Until recent years, I never thought seriously about starting my own business because I didn’t want to deal with the bookkeeping and the marketing. After all, no marketing equals no clients. I’m no sales person. But I love the work and believe it’s worth doing the “I’d rather not do” activities.
It’s easy to get overwhelmed with business and self-help books because authors provide a wealth of suggestions and no clear path. This is where Hayden’s book stands out from the crowd. She breaks everything down from the six marketing strategies and setting up measurable goals to selecting ten doable activities.
The book also includes two worksheets that work with the program for easier reviewing and tracking progress. While you can follow the program alone, she recommends having support from someone other than family. It could be a coach or a colleague in the industry.
The organized and methodical program guides you through each step. Reading the how doesn’t take long and the program begins mid-way through the book. The latter half of the book describes the activities you can do while following the 28-day program. So you won’t get overwhelmed at the thought of “too many pages to read.”
I worked on it as soon as I started reading the book. Having this guide took a lot of pressure off of me as I know exactly what to do once I’d put my plan together. Not many business books have urged me to take action and this one succeeded. I know that after a month of following this process, I’ll see positive results.
While the book sounds simple, and it is — it takes work to make it happen. Instead of taking the long route and learning from trial-and-error, Hayden provides you with a direct route so you do the activities and don’t worry about overdoing it.
Some people may not like strict rules. The book isn’t like that. It’s okay to adjust the plan so you do six or seven activities instead of ten. It helps you figure out where you’re stuck in the marketing process and provides the tools for working past it. The book is over five years old and its contents are as relevant today as when it first came out. I can say with certainty that anyone who follows the plan will get great results.
Title: Get Clients Now! A 28-Day Marketing Program for Professionals and Consultants
Author: C.J. Hayden
Publisher: American Manangement Association
ISBN: 0814479928
Date: February 1999
Format: Paperback
Pages: 214
Cover Price: USD: $19.95 Amazon: $13.97
