If you have checked this site, you know how often we talk about planning ahead. However, it is now a new year and you are probably not as ready with your marketing and self-promotion tools as you could be! So, you are just like the rest of us. Here are some tips to kick-start your year and get things rolling!

1. Set up a mailing list of all of the people that have referred work to you. Anyone in business for more than three years should be able to identify at least six to twelve people who refer to them. Even if they have only done it once or twice, add them to your mailing list to see if you could increase the number of referrals. The more the better!

2. Distinguish your mailings to clients and prospective clients. Prospects don’t need to get the same promotion clients get. Your clients need some extra attention. Send regular clients some kind of more personal promo piece designed to "keep in touch". It could be a postcard from an out-of-town trip. It could be a personal letter.

3. Break your self-promotion down into manageable pieces that can be easily scheduled into your work day. For example, rather than scheduling "produce portfolio for annual report clients" you would divide it up into "create self-assignments", "research portfolio formats".

4. The real key to working any plan for marketing and self-promotion is to make self-promotion tasks a natural element of your day rather than something to do when there is nothing else to do! Take the time NOW to transfer some self-promotion chore to your daily calendar.

5. One of my favorites, schedule project press releases and mailings at least every two or three months. Be sure to add freelance writers (like me) to your media list as well as the photo and design community media editors.

6. Check with clients tossing out their 1997 sourcebooks before buying these expensive directories for reference and research prospective clients.

7. Find another photographer to share expensive magazine subscriptions with.

8. Maximize your phone call time and value. When you don't get an appointment, ask for a piece of information or a referral you can use for later follow-up.

9. Advertising costs are based on circulation. Look at an association newsletter ads as well as the more expensive sourcebooks.

10. Get on the Web. Now. No, we don't have all the numbers in as to how well on-line marketing is working. Yes, clients are paying more attention. Be sure to have a page in one of the "umbrella" sites like E-Folio. Think of it as an electronic sourcebook.

11. Join your local creative association and negotiate with local stores and labs for a members only discount on their services and products.

12. Be sure each promo piece can be used in more than one situation. For example, postcards that can be used individually as a direct mail campaign, then collected into a folder and used as a mini-portfolio.

Now, get busy and go have a happy, healthy and prosperous new year!