If you think I'm funny enough to come up with a list like this one, I regretfully have to inform that I'm not. I discovered it on Darren Hardy's blog. Darren is the President of The Success Training Network. Learn more about Darren by visiting http://www.tstn.com.
1. Coin his own nickname.
2. Use a wallet that is fastened with Velcro.
3. Rank his friends in order of best, second best, and so on.
4. Hacky sack.
5. Hang art with tape.
6. Ask a policeman, "You ever shoot anybody with that thing?"
7. Ask a woman, "Hey, you got a license for that body?"
8. Skip.
9. Take a camera to a nude beach.
10. Let his father do his taxes.
11. Tap on the glass.
12. Shout out a response to "Are you ready to rock?"
13. Hold a weekly house meeting with roommates.
14. Name pets after Middle Earth characters.
15. Jokingly flash gang signs while posing for wedding photos.
16. Give shout-outs.
17. Use numbers in place of words or locations, such as "the 411" for information, or "the 313" for Detroit.
18. Hug amusement-park characters.
19. Wear Disney-themed neckties.
20. Wake up to a "morning zoo."
21. Request extra sprinkles.
22. Air drum.
23. Eat Oreo cookies in stages.
24. Sleep on a bare mattress.
25. End a conversation with "later skater."
26. Hold his lighter up at a concert.
27. Wear Converse All Stars with a tuxedo.
28. Propose via stadium Jumbotron.
29. Decide anything based on the ruminations of Howard Stern.
30. Call "shotgun" before getting in a car.
31. Dispute someone else's call of "shotgun."
32. Whine.
33. Purchase fireworks.
34. Organize a party bus.
35. Say "two points" every time he throws something in the trash.
36. Keg stands.
37. The John Travolta point-to-the-ceiling-point-to-the-floor dance move; also that one from Pulp Fiction.
38. Put less than ten dollars' worth of gas in the tank.
39. Own a vanity plate.
40. Say goodbye to anyone by tapping his chest and even so much as whispering, "Peace out."
Friday, March 2, 2007
Saturday, February 10, 2007
Costly Advertising Mistakes You May Be Making
For Small Business Owners Who Want to Avoid Costly
Advertising Mistakes
As you can see I didn't add a number in front of the title
of this post. Why not? Actually, there are a couple
reasons.
1. So many mistakes are made I refuse to limit myself to a
list of 10, 20, or 100.
2. And secondly, I have to give you a good reason to return
to my blog (or read my subsequent post or the feeds).
Now that I've let the cat out of the bag, it's time to get
down to business. But before I talk about advertising
mistakes, I want to quickly reveal...
The Purpose of Advertising
"The only purpose of advertising is to make a sale. It is profitable or unprofitable according to its actual sales.
It is not for general effect. It is not to keep your name before the people. It is not primarily to aid your other salesmen.
Treat it as a salesman. Force it to justify itself. Compare it with other salesmen. Figure its cost and result. Accept no excuses which good salesmen do not make. Then you will not go far wrong."
- Claude Hopkins
Have you re-read Mr. Hopkins comment?
It's worth reading again.
In fact, it's worth reading until you remember it. That is,
if you want to avoid wasting money on advertising. Okay,
okay, I'll put a positive spin on remembering Mr. Hopkins
words. Here goes:
Gaining the highest possible return on your investment in
advertising will be derived from your belief that its sole
purpose is to sell.
Happy now?
So... What's A Big Advertising Mistake?
Forgetting that people do whatever they do to please
themselves - and others they deeply care for - is a big
advertising mistake.
Quite frankly, if your ad talks more about you, and your
company, than it does the benefit, advantages and results
your prospective customer can expect from purchasing your product or
service, you are making a big mistake.
A colleague of mine says that that type of advertising is not
advertising - it's public relations. I agree.
Now, I'm not advising that you drop all the company info,
like how long you've been in business, certifications and
membership logos. That's good supporting information. It
can help solidify a prospective customer's decision to
purchase your product or service - but that's about all it
does.
Why People Buy
Over a decade ago I learned the psychology behind all of
our purchases. Yes, all! In fact, I learned what
advertisers, marketers, and persuaders do to get people to
feel like they have to buy; to feel they're compelled to
make purchases. And, how to do it elegantly, without
high-pressure.
Good news is, I can sum up what cost me $1,295 and 36 hours
to learn from Tony Robbins in one simple statement.
"People buy for emotional reasons and justify with logic."
I know that's a gross generalization - but it's true. You
don't have to take my word for it. Let me ask you some
questions to prove it to you.
Think about the vehicle that you're driving right now. Why
did you pick that one? Wasn't there a less expensive one?
For most of the people who read my blog, there was.
Sure you needed enough seats for your family but did you
really need a Lexus (or fill in blank)?
But, you really like the way you feel when you look at
your more expensive/sporty/luxurious vehicle, don't
you? Of course there's nothing wrong with that... it just
makes my point.
You see, people don't buy needs, they buy wants. What
do I mean?
Back in 1997, I was preparing for a lengthy business trip
that involved me meeting with decision makers in small to
mid size companies. I decided that a new suit was in
order. I went to Dillards at Woodland Hills in Tulsa and
looked at a number of suits. Finally I decided on a $1,000
suit because it was one of the best they had.
I didn't need a $1,000 suit - but I wanted the best. Make
sense?
Advertising is the Process of Motivation
When you advertise focus primarily on informing people of
the benefits, advantages, and results of your product or
service. Stated differently, tell them what's in it for
them first. This type of information makes your
advertising motivate people to buy today. And that's the
purpose of advertising, isn't it?
If you want advertising that makes sales, that makes you
money, I'm available to help you. I can be reached at
(918) 437-7706 or you can email me at ron(at)bbgs.us.
With your success in mind,
Ron
Advertising Mistakes
As you can see I didn't add a number in front of the title
of this post. Why not? Actually, there are a couple
reasons.
1. So many mistakes are made I refuse to limit myself to a
list of 10, 20, or 100.
2. And secondly, I have to give you a good reason to return
to my blog (or read my subsequent post or the feeds).
Now that I've let the cat out of the bag, it's time to get
down to business. But before I talk about advertising
mistakes, I want to quickly reveal...
The Purpose of Advertising
"The only purpose of advertising is to make a sale. It is profitable or unprofitable according to its actual sales.It is not for general effect. It is not to keep your name before the people. It is not primarily to aid your other salesmen.
Treat it as a salesman. Force it to justify itself. Compare it with other salesmen. Figure its cost and result. Accept no excuses which good salesmen do not make. Then you will not go far wrong."
- Claude Hopkins
Have you re-read Mr. Hopkins comment?
It's worth reading again.
