3 Business Networking Tips in 3 Minutes-Albuquerque West Side Chamber of Commerce

May 5, 2012 by 1 Comment

Referral Marketing System Series

Get Three Networking Tips in Three Minutes!

Albuquerque West Side Chamber Event Details:

It’s a FREE & FUN Business Casual Networking Event!

Hosted By Toro Bar & Grill – 1465 Rio Rancho Blvd 
Rio Rancho, NM 87124
Wednesday May 9th, 2012 From 5:30pm-7:30pm
Toro will be providing appetizers, you can purchase Beer & Wine in the Bar!

https://www.facebook.com/torobarandgrill
For the Latest West Side Chamber of Commerce Event visit: 
http://www.facebook.com/WestSideChamberABQ

To contact NM Small Biz on how we can hep promote your event:
http://nmsmallbiz.com/contact/

Filed Under: referral marketing tip, referrals, referrals ebook

How to Meet the Right People at a Networking Event-Referral Marketing Quick Bit

February 1, 2012 by Leave a Comment

More valuable tools to add to your business Marketing System!!!

In preparation for the networking event tomorrow, I was planning to make the most of the event. After all it’s called netWORKing!

One item I am working on is who I want to meet at tomorrows event. I have a short list of 4 people, I put together based on the RSVP list.

These people are highly targeted customers, networkers and Community Centers of Influence. Now that I have a list, I plan to add to it, I can look for a great introduction. Instead of throwing cards at someone, I’ll find someone who already knows this person and simply ask for an introduction; this will take my initial credibility way up.  And begin the “know, like and trust” process. This also works great if you’re a little bit shy about meeting new people.

Give it a try and let me know how it works for you!

Also feel free to say hello if you see me!

Filed Under: referral marketing tip, referrals

Awesome West Side Chamber & ABQ B2B Networking Event

January 31, 2012 by 2 Comments

If your looking for networking events meet me at the following event. Also check out Referrals Marketing Page for Tips to grow your network!

I would love to meet you here!

P.S. Let me know if you would like to see any other events here.

FREE Networking Event February 1st 2012 5:30pm- 7:30pm

Experience what makes this Chamber so exciting!

Join us at The Hilton Garden Inn (Directly Across the Street From Intel)

Food Provided By Hilton Garden Inn, Live Music, Fun and tons of business connections!

Cash Bar Available from 5pm-7pm……………….….. Don’t miss this awesome event!

There will be plenty of great door prizes, and some fantastic businessmen and women to network with!

A lot of work is going into making this a great event don’t miss it!!

Bring plenty of business cards!

RSVP Directly on this invite or contact:

Luis Hernandez 505.688.4122
luis@elitemusicnm.com

Patrick 505-440-3762
pbaldonado@comcast.net

Bennie Maes 505.463.7076

 

Filed Under: referral marketing tip, referrals

Virtual Networking event Includes Small Biz Coaching Session

January 19, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Small Business Guru Fran Tarkenton and Branding Expert Craig Brinkley will provide information to help your business grow!

Next weeks Virtual Networking Event will include Cheif Consultanting Officer for Core Strategy Group Mr. Craig Brinkley. Mr. Brinkley consulted with Diet Coke executives to help bring the brand to the number two soft drink brand in the US, only second to Coke and beating Pepsi. Be ready with a pen and paper so you can have key strategies in building your brand.

Click Here for more information on the Virtual Networking Event

Click Here for a Video on what a Virtual Networking Is

Sign up Below:
>
 

 

Filed Under: Featured, referral marketing tip, referrals, Small biz Marketing, Small business marketing, small business success, Uncategorized

How to Get Massive Amounts of the Right Referrals

November 22, 2011 by Leave a Comment

 


By Earl Kemper, ActionCOACH Business Coach

During a recession, I coached a construction company from two million in annual revenue to $22 million in $18 months utilizing my referral system. In the previous 18 months they were a $4 million dollar company. They were losing ground. They ran several expensive marketing campaigns and weren’t getting any business from them. Their greatest challenge was getting enough opportunities to do business that generated enough profit for them to grow. 

