Resume Writer's Action Plan - Part 4

Here's the fourth installment in our series. For part 3, click here.

16. Talk to real estate agents. Agents are often the first to greet someone new to town -- and they are delighted to recommend a qualified resume writer to help a "trailing spouse" find a job.

17. Send a letter to your friends and family members. Put your word-of-mouth marketing network of relatives to work for you. A supply of brochures and business cards may be all you need if you send a stack to chatty Aunt Cathy.

18. Celebrate the holidays. In addition to Christmas/New Years, consider recognizing other "traditional" holidays -- such as Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's Day, and Halloween. Or, celebrate an offbeat holiday, such as Groundhog Day, or Earth Day.

19. Make contacts for outplaced employees. When you read about a local firm that will be laying off employees, call the company. You might be able to line up a seminar on job skills -- or a company-paid subsidy for resume writing. At worst, ask if you can send along brochures and business cards.

20. Target specific markets and contact them directly. For example, if you have a background in nursing, your specialized knowledge of medical terminology and nursing functions makes you a great choice as a resume writer if I am a nurse. For professions that are licensed -- like nursing -- you can often rent a list from the state. Or, write an article or place an ad in industry newsletters or trade journals.

Guest Author: If You Want to Get Clients…

...You'll Have to Talk to Them

By C.J. Hayden, MCC
Author, Get Clients Now

"I've done everything I can think of to get clients," a desperate self-employed professional writes. "I printed a brochure, I have a web site, and I've placed ads. But no one is hiring me. What am I doing wrong?"

This unhappy business owner has made a common mistake. He seems to believe that investing money in placing ads and creating marketing materials will somehow produce clients without the direct involvement of the business owner.

Perhaps professionals who make this mistake are trying to follow a big business model. They hide behind a company name, expensive marketing literature, and a web site. They spend hundreds or thousands of dollars on ads, directory listings, and trade show booths. Far too many self-employed professionals don't even disclose their own name in their marketing.

But people don't buy professional and personal services from an anonymous company; they buy them from individual people they have learned to know, like, and trust. The more personal -- or the more expensive -- the service you offer is, the more likely this is to be true.

If you are a career counselor, life coach, or massage therapist, you are asking people to trust you with the most personal areas of their lives. If you are a web designer, IT consultant, or corporate trainer, you are asking your clients to trust you enough to spend thousands of dollars with you. You don't earn people's trust by sending them a brochure.

Here are the five things that work best for most professionals to get clients:
1. Meeting people in person -- at events or by appointment
2. Talking to people on the phone
3. Sending personal letters and emails
4. Following up personally over time
5. Speaking to groups at meetings and conferences

And here are the five things self-employed professionals most often try that don't work:
1. Placing ads in the Yellow Pages or local newspaper (Editor's Note: Yellow Pages ads still work for resume writers, depending on the clientele and geographic market you are targeting.)
2. Distributing flyers around their community
3. Mailing mass-produced letters or brochures to strangers
4. Sending their newsletter to people who haven't asked for it
5. Posting their brochure on the Internet and calling that a web site

The main difference between these two lists is that the first list requires you to talk to people. On the second list are anonymous activities that allow you to hide out and never meet the people you are in business to serve.

If you want people to become your clients, they need to get to know you, learn to like you, and believe they can trust you. And for that, they really do need to meet you.

It is understandable why so many business owners gravitate to the least effective marketing tactics -- they are so much easier! To buy an ad, all you have to do is put up the money. To send a letter, all you need is an address and a stamp. It's much more challenging to go out and meet strangers, or to call people on the phone and ask for their business.

But the reality is that this is what it takes. Even if you have the world's best web site, it's a rare client who finds their way to it, reads it, and decides then and there to work with you. The same is true for a brochure. Both of these marketing tools are simply that -- tools. Just like a pair of pliers, they need a person holding them in order for them to work.

What clients want is to get a sense of who you are as a person. They want to see your face or hear your voice, to get to know you over time. If you don't have enough confidence in your business to speak to people in person about it, how will they ever have enough confidence in you to hire you?

