[billwagnon]

I left my full time job in October to start doing my side work full time.

My company provides report services to construction companies. So far I have worked on two platforms (Viewpoint and Timberline). I have 4 companies and two are in the top 10 in the state.

Typical work is adding columns to financial reports, changing grouping, or writing new reports that use the company's database.

I never thought I would be a sales person - I saw myself as a smart resource who could get things done. Now I want to build this business. A year from now I want to be adding at least one employee.

Everything so far has come via word of mouth. It's easy, the phone rings, I talk to the prospect and then go see them, but I am not getting the growth I want.

I am starting to network (joined the general contractors association, asked my current clients for referrals, met with a big CPA firm yesterday to talk about common interests).

My problem is, when I have a referral from a happy client I call the target and if they aren't there I leave a message saying what I do and that so-and-so said I should give them a call. And never hear anything back!

How do you do this?

I am very concerned about being pushy. Maybe too concerned.