What people are (correctly) alluding to is that what you really need are "Sales Ideas", not "Advertising Ideas". As you have learned, advertising is of extremely minimal value at your stage of business development.

I spent part of my career in sales (quite successfully), and I can give you a couple of pointers to get started:

1. Read the book SPIN Selling by Niel Rackham. It's the best book on selling written.

2. You can get 10x the referrals from your customers by ASKING FOR THEM. It's really important. You simply say, "Mr. Customer, I really value your business and I've worked hard to provide the best possible service to you. If you agree about the quality of my work, would you be willing to give me the names of any of your colleagues that I might be able to help?"

You will be shocked that they cough up a bunch of names. Then you ask, "Is it OK if I use your name when I contact them, and would you be willing to talk to them about the work I did for you?"

This will seem very awkward for you the first 100 times you do it. Do it anyway, or you're going to be working for the MAN again...

3. Don't feel ashamed that you are selling. Sales is a noble profession and you can be extremely successful as an honest salesperson who is motivated to help people. People have jobs because sales have occurred; no sales, no jobs. That "people" is you. Now that you're on your own, you're in sales or you're out of business -- that's just the reality of the marketplace.

Jim