Here are 8 tips to help any small or home-based business owner laugh at recession worries. Based on my new ebook, "How to Double Your Small Business Sales in 20 Minutes a Day with Follow-up Marketing," these tips are proven to generate sales at little or no cost.

1. Send thank-you emails to all clients within 24 hours of completing orders. When's the last time you got a thank-you note from any business, big or small? See how easy it is to stand out?
   
2. Identify and follow up with your top 20 clients every month, giving them tips, special offers, etc. As a result, your best customers will refer more people who are just like them;
   
3. Follow up at least 7 times with prospects by email or phone -- this alone can double your sales. Use GoldMine, ACT, or similar contact management software to automate the process;
   
4. Offer a $10 discount to clients who give you 3 email addresses of friends/colleagues to contact;
   
5. Write a syndicated column -- it's easier than you think. Sites like www.isyndicate.com are always looking for new, capable writers;
   
6. Commit to doing one speech or seminar per month. You can literally speak and grow rich on the referral business this brings you;
   
7. Create "refer-a-friend" offer, in which each client saves 10-25% -- this can vastly increase the size of initial sales;
   
8. Approach a Web site in your industry that has high traffic and offer to become their in-house expert on topics posted to their bulletin board or ezine. They save time ... you get new business.

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