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Written by Susan Tomlinson

After weeks or months of work suddenly you face the dreaded drought when the client flow slows down or STOPS!

Making excuses such as the failing economy, people are cutting back, it's the weather or it's always quiet at this time of year just won't help.

Although some of these external factors will have an impact, focusing on reasons which are outside your control can't solve the problem. Instead, you could find yourself in a negative, pessimistic and downward spiral which will hold you back from taking positive steps forward.

So what can you do?

Dr John Demartini in his book 'How to Make One Hell of a Profit and Go to Heaven' writes about the prosperity and austerity cycles in business. When you are in a prosperity cycle you'll feel positive and optimistic but often stop doing all the things that got you there.

As a result, over time, the demand for your products or services declines.

Then, in times of perceived austerity you'll act purposefully and become creative leading to an increase in demand and you'll swing back to the prosperity side of the cycle.

But as Demartini says the skill is to moderate these ups and downs and neutralise the swings.

If, however, you are in a valley here are some back to basics tips to increase the demand for your services....

Do you need to review your niche or target client? As we change and grow so does our business and it may be time to refine, tweak or overhaul who you work with, what you do or how you deliver your services.

Is it clear what problems you solve and the benefits you provide?If there is lack of clarity in the outcomes and results that clients can expect when they can do business with you, they will go where the message is clear.

Audit and keep track of all your marketing activities. This is a golden opportunity to review what is working, what needs more attention and what you can stop doing. Common mistakes are not marketing consistently, fuzzy or mixed messages about what you do or not reaching enough people in your target market. You may want to explore new ways of marketing to revitalise your approach such as videos, direct mail, joint ventures, free or low-cost introductory seminars.

Make a list of all your past clients and how they found you. If you're not capturing this information then it's important to start tracking this now so that you can capitalise on your best sources and stop wasting time and money on non-productive activities.

Make a special offer to your existing client baseto give them an opportunity to sample your services and generate new interest or referrals.

Hire a coach or mentor or find an accountability partner. It's very difficult to grow a successful business if you try to do everything yourself. Having someone who can share your successes and listen to your disappointments is invaluable in helping you gain perspective and most importantly generate solutions.

And just remember as Denis Waitley said, 'When you are in the valley, keep your goal firmly in view and you will get the renewed energy to continue the climb.'

About this Author

Susan Tomlinson provides bepoke solutions to help female coaches, consultants and solo entrepreneurs attract clients and grow their business. Get her latest report 'Boost Your Business Success' at

http://www.realcoachingsolutions.co.uk/newsletter