If you’re an entrepreneur or small business owner, you’re under siege from Bright Shiny Objects.

Every time you check your e-mail, open magazine, network or check out a competitor, you’re faced with a multitude of them.

They glimmer and twist in the light and you just have to have them.

Over the first few years of my own business, my BSO’s started off fairly predictably with websites, then blogs, then podcasting, then webinars, teleseminars, ezines, newsletters, pop-ups, workshops, e-mail classes, direct marketing, advertising, networking. Is your head about ready to explode just reading about them?

A solid marketing plan, prioritized according to chronological necessity will eliminate impulse buys and distractions.

Your BSO’s can go on your wish list, also in order of necessity (NOT desirability) and you can knock them off one by one when you’ve covered your basics.

So what are the basics?

• One solid and consistent way of targeting your ideal client. (This could be a website, store, craft fair or ad.)

• A way of capturing your client’s contact information. If a website is your preferred way of targeting your client, then this would be a sign-up box on your site; if you attract clients by speaking, you would capture their information by a hand-written evaluation.

• A method of communicating on a regular and consistent basis with your clients. We all know the stats that your average client needs to be exposed to you at least 7 times before they will buy from you.

• A consistent and regular way of following up with your clients to care for them and ask for their repeat business.

When you’ve taken care of these basics, feel free to experiment and add in all the baubles and trinkets you want.