More than LUCK!

That what gets written ... gets done!

I am a true believer in this statement. Just three days ago, I bought this 1991 Harley Davidson Sportster 883!!! A dream come true ... a personal goal for 2007 met at the end of 2006!

I am so psyched that I can hardly stand it. I ask myself ... how did this happen? One way ... that what gets written, gets done.

I wrote down that I wanted a Harley before I was 50! I added it to my personal introduction so that as I was introduced by other people, I could hear it being said to validate my intentions. I told everyone I knew that I wanted a Harley. It became my goal for 2007. As luck would have it, this beautiful bike showed up on Ebay (yes, Ebay) at the right time. However, it was more than LUCK. I believe that things happen for a reason. I created the intention to own this bike.

Imagine what can happen to your business if you create the intention to grow your business by word of mouth? Imagine if you created the intention to never ever place another cold call?

Write it down. Set the goal. Turn the intention into reality. I did. Can you see me smiling?

Building Team Spirit!

TEAM ... Together Everyone Achieves More!

Think about how this applies to referral marketing and more specifically, YOUR referral marketing team. How do you build team spirit so that other people want to bring you business?

Team spirit doesn't just happen. The team leader (you) must provide the motivation and incentive to reach the target goal of the team. What is the target goal of the team? If you can't answer that question, that's where you need to start. Do you want to generate referrals for each other? How many? by when? How many new clients do you want to find for your team members in 2007? Is this a part of your business goals? Why not?

In referral marketing, in order for your team to ultimately generate more referrals, the team members must spend time together to build a bond of friendship, trust, and credibilty. I am constantly looking for ways to bring my team members together. Sometimes I organize a function and other times, I encourage that all of us attend something together. Whatever it is, your team needs to be motivated and inspired. When you accomplish this ... you create team spirit! When you have team spirit, together you really do achieve more!

What do you do to motivate your referral team?

Dollar for Dollar

I have belonged to BNI in Western Pennsylvania for about 4 years. My chapter is called the Circle of Excellence. We currently have 38 members. I have watched this chapter grow and flourish. As a member, I have served on several leadership teams and helped this chapter to achieve our regions Chapter of the Year Award for THREE years in a row! I thought that was quite an accomplishment ... until now.

This week, my chapter of 38 professionals surpassed the $500,000 mark (that's HALF A MILLION DOLLARS) of net income generated by members for other members in qualified referrals in 2006! Dollar for dollar, one chair in my BNI chapter is worth $13,158! That's not a bad average return on the investment into a networking group. I don't know of any other networking group, as a whole, that can quantify business results that even come close to BNI.

How did we do it? It's easy ... we followed the system that BNI puts into place. We spend time together outside the meeting to learn how to refer each other. Education and learning is only part of it ... the proof is in the action. This group of professionals care about each other enough to act every day on behalf of someone else.

If you've not heard of BNI, you must be under a rock. Check out the link to my region. Deanna and Bob Schmitt, the Directors of my region, live by the giver's gain philosophy and would be happy to introduce you to the most profitable networking organization in history!

If you are in BNI, tell me about your chapter successes!

Shelf Life

FRUIT CAKE ...

What's the shelf life of the traditional holiday fruit cake? It depends on who you ask! Most people that I know really don't like it and would probably keep it on the shelf for a long time. That's if it actually even stays on the shelf and doesn't find itself in the trash can. Logistically, fruit cake can have a shelf life of 4 months to a year ... depending on how much whiskey it contains!

What's the shelf life of your clients? Well, that depends on if that client came to you from an ad, a cold call or a referral. Studies have shown that a client that comes to you from a referral source typically will stay with you longer than the others, all else being equal. A referred client enters the relationship with you at a much higher level automatically since they were recommended by someone they know and trust. This person will also hold onto your business card longer and be more inclined to refer you as well.

So, think about it. If you want clients that have a long shelf life, like fruit cake, work your network to get more clients referred to you!

What's In It For Me?

What's in it for me?

From my perspective, so much of our society revolves around those 5 words. It's an underlying motivation in so many things. How does it impact referral relationships? I've met people that believe the only way someone will pass them a referral is to pay them for it ... literally. "I'll pay you $100 for each referral that you give me."

Personally, I believe that there's a better way. I believe that if you are proactive and offer your help to people often enough, they will offer to help you in return. I believe that if you give referrals to someone freely and genuinely because you honestly care enough to WANT to help their business, that person will return the favor to honor your relationship and keep it flourishing.

I don't need to get paid to give someone a referral. If I like you, trust you, and respect you enough ... you will get my help from the heart. A strong relationship is incentive enough for me!

What incentives do you offer for referrals?

Foreign Languages Kill Referrals!

You say "brolly", I say "umbrella".
You say "flat", I say "apartment".
You say "loo", I say "bathroom".

What does this have to do with eliminating cold calls? My British friend, Joe Gater, president of Emerge Consulting, Inc., speaks the same language as I do (English) however, on occasion, our wires get crossed! You can probably see why.

