.bodytext {float: left; } .floatimg-left-hort { float:left; margin-top:10px; margin-right: 10px; width:300px; clear:left;} .floatimg-left-caption-hort { float:left; margin-bottom:10px; width:300px; margin-right:10px; clear:left;} .floatimg-left-vert { float:left; margin-top:10px; margin-right:15px; width:200px;} .floatimg-left-caption-vert { float:left; margin-right:10px; margin-bottom:10px; font-size: 10px; width:200px;} .floatimg-right-hort { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 300px;} .floatimg-right-caption-hort { float:left; margin-right:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 300px; font-size: 10px; } .floatimg-right-vert { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 200px;} .floatimg-right-caption-vert { float:left; margin-right:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 200px; font-size: 10px; } .floatimgright-sidebar { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 200px; border-top-style: double; border-top-color: black; border-bottom-style: double; border-bottom-color: black;} .floatimgright-sidebar p { line-height: 115%; text-indent: 10px; } .floatimgright-sidebar h4 { font-variant:small-caps; } .pullquote { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 150px; background: url(http://www.dmbusinessdaily.com/DAILY/editorial/extras/closequote.gif) no-repeat bottom right !important ; line-height: 150%; font-size: 125%; border-top: 1px solid; border-bottom: 1px solid;} .floatvidleft { float:left; margin-bottom:10px; width:325px; margin-right:10px; clear:left;} .floatvidright { float:right; margin-bottom:10px; width:325px; margin-right:10px; clear:left;} For the past couple of weeks, we’ve been talking about cultivating new business by giving away what you normally sell. Let’s take one more spin around the topic, shall we?

Here are a few more ways to systemize your new-business efforts and let your prospects actually sample not only what you do or sell, but how – the experience of working with you.

• Write a guest opinion or regular column on a topic that’s hot within your industry. In today’s world, you can post that column on an article repository site, a blog (your own or offer to be a guest author), or submit it to a trade publication.

• Offer to lecture at a school. College professors are always looking to bring the “real world” into their classroom by introducing their students to working professionals. But don’t discount other types of classrooms (K-12 or adult ed), depending on your product/service.

• Offer to do a “brown bag” seminar. Invite prospects into your place of business and give them some new knowledge. Whether you do it once or on a regular basis, remember, no sales pitch. This is just about giving a sample.

• Give your best clients a chance to give you as a gift: That’s right … pick your top few clients and tell them that they can give two hours of your time (or some of your product) to anyone they choose. What a great way to get an active referral!

Bottom line on all this? You have to cultivate new business every day. No matter how busy you are. Or else you’ll have nothing but time on your hands.

Speaking of time — you still have time to get this into your 2008 marketing plan!

Drew McLellan is Top Dog at McLellan Marketing Group and blogs at www.drewsmarketingminute.com. He can be reached at Drew@MclellanMarketing.com. © 2007 Drew McLellan