Business is about creating something of value so that others will pay for it. Understandably, that leads professionals to mostly focus on minimizing cost while maximizing revenue.

In practice, it's a bit more complicated. The more value you give to clients, the less likely they are to leave and the more likely they are to tell others about you – both of which lower your marketing costs. Confused? Today's newsletter probably won't change that. But you never know...

I received an unwelcome surprise this week. Fortunately, nothing super-serious. Still, as today's newsletter explains, a good reminder of the importance of planning for occasional hiccups in our respective businesses.

Running a business can feel overwhelming. So much to know and do and think about. The solution? Get a job. I'm kidding; don't do that. Instead, figure out what really matters and stop worrying about the rest.

People like us – small professional service providers and independents – live in a word-of-mouth world. Much of our marketing occurs informally and without warning as we move throughout the day. Which means, as today's newsletter takes way too long getting around to explaining, you always need to be ready.

Do you use much automation in your work? Me too. It's pretty much a necessity for small firms and solos. But at some point, too much of it defeats the purpose. Today's newsletter explains.

Who's your perfect client? If you said "everyone," today's newsletter is for you.

I never raise my fees. Really? Okay, no, not exactly. But sort of. Read on for more. Read off for less.

This is issue #600. Only 400 more to go and you have my permission to unsubscribe. Speaking of which, if you publish a newsletter, you've probably noticed the statistics made available by your email marketing vendor (MailChimp, etc.).

These can be fun to look at and, since they drop nicely into a spreadsheet, easy to take at face value. Today's newsletter explains why that's not a good idea and largely beside the point anyway.

Here's a little marketing secret for us small professional service providers and solos: Consistency matters more than perfection. And yet, lots (lots) of individuals and even small firms pause their marketing when things get busy.

We humans do many things that seemingly serve little practical purpose (insert your own Congress joke here). And yet, since that's a big part of what makes us human in the first place, taking deliberate steps to incorporate this kind of thing into your marketing it not a bad idea. Today's newsletter explains.