In fact, it's worth reading until you remember it. That is,
if you want to avoid wasting money on advertising. Okay,
okay, I'll put a positive spin on remembering Mr. Hopkins
words. Here goes:
Gaining the highest possible return on your investment in
advertising will be derived from your belief that its sole
purpose is to sell.
Happy now?
So... What's A Big Advertising Mistake?
Forgetting that people do whatever they do to please
themselves - and others they deeply care for - is a big
advertising mistake.
Quite frankly, if your ad talks more about you, and your
company, than it does the benefit, advantages and results
your prospective customer can expect from purchasing your product or
service, you are making a big mistake.
A colleague of mine says that that type of advertising is not
advertising - it's public relations. I agree.
Now, I'm not advising that you drop all the company info,
like how long you've been in business, certifications and
membership logos. That's good supporting information. It
can help solidify a prospective customer's decision to
purchase your product or service - but that's about all it
does.
Why People Buy
Over a decade ago I learned the psychology behind all of
our purchases. Yes, all! In fact, I learned what
advertisers, marketers, and persuaders do to get people to
feel like they have to buy; to feel they're compelled to
make purchases. And, how to do it elegantly, without
high-pressure.
Good news is, I can sum up what cost me $1,295 and 36 hours
to learn from Tony Robbins in one simple statement.
"People buy for emotional reasons and justify with logic."
I know that's a gross generalization - but it's true. You
don't have to take my word for it. Let me ask you some
questions to prove it to you.
Think about the vehicle that you're driving right now. Why
did you pick that one? Wasn't there a less expensive one?
For most of the people who read my blog, there was.
Sure you needed enough seats for your family but did you
really need a Lexus (or fill in blank)?
But, you really like the way you feel when you look at
your more expensive/sporty/luxurious vehicle, don't
you? Of course there's nothing wrong with that... it just
makes my point.
You see, people don't buy needs, they buy wants. What
do I mean?
Back in 1997, I was preparing for a lengthy business trip
that involved me meeting with decision makers in small to
mid size companies. I decided that a new suit was in
order. I went to Dillards at Woodland Hills in Tulsa and
looked at a number of suits. Finally I decided on a $1,000
suit because it was one of the best they had.
I didn't need a $1,000 suit - but I wanted the best. Make
sense?
Advertising is the Process of Motivation
When you advertise focus primarily on informing people of
the benefits, advantages, and results of your product or
service. Stated differently, tell them what's in it for
them first. This type of information makes your
advertising motivate people to buy today. And that's the
purpose of advertising, isn't it?
If you want advertising that makes sales, that makes you
money, I'm available to help you. I can be reached at
(918) 437-7706 or you can email me at ron(at)bbgs.us.
With your success in mind,
Ron
Saturday, February 3, 2007
Google Ranked My Site Number Two
A few days ago, I posted a question about how Google ranks my company website #2 for keywords, "strategic marketing counsel" but traffic hasn't picked up. Remember?
I apparently overlooked the fact that my keywords weren't popular. In fact, I discovered that absolutely no one is searching for "strategic marketing counsel". Boy, do I feel stupid.
I want to thank, SEO expert, William C. for deflating my ego! Here's William's comment: "You are ranking for a keyword that gets very few searches."
Again, thank you William! Please visit William's blog at http://www.seofox.com/blog. I'm going to hide in a corner. Good night!
With your success in mind,
Ron
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Selling is About Relationship Building
***Q: What are the most important steps in your selling process?
A: Although your question is a good one, I want you to know that the belief system behind the steps is more important. Let me explain. Imagine a young wife who cooks her husband a delicious pot roast for dinner is asked why she cut both ends off the meat before cooking it. She replies that her mother always did it that way.
Her curiosity is piqued, however, and so the next time she speaks to her mother, she asks her why she did this. Her mother replied that it was because her mother always used to do it. Accordingly, the mother then asks the grandmother why she did this, and the grandmother replied that they didn't have a pot big enough to cook the meat in, so she used to cut off both ends to make it fit.
So... what's the moral of this story? Don't just blindly follow someones methods, without knowing why they do what they do. It may turn out that the belief behind the process is flawed.
That reminds me of a question I often pose to salespeople about what they believe is the most important step in the selling process. 9 out of 10 respond closing is the most important step. If that's true, then why does research show that the #1 reason people buy from someone is because they like them.
Yes, it's important to close the deal! But what's more important is the relationship you establish. If you want to enjoy multiple sales, referrals, and long term success, focus on deepening the bond you establish with people.
Be Interested. Be Curious. Be Sincere.
This makes me think of how much more fulfilling my career and life has been because I adopted the belief that people like people who like them. Another belief I adopted is people like people who are like them. Think about your last interaction with a prospective customer. After entering their office, did you quickly look around the room to find things that would indicate hobbies, passions, or interest?
As you recall that experience, did you focus on a hobby, passion, or interest that you had in common? Chances are, you probably did. That's natural because we can easily be ethusiastic about something we enjoy doing. But what have you done in situations where you couldn't find anything in common?
In the days and weeks ahead you can use the following process to quickly establish rapport with people whether you have something in common or not. Ready? Here goes:
Let's pretend for a moment that you are sitting across from a prospective customer who appears to be completely opposite of you in every way. Look the prospective customer in the eye and say...
"In the next few minutes we spend together I'm going to pretend that you and I are old, close friends chatting about a topic you find interesting. Okay? Can you think of an old, close friend of yours... now? Great! Let's begin."
Don't employ that process to every selling situation because you might quickly establish rapport with too many people and outsell your competition!
With your success in mind,
Ron
A: Although your question is a good one, I want you to know that the belief system behind the steps is more important. Let me explain. Imagine a young wife who cooks her husband a delicious pot roast for dinner is asked why she cut both ends off the meat before cooking it. She replies that her mother always did it that way.
Her curiosity is piqued, however, and so the next time she speaks to her mother, she asks her why she did this. Her mother replied that it was because her mother always used to do it. Accordingly, the mother then asks the grandmother why she did this, and the grandmother replied that they didn't have a pot big enough to cook the meat in, so she used to cut off both ends to make it fit.
So... what's the moral of this story? Don't just blindly follow someones methods, without knowing why they do what they do. It may turn out that the belief behind the process is flawed.
That reminds me of a question I often pose to salespeople about what they believe is the most important step in the selling process. 9 out of 10 respond closing is the most important step. If that's true, then why does research show that the #1 reason people buy from someone is because they like them.
Yes, it's important to close the deal! But what's more important is the relationship you establish. If you want to enjoy multiple sales, referrals, and long term success, focus on deepening the bond you establish with people.
Be Interested. Be Curious. Be Sincere.
