Steve Hawley

Steve Hawley
Getting Customers

Learning to Sell: Talent or skill?

Is sales an innate ability, or something everyone can learn to do well? Combining perspectives on learning and skill development with research on sales performance we look for the answer to the ultimate question
Steve Hawley
Steve Hawley
4 min read
Getting Customers

What is prospecting

Prospecting is an ongoing process. Even after you have built a good reputation and have solid referrals coming in, you will still need to qualify those leads to be sure they are prospects, and to focus your energy on good prospects.
Steve Hawley
Steve Hawley
2 min read
Getting Customers

How to get a list of potential customers

If you have exhausted your personal network and are still looking for clients to fill your day this is the article for you.
Steve Hawley
Steve Hawley
8 min read
Strategy

Breadth or depth? How to know you are ready to specialize

Problems can arise in choosing too soon, with too little experience in your field, or defining it too narrowly for instance. However, the key to reaping the advantages of specializing is not simply in the choice, it is in bringing focus to your sales and marketing efforts.
Steve Hawley
Steve Hawley
4 min read
Strategy

Fashion disasters and guidelines for the solopreneur

How we dress is so much more casual today than it was in the past. For many people jeans and a t-shirt are perfectly acceptable options for the workplace.
Steve Hawley
Steve Hawley
2 min read
Getting Customers

Three steps to sales success

To be human is to sell, but most of us don't do it professionally. Here's how to get started selling your products and services as a new freelancer or solo-entrepreneur.
Steve Hawley
Steve Hawley
4 min read
Strategy

What if your contract is not renewed?

The end of a client relationship can happen for many reasons outside your control. How much of your revenue is that one client? If it is more than 20% you may be in for hard times ahead.
Steve Hawley
Steve Hawley
2 min read

Vacation and the solo entrepreneur

As an employee it was hard enough to take paid time off. Work expands to fill the time allotted and we fear missing out on the good projects if we are away. Still, the benefits are well known, so add vacation to your to do list you over-achiever.
Steve Hawley
Steve Hawley
1 min read

Pricing strategies for freelancers

There is good variety in how people charge for their services. Here I summarize the common ways freelancer's structure and price their offering and discuss some pros and cons of each.
Steve Hawley
Steve Hawley
3 min read
Networking, Getting Customers

Networking to find your first customer

One of the most significant challenges facing a new freelancer is getting the first client. In this article, I will be sharing ways you can leverage networking to get your first client and generate consistent work for yourself.
Steve Hawley
Steve Hawley
2 min read
Marketing

First steps to marketing your business

Getting your name out there has always been an essential part of starting a business. This doesn’t require a full page ad in the local newspaper; a unique domain name, some business cards, and maybe a website, is a great start.
Steve Hawley
Steve Hawley
6 min read