1. Be clear of your target customers.

If you do not know where you are going, you will wind up some place else. To the extent you can narrow down your list of desirable customers, you will act more as a direct rifle shot rather than diffuse buckshot in attracting and retaining the right customers for your business. Usually, it can be useful to make two lists. One list can be for all the potential buyers of your offerings within the next year or two, and another list can be for who you are directly going after in the next few months. You need to effectively pursue both lists' with rigor and vigor; yet, with lower-cost methods for the former list and more intense methods with the latter list.

2. Become known for something unique and of great value.

There is no great reason for anyone to buy from you if you are not filling or creating an important marketplace need. The bigger the problem you can tackle and solve, the more that customers will seek you out, rather than vise versa. What specific competencies, capacities and capabilities can you and your organization bring to bear that demonstrate your uniqueness and enormous value to buyers?

3. Message your business' greatest gifts and assets simply and powerfully.

Get the word out about your business in a way that creates a clear, consistent and continuous aura around your business solutions. Your marketing messages need to be powerful and compelling so as to stir the emotions of your buyers, as well as for them to see you as a capable and credible provider. Can you boil it down to one simple message that anyone, even a child, can understand? Customers will not buy from you if you are not clearly and confidently articulating why they should.

4. Build and rigorously execute your best marketing vehicles.

From among the array of direct and indirect marketing vehicles mentioned in the above introduction, you must choose the limited subset of vehicles that will effectively get your message out to the right prospects and referral sources. Marketing can be a "black hole", sucking in all your disposable energy and resources. So, it is important to pick the vehicles that work best for you, your business message, and your target audience. However, never rely on just one vehicle, but pick the few that will best work for your business--which may take some trial and error. Also, there is often much clutter to get through in buyers' minds today due to their over-bombardment with competing marketing messages. So remember that they usually need 5-7 touches from your marketing vehicles before your name gets embedded enough into their mind so that they will recognize and talk to you.

5. Continually build business contacts, connections and collaborations.

Discover the people that will lead you to your targeted customers. Finding, building and even partnering with intermediaries can lead you to a larger network of potential buyers. Leveraging who you know is a lot easier than starting relationships from scratch. Be open to opportunities, and do not be afraid to gracefully extricate yourself from any unproductive relationships. It sometimes takes kissing a whole bunch of frogs before you find the ones that turn into princes.

6. Performing great work to create word of mouth referrals.

The quality of your work speaks volumes about you. If you want to leave positive impressions in your customers mind, such that they ask you back, then provide great care in how you serve them. Set the right expectations and then exceed them. And, when a great job has been completed, be sure to ask for client referrals. More often than not, happy clients will be pleased to refer you on to their colleagues and friends.