This makes me think of how much more fulfilling my career and life has been because I adopted the belief that people like people who like them. Another belief I adopted is people like people who are like them. Think about your last interaction with a prospective customer. After entering their office, did you quickly look around the room to find things that would indicate hobbies, passions, or interest?
As you recall that experience, did you focus on a hobby, passion, or interest that you had in common? Chances are, you probably did. That's natural because we can easily be ethusiastic about something we enjoy doing. But what have you done in situations where you couldn't find anything in common?
In the days and weeks ahead you can use the following process to quickly establish rapport with people whether you have something in common or not. Ready? Here goes:
Let's pretend for a moment that you are sitting across from a prospective customer who appears to be completely opposite of you in every way. Look the prospective customer in the eye and say...
"In the next few minutes we spend together I'm going to pretend that you and I are old, close friends chatting about a topic you find interesting. Okay? Can you think of an old, close friend of yours... now? Great! Let's begin."
Don't employ that process to every selling situation because you might quickly establish rapport with too many people and outsell your competition!
With your success in mind,
Ron
Sunday, January 28, 2007
Don't Advertise Before You Read This
“There is no better test of an advertisement than whether or not it actually sells the product! In fact, it is the only true way of determining if your advertisement works.” – John Caples
***Q. What's the best way to ensure I don't waste my money on advertising?
A. Learn how to create direct response advertising. Direct response advertising is designed to evoke an immediate response from your reader, listener, or viewer. The response can consist of a visit, call, or purchasing decision.
On the other hand, institutional-type advertising is designed to make people aware of your company and its product. Its purpose? Get people to think of your company or product during the time prior to making the purchasing decision. Does it work?
Let's play a quick game:
Name a well-known American car company.
Name a well-known computer company.
Name a well-known soft drink.
Game over!
It works, right? It's not a question of whether or not it works. Ask yourself. Can I afford the financial commitment required to achieve brand recognition similar to the companies you named? One more question. Am I willing to deal with the deferred results? If your answer is yes, then I highly recommend that you find an agency skilled at combining branding and direct response.
Otherwise, stick with direct response advertising. That way, you'll know shortly after the paper hits newstands, or after your first spot runs on radio or television if you have a winner or loser. Make sense?
Hope that helps clarify your thinking. Any more questions? Send me an email or call me directly. Good night!
With your success in mind,
Ron
P.S. If you would like to add your two cents, leave your comments.
Saturday, January 27, 2007
Ranked Number Two on Google
In my last three posts, I answered some questions on peoples minds. Now, I have a question. If you go to the Google search box at the bottom of my blog and enter "Strategic Marketing Counsel", you'll see my company website is listed number #2.
Here's my question for you SEO Experts:
How can my website be ranked #2 by Google and not have so much traffic that my hosting company charges me for extra bandwidth?
If you give the best answer, I will post it on this blog with your picture, company name, and url. This is your chance to shine! Can you handle the pressure?
If your answer is "Yes", send me an email to ronh(at)bbgs.us. I look forward to your response. Thanks for stepping up to the plate!
With your success in mind,
Ron
Marketing Strategies to Prevent Refund Request
"...The best way to predict the future is to create it..."
-Peter Drucker
***Q: I wonder if you can tell me how to combat returns?
A: Sure, I can!
In a survey conducted by the car industry, to determine why people didn't buy, they discovered that customers feared not buying the right model, paying too much, or making the wrong decision altogether. Overcoming the same buying decision fears are a problem for any business.
Therefore, you must create a 2-step system that 1) keeps your product or service sold and 2) causes people to feel compelled to repurchase from you.
In marketing terms, the system is called "Post-Purchase Reassurance," which virtually eliminates buyer's remorse. I used the word virtually because no system is foolproof, but this will have a tremendous impact in dealing with the problem of buyer's remorse. The post-purchase reassurance system is a simple process of re-selling, or reaffirming, the client's buying decision.
Basically, you should reconfirm that they will get exactly what they want from your product or service.
I suggest implementing the post-purchase reassurance system in one of three simple ways. A letter, a phone call, or visit from a company representative. By the way... a powerful NLP technique, called "Future Pacing," is an effective way I've trained salespeople to overcome buyer's remorse. For instance, if you're a stockbroker...
Imagine a young married couple has just invested their life savings in a mutual fund recommended by you. Ask them three simple questions:
1. "What will cause you to stay with the decision you've made to invest in this mutual fund?"
2. "Will simply having someone challenge your investment decision cause you to become even more committed?"
NOTE: After each question be quiet, and wait for the person to respond.
Finish up the process by asking this question...
3. "Can you imagine how much brighter your future will be because you made this commitment to yourself today to take control of your financial destiny?"
By far, future pacing is the most powerful technique for dealing with buyer's remorse. This is because you get people to first commit to their decision verbally, then you have them imagine the results of their decision in the future.
Want a written formula?
Here's a sample letter from my personal marketing files:
Beginning of example
----------------
Dear (Your Name),
Congratulations on your decision to invest in my book! I don't know if you're aware of it, but the information contained in the pages of this book has only been available to presidents and CEOs of Fortune 500 companies. Why?
Unfortunately, they didn't want you, the "Little Guy" to get a hold of the marketing strategies that have built their corporate empires. They wanted to keep you from winning over any of their customers with the competitive intelligence in the book. Competitive intelligence that will allow you to rapidly grow your enterprise to heights you previously imagined.
----------------------
End of example
You get the idea... right?
If you want more help dealing with buyer's remorse, email me with the rest of your contact info or call me directly. Have a great day!
With your success in mind,
Ron
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
How to Rescue Your Business From the Edge
"Do what you can, with what you have, where are."
--Theodore Roosevelt
***Q: January has been a slow time for my retail clothing store. In fact, my business is in trouble. Can you help?
A: The answer is to your question is "yes". The best advice I can give you is to tell your customers the truth. In fact, sit down and write a letter or email to alert all your customers about your "trouble". For example:
My Accountant Will Be Angry When He Finds Out I Wrote This Letter, But...
I Decided to Make My Business Trouble Your Opportunity to
Save Big Bucks!
Dear Preferred Customer,
January has been a notoriously slow time for my shop. In
fact, January tends to be a slow time for a lot us retail stores
owners. But I only have to worry about my payroll, rent,
utilities, etc..
I can't sit around and wait to see if it will improve. So,
I've decided to make my business trouble your opportunity.
An opportunity to save money on your purchase of some of
the finest clothing in the world.
How much savings? I'm glad you asked.
Come in at 9:00 am on Saturday, February 3rd and you SAVE
70% on every single item you purchase. No exceptions. No
minimum purchase. Get this! If you bring a friend or two,
I'll give you both an additional 10% discount!
