The key concept in referral marketing is relationships. The system of information, support and referrals that you assemble will be based on your relationships with other individuals and businesses. Referral marketing works because these relationships work both ways: They benefit both parties.A referral marketing plan involves relationships of many different kinds. Among the most important are those with your referral sources, with prospects these referral sources bring you and with customers you recruit from the prospects. Theserelationships don’t just spring up full-grown; they must be nurtured. As they grow, fed by mutual trust and shared benefits, they evolve through three phases: visibility, credibility and profitability. We call this evolution the VCP Process. Continue Reading »
This is one of my favourite blog posts by Dr. Ivan Misner this month.
1. Arrange a one-to-one meeting. Meeting a referral source in person is an excellent opportunity to learn more about his business and interests. Prepare some questions in advance so that the conversation flows smoothly. Be ready to give an update on your business and to ask lots of questions about your source’s interests.
2. Extend an invitation. Invite a referral source to a networking event. Introducing her to other businesspeople you know gives your source an opportunity to meet others in your target market and may also provide new business opportunities.
3. Set up an activity. A recreational activity, such as a golf outing, fishing trip, concert or play, is a great opportunity to let your referral source see a different side of you in an informal setting. The activity should be one that will give everybody time to relax, but it may also include an element of information such as a speech or educational presentation. To maximize the effectiveness of your time with your sources, you should invite no more than four people and spend at least one hour with each. Continue Reading »
By Dr. Misner: When I taught management-theory classes at a Southern California college, students would sometimes say to me, “Look, you’ve just walked me through ten different theories of management. What’s the best one to use?”
I would answer, “The one you consistently apply. Why would I say this? The reason there are different ways of managing people is because people are different. They have different personalities, different approaches, and different techniques. The tried-and-true method that you consistently and effectively apply is the one that’s going to work best for you.
Follow-up is a similar issue. For example, I know that handwritten notes are considered to be the best way to follow up.The problem is . . . I just don’t do them consistently. Therefore, are they really the best technique for me? No, because I know I’m not going to do them regularly. I prefer to follow up with an e-mail message, a phone call, or better yet, a card using something like the SendoutCards.com system. Continue Reading »
Recently while reading “Good to Great” by Jim Collins I can across one of the key differentiators of what makes a company great. Great companies are very focused on what they can be the best at the world in and more importantly they understand what they are not good at. Now read carefully as I’m about to share the one distinction that is worth its weight in gold: Great companies have a list of things that they decide to STOP doing! Yes that’s right - they have a STOP doing list! While most of us have a to do list, how many of us have a STOP doing list? Continue Reading »
This is a brilliant quote courtesy of Jerry & Esther HicksA very good career choice would be to gravitate toward those activities and to embrace those desires that harmonize with your core intentions, which are freedom and growth—and joy. Make a “career” of living a happy life rather than trying to find work that will produce enough income that you can do things with your money that will then make you happy. When feeling happy is of paramount importance to you—and what you do “for a living” makes you happy—you have found the best of all combinations.
— Abraham
Excerpted from the book “Money and the Law of Attraction: Learning to Attract Health, Wealth and Happiness” #274
If networking is not part of your strategy, please reconsider. Here’s 7 top tips for successful networking by Rick Armstrong.
1. What’s Your Reason?Don’t network for the sake of networking. What is your goal for your networking? For example, you might be in it to find new business, key people who can help you step up the career ladder or to keep up with the latest developments in your industry. Whatever your goal, know what it is and make sure your networking takes you there.
2. Be Patient. Build your network in good time. Don’t rush out to network to fulfill a sudden need. You will be so focused on that urgent need that you won’t be building relationships. People can sense the difference between someone out to use them for a short-term fix and someone who is looking for a long-term, mutually beneficial relationship. So, build your network in advance, so that it will already be there in time of need. Continue Reading »
From “The Go Giver” Book by Bob Burg & John David Mann
This has to be one of the BEST books I have read about how GIVERS really succeed in Life and Business. I think this is a MUST read for all BNI Members. This is completely in sync with the GIVERS GAIN philosophy of BNI. I would say that this is an applied guide to GIVERS GAIN.It’s small and easy to read book written in a story format much like “Who moved my cheese” or “The One minute Manager” . These are some of the key points from the book.
5 Laws of Stratospheric Success
1.The Law of Value
Your true value I determined by how much MORE you give in value than you take in payment.
The key is that our product/ service must serve people - it must add value. Exceed people’s expectations and they will pay you even more. The point isn’t to have them pay you more, it’s to give them more. You give, give, give. Why? Because you love to. It’s not a strategy. It’s a way of life! Continue Reading »
More than ever Networking is crucial to keeping your business moving forward. While the media may be spouting about the recession, small and medium sized businesses can refuse to participate. Have a look at this inspirational short video by Dr. Misner sharing how one real estate brokers mindset and actions helped him have his BEST year ever.While you cannot control the economy or your competition, you can control your response to the economy. Referrals can keep your business alive and well during an economic downturn.
Over 800 entrepreneurs and leaders of other networks such as Lions, Rotary, Chambers of Commerce and Business Groups across 3 cities in India celebrated the importance of networking and watched this video. To download a high quality version of this please click on this link. http://www.gocec.com/bni/
While the US economy is certainly showing signs of softness, combined with some legitimate crisis like the financial mortgage and housing markets, I suspect the economic challenges in the US are hyped with the onset of the Presidential election. Nonetheless, we have had some inquiries from clients regarding best actions to take to protect the top and bottom lines of the company overall, as well as business pipelines for the individual sales reps. So, here goes:Continue Reading »
Ask Questions and LISTEN!
Stop showing up and throwing up!
That’s the advice I got from American Sales Guru, Jack Daly, when I met him in Mumbai at his AMAZING seminar in Mumbai yesterday! His words echoed advice from Networking Guru, Dr. Ivan Misner: Every networker has Continue Reading »
A referral marketing plan involves relationships of many different kinds. Among the most important are those with your referral sources, with prospects these referral sources bring you and with customers you recruit from the prospects. Theserelationships don’t just spring up full-grown; they must be nurtured. As they grow, fed by mutual trust and shared benefits, they evolve through three phases: visibility, credibility and profitability. We call this evolution the VCP Process. Continue Reading »