Have you ever felt like people just don't have any idea what you do? I suspect you're speaking their natural language, however you may still be speaking another language to them called JARGON! Only you and those in your industry understand jargon. It's a foreign language to the rest of us.

If you want to increase your chances of getting more referrals by word of mouth, your message about your business must be simple, concise and free of jargon. When you can accomplish all three of these, it increases the chance that your message will be passed on to someone else. If you don't ... it won't ... and so goes your word of mouth marketing campaign and success.

Don't let this foreign language kill your chances for referrals! Simplify and specify.

Family Connections

At this time of year, families seem to find themselves gathered around a dinner table, a card table or football game. For me, the family becomes the center of alot of activities. How much of the discussions focus on business? If you're like the average person, not much.

For whatever reason, we rarely talk to our families about what we do from 9-5pm or 6-7pm for alot of sole proprietors I know. This is the perfect time of year to talk about what we do and how we help our clients to the other members of our family. Why?

Let's look at the numbers.

Perhaps you have 3 adult siblings. Each of them like you and trust your work. Each of them know roughly 275 people from their own network of contacts. That's 825 people who right now know virtually nothing about your business. If you tapped 2% of that potential, it could lead you to 16 potential prospects. If you made $1000 per closed deal, that could be $16,000. See what you're missing? Your sibling(s) could become your best word of mouth marketing agents ... especially if he/she really understood the benefit you bring to your clients. And incedently, you should return the favor for them as well!

What kind of business opportunities came your way from family members?

Setting Course

It's time to set a course for 2007! Believe it or not, it's just around the corner!

This past weekend, I was at a retreat for the BNI Directors in Western Pennsylvania. Our main focus of the weekend was to spend time on our own businesses and to learn more about each other in the process. Frank DeRaffele, Jr. President of ProActive Consulting, Inc. facilitated the retreat.

Here are questions that Frank had us consider with respect to our 2007 goals:

1. Where are you now?
2. How did you get to where you are now?
3. Where do you want to be next?
4. What are the things you have to put in place to achieve your "next"?
5. What are the specific action steps you have to take to make your "what's" happen?
6. Most importantly, "why" are you going to make your "what's" happen?
7. What will it feel like to achieve the results you desire?

If you are setting goals for your business, why not set marketing goals too? In fact, why not set word of mouth marketing goals for your business? Why not set referral marketing goals for your business?

Consider the significance of these questions as they relate to all your 2007 goals, but in particular, your word of mouth marketing goals!

Hunter or Farmer?

Tomorrow is the first day of antlered deer season in Pennsylvania. Thousands of hunters will be tramping through the forests in search of their trophy bucks and venison for the winter. Many of them will go through the entire day without ever even seeing a buck at all. Many will go through the entire season without ever seeing an elusive buck! Without luck in their corner, the season will end with no success.

In business, you have a choice. You can be a hunter or a farmer. Hunters search and search the fields of people always hunting for someone to buy their products. They hunt ... they hunt ... and they hunt. Many times, they do this alone, just like the hunters in the woods. Many times, without any success.

In my opionion, the better choice is to become a farmer! Farmers plant the seeds first and harvest a bountiful crop later. Farmers nurture their crop, knowing that if they do, it will provide for a long winters feast. Business owners who become farmers nurture their network. They help people in need, planting their seeds, knowing that in return, they will help them as well. This strategy will always provide for a bountiful crop of business opportunities and future referrals. The farmer does not need to rely on luck at all ... but instead relys on his/her ability to plant the right seeds and nurture the crop.

If you're a "farmer", how do you nurture your network?

I Want That Too!

It's the day after Thanksgiving ... BLACK FRIDAY! Millions of people will be in the shopping mood today and flocked to the best sales in town. Millions of people wait in urnest to see what goes on sale and what time the stores open. People will be waiting in line for the doors to open and cramming into the stores.

What does this have to do with referral marketing? Imagine what woud happen to your business if you had people lined up at the door, filling your pipeline to the point of overflow! Imagine if ALL of these people came to you because of people they spoke to who were shouting your praises as loudly as Paul Revere! That's referral marketing working at its best.

Just the other day, I had an educational preview for Certified Networker and there were nearly 20 people there ... all people who had heard about Certified Networker from someone else (mostly my Paul Revere-like graduates). I had never met most of these people before that day. Now, all of them in one day, entered into my pipeline. My word of mouth marketing team is working on my behalf!

Who do you have on your word of mouth (WOM) team? Are they bringing people to your door like it's Black Friday?

A Time of THANKS!

Thanksgiving is almost here. I can practically smell the turkey and homemade pumpkin pie ... I mean really homemade ... starting with the actual pumpkin from the field ... not a can.

I'm sure that in your life, as in mine, you can find many, many things to be thankful for this year. But, for now, let's focus on your business life. Who really deserves to be thanked in a special way for helping you with your business? How do you plan to show your appreciation to your customers and clients for putting their faith and trust in you? How will you recognize those who have sent you referrals this year?

