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Attract Customers With a Steady Stream of Customer Referrals…Starting Today!

September 30, 2011 Leave a Comment

More customers. Better customers? This is good, right?

Because most business owners I talk to are quite willing to offer a discount or have a sale to attract new customers.

But virtually none of them have any kind of system in place to get referrals. And some balk at the idea of offering an incentive for referrals…

None of which makes much sense when you think about it.

(Excepting professions where it’s not legal, of course.)

I mean, discounts are fine and sometimes a necessary evil, but you also risk attracting customers who are…

  • Going to balk at paying your normal rates next time around
  • Just hopping from bargain to bargain and provider to provider
  • The biggest pains to work with (bargain shoppers often are)

So discounts may provide a short-term infusion of cash, but they’re not the best strategy to get long-term customers.

On the other hand, referred customers are usually an all-round better quality customer. They tend to…

  • Spend more…now and over the long haul
  • Stay longer and become loyal customers
  • Be easier and faster to close–because they already have a degree of comfort and trust with you

In fact, a study in the Journal of Marketing earlier this year tracked the results of a bank’s incentive program for customer referrals–which gave referrers a $34 bonus–for 3 years.

And they found the referred customers were…

  • More profitable customers for up to 2 years
  • 18% more likely to stay with the bank over time AND
  • Generating lifetime customer values at least 16% higher

As a result, the bank was averaging a 60% return on their investment (the referral incentives).

I know–you’re not a bank. But the same principles still apply…investing a small amount to motivate people to send you quality customers will pay big dividends over time.

Go Beyond the Box for Customer Referrals

We tend to think of referrals as coming from customers, but in reality, the world is your referral oyster.

Everyone you meet can be a great source of prospective customers, JV partners and more. They just need to know who to refer and what to say.

Chuck Austin is long time sales pro turned consultant who’s become a referral master and has put together a product to help you do exactly that.

Ultimate Offline Referral Machine for customer referralsThe Ultimate Offline Referral Machine shows you how to network your way to a steady stream of customers without feeling like a beggar or a pest.

You’ll also discover…

  • 3 systems to tap everyone you meet for potential customers
  • What to say to more effectively ask for referrals
  • Different types of incentives and how to best use them
  • How to stay top of mind so they keep sending referrals in the months and years to come
  • Quick suggestions and wording on how to motivate current customers to refer others to you
  • And more!

Audios and worksheets are the core of the program, but there are overview guides, tips and a promotion example in PDF format as well. He’s also put together a site that will be updated with webinars and more materials over time.

After going through the copy he sent me, I think the Ultimate Offline Referral Machine is an amazing value–he’s going to be relaunching it for $47 in October. But you can get it for much less if you act fast…

So hop over to check out the 2-minute Ultimate Offline Referral Machine video he put together and get your copy now!

(Yes, affiliate links are included above. Feel free to go directly to the site if you have a problem with that.)

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I Miss Twitter

March 18, 2010 Leave a Comment

…

When I joined Twitter 2 years ago, it was about “meeting” others that shared your interests, your mindset, or even just your love of chocolate peanut butter ice cream.

Your fellow tweeps could be across the country, across the world or even just 5 minutes away. Finding new resources, getting help, and sometimes, sharing what you have to offer with the twitterverse.

But most of all, it used to be about having a conversation.

Connecting with people you would have never otherwise known. Swapping tweets with “gurus” you would have never gotten a chance to talk to in person. Staying in touch with people you met elsewhere.

Then a lot of people started competing to see who could get the most followers. One guy I know would literally get upset if he lost 100 followers one day simply because Twitter cleaned out a bunch of bots. Um, how exactly were those bots useful to you?!!

And a lot of the follow-hungry tweeps automatically unfollow anyone not following them back. Which is just crazy to me…Maybe you’re just not on their radar screen yet. Maybe they manually decide who to follow (like I do) and they just haven’t gone through to update that yet.

Some folks I’d follow regardless of whether they follow me back because I want to keep up with what they’re doing. Or the info in their tweets is usually quite valuable–or funny. (Laughter is always a good thing!)

But nowadays, I hardly ever see tweets from the people I used to “talk” with all the time because my Twitter stream is full of  crap–ghostwritten tweets, pre-scheduled quotes to make it look like someone has a presence on Twitter, and endless promotions…

Especially for get-followers-quick schemes and products promising to show you how to make “a boat load of money” on Twitter.

Hello–you’re MISSING THE POINT!

The most valuable part of Twitter has always been the relationships. But as more companies and spammy marketers fill the tweetstream with their junk, that’s getting harder and harder to do.

Because people start tuning out. Just like they did with TV commercials (unless they’re REALLY good) and just like they do with anything that makes them feel they’re constantly being hounded for the money in their wallet.

