Bug Your Customers (They’ll Love You for It)

Synopsis Are you afraid to bug your customers with information about your products or services? I understand. Been there. Still there sometimes. And in the past week I pushed my personal envelope around bugging customers, and the results were terrific. I received...

Self Employment TV: Free Stuff, Should You Give It?

For those who prefer reading to watching: Free stuff can demonstrate your expertise, build relationships, and help you practice your craft. But it can’t pay the bills, generate commitment on the part of a client, or allow you to spend time developing new work....

Are you really listening to prospective clients?

Expertise, experience, and empathy are assets that can turn into liabilities when we listen to prospective clients. Expertise can get in the way of hearing what the client wants from his or her point of view. If we start solving the problem or explaining how we can...