complete these things, consider a change in your organization!
       
    Why do these things?
   
  • It’s the right way to do business
  • To prove yourself trustworthy
  • It takes a minimum of 17 good customer experiences to make up for 1 bad one—and more if that 1 customer carries significant influence
  • It’s scalable
  • It helps you grow good workers in the marketplace
     
Be the Expert with a Teaching Spirit  
       
  Becoming the Expert  
   
  • Become really, really good in at least one area—the subject matter expert (take lots of time and a good deal of money)
  • Build expertise in a topic that is still a mystery to most
  • For the short course, hire an expert for your billable project, but insist that you be there for every step and learn OJT
  • Have proof—real credentials as the expert on your topic—earned certifications; positions; and so named by others
  • Don’t toot your own horn
  • Don’t be dull
  • Sprinkle your experience into conversation (but not in a gloating fashion)
  • Give others credit where due
  • Make alliances with other experts in your field
  • Be willing to admit to your faults
  • Always, always, always be learning
       
  Adopting a Teaching Spirit  
   
  • Look for opportunities to share what you know without a fee
  • Have enthusiasm about your area of expertise (drink your own Kool-aid)
  • Teaching is done with love and a willingness to share—not as an exercise in proving superiority
  • Develop new experts
  • Teach in every support call, every sales call, on your web site—at every opportunity
  • Hold seminars through your local Chamber; community college; or networking group
  • Volunteer to help in your community within your field of expertise