I asked if they had any strong relationships that could refer business to them. They assumed that if someone wanted to refer business to them they would have done it by now. At one time, they had been asking for referrals by saying, “Who do you know that is about to do some new construction that you could refer us to?” This got no results, so they quit asking. 

Through the process that I’m going to share with you, we were able to get 279 names of people that could refer them to opportunities for new business. We focused our attention on the top 16 most influential relationships and asked them to connect us with people who could benefit from their service. In just 6 months, they grew from $2 Million to $10 Million. And in 18 months, they had grown to $22 million annual revenue. But before I tell you how we did that, I’d like to tell you a little about my journey of learning how to get a massive amount of referrals for my own business. 

Finding Common Ground 
The greatest challenge for many businesses is they don’t know the right way to ask for referrals. My first five years in business as a financial advisor, I had the same challenge. Just like the construction company, I would ask my clients, “Who do you know…?” This was met with many blank looks. It was such a broad question that no one knew how to answer it. They had a difficult time coming up with names. 

The few times I had success getting referrals, the person who referred me to their friends did so because they had something in common those people. So, instead of “Who do you know,” I began to ask these kinds of questions: “Where did you grow up? What kinds of organizations do you belong to? What are your favorite things to do for fun?” I found that if I asked questions in four categories, it always led to common ground. Those categories are hobbies, interests, lifestyle and values (family and community). 

Harold and Clara Jane Johnson were a couple in their seventies and one of my favorite clients. When I asked, “What are your favorite things to do for fun?” They said, “We LOVE square dancing!” They told me how much fun they have when they go dancing and how they love the people in the group. I asked how many members there were in the square dancing club. He said, “311. Would you like to come to one of our square dance nights? Most of our members will be there.” Knowing I would likely feel foolish at a square dance, I said, “Absolutely!” 

Getting a Personal Introduction 
At a break in the music at the dance, Harold took the microphone and from stage said, “I want to take just a minute and introduce you all to my amazing financial advisor. He’s the reason why we’re retired and we never have to worry about money. If you get a chance, you ought to sit down and see what he has to say.” I couldn’t have asked for a better endorsement! 

During our next meeting, I asked Harold and Clara Jane what people I should work with from their square dance club. Harold took out the directory and marked 156 names that he would be happy to refer to me in person, either through a phone call or meeting. And that is when it really clicked. People will refer you to people that they have something in common with that many times has absolutely nothing to do with business. I asked Harold why he hadn’t referred me to these people previously. He said, “I thought you were too busy to take on any more clients!”

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Discover Earl Kemper’s Secrets for Doubling Your Business in Less Than Nine Months Without Wasting a Dime on Advertising. (Why Waste Your Money when These Strategies for Growth can be Done FOR FREE?)

Click Here to get the Secret Strategies

If you’ve ever wondered how high-growth companies DOUBLE and TRIPLE their profits in a staggeringly short amount of time, without breaking the bank on advertising, then look no further.

For the first time, globally renowned business coach Earl Kemper is sharing the secret, simple strategies that he uses with his own top-producing clients. Growth in the 1,000′s% in six months is not uncommon.

 

Click here to get access to his proven strategies for growth now.

Thinking in Categories 
Building on what I learned about the power of finding common ground with individuals, I created a process for getting referrals from businesses. I call this exercise the “Wheel, Hub and Spokes.” You can use this to get referrals from other businesses, whether they are your clients or not. And, you can use this exercise to show other business owners how to get referrals and get referrals yourself while doing it. 

I want you to imagine for a minute that you were sitting down with a financial advisor and you are going to show them how to get referrals. Take a blank piece of paper and draw a big circle, like a wheel. In that circle, about a third of the size of the original circle in the middle, draw another circle. It should look like a doughnut. We’re going to call this the hub. In the center of the hub, you’ll write the type of business you want to get referrals for. So in this example, in the hub we’ll write “financial advisor.” 

