Hi everyone -

I introduced myself briefly in the introductions forum. I am new to the boards here and am excited to pick the brains of all you small business experts.

I have a company that I am ready to do some marketing for, but without having performed really any research, I already have a pretty sizable concern. I really don't know what to do in terms of marketing that will generate just the right amount of business. My business involves just me, and it is a "second job" for me aside from my fulltime job as a web developer for an insurance brokerage. My concern is that the "wrong" kind of marketing could create a problem in which I am inundated with TOO MUCH business! Has anyone here ever experienced this? How have you handled it? How have you adjusted your marketing strategy to create a manageable workload? I obviously don't want to have too little business, but I certainly don't want to be turning people away, either.

You should be so lucky as to have too much business! Easy way to manage busy level is to raise prices for each new inquiry...at least when you are too busy.

Another idea is to target a very small nitch or business segment in order to limit your activity initially. You can always add new targets if you have the time and desire for more business.

If you build any sites that are sales and service oriented, may I offer the idea of addng non competing lines of products that can be sold primarily online? For example, if you focus on alternative health providers such as massage therapists, they might be interested in adding a nutrition line to their online and brick business. I'd off course invite you to look at my sites listed below and consider joining us to offer an added income stream to your budding clientelle.

Managing growth can be extreemly difficult. I agree - pick a niche that you love, charge a price that attracts the kind of business you want, get help you can count on when you get overwhelmed!

I had the "too much work" problem early on. I did great work for a client and he referred me to EVERYONE he knew and it was too much. Now I have a network of folks I can pass work on to when I get too much or if something comes in that I don't have the skill set to comeplete well. That said, I ALWAY tell a prospect if I am going to farm something out and often I test the waters for the project first before passisng it on.

Good luck!

It is never a good idea to turn business away: it just creates tremendous bad reputation in the marketplace. What you want to do is to manage your growth strategically by managing the pipeline in a way that you can handle it yourself or pass it on to a reliable (as good as you) partner. That way when you do need additional business you can go back to these customers and ask for new business.

It is also important not to do a shoddy job just because you have too much work. That is even worse.

The third dimension is to think hard when you should quit your day-job and become an entrepreneur. If business is good it is not a bad idea to ride the wave, hire staff to do additional work, and create wealth.

Good luck.

Give things a shot. You'll be surprised to find that 1 out 5 marketing activities you do will actually produce quality results. I hear your concern and its a valid one. Just build good quality relationships with other quality businesses in your area. I doubt they will mind friendly competition. Especially if you are wanting to pass them some business.

Adjusting price (increasing or decreasing) according to demand is common sense but be sure that you are always creating much more value to your clients than you are charging them. Using you should always be an investment rather than an expense.

Let me know if you get people knocking down your doors. I always enjoy surprising success stories.

You might want to consider hiring a marketing coach to guide you through those issues; preferrably a Certified Guerrilla Marketing Coach.