Page 145 - The $100 Startup_ Reinvent the Way You Make a Living, Do What You Love

how to get the word out and build your business, think about hustling first and
paid advertising later (if at all).

One objection to the hustling and relationship-building strategies described in
this chapter is that they take time. Well, of course they do—they’re a big part of
your work. But if you’re worried about spending all day on a social networking
site, you can avoid doing that by sticking to a series of quick check-ins. I
maintain a text file of information and links to share, and a couple of times a day
I go online and post something. At the same time, I scan all the messages that
have come through for me and respond to as many as possible. Although I
sometimes spend more time out of habit or interest, the whole process doesn’t
have to take any longer than ten to fifteen minutes a day.

The point is to do what makes sense to you. Get up in the morning and get to
work. Make something worth talking about and then talk about it. Who do you
know? How can they help? And of course, the answer lies in being incredibly
helpful yourself.

KEY POINTS
If you’re not sure where to spend your business development time, spend

50 percent on creating and 50 percent on connecting. The most powerful
channel for getting the word out usually starts with people you already
know.
If you build it, they might come … but you’ll probably need to let them
know what you’ve built and how to get there.
When you’re first getting started, say yes to every reasonable request.
Become more selective (consider the “hell yeah” test) as you become
more established.
Use the One-Page Promotion Plan to maintain a regular schedule of
connecting with people as you also spend time building other parts of
your business.

*I use this example to illustrate that having a good opportunity doesn’t mean
you should pursue it. I’m not opposed to consulting in general. It just wasn’t a
good fit for me.

†I thought 1,000 entries for a basic giveaway was pretty good until Jaden
Hair from Steamy Kitchen told me she receives as many as 50,000 entries for her