> when you're solving problems for customers who are not plugged into the power grid, you're solving problems for people who don't exactly have signing authorit

> when you're solving problems for customers who are not plugged into the power grid, you're solving problems for people who don't exactly have signing authority for a $20k engagement starting next week Yeah, exactly. And of course I knew that going in. I had hoped (and still hope) to diversify into a completely new space, secure in the belief that web stack / python / ops / deployment / etc is reasonably stable. Obviously off-grid tech speaks to a totally different market (and heck, maybe a totally different society), and that is very much the point. And as for sales and marketing: I've tried the basic tactics you describe to generate more leads. My happy clients generally report that all is well and that they don't know anybody else in need at the moment. On the other hand: since about 2013, all but one gig has been a referral from a friend or happy client. So maybe I need to tap into different social circles (ie, find work from sources other than people I already know).