Unfortunately, I’ve found myself tuning out more and more these days.

Yes, you can make lists. I’ve done that. But as I move to different Twitter clients or devices it gets harder to take those lists with me. Plus they always need to be updated as you follow new people.

I know some have completely purged their accounts and started over with just the people they really want to keep in touch with. But I like the synchronicity of discovering new people to “meet” popping up in my timeline.

So what do you do to reduce the noise in your tweetstream so Twitter continues to be useful for you?

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Ready to Hookup with Savvy Joint Venture Partners?

December 1, 2009 1 Comment

Then join us for the Raleigh JV Alert Impact Hookup on Thursday, December 3!

Where:  Tripp’s
3516 Wade Avenue
Raleigh, NC 27607

When:  December 3, 2009, 7-9 PM

It’s the first meeting of the Raleigh area Impact/JV Alert Hookup to provide networking, fun, and a chance to meet others top-level local Internet marketers interested in joint ventures and affiliate relationships.

We’ll mingle and discuss what would be most helpful to you when it comes to creating savvy partnerships to grow your business. Who knows…you could find someone brilliant and put together your first (or next!) million dollar joint venture deal.

Started by veteran Internet Marketer Ken McArthur, JV Alert Live is the wildly popular series of events where Internet Marketers come together to help each other discover new partners and new opportunities to skyrocket their business. Now, it’s going local with Impact Hookup chapters around the world.

There is NO FEE to attend the networking event. Just be sure to bring plenty of business cards and be ready to network. We’ll be sitting so everyone who wants to order dinner can do so, but that’s not required.

Tripp’s is conveniently located on Wade Avenue, just off of 440 and 40 and has plenty of free parking.

If you’re a serious business owner who wants to significantly increase market reach, break down barriers to entry in your market, or simply generate substantial revenues in a shorter amount of time, you’re welcome to join us!

To RSVP, just reply in the comments below or email me at info at compellingcomm.com.

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Who Do You Celebrate In Your Network?

November 11, 2009 Leave a Comment

51-Mofx8s6L._SL160_In addition to honoring our military heroes here in the U.S., Liz Lynch–author of Smart Networking: Attract A Following In Person and Online– has also suggested we celebrate our own personal heroes as part of Network Appreciation Day today.

Because even if you’ve thanked someone for the help they gave you at the time, they may not realize all the “downstream” effects of their assistance.  Especially since each of us ends up touching so many more more lives.

Participating is easy…

  • Just write something on your blog, Facebook page, Twitter etc about the person(s) you wish to honor with a link to to their website or profile.
  • Head over to Smart Networking Now and sign-up for 11 days of Liz’s best  networking tips and success stories…as well as free bonuses from more than 70 other entrepreneurs.

Nope, you don’t have to buy anything at all–just sign-up!

As for the heroes in my network…

Teddy Garcia & Cynthia RichardsTops of my list are actually a couple — Teddy Garcia and Cynthia Richards who own the Raleigh local search engine marketing firm Geared Local.

I met them originally at Triangle Business Leaders (the local Glazer-Kennedy chapter) and then joined their local Internet marketing mastermind group– which is the biggest Internet marketing Meetup in the south (OK, we’re always battling Atlanta for that spot).

I’ve learned tons from Teddy and Cynthia is my networking “wingman.” And we’ve all collaborated on a number of different projects since then…I can’t imagine what life and business would be like without them!

So who do you appreciate in your network? Post below and then head on over to www.SmartNetworkingNow.com to get your free gifts now!

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Joint Venture Mistake #5 — Thinking Small

October 30, 2009 Leave a Comment

basketball
As Michael Jordan says, you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take. So identify the rockstar joint ventures you would love to have and approach them. All they can do is ignore you or say no.

One of my clients was looking for speakers and JV partners for an upcoming telesummit and was happily surprised to get a yes from Journalution author Sandy Grason. Turns out, Sandy was trying to reach out to more women in my client’s industry.

Another copywriter I know got Brian Tracy to sign on as a partner for a teleseminar. He first became an active affiliate for him and then asked if he could interview him. Brian Tracy promoted that product to his list and I believe they did another together as well.

(Tip–no matter how “famous” someone is–they ALL know who their top affiliates are!)

You may have to get creative about approaching them in order to get through their gatekeepers and VAs–a simple email probably won’t do the trick. Here are three ways to do that…

    1. Send them a lumpy mail package
    2. Find out where they’re going to be speaking and go meet them
    3. Reach out via Twitter or Facebook

      So remember–you never know until you ask! And of course, keep the first 4 common mistakes you want to avoid in mind when you do:

      Forgetting the “What’s In It for Me?”

