Comment by brudgers

Unfortunately pretty much every action you mention kinda smells like a way of avoiding direct rejection.

Coupons, booklets, degrees, certificates, and networking are not sales.

(Neither are designing a logo renting an office and printing business cards, in case anyone wonders).

No amount of competency can compensate for a lack of sales. No amount of credentials, either.

Sales come first. Before everything else.

If you aren’t selling your business is dead.

Good luck.