A financial advisor has many categories that they connect to on a pretty consistent basis. We want to think about some of the primary connections that a financial advisor has. For example, they might have a relationship with an estate attorney. So, between your hub and the wheel, draw a straight line that looks like a spoke. On that line, write the words “estate attorney.” Then, draw another spoke and write CPA and another spoke, write a property and casualty insurance agency. We can continue around the wheel adding several spokes with many categories. 

If this financial advisor works with business owners a lot, add spokes for business categories. For example, a business broker could be a good person for a financial advisor to work with. You could also add companies who specialize in staffing, web, technology, payroll, and property management. 

Then we might switch gears a little bit. What are some associations they might be connected with? Are they connected to any chambers of commerce? Next, you might add a spoke for clients. Or add multiple spokes for clients, where you could write what type(s) of business clients that they work with. 

Getting Names from Categories 
If you were teaching a financial advisor how to get referrals, you first help them to think about possible categories where referrals might come from. As they’re looking at various categories and you get clear about those, then you can dig into names. As an example, there’s probably more than one insurance agent. They probably belong to more than one association. Work with them to write down the names of people representing the categories you wrote on the spokes. 

This was the exercise I used when I was working with the construction company. We used “general contractor” in the middle and started thinking of subcontractors, advisors, various outsources and vendors. As a result of all those relationships, we came up with 81 categories for our spokes. We came up with 279 possible names for those spokes. If you started out with that many names, how many referrals do you think you could get? 

Now do this exercise using your own company as the hub. You can use relationships that you work with as spokes, then go to each of those relationships and show them how to do this using their companies as the hub. As you help other business owners come up with sources for referrals, you can combine your lists of categories and names with other business owners and start working together. And when you help each other find common ground with people on your lists, imagine how many referrals that you could get!

Earl KemperEarl Kemper, two-time global coach of the year in the world’s largest business coaching organization, ActionCOACH (2006 & 2009) is the authority on developing strategic alliances and getting referrals. Over the past 28 years, he has successfully coached more than 1,100 individuals who on average, double their business in less than nine months using techniques he developed. Referrals and teaching others how to get referrals continues to be his number one source of new business for his company, ActionCOACH Empowerment. http://TimeMoneyClients.com
Filed Under: Bill Glazer, DAN AND BILL, Dan Kennedy, referral marketing tip, referrals

Give First

October 25, 2011 by Leave a Comment
NM Small Biz Weekly Referral’s Marketing Tip

More valuable tools to add to your business Marketing System!!!

Last week we talked about the purpose of networking events, today I am looking for your feedback and I wanted to share a huge principal Give First. Zig Zigglar can be quoted

 

“You can get everything in life you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want”

 

Endless Referral Author and Referral Expert Bob Burg:

 

The successful networkers I know, the ones receiving tons of referrals and feeling truly happy about themselves, continually put the other person’s needs ahead of their own.

 

The Great Jim Rohn said:

 

Give whatever you are doing and whoever you are with the gift of your attention.

 

BNI Founder Dr. Ivan Misner

 

“Givers Gain”

 

Are you getting the idea? What can you give? Please share your ideas on what giving means.

 

Giving should be staple in your Business Marketing System!!

Filed Under: referral marketing tip, referrals

Networking Events are not for Selling

October 18, 2011 by 1 Comment

NM Small Biz Weekly Referral’s Marketing Tip

More valuable tools to add to your business Marketing System!!!

When was the last time you were headed out to a Networking Event  and thought “What am I going to buy this time?” Me too…Never! Not to say this can’t happen, it’s just not what they are built for. These events are about building relationships.

Building relationships, heard that before? You want to make the most out of these events because they cost time and sometimes money too. So how can we build a business on this?