      Failing to Set Your Joint Venture Up for Success

      How to Make It Hard for Others to Promote You

      Don’t Jeopardize Their Affiliate Commissions

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      Marketing at Conferences & Seminars

      September 8, 2009 2 Comments

      One of the biggest benefits of going to seminars and workshops is the opportunity to meet new clients and potential JV partners and affiliates.

      Today, I’ll talk about something I created to use at the World Internet Summit in Atlanta a few weeks ago to help me do just that.

      The Have/Want Card

      Full disclosure–I can’t take credit for the idea of using a Have/Want Card. It was suggested by a copywriter’s forum member but I thought it was a great idea and built on it from there.

      For one, business cards only offer so much room, and some times you’re not talking to someone for long. So the Have/Want Card makes it super easy for them to remember exactly what you offer.

      And if there’s a table to display the cards, others you didn’t get to meet at the event will know as well.

      But the concept of giving as well as receiving (or asking to receive!) is a powerful one as well. And as you’ll see, it ends up being a win-win either way.

      I had three sections on my Have/Want Card. Things I can offer, things I’d like and contact info.

      In the offer section, you list things (usually free things) that others may be looking for, such as:

      • Speaking topics for their teleseminars and events
      • Titles of bonuses they can use for giveaway events
      • A bit about your email list and what they may be interested in
      • Your blog full of articles they can borrow (with attribution)
      • Your free report

      Next, type up another set of short, specific bullets about what you’re looking for–

      • Types of JV opportunities you’re seeking
      • Products you want affiliates for
      • Types of clients you’d most like

      And then the final piece is the contact section, which should have:

      • Your photo (so they can recognize you)
      • How to reach you while you’re at the conference (I used email and Twitter for this)
      • Contact info for later

      I printed mine all on one side because a series of technical meltdowns before I left meant I ended up printing them in my room at the Summit and I didn’t want the extra hassle of two sides. (Yes, I brought cardstock, a printer and paper cutter–thank goodness I didn’t have to fly!)

      But I’d recommend creating a two-sided postcard so it’s more convenient to carry around.

      Then, they’ve got everything they need to jog their memory later. So when they need a teleseminar guest to interview four months from now, they can pull out the card, see the topics you’re ready to speak on and call!

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      Minimize Your Networking to Maximize Your Results

      January 6, 2009 Leave a Comment

      There’s a saying that your income is the average of the five people you hang around most. Is it time to take a harder look at who you’ve been spending time with?

      Networking is a big part of having a business–but it can also be a huge waste of time and money. I know someone who was always off to a meeting of some sort, and then trying to get her work done at 2AM in the morning. Yet she was always complaining about not having enough time or clients.

      Instead, you need to use strategic networking–it’s far better to be very involved in two or three groups than to hit 15 each month in a scattershot fashion. After all, time is money too.

      3 Questions for More Strategic Networking

      If you’re looking to make the most of your networking time and money, ask yourself three questions (and be honest!):

      1. Does it have a room full of your best potential clients?
      2. Does it have a room full of people who would be excellent referral sources for you?
      3. Do you learn things you need to know and don’t already know?

      Knowing who your best potential clients are will certainly make the first question easier.  (If you don’t know, see Finding Clients that Fit Like a Glove) But it means you have to STOP thinking that everyone can be a great prospect, if you can just educate them about the value of their products and services.

      No! A great prospect is one that already understands the value of what you offer and is willing to pay for it–you just have to convince them to choose YOU. Similarly, great referral sources understand what you offer and frequently have clients looking for it.

      Either way, if you want to maximize your networking time, THESE are the people you want to be in the room with! The others you can reach out to through broader marketing efforts like speaking gigs, social networking, or your ezine.

      Finding the Right Rooms

      Once you know who you’re looking for, seek out association meetings or even local Meetups they may attend. Or get creative. A savvy financial planner targeting the newly retired began taking mid-day ballroom dancing classes. Not only was he the only financial planner in the room, regular classes meant his prospects got to know him and like him–making it much easier to trust him with their finances.

      And remember–the networking doesn’t have to just be ongoing groups. Obviously there’s social networking, but consider seminars and conferences as well. If your best prospects are hard to find locally, your time and money may be better spent going to events they’ll attend in droves.

      As for the third question, sometimes the value of the information you receive from a group is well worth the time and money alone. But if the info is valuable occasionally–and the group is not full of great prospect or referral sources–cut the cord. Most of the time, you can attend an event here or there without being a member.

      Less Can Be More

      I’m not saying you should never join a group that doesn’t fit these three reasons. There are certainly other good reasons to do so. But if you’re looking to minimize your time spent running around to meetings and maximize your bottom-line results, these are the three to focus on. And I’m speaking from experience.

      In the past year, I’ve trimmed my memberships down to two local networking groups–one of which doesn’t even have dues. There are a few social networking offshoots I attend as well for personal and business socializing, but only two business groups that I go to every month. Both of which are solid yeses for at least two of questions above. Plus, they surround me with other business owners who “think big” to keep me in the right mindset.