What you'll discover if you begin to meet clients in person, talk to them on the phone, and ask directly for their business, is that it gets easier the more you do it. It will build your confidence in yourself -- and the confidence your prospective clients have in you -- at the same time.

If you're in the business of serving people, your best marketing tool is your own voice. So put it to work and start talking to them.

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Copyright C.J. Hayden.
To subscribe to the "Get Clients Now!" e-newsletter
visit http://www.getclientsnow.com

Guest Author: From Prospect to Client in 30 Seconds

Editor's Note: When you're selling a $300-$1000 service over the phone, you can't expect people to make a decision right away (at least not always!) Be sure to collect contact information from prospects and develop a follow-up strategy to convert some of these prospects into clients in the longer term.


By C.J. Hayden, MCC
Author, Get Clients Now

The process of converting a prospect to a client can seem like it takes forever. You meet a prospective client, follow up with him or her over time, and hopefully have a chance to make a sales presentation or schedule an initial consultation at no charge. Then you follow up some more, trying to close the sale. Months can pass, or even years, between your first encounter and getting the prospect to sign on the bottom line.

How do you keep following up for all that time without being a pest? Is asking prospects over and over, "Are you ready to buy yet?" the best way to go about it? How can you build the trust of your prospects enough that they become willing to take the risk of hiring you?

The answer to these bothersome questions just might be found in this simple idea. Treat those prospects as if they were already your clients -- they just haven't paid you yet.

Imagine what it would be like to treat every prospective client you encounter as if you were already working together. Every time you contact your prospects, you offer an article they might be interested in, an introduction to someone who might help them with a goal, or an invitation to an upcoming event in their field.

When you meet with them, you listen to their problems and recommend solutions. When you contact them after a meeting, you suggest resources for helping them address the issues you discussed. The solutions and resources you recommend may include your products and services, of course, but you don't stop there. You also offer answers that don't involve hiring you.

The impact of this kind of generosity on your prospective clients can be dramatic. Instead of considering your calls or e-mails an interruption, they will welcome hearing from you. They will no longer count you as a salesperson or vendor, but rather as a valuable resource and important person to know.

I'm not talking about giving away the store. I don't recommend providing the client with free training, spending hours addressing their issues at no charge, or otherwise practicing your profession without pay. It is completely appropriate to ask for and expect payment for doing your professional work.

But what I am suggesting is a shift in your attitude, to being of service instead of selling a service. Give your prospects a taste of just how valuable you could be to them if they were to hire you. Be generous with the information and contacts you already have at your disposal. It only takes a few minutes to pass along a phone number, clipping, or helpful web site, but the impact can be unforgettable.

The effect of this shift on you can be just as significant as the effect on prospective clients. You will eliminate those dreaded sales calls from your agenda and focus instead on what you do best -- helping people. You will no longer fear or resist making contact with prospects, but will begin looking forward to it. Instead of selling, you will be serving.

The fastest way to turn a prospect into a client may be simply to change how you think about them.
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Copyright C.J. Hayden.
To subscribe to the "Get Clients Now!" e-newsletter
visit http://www.getclientsnow.com

Resume Writer's Action Plan - Part 3

Here's the third installment in our series. For part 2, click here.

11. Tap into the college market. Send a letter of introduction to college career planning departments in your area. While many offer assistance in finding jobs for new graduates, most don't help grads write resumes. They are even more likely to refer alumni to you, as they are often stretched thin by simply serving currently enrolled students. Send along brochures and business cards. Be sure to mention you are an alum of the institution (if you are).

12. Write articles that target the needs of executives and submit them to your local business journal. Research a trend or statistic relevant to employment for executives and quote yourself as an expert.

13. Generate publicity in general-interest publications as well by writing a short article featuring a hot topic or trend.

14. Speak out! Target a specific profession and seek opportunities to speak at their conventions or seminars by hooking up with a professional association, or target a more general audience (church groups, community organizations, etc.)

