One of the keys to succeeding in any small business is being persistent. Business knowledge, a great product or service, and competent planning are important for sure, but it's dogged persistence that will carry you through the slow times.

It takes persistence to learn the many marketing principles and methods that actually work to attract clients more consistently. It takes persistence to overcome the voice inside your head that says you can't do it and the unsettling fear of failure in putting together marketing messages or materials when you're not trained in marketing. It takes persistence to become more systematic about your marketing instead hopping around from one marketing idea to another.

Ultimately it is "unwavering persistence" that will help you overcome these obstacles and begin to enjoy consistent marketing success.

Be persistent in focusing your small business marketing efforts on continuously moving forward. Unfortunately, too many small businesses focus their marketing efforts on reaching a destination. They put together a web site or a brochure and then they stop and begin waiting for the prospects to start calling. And when that doesn't work, they move on to the next big marketing idea. That's not a formula for success.

Marketing needs to be an ongoing journey for your business. Never stop trying to improve what you're doing, learn new principles and practices, and integrate your efforts so they become "the way you do business."

It takes regular and consistent effort to keep you pipeline full of good, high-quality leads and to keep moving prospect forward to becoming paying clients. It takes persistence in continuously marketing even when you have clients to keep you busy right now.

About the Author:

Kevin Dervin is the owner of KPD Marketing and creator of the ABCD Growth System. If you find this article useful, you