With the economy slowing, it is now time to start a marketing campaign to find new clients and generate new leads. Here is a plan of action that I would suggest:

1. Who is your target audience or ideal client? Really spend some time on this and analyse your client base. Find out who the clients are that are giving you the lowest profits and the biggest headaches....we all have them. Now either get rid of them or assign them to a call centre team or someone else in the office, so you can spend more time on the profitable clients. Now take a look at your most profitable clients, the ones you really enjoy working with and profile them. How did they come to be clients, were they part of a marketing campaign, a referral, generated from the internet or other means?

2. Develop five marketing tools or strategies to get more 'ideal clients'. What were the strategies that worked successfully in the past is everyone in the team still applying those strategies. There are many methods to find new clients or leads, but you should spend your time on the strategies that work best and give you the most profitable results and 'ideal clients'. Marketing or prospecting strategies include: ·

• Referrals
• Associations and Trade Bodies
• Exhibitions
• Speaking at targeted conferences
• Centres of Influence
• Networking
• Websites and the Internet
• White papers
• Newsletters Article marketing
• Advertising
• Sponsorships
• Corporate entertainment
• Mailshots
• Expert articles in the trade press
• Hospitality
• Workshops and free surgeries

3. Your Competitive Advantage. Brainstorm with the sales and marketing team and discover your competitive advantage. Why should someone change from their existing supplier to you? How are you different, what better results can you offer? If you are not 100% clear on this, you will speak to a lot of potential clients and be met with that wonderful phrase 'I want to think about it', which really means NO - You haven't convinced me why I should change and buy your goods or services.

4. When will the campaign start, what are the responsibilities of everyone on the team and how often will there be feedback.

Success Secrets

I have always maintained that to be the best in your field, whatever it is, you need to mix with the masters. When I started in sales in 1980, I found the top salesman and asked him if I could shadow him for 2 weeks, He agreed and I learned more from watching him than from all the sales programmes I had attended.

I did the same when I went into speaking, I interviewed some of the top speakers in the world like Zig Ziglar, attended as many talks as I could where I could watch and learn from them and then followed their advice. The same is now happening with my internet marketing business, I try to find the best, spend time with them and learn from them.

Some time ago the whole internet marketing fraternity was abuzz with a young 25 year old called Chris X who developed and marketed a book called Dayjob Killer which made him a million dollars in a short period of time. His next project was called 'Google Assassin' and consists of the most incredible software to optimise your site, find out how your competitors are beating you on the internet and making the best use of Adwords.

My 'brother from another mother' Terry Brock, recently spent a few days at our home in London. Terry is one of the top technology speakers and journalists in the USA and my wife despairs every time he comes to visit as I end up spending a fortune on the latest tools and technology.

Take a look at the video we produced showing the latest on offer that can help you in your business in the link below.

I keep pushing video technology to the limits and will be making another 70 technology video clips in the next few months and uploading these to 50 video sites. Right now video is the thing of the future, here are some of the ways it can help you and your business:

Build a profile on the internet - I have over 100 videos on the net which has generated over 300,000 viewings

Sell your products or services - I always have some action that the viewer can take at the end of each video i.e. redirecting them to a sales page

Building your subscriber list - I get hundreds of new subscribers each week from all over the world from people watching the videos

Use it as an analysing tool - I monitor which videos have the most viewings and comments and then develop products to suit: I know there is an interested audience. Equally if there are very few viewings or comments, I don't spend much time promoting those products/speeches.

Send viewers to a squeeze page where you can upsell them one of your products or services, get a brochure request or send them something that promotes your business. They are already interested, otherwise that wouldn't have watched the video

Have your own video channel on YouTube - This will also have people subscribing to your channel, I have over 300 subscribers.

This has been a busy year with 2 trips to Dubai, and other trips all over Asia and Holland. In the next few months I have engagements all over the USA, Holland, Germany, Rome and Budapest, I think there is nothing better in life than exploring and enjoying the global market which is now so accessible to everyone.

Dubai keeps growing every time I go there and this time I stayed at a new hotel at what will be the biggest shopping centre in the world which is also at what will be the highest building in the world. Having travelled and worked in Dubai for the past 10 years, I feel that the infrastructure has not been able to keep up with the growth with traffic now being as crazy as London and it took me an hour to get through immigration where it normally would take 10 minutes.

In January I was in Thailand again and this time spoke in Chang Mai. It was my first trip to this wonderful city which has a striking mountain backdrop, over 300 temples and a quaint historical aura. It's also a modern, friendly, internationally- flavoured city with much to offer - food, accommodation and shopping are all top quality and cheap, and the nights are relatively cool.

Thailand's second-largest city and the gateway to the country's north was founded in 1296. You can still see the moat that encircled the original city. Doi Suthep, topped by one of Thailand's holiest wats, rises behind the city, providing a dramatic backdrop and fine views of the city. As usual, I took some time to visit the Elephant sanctuaries and I hired a longtail boat and travelled up on the rivers, stopping at a local farmer for a breakfast of fresh fruits, wonderful!

This is definitely a place to put on your travel itinerary.

Welcome to Hong Kong. How many of us can remember the old airport with the runway in the sea and the greatest challenge for every airline pilot. All that has changed now and Hong Kong airport is amongst the most modern in the world. A short train ride on a clean modern express takes you into either Kowloon or the Island of Hong Kong.

It is a country of fascination, history, and wonderful foods and of course the best shopping in the world. The main business district is on the Island of Hong Kong in the "central" district. It is easy to get around as the MTR underground is fabulous, clean, efficient and always on time. I normally buy an "octopus" ticket for HK$150 (approx US$20) and this can be used for a week. The hotels are first class as are the restaurants but be prepared, Hong Kong is an expensive city.

Taxis are efficient but get your hotel to write out the address, as many taxi drivers don't understand English. Most speaking venues are in the hotels or at the World Trade Centre and are super efficient. Do your homework before you go. I made some unforgivable blunders in the beginning. The first time I went to Hong Kong, I spoke to a group of approximately 100 Chinese business people. After the talk, many came to meet me and handed their cards to me, which I put into my pocket. I was politely told that I had insulted everyone and was then shown the correct behaviour. The card is handed over and accepted with both hands. You should read it, show appreciation by feeling it and making some gesture and then put it away in your pocket. Always carry a supply of business cards as the culture dictates the swapping of cards immediately.