15. Improve your client acquisition rate from cold calls. Develop a script to answer common questions and make your pitch for the sale. You'll feel more relaxed if you can focus on the person you are talking to .... and not wondering what information you need to know from the client.

Guest Author: 10 Ways to Get Your Marketing Unstuck

By C.J. Hayden, MCC
Author, Get Clients Now

Have you ever found yourself knowing exactly what you need to do about marketing your business... and then not doing it? You are not alone. Many self-employed professionals find that the hardest part of marketing isn't figuring out what to do. What's hard is actually doing it.

Marketing yourself can be a confronting process. Making phone calls to strangers, writing marketing letters, and talking about yourself and your accomplishments can bring up fear of rejection, harsh commentary from your inner critic, feelings of incompetence, and the discomfort of performing unfamiliar activities. If you let them, these inner saboteurs can stop you dead in your tracks.

The good news is that you don't have to completely eliminate these internal roadblocks in order to move forward in marketing. It is possible to feel afraid or uncomfortable and still take useful action despite the presence of these feelings. Here are ten ways to quickly break through internal barriers and get your marketing unstuck.

1. Recreate your vision. When you're feeling blocked from moving forward, remember why you wanted to go there in the first place. What was your original vision of the business you are trying to build? Who will your work benefit? What fulfillment or satisfaction will it provide you? Write down your vision of a successful business, or if you've written it down before, pull it out and re-read it. Allow your own words to re-inspire you to do the necessary hard work.

2. Design a reward. Sometimes your vision may seem a bit too far off, and you need some more immediate gratification. Choosing to reward yourself for a job well done can provide you with a positive near-term benefit for effort that might not pay off for a while. Promise yourself simple rewards for completing difficult marketing chores like making follow-up calls or writing web site copy.

The prospect of a special dinner, a movie with your significant other, or a new gadget for your favorite hobby can help you to push past the blocks and get things done. Rewards don't even have to cost money. Sometimes the promise of a bubble bath, walk in the park, or an hour reading a good book is all the incentive you need to take on a tough marketing challenge.

3. Tame the inner critic. Often when you're feeling stuck, what's going on in your head is a conversation with your inner critic, who seems to have a lot to say about sales and marketing. It's difficult to work on promoting yourself when you are hearing a constant stream of comments like: "You're not good enough," "They won't like you," or "Who do you think you are?"

It can help to remember that the inner critic often says things that simply aren't true. One way to counter this negative dialogue is to respond with the objective truth. For example: "Clients tell me I'm good at what I do," "Many people say they like me quite a bit," or "I'm a competent professional, thank you very much." When you answer confidently with statements of fact, messages from the inner critic often begin to lose their power.

4. Face your fear. One of the most common obstacles to being successful at marketing is fear. Marketing activities may evoke fears of rejection, disapproval, embarrassment, and a host of other catastrophes. Instead of pretending the fear isn't there, or attempting to ignore it, you may find it more effective to confront the fear directly.

Try to identify exactly what you are afraid of. What do you fear will happen if you make that call or go to that meeting? If you can identify the specific fear that is blocking you, it may be possible to soothe it by providing reassuring information or positive experience. For example, fear of rejection can often be lessened by setting up practice selling sessions where a role-playing partner responds with "yes" to every suggestion you make.

5. Get a pep talk. When you become discouraged, don't be afraid to ask for outside help to cheer up and start feeling positive again. Ask a friend, colleague, networking group member, or your coach to give you some words of encouragement. Sometimes all you need to hear is: "It was tough for me in the beginning too... Eventually my efforts paid off... You're doing all the right things... I know you can do it!"

6. Complain and clear. Feeling frustrated and negative can sometimes immobilize you. One method of clearing negative thoughts is to voice what you are experiencing to a caring person. Spend a full five minutes complaining about everything that's going wrong with your marketing, making sure to say exactly how it makes you feel. Then ask your listener to reflect your feelings back to you. Knowing that someone else hears and understands you may be all you need to let go of a negative attitude and get back to work.