Although I'm grateful for all of our 833,771 customers,
we're only offering this to the 11,333 customers, like
yourself, who have achieved "Preferred Customer" status.
I encourage you to be here when the doors open, so that
you don't miss the chance to purchase that outfit you
passed up during the holidays.
Help us turn lemons into lemonade.
We look forward to seeing your friends and you in the store.
Thank you for your business.
Warmly,
Susie Storeowner
Debbie Co-Storeowner
P.S. My accountant can scream all he wants but we pay the
bills - and we've decided that on Saturday, February 3rd
only, you can 70% to 80% on every single item in my store.
Doors open at 9:00 am.
By the way, you'll want to arrive early because we've mailed
this letter to all 11,333 people who have achieved
"Preferred Customer" status.
Educate and Sell
Okay, hopefully you get the idea. I'll leave you with this
word of advice. It's always better to educate and sell
your way out of a problem - and not just lower your prices.
If you want to achieve a better response to your mailer, I
highly recommend a follow up phone call. Tests have proven
that a follow up call after a mailer increases response
300% to 1,000%.
Don't have the manpower to make all the calls?
Use a voicemail broadcast service to reach your customers.
Go to Google and enter voicemail broadcast and you'll be on
the way. If you want any more help, give me call directly.
I wish you the best.
With your success in mind,
Ron
P.S. Blog reader, do you agree with my recommendations?
Leave your comments. Thanks!
Saturday, January 20, 2007
5 Steps for Creating A Competitive Edge
“The man who will use his skill and constructive imagination to see how much he can give for a dollar, instead of how little he can give for a dollar, is bound to
succeed” – Henry Ford
**** Q: "It’s very competitive these days. What should I do to win more customers from my competition?" -Anonymous
A: Good question! I’ve included a five-step process in
this post that will increase the customers you get, the
sales you make—and the profits you keep. Enjoy.
Five Step Process For Creating A Compelling Competitive Edge
1. Determine your Strategic Position in the market. For
example, Domino’s Pizza’s Strategic Position was “Busy
college kids that wanted food fast.”
2. Determine your Primary Competitive Edge. Domino’s
Pizza’s Primary Competitive Edge was “Fresh, hot pizza
delivery in 30 minutes or it’s FREE!” Federal Express was
on the brink of bankruptcy before their Primary Competitive
Edge transformed them into a billion-dollar empire. Here
it is. “When it absolutely positively has to be there
overnight!”
3. Determine your Supporting Business Model. Ask yourself
this question, “How specifically will I deliver what my
Strategic Position and Primary Competitive Edge promise?”
Domino’s supporting business model consisted of locating
low cost, plain vanilla pizzerias near colleges, thus
enabling them to meet the needs of those “busy college kids
that wanted food fast.”
4. Determine your Secondary Competitive Edge. Domino’s
secondary benefits included favorable pricing, extra large
sizes and a broader selection of toppings.
5. Create your Compelling Competitive Edge Statement. This
is simple. Review your answers from steps 1-4. This will
reveal your uniqueness to your market.
Take action!
1. Write a paragraph that describes your competitive edge.
Why should someone do business with you rather your
competitor? What makes you different? Is it location,
price, selection, service level, convenience, speed,
special services, quality, or delivery?
2. What are the needs in your market area that are going
unmet? What might your customers be frustrated about or
feel like they’re missing?
3. Communicate your Compelling Competitive Edge in all
marketing materials and in every sales call.
The ball is in your court. You’ve got to take the shot! In
other words, use what you have just learned to improve your
chances of success in the game of business!
With your success in mind,
Ron Hudson
P.S. Do you have a question about growing your profits or sales? Click
on the comments link and leave your question. Make it a good one that
will benefit you and others visiting howtoinfluencepeoplenow.blogspot.com.
Thursday, January 18, 2007
5 Things You Don't Know About Me
Looks like I’ve been tagged by Chris Brown. Here’s my assignment: I’m supposed to list 5 things you probably don’t know about me, and then "tag" 5 other people who are asked to do the same. Okay, here goes…
1. Many years ago I worked as a Staff Accountant at an S&L in Northern Virginia. That S&L was eventually taken over by the RTC. As it turns out the "big wigs" made some poor real estate loan decisions. I was astounded by the executive types efforts to deny that the bank was in trouble. Why? We did the books! They kept that up until the very day the RTC came in and shut the bank down.
2. As a result of my experience in corporate America, I decided to pursue a totally different carreer path that started with me walking on burning hot coals. Yes, I've attended Tony Robbins' seminars! I enjoyed it so much, I made the decision to work in the east coast franchise. It was a wonderful, life altering experience!
Eventually, I ended up traveling the country selling and promoting Tony's B2B event, Strategic Influence - The Power of Personal Marketing. Unfortunately, he doesn't conduct that seminar anymore. I don't know why because it was one of his best seminars.
3. In addition to walking on burning hot coals, I've also been bungee jumping and sky diving. The bungee jumping and sky diving activities were prior to my discovering Tony.
4. Even though I've delivered presentations in front of hundreds of people, I'm really not the type of person who wants to be the life of the party.
5. I secretly want to be a lounge club singer. Just kidding! I really enjoy singing.
BONUS: I worked on President Ronald Reagan's security detail during his visit to the University of Oklahoma. That's it. Now it's my turn to tag some folks.
Let me think...
Brian Giese,Paula Mooney,Denise J,Eric Graham,Alan Saltz
1. Many years ago I worked as a Staff Accountant at an S&L in Northern Virginia. That S&L was eventually taken over by the RTC. As it turns out the "big wigs" made some poor real estate loan decisions. I was astounded by the executive types efforts to deny that the bank was in trouble. Why? We did the books! They kept that up until the very day the RTC came in and shut the bank down.
2. As a result of my experience in corporate America, I decided to pursue a totally different carreer path that started with me walking on burning hot coals. Yes, I've attended Tony Robbins' seminars! I enjoyed it so much, I made the decision to work in the east coast franchise. It was a wonderful, life altering experience!
Eventually, I ended up traveling the country selling and promoting Tony's B2B event, Strategic Influence - The Power of Personal Marketing. Unfortunately, he doesn't conduct that seminar anymore. I don't know why because it was one of his best seminars.
3. In addition to walking on burning hot coals, I've also been bungee jumping and sky diving. The bungee jumping and sky diving activities were prior to my discovering Tony.
4. Even though I've delivered presentations in front of hundreds of people, I'm really not the type of person who wants to be the life of the party.
5. I secretly want to be a lounge club singer. Just kidding! I really enjoy singing.
BONUS: I worked on President Ronald Reagan's security detail during his visit to the University of Oklahoma. That's it. Now it's my turn to tag some folks.
