With the economy headed who knows where, now's the time to pay more attention to business. I cherry-picked the following collection of articles from our Business section. Each one delivers instant, hands-on help.

Don't see the answer to your particular question? Please post a comment on this thread. I'll use your post when planning future coverage.

Creating Your Future, One Month at a Time
Got plenty to accomplish in the next 12 months? Create a practical yearly action plan that will help you build your business month-by-month without the insanity.
http://www.creativepro.com/article/the-art-business-creating-your-future...

Avoiding the Heartbreak of Collections
Sooner or later it happens to everyone: A much-needed payment is long overdue, and nobody's even bothers to claim a check is in the mail. Here's how to avoid this scenario -- and how to deal with it when it hits.
http://www.creativepro.com/article/the-art-of-business-avoiding-the-hear...

Negotiating with Vendors For Fun and Profit
Project costs can escalate as a result of necessary costs, such as printing. Here's how to lower bids without lowering profits by negotiating with vendors.
http://www.creativepro.com/article/the-art-of-business-negotiating-with-...

Six Ways to Drum Up Business, in Good Times or Bad
Operating in lean times is no fun, but they don't have to beat you down. Here are a few techniques that are the proven tools of business development, and a few new techniques.
http://www.creativepro.com/article/the-art-of-business-six-ways-to-drum-...

Negotiating in a Soft Market
Feeling the economic pinch? Try sharpening your negotiating skills to win more jobs.
http://www.creativepro.com/article/the-art-of-business-negotiating-in-a-...

Winning Back Lost Clients
In your constant crusade to generate new business, don't forget to cultivate the most fertile of pastures -- former clients who are clients no more.
http://www.creativepro.com/article/the-art-of-business-winning-back-lost...

Don't Get Creamed Before the Recovery
Avoid these critical mistakes during economic downturns.
http://www.creativepro.com/article/the-art-of-business-don-t-get-creamed...

Nine Simple Rules for Sustaining Success
Success is never guaranteed, but failure is likely if you don't heed several major business principles redrafted here for the world of the creative professional.
http://www.creativepro.com/article/the-art-of-business-nine-simple-rules...

Pump Up The Volume of Your Proposals
You can't get the job without a proposal. And you won't get the job unless your proposal sings. Here's a checklist for making sure your verbal or written proposals are sharp, solid, and focused.
http://www.creativepro.com/article/the-art-of-business-pump-up-the-volum...

What to Do When a Prospective Client Doesn't Respond to Your Proposal
Persistence is welcome -- a pest is not. Here’s how to stay on the right side of that line.
http://www.creativepro.com/article/what-do-when-a-prospective-client-doe...

Low-Budget Self-Promotion
It doesn't take a wad of cash to promote yourself -- just targeted and timely persistence, and more than a little gumption.
http://www.creativepro.com/article/the-art-business-low-budget-self-prom...

Online Marketing Tools for Creative Pros
Social networking, blogs, email campaigns, portfolio sites -- it's all so confusing. Which of the new options is best for your business?
http://www.creativepro.com/article/online-marketing-tools-creative-pros

Marketing Smart
Nine top ways to make your marketing fast and effective.
http://www.creativepro.com/article/the-art-of-business-marketing-smart

Why Cold Calling is Not So Bad (Really)
Take off your phone mittens and warm up to cold calling.
http://www.creativepro.com/article/the-art-of-business-why-cold-calling-...

Getting Pricing Right
Creating a customer quote has always been an artful dance -- part intuition, part hard numbers, a little magic, a little reality. Here are some tips for getting it right.
http://www.creativepro.com/article/the-art-of-business-getting-pricing-r...

Negotiating Fees
When negotiating pay with a potential client, is it in your best interest to make an opening bid or wait for an offer? More than any other element of a negotiation, "who goes first" determines the final fee.
http://www.creativepro.com/article/the-art-of-business-negotiating-fees

Setting Your Rates
When you're solo, setting your hourly rate is a perilous dance on the thin line between profitability and competitiveness. Here are a few easy formulas and tips to calculate what's right for you and your market.
http://www.creativepro.com/article/the-art-of-business-setting-your-rate...

Setting Rates for Your Small Design Firm
If you want to turn a profit and create accurate bids, it pays to learn how to calculate different rates for different members of your team.
http://www.creativepro.com/article/the-art-of-business-setting-rates-for...

Seven Strategies for Better Customer Service
Quick -- what's the most important question you can ask your clients? We have the answer, along with six more ways to keep clients satisfied.
http://www.creativepro.com/article/the-art-of-business-seven-strategies-...

A Little Help from Your Friends
Going it alone is a dream career path for many, but the isolation of running your own business can lead to stale thinking. Recruit an informal advisory board to help you keep your edge.
http://www.creativepro.com/article/the-art-of-business-a-little-help-fro...