7. Read your fan mail. In the regular course of serving your clients, you've probably received thank-you notes, grateful voice mail messages, and other evidence that you're doing a good job. Make a habit of saving these in a "fan mail" folder, and when you are feeling low, revisit all the nice things people have said about you. Remembering what a good job you do when you are working can encourage you to do the necessary marketing to get more work.

8. Quit; then start fresh. There may be days when you feel discouraged enough to just throw in the towel. Maybe you should do it. The act of quitting can be very cathartic. Proclaim: "I quit!" Perhaps even write yourself a resignation letter. Then take off the rest of the day, and don't even think about work. It's a good bet that after you have a chance to blow off some steam, you'll be ready to come back the following day re-energized.

9. Change the scene. Marketing can feel difficult and lonely when you're always slaving away by yourself in your home office. Try carrying out some of your challenging marketing tasks from a different location or with some company. Make cold calls from the patio, write a marketing letter in a busy coffee shop, or take turns with a colleague helping each other set up a good contact management system. Seeing a different view or enjoying companionship while you work may help you to complete tasks you have been avoiding.

10. Act as if. Whenever you feel incompetent about some area of marketing, you may be able to tackle those activities anyway if you simply try to act as if you were competent. Try playing the role of someone you admire. For example, what if you were Lauren Bacall? How would she make a follow-up call? Or how about if you were Martin Luther King? How would he introduce himself in front of a group? A short time pretending to be someone you think of as confident and capable can make those qualities rub off on you.

The next time your marketing feels stuck, try one of these methods to help you get back into action quickly. Marketing tasks are really only as hard as you think they are, so if you can find an easy way out, why not take it?

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Copyright C.J. Hayden.
To subscribe to the "Get Clients Now!" e-newsletter
visit http://www.getclientsnow.com

Guest Author: Marketing the Real You

By C.J. Hayden, MCC
Author, Get Clients Now

I often wonder how the practice began of pretending to be someone else in order to market your business. You know what I'm talking about -- it's the marketing face, the selling voice, that you often put on in order to attend a networking event or make a sales call. Who taught you to do that?

I have a suspicion where we learn this behavior. Most of us spend a lifetime observing showroom salespeople, product spokespersons in the media, and hucksters on street corners. What we see demonstrated there is artificial enthusiasm, manipulative use of language, feigned interest, and in some cases outright deception.

Sounds awful, doesn't it? So why copy any part of this distasteful way of selling?

Psychologist Abraham Maslow said, "If all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail." Perhaps we believe this is the only way we can sell because it's the only way we know. I'm not accusing anyone of consciously deceiving prospective clients. What I'm suggesting is that what we do unconsciously and automatically is to behave inauthentically around them.

Intuitively, many of us feel as if something is wrong with this way of operating. When we have to sell ourselves, we find it unpleasant, disagreeable, even repulsive. But what if all those negative feelings were simply because we hate the artificiality and manipulation we think must be a part of selling?

Imagine what it would be like to go to a business networking event as yourself. No facade, no pretension, just plain you. When someone asks your reason for coming, you tell them the truth. You don't have to claim you wanted to hear the speaker (if you didn't). You can come right out and say, "I'm hoping to make some contacts that will lead to business for me."

You wouldn't have to invent reasons to start a conversation. You can walk up to someone who looks interesting and say, "Hi, I haven't met you yet." If you're shy around strangers, you can tell the first person you meet, "I'm sort of a wallflower and feel awkward at events like this. Could you introduce me to some folks?"

Now imagine placing a follow-up call to a prospect where you are completely honest. You could say, "I have some days open on my calendar soon and I'm wondering if this would be a good time for that project we've been discussing." Or, "We haven't talked in a while and I'd like to find out if you're still planning to look for a new job."

I see so many professionals and consultants struggle with trying to find an "excuse" to call a prospect. You don't need some manufactured excuse. You know the reason you're calling. Most of the time THEY know the reason you're calling. Just say what it is.

