• Research your competition honestly. Never mislead competitors by pretending to be a client. Instead, set up a Google alert with your competitor’s name in quotes. Each time they’re in the news, you’ll receive an e-mail alert. Check out their Web site to learn more about their products, services and business philosophy.

• Introduce yourself to your competitors. Savvy business people know that there’s enough business for everyone. If a competitor is up to his or her eyeballs in clients, they may send a few clients your way. Or if you’re in different cities, you may be able to partner on different projects.

• Offer to pay for a competitor’s time. If a competitor is willing to offer you advice, be willing to pay for it. While they may not accept your offer, you’re making it clear to them that their time is valuable.

• Talk to people who are using a competitor’s products or services and find out what’s missing. Maybe your competitor is missing something that you could add to enhance your product or service. Consumers will always have a different view of your industry than you.

Take the time to research ways to grow your business, yet make it different from a competitor’s business. No one likes a copycat.

• Learn some stealth moves. If you decide to leave the room during the call, make sure it’s during a time when no one will notice. When you’re the next one on the agenda, it’ll be fairly obvious to everyone on the call that you’ve left your computer.

• Don’t post messages on Facebook during the call. When co-workers have access to your Facebook account, they’ll know whether you’re spending more time on your wall than on the call. They may even point it out to everyone during the call, as in “Did you just post something on your wall?” which can be a bit embarrassing.

• If you have a dog, put him outside, send him to a neighbor’s house or give him a Kong filled with peanut butter to keep him busy and quiet. No one wants to talk over a barking dog, especially when the dog barks as loud as mine.

• When you’re waiting for everyone to connect to the online call, make sure others can’t hear you talking on your cell phone. Maybe I’m being picky but I don’t want to hear about what you’re wearing or what you want your spouse to wear (or in some cases not wear) later that evening. Some icky things you hear, just can’t be erased from your mind.

The final thing I learned during the call is that I like audio chats better than video chats. The best part is that I can sit at my desk in jeans and a t-shirt (makeup optional) while I know that the corporate execs on the other end of the line are dressed for work. When you work from home, every day is Casual Friday!

A few months ago I hired a makeup artist for a photo shoot and when she showed up wearing more makeup than a clown, I didn’t expect much. Actually, I tried to think of an excuse for why I was about to turn and run. When she finished, my makeup looked amazing. (I couldn’t convince her to come to my house every morning for free!)

I had a similar experience with my CPA. His office looks like the aftermath of a hurricane, but he’s detailed and meticulous. He may have a disorganized office, but I’ll work with him until the day he retires. Talent is what keeps both of these folks in business. But what if others judge them on the outside the way I did originally, and then unlike me, refuse to hire them?

There are a few ways to make sure the book matches the cover:

Live by example. If you’re a fitness instructor, stay in good shape. If your business helps others improve their communication skills, be an effective communicator.  That’s common sense, yet it’s so common it’s easy to forget.

If others hire you for advice and guidance, follow your own advice. As a parent, it’s easy to tell your kids to do as you say, not as you do. That may be OK for kids but it doesn’t work with clients.

Think about what you say before you say it. Then if you say you’re going to do something, do it.

Make sure that the impression you give, matches your message. Think back to your last doctor’s appointment.  If you’re a smoker, and even if you’re not, think about how much faith you’d place in a doctor who told you to quit smoking while puffing on a cigarette.  Not much.

Living by example is a key to success. After all, if you don’t follow your own advice, how do you expect others to trust what you say or do?

Not long after that, my clients asked for a book about keeping their home office in shape and their homebased business on track. After I did some research and found out that a home office book that would help my clients didn’t exist, I listened to my clients.

I wrote a book outline and then contacted a literary agent who had a home office, and she agreed to represent my book.  (This is a simplified version of events, but you get the idea.) She sold the book within three weeks and four books later I credit my clients for directing my business.

If I hadn’t listened to my clients, I wouldn’t have changed my business focus as soon as I did. Also, I wouldn’t have a series of books under my belt and a blog that gives me the opportunity to share home office advice and tips for working from home.

Are you listening to your clients?

After many takes, several lighting adjustments and extensive advice from a few video pros out there, I finally taped my first Working Naked video. In this video I share three ways to figure out what you should be charging for your product or services. If your fees are too high you may lose business. But if your fees are too low and you’re working too many hours for too little money, eventually you’ll resent your clients.

Chris Brogan wrote the perfect to-the-point post about charging what you’re worth. Check out his daily rate.  If someone questions what you’re charging, remind them that they’re not paying for your time…they’re paying for your expertise.

After you’ve figured out whether or not you’re giving it up too easily, check out Dave Yankowiak’s interview with me on Anywhere Man. I was his first video interview or according to Dave, his “video guinea pig.” Look for more interviews to come on Dave’s info-filled, interesting and entertaining site.

