3. Demonstrate Value Actions speak louder than words. If you want clients to be aware of value of your products or services, you will need to give them a test drive. Open door with newsletters, workshops, a free session or articles found on your web site. Over time demonstrating value you provide will convince prospective clients of your ability to solve their problems and help position you as a trusted advisor.

4. Build Your Network The objective is to know who is interested in your products and services. Networking is a good idea because people like to buy products from people they know and trust. If they’ve met you or been referred to you they are more likely to trust you.

Depending on business you are in, you can build your network of prospects through conventional networking or through your web site and email. Either way more qualified prospects you have in your network better.

5. Stay in Touch Memories are short. Once we hit middle age most of us can't remember what we had for dinner two days ago, much less host of services various firms provide. In most cases its safe to assume your target market has forgotten about range of solutions you offer, if they remember you at all.

Stay in touch with your target market on a monthly or, at a minimum quarterly basis. When you contact people be clear about action you want prospective, existing and past clients to take.

Win Marketing Game Once you know rules to marketing you can apply them to map out your marketing strategy, and to select marketing tactics that will leave your competition in dust.

2003 © In Mind Communications, LLC. All rights reserved.

The author, Marketing Coach, Charlie Cook, helps independent professionals and small business owners who want to improve their marketing and attract more clients.

The same dramatic elements come into play every year when we have another Take Our Daughters to Work Day. The media get to shoot colorful, charming footage of young girls in places they don't normally visit, and then they can add a smidgeon of controversy by quoting people who think girls don't deserve favoritism over boys.

Publicity stunts and milder special events aren't ever a sure thing. Your parade can get rained on and a breaking news story elsewhere can pull media away. When Massachusetts retailer Rick Segel sponsored a gala contest for Best Hairdresser of Medford, fur coats that bore contestants' numbers got switched, causing prizes to be awarded to wrong people. Two judges walked out and fistfights almost broke out among hairdressers.

Despite risks, Stan Heimowitz had such a hoot with his IntraLinux Penguin vs. Gates bout that he floated himself as a publicity-stunt impresario to PR and ad agencies. The whole event cost just $3,700.00, Heimowitz says, including actors and costumes. Compare that to cost of a color magazine ad that gets two seconds of a reader's attention!

Marcia Yudkin is author of newly updated classic guide, 6 Steps to Free Publicity (Career Press), and 10 other books. She has helped clients achieve publicity everywhere from Wall Street Journal to National Enquirer, from Today Show to local news broadcasts, and she herself has been featured in Success Magazine, Entrepreneur, Home Office Computing, Working Woman, scores of major newspapers all over U.S. and four times in Sunday Boston Globe. She performs miraculous press release makeovers and other publicity services through http://www.pressreleasehelp.com .