Let's extend this same principle to making a cold call. Instead of stumbling around awkwardly trying to make a polished -- but unnatural -- sales approach, imagine yourself saying, "I'm not much of a salesperson, but I'm really good at what I do. Can we have a conversation about what you need and see if I'm the right person for the job?"

If you've been working from a cold-calling script that makes you flush and get a tight throat every time you read it, throw it out. Come up with one really good opening line that feels authentic and gets directly to the point. Then decide how you will answer -- honestly -- some of the typical questions prospects ask you. My bet is that your calls will immediately get easier.

In fact, the more you become honest, direct, and authentic in all of your marketing, the more appealing selling will be to you, the more effortless it will become, and the more success you will ultimately achieve. Because most business results from building relationships, and how can you develop a relationship with someone when you never reveal who you really are?

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Copyright C.J. Hayden.
To subscribe to the "Get Clients Now!" e-newsletter
visit http://www.getclientsnow.com

Your Website: What Is It You Do Exactly?

As a careers professional, you might offer other services besides resume writing. Many resume writers also offer career coaching, typing services,administrativ eassistance/desktop publishing, recruiting services, commercial/freelance writing,etc.

But you might be driving clients away if your other areas of specialty are too diverse. I try not to point out specific examples of bad marketing, but this is a website that has several problems.

The company, Charity Design Publications, offers desktop publishing, printing, transcription services, and resume writing. So far, so good (at least as far as the service offerings go). But they also offer web hosting (as a reseller) and the link to the "Online Store" is what drove me over the edge. Selling things "As Seen On TV" may be one way to increase your income from your website, but it's not going to attract you a lot of credible prospects to your resume writing service.

Ironically, the resume services page of the website includes this sentence:
"A first impression is everything when it comes to job hunting."

I'd argue the same is true when cultivating clients for your professional resumewritingservices too. (CDP Resumes offers a 1- or 2-page resume, including a free1-on-1 consultation and free revisions) for $25 (with a 24-hour turnaround time). (I guess it's no wonder they have to offer so many different services ... it's hard to make a living at $25 a resume.)

Free Marketing Plan Start-Up Kit

Robert Middleton has been a contributor to Resume Writers' Digest for many years. Now he's sharing a special resource with my readers: A Free "Marketing Plan Start-Up Kit."

This Marketing Plan Start-Up Kit will remove the frustration and struggle you may experience with marketing your services. It shows you how to start playing "Marketing Ball." If you have clients and want more of them, the Marketing Plan Start-Up Kit will make it a whole lot easier.

The Start-Up Kit includes an 85 minute mp3 Audio Tutorial and 22-page Workbook - everything you need to build a client-attracting marketing plan.

It's a step-by-step guide to attracting more clients. No matter what kind of self-employed professional you are, this Marketing Plan Start-Up Kit will help you become a better marketer.

To receive your free kit, click here.

Marketing to Women

Eighty percent of all consumer purchasing decisions are made by women. Understand and implement the "EVEolutionary Truths" set forth by Faith Popcorn and co-author Lys Marigold in their book, "EVEolution" and tap into this powerful market.

Here are some ideas:

• Connecting female consumers to each other connects them to your brand. How can you connect one female client to another? Hold a free workshop at your local library and encourage the women who attend to introduce themselves to each other.
• If you're marketing to one of her lives, you're missing all the others. Women wear many hats, so you might design your worksheets to be completed in shorter segments so women can work on them while waiting for their child at one of their many activities.
• Market to her peripheral vision and she will see you in a while new light. Pick a child-friendly bookstore and offer to co-sponsor a brief talk on the careers industry at the same time they offer storytime to kids. Do the same thing at your local library.
• Walk, run, go to her, secure her loyalty forever. Make it convenient for her to work with you. Set up your website to handle requests for services.