      The $1,000 I’ve saved on membership and meeting fees with strategic networking over the past year will certainly make it easier for me to attend more conferences and seminars this year (where my ideal market hangs out).  And I’m already busier than ever.

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      Day 23 Old-Fashioned Networking

      August 29, 2008 Leave a Comment

      I spent a lot of time out of the office yesterday. First at Triangle Business Leaders, which is the local Glazer Kennedy Inner Circle chapter. The topic was marketing to the affluent from Dan Kennedy’s new book No B.S. Marketing to the Affluent: The No Holds Barred, Kick Butt, Take No Prisoners Guide to Getting Really Rich. Unlike some of his multiple author books, this one is chock full of the research he has done on this market and he offers up a lot of great information. It’s definitely going on my Wish List. I also learned afterward that I may have two new potential prospects from other chapter members.

      After that, I went to the Tweetdivas tweet-up at the swanky new Solas in downtown Raleigh. Solas is also an interesting marketing case because they are the first in Raleigh to ask several hundred dollars to reserve their “cabanas” for the evening (like skyboxes at a stadium). Many of the cabanas on the rooftop were empty during our visit so it’ll be interesting to see how that works out over time.

      I also made 115% of my income goal for the day.

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      Who Do You Want to Know?

      August 6, 2008 Leave a Comment

      Actually, a better question is, “Who are the people who could have a BIG impact on taking your business to the next level?” It could be a huge client, a mentor, a key referral source, or a journalist from your favorite business publication. Do you know who they are? Are you trying to figure out how to reach them?

      I was re-reading Never Eat Alone: And Other Secrets to Success, One Relationship at a Time by Keith Ferrazzi this weekend and one of the things he advocates is what I’d call “aspirational” networking. It’s something I’ve done several times in recent weeks because it can take your business from crawling to leap frogging to the next level.

      Too often we take a kind of fatalistic approach to networking—I’ll meet who I meet at whatever events sound interesting. But if your goal is to become a $1 million a year company, it’s going to be a lot easier if you develop relationships with people who are already running $1 million a year companies.

      So think big and develop a list of names whose support would have the biggest potential impact on your business. For example, if your goal is to become a key supplier to IBM, find out the name of the person who would make that decision. Then start researching these aspirational contacts—the more you know about them, the easier it will be to reach out to them and to know what to say when you do get their attention. Look for things like:

      - What do they like to do?

      - What are they currently focused on in their job or business?

      - What groups are they members of (business or charitable)?

      - Are they speaking anywhere?

      Then start brainstorming how to reach them. Ask people in your current network if they know them. (There’s a lot of truth in that six-degrees of separation theory.) Google them and set up a Google News Alert with their name. Because ultimately you’d like to know three things:

      1. Where could you possibly meet them so you can follow-up with a warm phone call?

      2. Any common interests that could help facilitate a conversation that stands out among the hundreds they probably have each day?

      3. How you can help them.

      In recent weeks, I’ve done this twice—one was a success and the other wasn’t (yet!). Here’s what I’ve learned so far.

      The first is a top expert in marketing to women. I sent a letter asking for a 20-minute conversation, but let my intimidation get the best of me. As a result, I was vague about what I wanted and also how this could specifically benefit her. No surprise, I didn’t get a response. But I’m certainly not doing trying.

      The second is a fairly well-known internet marketer. I sent a handwritten note explaining how a new service I’m launching could be a valuable resource for clients in a certain program, and that one of his former clients had already tried it out and was thrilled with the results. Less than a week later, he emailed me. We swapped a few more emails and the very next week he sent me a referral.

      Yes, having a mutual contact probably made him more comfortable about referring someone, but I wouldn’t let the lack of one stop you. Just showing that you’ve done your homework could work too. I also knew the handwritten note would have an easier time getting through his assistant, but that won’t be appropriate in every situation.

      Whether you write, call, find a mutual contact to introduce you, or try to meet them at an event—the potential payoff of connecting with an aspirational contact is definitely worth the effort.

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      A Timely Reminder About Time

      May 20, 2008 Leave a Comment

      Ever notice how sometimes the right message appears just when you need to hear it? Sure, I’ve heard it before, “Everything you say yes to means you say no to something else.” Yeah, yeah. But who ever thinks about that when they’re saying yes? I just assume I can fit it in, somehow, without saying no to anything. But a post on The Million Dollar Business Success Blog was the right reminder at the perfect time.

      I think it’s important to be really involved with the networking groups you join. You can really build relationships with other active members, demonstrate your “character and competence” which are so essential to networking, contribute to something bigger than your own business. But you do have to know your limits. [Read more...]

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