My New Year’s resolution this year was a simple one–I decided that I would try to gain one new client every month. I reasoned that finding new clients would be a bit easier to focus on than say bringing in a certain dollar amount. I figured that if the clients were there, the money would follow.

I don’t know why I didn’t think of it sooner, but guess what? It’s working. I’ve managed to gain at least one new client a month so far. After fifteen years of writing, the lightbulb finally goes on.

I’m hoping that the money will indeed follow. At present, I have definitely billed much more this year than at the same time last year. In fact, I’ve billed the same amount this year as I’d made by October.

Money is certainly not the only consideration, but we who grind away at it daily have to make it a major concern. Our livelihood is driven by just how many weeks (or, heaven forbid, months) we go between checks.

The residual benefits of this plan, so far, have been the added time I’ve spent concentrating on marketing. I’ve made more contacts and approached more people, which may turn in to future clients.

Also, I feel more productive. I feel like I have less downtime and more time spent effectively. As a result, I feel much better about myself and about my business.

Try it yourself. Try to gain at least one new client a month. Then tell me it doesn’t improve not only your attitude, but also your marketing and networking skills.