1. Focus on Your Ideal Customers Any successful marketing strategy begins by defining the profile of one's customer(s). Since they are the core of a potential revenue stream, great steps must be taken to identify who to target that is most likely to purchase your product or service. Formatting your personal description to appeal to, and reach this audience is crucial.
2. Define Your Customers' Needs and Fulfill Them Once you know who your customers are, and how to reach them, luring them to try your product or service is the next step. Clearly linking solutions to your customers' problems will allow you to rise in importance in their minds. If you can zone in on what your clients really want, you can find the language to persuade them to learn more about you and your company, and ultimately encourage them to purchase from you.
3. Realize That You are the Gatekeeper Generally, people do not hire firms or institutions-they hire the people who represent these organizations. You are both the messenger and the product. Therefore, make sure that you have all of the facts when it comes to the products or services you provide and present what you have to offer in a positive and encouraging manner.
4. Turn Your Clients into Your Sales Force Your clients should be your best source of referrals and your best source of advertising. Remember, referrals are made based upon personal reputations and solid relationships. Once a successful project has been completed for a client, let them know that you appreciate referrals and testimonials. To make the referral process easier, make sure that they know exactly the type of person with whom you would like to be introduced.
5. Build High-Power Allies Invest time cultivating exceptional relationships with a select team of professional allies, both within and outside of your organization. Build joint marketing plans and determine the roles and responsibilities each party will assume. Refer business back and forth, and keep the lines of communication open and honest.
6. Become a Celebrated Expert The best business marketers invest their time wisely by developing their personal reputation. They differentiate themselves by publicizing the qualities and experiences that make them unique. Hiring a PR firm to assist you in achieving this goal has proven to achieve the highest results. Speaking, writing articles, conducting roundtables and seminars, and joining/working with the right organizations can also be used to your advantage. Ask yourself...which two organizations can I take a leadership role in that will not only stimulate my professional growth, but also increase my professional visibility and generate business for me? Join those groups today.
7. Build Your Personal Direct-Marketing Engine The previous six ideas require your personal effort. Leverage these activities by communicating with your prospects, customers, networks and alliance partners in a consistent manner by using traditional direct marketing methods such as direct mail, personal publicity, email campaigns, social media, and your website.

Why do these practices work? Success is not accidental. The best business developers achieve leverage by developing a systematic, step-by-step marketing process. It is in the process that gold can be found. By using this approach in 2012, you will concentrate on the most effective ways to create business for yourself on a consistent basis, and begin a new year with enhanced success.