Although this is not an exact science, it does give you some numbers on which to focus in order to make your progress toward your goal more measurable. This measurability allows you to chart your progress throughout year which, in turn, increases likelihood that you’ll reach your goals as you are able to make mid-course corrections.

It worked for Paul, and it can work for you!

So, now's time to ask yourself -- are you filling your prospecting funnel?

For first three years of my web design business, I just took what came my way. I did what I thought would bring in business and waited for results. I did very little analysis of process, so I was never able to predict what activities I needed to do in order to get my desired results.

A few years ago, a management consultant introduced me to idea of prospecting funnel. It’s a way to track your prospecting process so you know how many prospects are in each stage at any given time.

Over time, you are able to predict how many prospects you need to generate in order to produce one new client. This helps you set realistic sales goals, plan effective marketing efforts and budget sufficient marketing dollars.

On a blank piece of paper, draw a large funnel taking up whole page. To right of funnel, starting at top, write first step of your prospecting process (for example, first contact with prospect at networking meeting, cold call, web site query, etc.).

Below that, leaving a little space between two, write second step of your prospecting process (for example, scheduling a meeting). Continue writing subsequent steps of your prospecting process, one below other, until you reach bottom of funnel. The last step should be one where prospect becomes a client (for example, you receive signed contract back with a deposit check).

Now, go back to top of funnel and for each stage that you identified, write how many prospects you have who are currently at that stage. Write these figures inside funnel. If you have room, you can write names of prospects that are at each stage.

Now, you may want to create a spreadsheet that helps you track when prospect entered your system, when they hit each stage and when they became a client. You can use first column to write prospect names and other columns to write each prospecting step. Then, each row, reading from left to right, can show what date prospect entered each stage of your prospecting process.

Over time, you’ll be able to come back to your spreadsheet to calculate number of prospects it takes to generate one new client and amount of time it takes, on average, to convert a new prospect into a customer.

Once you’ve refined your prospecting system and funnel, you may want to create a giant version of funnel on a flipchart where you can write each prospect’s name on a sticky note and move them from one stage to next.

It can give you a great visual of your current prospecting status and show you what areas need your attention.

Happy Prospecting!

But, if you find yourself feeling frustrated with type of work you’re doing, amount of money you’re making, or kind of clients you are working with, it’s time to take charge of your business.

Take a piece of paper and write down 5-10 things you want people to think of when they think of your business. Here are several examples, but you might think of many more:

* low price * fast service * high quality * personal service * caring attitude * expert advice * emotional support * technical expertise * immediate results * creative ideas

Now, look through your list and choose one thing that you want to emphasize more than any other – one thing that will set you apart from your competitors.

Once you’ve selected it, write down a list of benefits that one thing provides to your clients. For example, if you chose “high quality” from list above, some benefits might include:

* you make them look good to their employees/employer/clients * you help projects stay on track because your work is good enough first time and requires no changes/edits * you allow them to take one thing completely off their plate because your work meets their standards without their direct involvement

Once you’ve identified aspect of your business that you want to emphasize and you’ve identified benefits to your clients, sit down with all of your marketing materials. This includes your business card, brochure, letterhead, web site, advertisements, bio sheet, etc. Determine how you can tweak each one to emphasize this aspect of your business.

If you can afford it, you might reprint some of your materials. If you can’t, you might come up with ways to add a tag line to your existing materials. You could print your tag line at bottom of every piece of letterhead each time you are sending a letter. You could have stickers printed with your tag line to stick on each of your brochures. Be creative!

The best part about proper positioning is that you end up doing type of work you enjoy and making more money. Many times work is more profitable -- you are able to charge more than your competitors because you are delivering more value than they do. The clients that choose to work with you are making decision to pay a little more in order to benefit from extra value you provide.

Happy Positioning!