Setting Yourself Apart From the "Competition"

Are you just "another resume writer"? Of course not! In your marketing efforts, you must demonstrate to clients the VALUE you offer to them. What makes you different and what makes you stand out from everyone else? (This applies whether you are targeting a local market, or clients across the nation.)

Areas of differentiation can include:

• Certification (value = expertise)

• Experience in the field (value = you know their industry; you speak their language)

• Accessibility -- easy to work with, hours that work for them, credit card acceptance, etc. (value = convenience)

• 1-on-1 In-depth interviews instead of forms (value = personal interaction and total customization)

• Affiliation (i.e., memberships in professional organizations). (value = current knowledge of trends and techniques in career management).

Answer this question:
"UNLIKE OTHER PEOPLE, I …"

Then you'll get people who say, "Call _x_ -- she does exactly what you need."

If Everyone is a Prospective Client...

... Should you just start calling names in the phone book?

Of course not. You need to target your clientele a little more specifically.

Who do you PREFER to work with?
• Unemployed?
• Currently employed seeking better jobs?
• First job (i.e., students?)
• Returning to workforce?
• "Underemployed"

Young? Old? Specific professions?

Once you've identified your target audience, you can figure out how to reach them.

Unusual Ideas for Marketing Your Resume Writing Services

Just some random thoughts off the top of my head … (based on creativity exercises in a book I'm reading)... If you're doing any of these things, I might profile you in an upcoming issue of Resume Writers' Digest. Drop me an e-mail at RWDigest@aol.com.

• SIMPLE SOLUTION: See more clients and charge more = more $$
• CONTRADICT HISTORY: Get someone else to pay (not the client). (i.e., outsourcing = employer pays; contract with a church for services for their unemployed members = church pays, etc.)
• OUTRAGEOUS: "Free resumes": Don't pay upfront -- client just pays "two days pay" for a new job you get
• SEND FEAR: become more visible; offer a solid guarantee (charge enough to make it worth your while)
• LEVERAGE CONSUMER PERCEPTIONS: Case studies of résumés that win jobs.
• LEVERAGE CATEGORY / CONSUMER TRENDS: 33% of job searchers change jobs each year. How to capitalize on this?
• CONTRADICT TRENDS ????
• AROUSE CURIOSITY???

"People Won't Pay the Prices I Need to Charge"

In any economy (good or bad), people have money to spend on having their resume developed. The trick is convincing them they need them.

The message in a down economy is: "You need a professionally-written resume in order to stand out in the pile of resumes that flood in for every available position."

The message in a good economy is: "If you're looking for a better job, you need a resume that can show why you're worth 10, 15 or even 25% more money than you're currently making."

The key is finding the prospects who can pay. One surefire way is to find people who have money!! For example: target executives and senior managers, not blue-collar workers and college students. I know, I know, it seems harsh … but you're in business to make money, right?

Another idea is to go outside your geographic area. While most of my business is local, I've done resumes for clients throughout the US -- many who were relocating to new cities. You don't have to be a local expert to write an effective resume I have found that you can capture those clients who think that local expertise is the "only" thing by saying, "Yes, there are times when you will want to choose someone locally, but not every community has a resume expert who knows all the local resources. It can be just as important to find a professional resume writer who can help you tap into proven resources to market yourself to prospective employers regardless of where you live."

Most resume writers think they can fill their appointment books by advertising in the Yellow Pages, having a site on the Internet, and giving talks. However, those are just SOME of the tools you're going to need to use in order to drive the kind of business that sustains you as a primary income source. Many resume writers also find that subcontracting can steady out the peaks and valleys of being a self-employed resume writer

There are thousands of clients who are out there who are willing to pay your prices ($100 up to $1000+) for a resume if it gets them what they want … the job they want/need.

Niche Marketing

Recently, I've been corresponding with a résumé writer who is interested in targeting specific niches for clients. While I believe niche marketing can be very profitable, it can also be tricky, particularly if you are targeting more than one niche.