Let me think...
Brian Giese,Paula Mooney,Denise J,Eric Graham,Alan Saltz
Marketing Expert Reveals Psychological Persuasion Strategies
One day I was in my office sitting at my desk with the door closed, when suddenly my wife burst in and said...
"Your daughter needs a new winter coat Ron and Kohl's is having a 50% off sale on winter coat's starting today!"
It was pointless for me to interject that the promotion was just that - a promotion. Then I went on to talk about the psychological reason she was being compelled to rush to Kohl's right away. It was a pointless effort!
My daughter ended up with new winter coat- and we even purchased one of my sons some new house shoes.
Even though retailers have been using this psychological principle for more years than I care to count, it still works on intelligent and rational people.
Eighteen years ago I discovered the why and how behind several extremely powerful psychological tools of influence- and I can't keep them to myself any longer. If you want to learn these tools, sign up for my free teleseminar series.
You can enroll by subscribing to my blog with your email address in the next column. See it? It's right under my profile. I look forward to hearing your voice on the call.
With your success in mind,
Ron
"Your daughter needs a new winter coat Ron and Kohl's is having a 50% off sale on winter coat's starting today!"
It was pointless for me to interject that the promotion was just that - a promotion. Then I went on to talk about the psychological reason she was being compelled to rush to Kohl's right away. It was a pointless effort!
My daughter ended up with new winter coat- and we even purchased one of my sons some new house shoes.
Even though retailers have been using this psychological principle for more years than I care to count, it still works on intelligent and rational people.
Eighteen years ago I discovered the why and how behind several extremely powerful psychological tools of influence- and I can't keep them to myself any longer. If you want to learn these tools, sign up for my free teleseminar series.
You can enroll by subscribing to my blog with your email address in the next column. See it? It's right under my profile. I look forward to hearing your voice on the call.
With your success in mind,
Ron
Saturday, January 13, 2007
How to Grow Your IT Company's Client Base Fast
Forbes reported that customer acquisition cost can be 5 times higher than a campaign focused on reselling existing customers. However, it is necessary for businesses to continually invest in methods that will bring in new customers. How to get new customers without losing your shirt is the question.
Over the years I've learned numerous methods, concepts, and
techniques that can stimulate the growth of any company's
database. Each and every one of the tactics is powerful.
More importantly, they will cost you virtually nothing.
Here are just a few I used to quickly grow an IT technical
training company's client base.
When I took on SAEG, Inc, an IT technical training and
consulting firm, Mr. Ben Greenwood's company was surviving
off of one client-- Executrain of Tulsa. Although he had
provided excellent training for Executrain, their own
clients were tightening their purse strings-- and as you
might imagine, that meant less and less training dollars
for SAEG.
Fortunately, to Mr. Greenwood's credit (for he had received
such rave reviews from class participants, as well as
Executrain's General and Territory Managers) I was able to
easily get the following testimonial:
"On behalf of Executrain of Tulsa, I would like to express
my greatest appreciation for the hard work and effort put
forth by Mr. Benjamin Greenwood. Mr. Greenwood's company
SAEG, Inc. has delivered some of the finest quality
technical training our customers have experienced in the
Tulsa market.
Mr. Greenwood has provided consultative support to my sales
staff and delivered training to our largest enterprises
clients. SAEG has the ability to deliver MOC Development,
MOC SQL, MOC XML and customized curriculum with the highest
quality reviews from our customers.
I strongly recommend using Mr. Greenwood and the training
staff of SAEG, Inc., to increase your technical training
market share in your city."
Scott Weisberg,
Territory Manager,
Executrain Tulsa
That's a powerful testimonial, isn't it? After I received
the testimonial, I quickly sent it out as a part of a
follow up email to companies that were considering using
SAEG. The result?
The phone rang a few minutes after sending the email and
Mr. Greenwood closed his first deal. Later in the day, he
signed on another client... and within 48 hours, he signed
on two more clients.
In the days following, Mr. Greenwood conducted training for
the IT staff at FedEx, Goldman Sachs, Land's End, Bank of
Oklahoma and many others.
Here's what Mr. Greenwood had to say about me:
"After deciding that I wanted more IT technical training
contracts, my next step was to find someone who could make
that happen. Ron implemented a simple, easily duplicable
selling system that tripled my client base in 6 weeks."
Ben Greenwood, President,
SAEG, Inc.
Can I triple your client or customer base?
You can apply for my "Pay-for-Results Only" strategic
marketing advisory and implementation service to find out.
It's free.
But before you can get to that step post a comment to this
post, so that I can learn about you, your company and your
products or services.
I look forward to learning about your unique, specific
situation. Have a great day!
With your success in mind,
Ron
P.S. Be sure to reserve your spot for the free Direct
Marketing Direct Teleseminar Developed to Multiply Small
Businesses' Revenues.
To reserve your FREE spot on the call subscribe to my post
notification list. See over there to your right. It's
right under my photo.
Act quickly - only 100 business owners or professional
service providers will be able to reserve a spot. No sales
pitch will be made.
Friday, January 12, 2007
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
12 Customer Retention Tactics
Anyone who owns a business wants to increase profits and
grow revenues by leaps and bounds. Too many business owners,
CEOs, presidents, and (sad to say) marketing execs want to
accomplish those outcomes by primarily acquiring new
customers. Unfortunately, as you may remember from one of my
previous post, the expenditure required to capture greater
market share is enormous.
Here's some good news.
That's exciting, isn't it?
So, what does it take to reduce attrition or increase
retention?
Over the years I've discovered that one of the simplest
methods is staying in contact with your customers or clients
by phone and/or personally visiting their office. Although I
could leave you with that one bit of advice and go to bed
right now, I've decided to list some customer/client
retention tactics just for you. Don't you feel special?
Customer/Client Retention Tactics
#1. Articles in which you're mentioned that contain useful
information.
#2. Article published by you that contain beneficial
information for your customers/clients.
#3. White paper or primer on issues of interest.
#4. Testimonial letters from satisfied customers/clients.
#5. Tickets to a ball game, seminar, play or special event.
I'm not done yet!
#6. Post cards from business trips or vacation
#7. Holiday, Birthday, and Thank You cards.
#8. Give a referral
#9. Invite customers/clients feedback on product development
or improvement of existing product.
#10. Invite customers/clients to speak on panels.
#11. Schedule a monthly, quarterly, or annual
customer/client appreciation luncheon or dinner.
#12. Conduct award ceremonies for your most successful
customers/clients.
