As a home based marketing consultant it's actually pretty easy to start and grow your home business and get clients.

In fact, the part that people tend to have the most trouble with is qualifying clients before they even meet with them.

Reason why this can be a problem is if you don't make absolutely sure the potential client you are planning to meet with is 100% serious about growing their business and making money (not all are), you will have gone out of your way to talk to someone who is essentially just going to waste your valuable time.

If, on the other hand, you properly qualify the potential client first -- before you meet with and spend time with him -- then you will not only have saved yourself time, but a lot of frustration too.

That said, here's one great way of qualifying clients I like to use:

Let's say I have an appointment with someone. Either I made the appointment with them, or my telemarketer did. And let's say we set the appointment for a week ahead.

What I would do to qualify the potential client is simply call the person back myself (whether I made the appointment or my telemarketer did) and simply say: "Mr. Prospect, this is Bob Jones, I'm just calling to confirm our appointment for tomorrow at nine o'clock. Is that right?"

They then will always get their calendar out and make sure they have my name penciled in and say, yes, they have it down.

Now, at this point, instead of hanging up with them like most people would, I actually launch into a whole set of qualifying questions.

Then, based on their answers, I can decide whether or not it is actually worth it to keep the appointment or just walk away from it.

Remember, there is an almost unlimited supply of small business owners who need help with their marketing.

You don't need to kiss anyone's feet or take on projects for people who have no desire to grow their business or work with you.

Let the other marketing consultants and freelancers deal with them.

If you simply pre-qualify a prospect a day before you even have your appointment, you will find your business growing faster and making you more money.

Why?

Because you will be freeing up your time for the serious clients who want to make serious money. The people you want to work with and who want to work with you.