When examining whether a particular niche will be profitable, you have to consider a few things:
1. How will people in this niche be able to find me? (do they congregate in certain places -- web sites, chat rooms, read similar periodicals, etc.)
2. How can I find (and reach) people who are in this niche? (are there existing web sites I can link to? Trade journals to advertise in?)
3. Are there enough people in this niche that I can attract the 2-3% that I need to make it profitable for me to seek out this niche? (If you are trying to market to left-handed, one-armed dentists who were born in September, for example, that's a pretty small market.)
4. Who are my competitors? Are there any? (If there aren't, you might ask yourself 'why' -- is it just an unexplored niche, or has someone tried to target this niche and found it unprofitable?)
5. What do I have to offer this group? (Special expertise, credentials, you're already well-known in this group, etc.)

You have to develop a pretty full-fledged mini-business plan in order to answer these questions. As you answer them, you'll also get an idea of how you will market and promote to your niche.

It is certainly possible to target completely different niches at the same time. You can position yourself as an expert résumé writer for multiple, completely non-related niches simultaneously. For example, a former nurse-turned-résumé-writer might specialize in nursing resumes and also pharmaceutical sales resumes (okay, those are somewhat related). She might also specialize in résumés for head athletic coaches because her husband is a head coach. These are completely separate niches that she would not want to necessarily promote on a single web site. That's the advantage of web sites -- they can be completely customized to focus in on a particular specialty.

When developing a niche web site, however, keep your audience in mind. Every single thing on that web site needs to be focused on that single niche. You can always ALSO have a web site devoted to you (www.YourName.com) or your business (www.YourBusinessName.com) which explains more about you and links to your niche-specific sites. But if you're promoting to a specific niche (such as pharmaceutical sales), the audience that will be visiting that web site doesn't care if you also do resumes for left-handed, one-armed dentists born in September. They just want to know how you can help them get a pharmaceutical sales job (and Remember, they want the benefit -- the job, not the "tool" -- the résumé or the process -- landing the interview for the job.)

Every single thing on your niche web site needs to speak to the audience. If it doesn't speak to the audience, it doesn't belong on the site. What does belong on the site? Articles you've written specifically about that niche, research information, links, a few sample resumes and cover letters (no, don't worry about people "stealing" the information -- they need to see your work for you to be credible), and, of course, information about how they can get the benefit of your services. Your graphics and layout should also be exclusively directed towards the audience. A pharmaceutical sales web site would use neutral, muted colors, a classy yet simple font, and photos or graphics that are health-care oriented.

Finding Clients Between the Stacks

Call your local bookstore and offer to host a Career Night. The format is up to you, but it could include:
• 20-minute workshop on resumes
• Free resume critiques
• Top '10' Book List
• How to Use Career Books to Reach Your Dream Job (i.e., using career research books like the annual "Kennedy Directory of Executive Recruiters")

For added value:
• Send a news release to local newspaper, radio and TV stations to promote the free event;
• Make sure you're on the bookstore's monthly calendar of events;
• Make up posters for display at the store;
• Insert your business card into the front of books in the career section;
• Have a door prize giveaway (collect names, addresses, phone numbers and e-mails on a door prize form). Possible prizes can be a career book, a bookstore gift certificate or a gift certificate for your services.

This technique can also be used at your local library.

Why Clients Choose a Professional Resume Writer

Why do people seek out a résumé writer? A couple of calls from prospective clients this week got me thinking about this.

Most of the calls I receive fall into two categories -- calls from the Yellow Pages and calls from people referred by someone. Because I always ask, "How did you hear about us?" I can usually determine what information I need to share with the caller. Those who have been referred are often "pre-sold" on my services and don't require as much education as the Yellow Pages caller.

Callers from the Yellow Pages are often intriguing. At some basic level, they recognize the need for help with their resume, because they've sought out a "resume service" in the phone book.

Yet they often don't know what they need -- or even what a professional resume writer will do for them. Some are looking for someone to "type" their resume. Others know that they can get "help" with the writing part, but don't know how that works.