I could list a couple dozen more if I wasn't exhausted. This
list serves as a good starting point, doesn't it? By the
way, it would be a good idea to schedule the tactics in your
contact management software. That way, you have a systematic
reminder of what to do, who to do it for, and when.
If I'm not mistaken, I just heard a tall glass of apple
juice call out my name. Gotta go. Good night!
With your success in mind,
Ron
P.S. I've discovered concepts that I can't keep to myself.
Concepts that will produce at least twice as much profit
than you're currently earning and help you sell more customers
than anyone else in your industry. Would you like to learn
the concepts from me before paying me a dime?
Enter your email address in the "Yes, Ron I want to
be notified of new posts!" field just below my profile and
you'll be alerted about the upcoming release of my new
product - MMX3.
grow revenues by leaps and bounds. Too many business owners,
CEOs, presidents, and (sad to say) marketing execs want to
accomplish those outcomes by primarily acquiring new
customers. Unfortunately, as you may remember from one of my
previous post, the expenditure required to capture greater
market share is enormous.
Here's some good news.
According to Fred Reichheld, author of the Loyalty Effect and widely recognized as one of the world's leading authorities on business loyalty, a five percentage point increase in customer retention in a typical company will increase profits by more than 25%, and growth by more than 100%!
That's exciting, isn't it?
So, what does it take to reduce attrition or increase
retention?
Over the years I've discovered that one of the simplest
methods is staying in contact with your customers or clients
by phone and/or personally visiting their office. Although I
could leave you with that one bit of advice and go to bed
right now, I've decided to list some customer/client
retention tactics just for you. Don't you feel special?
Customer/Client Retention Tactics
#1. Articles in which you're mentioned that contain useful
information.
#2. Article published by you that contain beneficial
information for your customers/clients.
#3. White paper or primer on issues of interest.
#4. Testimonial letters from satisfied customers/clients.
#5. Tickets to a ball game, seminar, play or special event.
I'm not done yet!
#6. Post cards from business trips or vacation
#7. Holiday, Birthday, and Thank You cards.
#8. Give a referral
#9. Invite customers/clients feedback on product development
or improvement of existing product.
#10. Invite customers/clients to speak on panels.
#11. Schedule a monthly, quarterly, or annual
customer/client appreciation luncheon or dinner.
#12. Conduct award ceremonies for your most successful
customers/clients.
I could list a couple dozen more if I wasn't exhausted. This
list serves as a good starting point, doesn't it? By the
way, it would be a good idea to schedule the tactics in your
contact management software. That way, you have a systematic
reminder of what to do, who to do it for, and when.
If I'm not mistaken, I just heard a tall glass of apple
juice call out my name. Gotta go. Good night!
With your success in mind,
Ron
P.S. I've discovered concepts that I can't keep to myself.
Concepts that will produce at least twice as much profit
than you're currently earning and help you sell more customers
than anyone else in your industry. Would you like to learn
the concepts from me before paying me a dime?
Enter your email address in the "Yes, Ron I want to
be notified of new posts!" field just below my profile and
you'll be alerted about the upcoming release of my new
product - MMX3.
Friday, January 5, 2007
Profit From Your Competitors
I have a "Honey Do" to complete, so I'll make this a quick
post!
Stop wishing that your competitors would go out of
business. Offer to buy their unsold leads- and sell them
yours. Negotiate a fair percentage to pay each other on all
sales made to the unsold leads.
Financial Services Company Pays Competitors
A client of mine who owns a financial services company
pays competitors on a sliding scale. For instance, if he
has to invest a considerable amount of time and effort in
working on a deal, he charges the competitor a 50% profit
share. Isn't that fair?
Jump start your sales by sending out a MarCom recommending
your competitor. Of course, you must honestly believe
that your competitor will render better service or achieve
more favorable results.
Want another example? Read on.
Heating and Air Company Gets Referrals From
Competitors
A savvy heating and air business owner decided to start a
duct service. In addition to marketing the service to his
own customers, he went to competiting heating and air
business owners to hammer out an agreement to solicit
their customers. They agreed because he signed a contract
stating that he would only solicit their customers for duct
cleaning. (Source: The Abraham Group)
The bottom line is you and your competition can...
Help Each Other Succeed
You have a different perspective about your competition now,
right? Do you see how it's possible to help each other
earn more profit? That's better than losing all the money
from the transaction, isn't it? More importantly, your
customers will be happier and more satisfied with the
transaction.
Listen, I'm certain that what you just read works. So this
isn't an attempt to validate a theory that may help your
business. Judge for yourself!
What are you waiting on? Call your competition today and
strike up a deal or two to test out this business building
technique today. Have fun!
Warmly,
Ron
P.S. Be sure to get your free copy of my Discover The
Unlimited Wealth Hidden In Your Business audio ($39 Value)
by signing up to be notified of the next time I post something
on themarketingpro.blogspot.com
post!
Stop wishing that your competitors would go out of
business. Offer to buy their unsold leads- and sell them
yours. Negotiate a fair percentage to pay each other on all
sales made to the unsold leads.
Financial Services Company Pays Competitors
A client of mine who owns a financial services company
pays competitors on a sliding scale. For instance, if he
has to invest a considerable amount of time and effort in
working on a deal, he charges the competitor a 50% profit
share. Isn't that fair?
Jump start your sales by sending out a MarCom recommending
your competitor. Of course, you must honestly believe
that your competitor will render better service or achieve
more favorable results.
Want another example? Read on.
Heating and Air Company Gets Referrals From
Competitors
A savvy heating and air business owner decided to start a
duct service. In addition to marketing the service to his
own customers, he went to competiting heating and air
business owners to hammer out an agreement to solicit
their customers. They agreed because he signed a contract
stating that he would only solicit their customers for duct
cleaning. (Source: The Abraham Group)
The bottom line is you and your competition can...
Help Each Other Succeed
You have a different perspective about your competition now,
right? Do you see how it's possible to help each other
earn more profit? That's better than losing all the money
from the transaction, isn't it? More importantly, your
customers will be happier and more satisfied with the
transaction.
Listen, I'm certain that what you just read works. So this
isn't an attempt to validate a theory that may help your
business. Judge for yourself!
What are you waiting on? Call your competition today and
strike up a deal or two to test out this business building
technique today. Have fun!
Warmly,
Ron
P.S. Be sure to get your free copy of my Discover The
Unlimited Wealth Hidden In Your Business audio ($39 Value)
by signing up to be notified of the next time I post something
on themarketingpro.blogspot.com
Thursday, January 4, 2007
Pump Up Your Profits Today
I'm excited about this post because it reveals two of the
simplest and easiest methods to increase your profits -
quickly.
One of the methods is what I used to grow one of my
mortgage company clients transactional profit 242% on some
deals. And get this. His clients loved us for it!
