By Christopher Wright, Guerrilla Marketer www.GuerrillaPromotions.com

Once again...everyone's looking for leads. One can't really blame them...they are 'life blood' of business. Lets take a look at a simple strategy for locating leads, not just a look but a vertical look.

"Are You In...The Cycle?"

Sometimes best way to find leads is to work your cycle (sales cycle). Before you can 'work' this cycle, you first must find where you fit in this cycle. Once this is done, then its just a matter of contacting those before and after you to inquire as to possibility of a promotion.

Now, you may be wondering what I mean by 'before and after' you. This means who will your customers need before they see you and who will they need after they've done business with you. This applies whether you're focusing online or off-line.

"Form Your Crosses...Join Your Joints"

Ok, you've found your place in sales cycle, now it's time to contact other businesses. The hot term now on net is 'joint venture', but its been called 'cross promotions' for ages off-line. Let's say you're wedding planner and you're looking to increase your business. Let's see what we can do. Who would your potential clients need before they seek out your services? Surely they'll need wedding rings. So, let's contact some jewelers. Don't expect many jewelers to jump for joy over your prospective 'joint venture'...at least without some incentive.

So many authors spend a lot of time and money on promotion that doesn't work. It's time to do what authors do best-write a short article. Online published articles are seven times more powerful than advertising, building your credibility as expert, and leading flock to your book-selling site.

Follow these ten steps to write an article top Web sites and ezines will clamor for with a link back to where your book is sold.

Apply these Ten Steps

1. Choose a topic that relates to your book. Make sure this how-to article has useful, needed information. One site, which markets to professional speakers, published my article "What Makes One Book Outsell Another."

2. Know your article's thesis. The thesis is what your article will prove. It is major answer for your audience's major question. In introduction above, thesis is stated in last line, "Use these ways to write an article top Web sites and ezines will clamor for with a link back to where your book is sold."

3. Know your preferred audience. Just as your book has a target audience, so should your article. "Sell More Books with a Powerful Back Cover," and "Increase Web Sales Through Writing Special Reports" articles are aimed at professional speakers, coaches, trainers, authors and business people who want to write and sell books fast.