Remember when working with prospective clients who are calling from the Yellow Pages that you have three goals:

1. Educate them about your services (what you do, how you can help them, how much it will cost)

2. Find out if they are ready to work with you (do they have a focused job target? What is their timeframe? Do they have realistic expectations about what the résumé can do for them? Are they willing to pay your fee?)

3. Demonstrate that you are the solution. This is most often accomplished by asking questions designed to elicit information -- and position yourself as a credible expert to solve their unspoken problem ("How do I get interviews?")

While their reasons for choosing a professional résumé writer may differ from caller to caller, your job is the same: Determine whether there is a match between what they need and what you provide -- and if there is, make the sale.

Self-Promotional Information Sheet

Back in 2002, I was looking to refer a client out to another résumé writer and I asked for people who were interested to e-mail me directly. I was particularly impressed with the information sheet that one former résumé writer, Sally Clark, CPRW, JCTC, sent to me. (Sally is no longer a resume writer.) With her permission, I would like to share it with you as an example of the type of fact sheet that you should develop to promote yourself. (You could also create this type of bio online, and send it as a link.)

http://www.rwdigest.com/ExecResumesFactSheet.pdf

It's simple. It's concise. It tells you everything you need to know about working with Sally -- her contact information, her background, her areas of specialization, where she's located and payment options.

In conjunction with a brochure -- or instead of a brochure -- a self-promotional fact sheet is something every résumé writer should have!

Reactivate Your Clients

Need to drum up some business? Send out a postcard to your mailing list of existing clients … it's always generated me a half-dozen phone calls -- or more, depending on how long it's been since my last newsletter or postcard.

I've created a postcard template you can print and insert your contact information into, or open the PDF and modify it directly (don't ask me how to do this -- if you know, you know; if you don't, just print out the hard copy and paste in your information). Here's the template:
http://www.rwdigest.com/updatepostcard.pdf

Insert your contact information in the box provided (along with a special "reactivation offer" if you'd like) -- don't forget to include your return address on the right hand side of the postcard (see my sample for guidelines).

You can see how I've modified it (including making it a two-color postcard) at:
http://www.rwdigest.com/Bridgetupdatepostcard.pdf

You can also just use the FRONT side of the postcard, if you'd like, and create your own customized back side.

Photocopy it onto brightly-colored cardstock paper and cut to yield an 5-1/2 by 8-1/2 postcard (2 per page). These postcards require $.34 stamps ($.37 after June 30, 2002).

Or take it to your local quick printer and have it printed in color!

You can also use VistaPrint (50% Off All Postcards) to create custom printed postcards very inexpensively!

Better Yellow Pages Ads

What you write in your Yellow Pages ads can make the difference between you getting 3 calls a week -- or 3 calls a DAY. The more calls you get, the more clients you can book, and the more revenue you can make!

Yellow Pages advertising is the NUMBER ONE source of new clients for MOST résumé writers. How can you maximize the money you are spending in this medium?

We examined this subject in the March/April 2000 issue of Résumé Writers' Digest:
http://www.rwdigest.com/marapr00rwd.pdf

Here are some of my top tips:

1. Focus on the READER. Remember, it's BENEFITS, not FEATURES. "Interview-winning résumés and cover letters," not "1- and 2-page resumes".

2. Emphasize CREDIBILITY. Include mentions or logos of associations you belong to. Mention your inclusion in résumé books/publications. Mention how long you've been around. ("10 Years in Business") and include Better Business Logo or Chamber of Commerce affiliation if you've got them.

3. Make it EASY for them to work with you. Mention hours of operation (either specifically -- MON-FRI 9-5 or DAY/EVENING/SAT. APPOINTMENTS).

4. Help them see your services are for THEM. (Mention specific industries or your areas of specialty.)

5. Don't forget a CALL TO ACTION. At a minimum, this is your phone number, but it can also include your e-mail address and web site. Lead them in with "free resume critiques" or "ask for our free booklet, '10 Strategies to Make $1000 More At Your Next Job'" or whatever you can do to get them to CALL you.