As a licensed small business coach and an executive business coach, I am meeting people these days who are out of work or business owners who are looking for more clients.  If you are one of those folks, here are some suggestions (job-seekers first) that will elevate your game and have fun doing it.

If you are a person looking for a job, you need to have 5-6 low-cost job-finding strategies going on simultaneously.

• Your very first assignment is to find a qualified business coach to ensure that you are a master at expressing your uniqueness in what is called an Elevator Speech or your Unique Selling Proposition (USP.)  Don’t waste networking opportunities by being ill-prepared.
• Develop a social media presence with LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter and reconnect with colleagues and friends regarding your availability and what you’re looking for–be very specific about what you want and what your uniqueness is.
• Look for free Chamber of Commerce “Ribbon-Cutting” events (often at 5pm) where you can network with business owners while sampling hors d’oeuvres.
• See Toastmasters suggestion below.
• As a temporary measure, start your own part-time business–offering your expertise or your passion for free to the first taker and then start charging
• Go to the public library and sign on to Reference USA to research the industry, the zip code, and the company size information for candidate companies.  Then use social media to find “inside” contacts that can introduce you to their job postings and/or provide introductions to hiring managers.
• Attend user-group meetings of software programs that you are familiar with or have used in the past and network.
• Attend meetings of professional organization (usually evening meetings) with which you would qualify and network.

If you are a business owner in need of more clients, go through a checklist of how many different ways that you use now to find customers.   Business owners should have 10-12 low-cost strategies going on at all times.

• Your very first assignment is to find a qualified business coach to ensure that you are a master at expressing your uniqueness in what is called an Elevator Speech or your Unique Selling Proposition (USP.)  Don’t waste networking opportunities by being ill-prepared.
• Introductions from your existing customers.
• Ask your vendors for other people that may need your services.
• Build strategic alliances with affiliate businesses to share customers.
• If your business is B2B, use Reference USA from your local library as a source of business demographic leads.
• Develop a cold calling campaign.
• Develop a targeted mailing piece.
• Introductions from your list of friends and acquaintances
• Website and SEO (search engine optimization)
• Join BNI networking groups.
• Join a Toastmasters group that meets weekly, to expand your circle of influence and develop speaking and leadership skills AND to have fun! (or Kiwanis, Elks, etc.).
• Join the chamber of commerce and have a booth at their business faire.
• Find someone who is schooled and certified in guerrilla marketing tactics–low cost, innovative, high-energy.
• Assemble a business council group of your target market.
• Brainstorm with your employees.
• Offer referral bonuses to others to bring you customers.
• Advertise on the radio.
• Find clients or customers for your friends or business associates and they will reciprocate if you are specific about your ideal client.

If you have questions about any of these suggestions, drop me a line or give me a call.  I’m sure that time spent to master some of these skills will prove beneficial for the rest of your life.  And many of them will be fun experiences as well.  Good luck!

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