"Elizabeth, I want the satisfaction of working with more clients and the peace of mind that comes from a full dance card. But where on earth do I start?"

It's a question I get a lot! And it's no wonder. There are literally thousands of things you can do to market yourself. It can get overwhelming very quickly.

The good news is, you don't have to do a thousand things. You can start with just a few things. No matter where you are in your practice, these are the very basics.

These will undoubtedly be familiar to some of you, but are you doing them? If you're not, I invite you to implement at least one this week.

1. Your niche and Unique Service Position (USP).

Claiming YOUR uniqueness as a practitioner is the single most important step to getting more clients, filling your practice and achieving financial balance. Why? Here are the top 2 reasons (out of 10 that I can think of off the top of my head right now):

• People will know EXACTLY what you do and what problem you solve, so you'll attract your perfect clients like a magnet
• Those who are not your perfect client will know exactly how to refer you

Your niche is made up of 2 things: a specific group of people you serve and an urgent problem you solve.

Your USP answers the following question: why should someone choose YOU over every other option available?

Don't overlook the importance of identifying your niche and USP. Yes, you can be a generalist, but doing so will make your work much harder. Finding them may take time, and that's OK. You can tweak them as you go along. The key is to start!

2. Your offerings.

Next comes knowing exactly what you offer - ie, exactly what someone could plunk down their hard-earned money for and WHY.

If you're like many holistic and metaphysical practitioners, you know a lot of "stuff." Let's say you're a Tarot consultant. You probably know how to give readings for "right now", annual readings, life readings, birth card readings, creative brainstorming sessions, maybe group classes or workshops... you get the idea. Which make up your practice? What are the benefits of each? Having your inventory fresh in your mind AND on paper will make writing and talking about your services (i.e., your marketing) much easier.

3. Your Elevator Speech or "What do you do" statement

I hate the whole concept of "elevator speeches" because they FEEL trivial. Who wants to be summed up in a soundbite? But for better or worse, realities of modern life DO demand soundbites, and in this case, that's not such a bad thing. The elevator speech challenges you to get to the real heart of what you offer and who benefits (there's that USP again).

When writing your elevator speech, be sure to address: what problems you solve with your services, the benefits of your services, who gets those benefits (ie, your target clients - who are they?) and how you do it.

Lastly, practice your delivery! Not to sound rehearsed, but so that you feel comfortable and confident.

4. Your brochure and business cards

Your calling cards! Not sure what to put on your brochure? Here are some starting points:

• Short summary of your modality ("What is Reiki?")
• Who you are (a brief bio)
• A benefit-filled description of your services
• Your contact information (phone, email, website - however you wish to be contacted)
• How you work ("Your sessions can take place in person or over the phone by appointment")
• An explicit "call to action": "To make an appointment, call [blah] or email her at [blah]"

Get into the habit of always carrying your brochures and business cards with you - you'll need them for the next step.

5. Telling people what you do

It's so simple, yet how many of us actually do it? Think of all the people you come into contact with on a regular basis. They may know you, but do they know this part of you? I ask because I bet at least some of them could really use and benefit from what you have to offer. So why don't they know about it?

Now, I know you wouldn't walk up to someone and say, "Hey, did you know I'm a psychic healer?" and just throw your brochure at them. But how about...

• Increasing your awareness of what's really going on in "small talk"
• Listening carefully and using gentle questioning to see if there's a problem you can solve
• If so, guiding the conversation to an opportunity to share how you can help
• Taking that opportunity

Here's an example. Let's say you're a relationship coach. The next time a friend of yours is talking about how she's got a colleague at work struggling with a tough relationship problem, you could ask them questions to find out about the problem. If it's something you can help with, you can say something like, "Hrm... maybe they would benefit from coaching? The right coach can really help uncover what's holding your friend back, plus it can be really helpful to talk to someone objectively about the situation."

Notice how that statement above was all about THEM and their needs. Also, there's nothing pushy or sales-y about this kind of conversation. You're serving them fully by offering them a resource that they can choose to take, or not.

6. Following up with past clients

There is nothing that will build your business better or faster than repeated contact. It's much, much easier and cheaper to get repeat business than new business - and that goes for any business you're in. That's why it's crucial to get your follow-up in place earlier rather than later.

Don't have systems yet? Make habits first. A simple email or phone call works well, or even better: personalized, hand-addressed cards. Just to say hello, how are you doing, etc.

In our fragmented soundbite world, these sincere gestures are so good for the soul. And they're good for your business too.

7. "Just One Thing"

"Just One Thing" might be the most powerful tool of all. It goes like this:

Each and every day, do just one thing to market your practice, no matter how small.

Once you make this practice a habit, you'll be amazed at how quickly you start to attract more clients and build your business. Best of all? It feels effortless because it's "just one thing."

Elizabeth Genco Purvis (a.k.a. The Marketing Goddess) is a direct response copywriter, marketing consultant and coach based in Brooklyn, NY. She teaches metaphysical and holistic solo-preneurs how to grow their practices, make more money and take more time off - all while staying in integrity and not sounding like a pushy salesperson! To claim your free 90-minute interview on getting all the clients you need while staying true to your calling, visit http://www.YourHolisticMarketing.com