We are there to get meetings with people who can help you build your referral network and marketing system. How do we do this? Qualify and Follow-up

Simply start a conversation, how? Be natural or ask “What do you do?” Take their card and make a quick note to serve as a reminder, a great Referral Marketing Tip .  Than ask a prepared list of “Qualifying Questions” to see if they are a good prospect:

What industry are they in?

Do you work with the same ideal client?

How can you help them too?

After you have determined they’re a good match take their card and set it in a separate area you determine for follow-up to grow your referrals marketing system.

 

 

Filed Under: referral marketing tip, referrals Tagged With:

Where I got my latest sale from.

February 14, 2011 by 2 Comments

I thought I would share how easy it can be when you focus on networking for sales.

I was hosting my monthly Networking Event at a local restaurant a couple of weeks ago. After my event I was standing in line when I noticed a gentlemen behind me getting ready to pay holding a binder. I asked if he was at the other meeting taking place and he said he was. I quickly followed up with  Networking 101 by asking:

  1. What he did?
  2. How he got started?
  3. What a good prospect looks like for him?

    After talking for three minutes I found we may be able to work together. I took his card and called that day for an appointment. I set the appointment with this exact statement:

    “I work with a lot of small business owners and think we should meet to see if I could help by providing referrals your way?”

    Of course he agreed and we met for coffee. After following yet more from Networking 101 by letting him tell me about his business first, I found a huge oppourtunity to save him money. In fact over $300 a year. He became my newest client.

    The lessons we can learn from this little story:

    • Never stop networking
    • Follow the basics
    • Let your prospect talk about their favorite subject, themselves
    • Building a business through networking is the easiet and most effective way to sale…cost me nothing in advertising and took one call
    • Anybody can follow these simple steps to make a sale

    Now I have a new client and a new referral source, I love networking!

    Would love hear any thoughts or questions you have.

    Filed Under: referrals, Small business marketing, small business plan

    Two Quick and Proven Ways to Ask for Referrals

    January 24, 2011 by 4 Comments

    Referral Marketing is one of my favorite ways to grow my business. As I have said in past postings, I like referrals because they provide an ongoing flow of customers, they are an effective way to shorten sales cycles and referred customers are likely to pay a premium. Most of us have heard we need to ask for referrals but either don’t know how to or ask the wrong way.

    So here are two easy ways to ask for referrals: (I would use question one on any referral prospect and question two on someone who may have great influence and whom you have a relationship with)

    1. “Who do you know who…”

    • Recently bought a home?
    • Recently changed jobs?
    • Recently complained about low sales?

    2. “I’m expanding my business  and I would love your help with its success. Can you tell me who you know who…”

    • Is looking to have more money every month?
    • Has been complaining about their vehicle?
    • Is upset about rising cell phone bills?

    These questions are both specific. Instead of forcing your referral prospect to run though their friends or associates and come  up with “NO ONE” this gives them specifics, which will produce more referrals for you.

    Referrals are like anything in life, they get better with practice and application. So try them out!

    Filed Under: referrals, sales, Small biz Marketing

    MARMon

    January 3, 2011 by Leave a Comment

    Welcome to the New Year! We are going to start things off right! Starting today we will begin running a campaign called MARMon, Make-A-Referral-Monday!  Now you already know we believe referrals is one of the best ways for any business to grow their sales and ultimately their business. But what if you don’t know where to start?

    MARMon is simple to use. Here’s how it works: First, every Monday make an effort to refer  someone to another business or professional. Why start here? Because “Givers Gain!” Sending someone else business positions you to receive business from that person the next time they need…Your Service!

    Next announce to the world what you have done. You can use this site in the comments below,Facebook or Twitter hashtag #marmon. This could be 52 referrlals given in one year, when business’s began to refer back to you imagine how much this could increase your bottom line?

    Last…get ready to began EXPLODING your business in 2011!!!!

    Filed Under: Featured, referrals