Why? The additional service relieved his clients of a
tremedous burden. Anyway, I'm honor bound not to disclose
the specific service we provided. I can't even mention my
clients company name.
Can Similar Success Be Yours?
I can't promise you will experience similar or better
results. I'm unfamiliar with your specific products and/or
services. I don't know if you have a great relationship
with your customers or clients.
But I highly recommend you give it a shot. So you won't
hate your yourself for not having tried.
Hold on to your hat and let's get started!
By the way, I've only divulged this information to my
clients or implemented it on their behalf. So I'd love to
hear from you about your success. I'd also appreciate you
notifing your family members, friends, and customers who
can benefit from learning how to...
...sell more products and services ....sell to more
people ....sell more quickly and sell more cost effectively
about themarketingpro.blogspot.com.
Let's begin.
Smartest, Fastest, and Safest Source of Higher Profits
Selling more to your existing and past clients is the
smartest, fastest, and safest source of higher profits -
but an activity that's even smarter, faster, and safer is...
Implementing an ongoing upsell and cross sell program that
capitalizes on the fact that the easiest person to sell
more of your products or services to is an existing
customer right at the time his buying from you...which is
also known as the point of sale.
The beauty of upselling and cross selling is that they
cost you absolutely nothing to put into action...and they
take little time to implement.
Can You Put Yourself Into This Picture?
Pretend you're in a bookstore. And you're standing at the
counter ready to pay for Brian Tracy's book, Victory. The
clerk notices your purchase and proceeds to say...
"Because you are buying Brian Tracy's book, you can get a
40% discount on the audio program by Mr. Tracy and any
other book of your choice. Okay?"
How would you respond?
Fact: 3 Out of 10 Respond Favorably
Statistics show that 30% of the people made this type of
offer will buy the additional items. Now you'll want to
use a product that has a high profit margin so not to lose
money on the transaction.
What impact would having 3 out of 10 people buy an
additional product do to your profit margin? Keep in mind
that this additional item is something they weren't going
to buy before it was offered to them.
Offer the next 10 customers buying something an additional
item at the point of sale - and see how many say yes. Start
with something that is a small added cost. Then work on
adding higher priced items to the point of sale promotion.
Putting a simple upsell or cross sell process into place
as quickly as possible is a critical component for
increasing your profits at warp speed. Again, I'd
appreciate you sharing any successes that you experience
from implementing what you learn on...
themarketingpro.blogspot.com.
And, please don't keep this blog a secret. Tell everyone
you know who owns a business, except your competition.
Have fun!
Warmly,
Ron
simplest and easiest methods to increase your profits -
quickly.
One of the methods is what I used to grow one of my
mortgage company clients transactional profit 242% on some
deals. And get this. His clients loved us for it!
Why? The additional service relieved his clients of a
tremedous burden. Anyway, I'm honor bound not to disclose
the specific service we provided. I can't even mention my
clients company name.
Can Similar Success Be Yours?
I can't promise you will experience similar or better
results. I'm unfamiliar with your specific products and/or
services. I don't know if you have a great relationship
with your customers or clients.
But I highly recommend you give it a shot. So you won't
hate your yourself for not having tried.
Hold on to your hat and let's get started!
By the way, I've only divulged this information to my
clients or implemented it on their behalf. So I'd love to
hear from you about your success. I'd also appreciate you
notifing your family members, friends, and customers who
can benefit from learning how to...
...sell more products and services ....sell to more
people ....sell more quickly and sell more cost effectively
about themarketingpro.blogspot.com.
Let's begin.
Smartest, Fastest, and Safest Source of Higher Profits
Selling more to your existing and past clients is the
smartest, fastest, and safest source of higher profits -
but an activity that's even smarter, faster, and safer is...
Implementing an ongoing upsell and cross sell program that
capitalizes on the fact that the easiest person to sell
more of your products or services to is an existing
customer right at the time his buying from you...which is
also known as the point of sale.
The beauty of upselling and cross selling is that they
cost you absolutely nothing to put into action...and they
take little time to implement.
Can You Put Yourself Into This Picture?
Pretend you're in a bookstore. And you're standing at the
counter ready to pay for Brian Tracy's book, Victory. The
clerk notices your purchase and proceeds to say...
"Because you are buying Brian Tracy's book, you can get a
40% discount on the audio program by Mr. Tracy and any
other book of your choice. Okay?"
How would you respond?
Fact: 3 Out of 10 Respond Favorably
Statistics show that 30% of the people made this type of
offer will buy the additional items. Now you'll want to
use a product that has a high profit margin so not to lose
money on the transaction.
What impact would having 3 out of 10 people buy an
additional product do to your profit margin? Keep in mind
that this additional item is something they weren't going
to buy before it was offered to them.
Offer the next 10 customers buying something an additional
item at the point of sale - and see how many say yes. Start
with something that is a small added cost. Then work on
adding higher priced items to the point of sale promotion.
Putting a simple upsell or cross sell process into place
as quickly as possible is a critical component for
increasing your profits at warp speed. Again, I'd
appreciate you sharing any successes that you experience
from implementing what you learn on...
themarketingpro.blogspot.com.
And, please don't keep this blog a secret. Tell everyone
you know who owns a business, except your competition.
Have fun!
Warmly,
Ron
Monday, January 1, 2007
"You Can Lower Customer Acquistion Cost!"
What is one of the best ways to lower customer acquisition
cost? You already know the answer. You just haven't
implemented it yet.
What is it?
Formalized referral system! Why? Compared to the amount of
time, effort, and money you spend on conventional,
externally focused advertising, marketing and selling
activities, developing formalized referral systems would
require a fraction of that time and money - and the bottom
line results would be significantly more rewarding.
What You're Missing Out On
Take a look at how many referrals you accidentally get
right now, then multiply that number by ten. Then double
your answer. And then redouble that answer. You would be
looking at the potential increase in customers and profits
your business could be enjoying today. But you can't expect
that to happen without having a formalized, systematic, and
perpetual referral system.
Shorten the Selling Cycle, Increase Closure
Rate, and Optimize Profitability
Generally speaking, when dealing with people who have been
referred, you can expect a shorter selling cycle, a much
higher closing ratio—and no squabbling over price. With
that said, let me give you some examples of formal referral
systems used by me -and clients I’ve advised over the
years. In addition to that, I’ll give you some referral
systems examples I discovered during my research of
companies in a few different industries.
This process will undoubtedly assist you in putting
together your own referral system that will be an integral
part of your ongoing success.
Referral System Success Stories
Several years ago I gave a dear friend and client two hours
of my time to give away to anyone who would be an ideal
client for my company. As a part of my agreement with my
client, I made a promise not to attempt to sell his
referral my products or services—but would treat the
interaction as if I had already been compensated for it.