How do you avoid giving it up too easily? Post your comments below.

When do you tell a client they're fired?

The economy has changed the way most of us work. Several of my clients have started working with smaller clients instead of counting on larger corporations to keep them busy. Jobs they wouldn’t have considered doing have become their bread and butter but at what emotional and stress-inducing cost?

At what point do you finally tell a client, “You’re fired!” which allows you to focus on the clients who appreciate what you can do for them? In case you’re wavering about firing a client or looking for a sign that the relationship needs to end, consider a few clues.

• Your client calls you at least five times a day, sometimes with the same question. You’re their supplier, subcontractor or consultant, not their babysitter.

• Your client continually asks you to lower your fees or threatens to fire your company if you don’t. Intimidation shouldn’t be part of a working relationship (or any relationship for that matter).

• You have a signed contract, your company performs the work and then your client asks to renegotiate the contract at a lower price. Don’t undervalue your services or product. A contract is a contract and if you delivered what you promised, there’s no need to negotiate.

• Your client continually changes his or her mind which causes you to backtrack and rework projects. You can bill for that time but is the frustration worth it?

Firing a client will affect your bottom line but your sanity is priceless.

It's easy to show clients you care...without spelling it out.

• Congratulate your clients on birthdays, promotions, and new arrivals. An e-card is nice, but a card you send via snail mail can mean even more. Don’t just sign the card…include a short, personal note. Although you’ll want to acknowledge happy occasions, don’t forget the sad ones. The husband of one of my clients died recently. I sent her a card and made a donation to a charity mentioned in her husband’s obituary.
  

• Keep in touch with your clients on a regular basis. You don’t need to meet with them or call them. Instead, be creative and think of ways to let your clients know you’re available to meet their needs. You could send your clients monthly e-mails, or forward articles from online magazines or newspapers that relate to your clients. Keep it low key and at all costs, avoid being pushy.
  

• Send business anniversary cards to celebrate the date you and your client started working together. I know that seems corny and isn’t appropriate for all clients, but the right clients will appreciate a card or short e-mail from you. And that gesture may be so unusual they’ll probably remember it for a long time.

• Use your detective skills to discover your clients’ hobbies and interests. Some of your clients may be avid golfers, Trekkies or movie buffs. After you complete a big project, send them a thank you gift that appeals to them.

• Include your clients in non-business activities. Invite a client to the theater, or to a business association luncheon or dinner. And don’t discuss business.
  

Contracts can make everything clearer.

The purpose of a contract is to make sure that there’s a clear understanding of what services you’re going to provide and at what cost. Otherwise, your client’s perception of what you’ve agreed to provide may be different from yours.

It’s important to build rapport with your clients and offer to help them as much as possible, yet you need to set limitations. When a client calls and asks you to perform duties not included in your contract, let them know ahead of time that they’ll be billed for the extra time. No one likes surprises, especially when they involve money. Your clients will receive the services they request and you’ll be compensated for your time.

After you create a contract that everyone agrees to, the next step is to fulfill the terms of the contract. And to fulfill the contract on time.

Don't promise what you can't deliver.

A huge corporation with a large budget may cause you to make promises you can’t keep and add more to your plate than you can handle. Before you say yes to a request from a big client, take a close look at your current schedule and decide if you have time to complete the job. Don’t forget to consider if you’re even the right person to handle the project.

When you receive a call from a prospect, look at your calendar and at the same time scrutinize your list of ongoing projects. If you accept a new client, will you be able to do a good job if you face a time crunch? If not, you can kiss any longterm relationship goodbye.

When setting delivery and completion dates, always build in a cushion of several days to make sure you deliver what you promise, when you promise it. Even if you’re the most qualified person to handle a job, yet you’re unable to meet your client’s expectations, you could damage your relationship with that client. And rebuilding a damaged relationship takes longer than you think.

To some, being quiet is a learned skill.

When you’re selling, the natural tendency is to go on and on about the virtues of your product or service, dazzle a prospect with your knowledge and close the sale. A prospect may start out interested in your sales pitch, but if you do all of the talking, don’t be surprised if they shut down as their eyes glaze over.

Listen twice as much as you talk and fight the urge to interject a point when a client is talking. Otherwise you may miss a key point and risk losing the rapport you’ve built with that person.

My good friend, Becky Oliver, is an investigative reporter for Fox News and a master at asking questions, pausing, and waiting for the person she’s interviewing to answer. She’s also good at making her interview subjects sweat. When you ask a prospect or client a question, do the same thing without making them sweat. After they respond, wait another few seconds to see if they have anything else to say.

By asking a question, and patiently waiting for the answer, you’ll uncover valuable information. Your clients will appreciate your sales technique and will show it through their orders or by using your services.