Before long, I found myself consulting Bill Emerson, V.P.
of Sales of Rock Financial which is now owned by Quicken
Loans. Needless to say, it was an opportunity that I would
not have had, if I hadn’t implemented that simple referral
method. By the way, Bill Emerson is the CEO of Quicken
Loans now.
Anyway, I still use a variation of that same method today.
If you are the decisionmaker of a B2B type company, I may
be willing to give you several hours of my time to give
away. Email at ron(at)bbgs.us to move forward. I guarantee
you will benefit from the goodwill that your customers feel
because of your “gift”.
Think about it. How many of your competitors are only
asking for more business? All that their customers hear is
“give me, give me, give me” and not “here’s a gift to grow
your sales and profits”.
Whether you take advantage of my offer or not, you must do
something to set yourself apart in the minds of your
customers. Stated differently, make a concerted effort to
surpass your customers expectations by selflessly giving
them gifts to improve their bottom line. Will you do that?
Moving on.
Here’s another referral method I’ve used to successfully
promote my services. Last year, when I had time to take on
a few new clients, I gave a copy of my tapes to someone who
knows a few business owners in Tulsa. I’m grateful to
report that three out of those four companies referred to
me became clients.
Mortgage Company Generates 393% More
Referrals
The owner of a mortgage company I advised made his business
more profitable by following this one piece of advice:
“Have your loan officers tell clients in their initial
meeting that any referrals they would their own
transaction. Having an abundance of referrals would mean
that the loan officers wouldn’t have to spend so much time
attempting to get new clients.”
Compared to the amount of referrals given last year, during
that same period, my client’s referrals went up an
astounding 393.6%!
Referrals Overwhelm Mortgage Company
I advised yet another mortgage company to start having
prospective borrowers fill out a form that asked for
referrals prior to meeting with a loan officer. It worked
like a charm. They ended up with so many referrals that
they couldn’t follow-up on them all. Let me tell you, that
is a high quality problem!
Personal and Professional Development Company
Referrel Program Too Successful
A friend and client of mine who owns a personal and
professional development company attributes 95 percent of
his business to referrals. In October 2003, he had to
discontinue one of his referral methods because it was too
successful. Can you imagine? “What was the referral
method?” you ask. He allowed paid attendees of his 45 day,
tele-coaching program to invite guests to listen in on one
of the calls.
As you think about referral systems, keep in mind that they
don’t have to be complicated. The biggest commonality of
successful referral systems is they offer the person
referring some kind of a reward, benefit, or advantage.
Take time to generate ideas for three or four referral
systems for your company right now—and implement at least
one right away.
cost? You already know the answer. You just haven't
implemented it yet.
What is it?
Formalized referral system! Why? Compared to the amount of
time, effort, and money you spend on conventional,
externally focused advertising, marketing and selling
activities, developing formalized referral systems would
require a fraction of that time and money - and the bottom
line results would be significantly more rewarding.
What You're Missing Out On
Take a look at how many referrals you accidentally get
right now, then multiply that number by ten. Then double
your answer. And then redouble that answer. You would be
looking at the potential increase in customers and profits
your business could be enjoying today. But you can't expect
that to happen without having a formalized, systematic, and
perpetual referral system.
Shorten the Selling Cycle, Increase Closure
Rate, and Optimize Profitability
Generally speaking, when dealing with people who have been
referred, you can expect a shorter selling cycle, a much
higher closing ratio—and no squabbling over price. With
that said, let me give you some examples of formal referral
systems used by me -and clients I’ve advised over the
years. In addition to that, I’ll give you some referral
systems examples I discovered during my research of
companies in a few different industries.
This process will undoubtedly assist you in putting
together your own referral system that will be an integral
part of your ongoing success.
Referral System Success Stories
Several years ago I gave a dear friend and client two hours
of my time to give away to anyone who would be an ideal
client for my company. As a part of my agreement with my
client, I made a promise not to attempt to sell his
referral my products or services—but would treat the
interaction as if I had already been compensated for it.
Before long, I found myself consulting Bill Emerson, V.P.
of Sales of Rock Financial which is now owned by Quicken
Loans. Needless to say, it was an opportunity that I would
not have had, if I hadn’t implemented that simple referral
method. By the way, Bill Emerson is the CEO of Quicken
Loans now.
Anyway, I still use a variation of that same method today.
If you are the decisionmaker of a B2B type company, I may
be willing to give you several hours of my time to give
away. Email at ron(at)bbgs.us to move forward. I guarantee
you will benefit from the goodwill that your customers feel
because of your “gift”.
Think about it. How many of your competitors are only
asking for more business? All that their customers hear is
“give me, give me, give me” and not “here’s a gift to grow
your sales and profits”.
Whether you take advantage of my offer or not, you must do
something to set yourself apart in the minds of your
customers. Stated differently, make a concerted effort to
surpass your customers expectations by selflessly giving
them gifts to improve their bottom line. Will you do that?
Moving on.
Here’s another referral method I’ve used to successfully
promote my services. Last year, when I had time to take on
a few new clients, I gave a copy of my tapes to someone who
knows a few business owners in Tulsa. I’m grateful to
report that three out of those four companies referred to
me became clients.
Mortgage Company Generates 393% More
Referrals
The owner of a mortgage company I advised made his business
more profitable by following this one piece of advice:
“Have your loan officers tell clients in their initial
meeting that any referrals they would their own
transaction. Having an abundance of referrals would mean
that the loan officers wouldn’t have to spend so much time
attempting to get new clients.”
Compared to the amount of referrals given last year, during
that same period, my client’s referrals went up an
astounding 393.6%!
Referrals Overwhelm Mortgage Company
I advised yet another mortgage company to start having
prospective borrowers fill out a form that asked for
referrals prior to meeting with a loan officer. It worked
like a charm. They ended up with so many referrals that
they couldn’t follow-up on them all. Let me tell you, that
is a high quality problem!
Personal and Professional Development Company
Referrel Program Too Successful
A friend and client of mine who owns a personal and
professional development company attributes 95 percent of
his business to referrals. In October 2003, he had to
discontinue one of his referral methods because it was too
successful. Can you imagine? “What was the referral
method?” you ask. He allowed paid attendees of his 45 day,
tele-coaching program to invite guests to listen in on one
of the calls.
As you think about referral systems, keep in mind that they
don’t have to be complicated. The biggest commonality of
successful referral systems is they offer the person
referring some kind of a reward, benefit, or advantage.
Take time to generate ideas for three or four referral
systems for your company right now—and implement at least
one right away.
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