I personally like to take the creative approach. Here are five things that worked for me:

1. Host a Dream Book seminar for your clients (if you want to know more, click on Dream Book)
2. Connect with a chiropractor to give free back massages to your best client
3. Offer a free service for your referral partners
4. Host a networking party to thank your referral partners and make specific introductions
5. Send your clients a gift certificate to one of your most significant referral partners

What's your most creative idea for thanking clients or referral partners?

A Lesson from Forrest Gump!

When's the last time you struck up conversation with someone on a park bench, in an elevator or in a waiting room? Now that you're an adult, it's okay to talk to strangers. Forest did all the time. When you stop to think about it, everyone you know were strangers at some point. Right? Even your significant other was a stranger at one point. You just never know who might be sitting next to you and where they might take you if you say hello.

Imagine if you KNEW that the person sitting next to you was about to become your best client. Imagine if you KNEW that the person sitting next to you could lead you to a mult-million dollar deal? Imagine if you KNEW that the person sitting next to you could be helped immensely by someone that you know.

Would you act? Would you say hello? Would you engage them in conversation like Forest Gump did every time someone sat next to him on the park bench? I hope you said "yes" to all. As you begin to encounter even more people throughout the hustling of the season, stop long enough to engage in a conversation with a stranger. You never know who's sitting or standing right next to you!!

What's your best story about saying "hello" to someone you didn't know?

An Easy Way to Keep In Touch!

Do you like to get a card in the mail? I remember even as a kid how excited I would get when there was a card in the mail for me. Even today, I love to get cards!

This past week, at the BNI International Conference in Long Beach, I became more aware of a wonderful company called SendOutCards.com. SendOutCards have created a great system that can help all of us as busy people to send out more cards to those that mean the most to us. Imagine never forgetting a birthday again. Imagine not needing to run around the house trying to find a stamp ... thereby sending your cards out five days late. SendOutCards solves those problems and more. And ... talk about emotional based marketing theme ... the owner has a lump in your troat story of WHY he started the business!

When it comes to referral marketing, showing appreciation to your referral sources is key ... a card of thanks is one thing that is easy to do and it has a high ROI.

So, check it out ... SendOutCards.com and see if it could calm some of the craziness in your life too. And, don't forget to tell 'em where you heard about it first!

It's All Your Fault!

When's the last time someone said to you, "it's all your fault!"

Well, this time, they're right! Especially when it comes to referral marketing. In referral marketing, if you're not getting the referrals you would like, guess what? It's all your fault!
There's a hard lesson to be learned here. However, you don't always need to view that phrase from the negative side of it.

Consider this ... if you're getting all the referrals that you could possibly want, most likely, it's because you're doing something right. Hopefully, you know what that is so you can continue to do it and get the results that you have come to expect. If you don't, you can rest assured that when your train reaches the station, the ride will end.

Believe it or not, it IS possible to create a referral system in order for you to be able to predict where and when your referrals will come to you. That's a good thing ... and it's all your fault for implementing a referral marketing system that works! Tracking this system will help to ensure that your train ride will continue on to lands of prosperity.

How are your referrals (or lack thereof) "all your fault"?

POP!

Anyone that knows me well knows that reading books is not one of my all time favorite things to do. Typically, my favorite books are those that add immediate value to my life. I've mentioned a few different books recently and now I want to spotlight one more.

"POP! Stand Out in Any Crowd" by Sam Horn was recommended to me by Debby Peters in Ohio. And, I can't thank her enough. This book has lit a creativity fire in my brain that I haven't experienced in some time. As it says on it's cover, "this book will revolutionize how you use words" to descibe your business. It gives you exercises to stimulate your verbage so that you stand out in the crowd instead of blending in with your competition. This one book is helping me to do for myself what I teach other people to do for their business. I have begun to promote this book to my students as a way to expand on what they are learning in Certified Networker.

If you want to read more comments on this book, check out Debby's blogsite www.cnpofohio.blogspot.com as she plans to spotlight it as well.

Statistics on "IT"

I read these statistics from an article in the September 2006 Agent's Sales Journal entitled, "No More Cold Calls, How to Generate More Referrals" by Joanne Black. You can understand why someone forwarded me this publication.

63% of salespeople say IT is what they most dislike about their jobs ...
91% of consumers never respond to IT ...
71% of consumers find IT annoying ...
88% of buyers will have nothing to do with IT ...
(sorry, I don't know the source of these statistics)

What is "IT"? A COLD CALL.

I just don't understand why people still insist on annoying 71% of their potential buyers!
I suspect the very same people who are asking their sales people to make cold calls most likely fall into the statistics mentioned above.

If you haven't heard ... generating business by referrals is a better way of doing business that shortens the sales cycle, increases your credibility, builds stronger business relationships, and increases your profitability. If you still doubt the possibilities, check out the programs offered by Referral Institute!

Why would anyone waste their time doing anything else?

Miniature Billboards

I'm an executive member of Costco. It’s one of those wholesale food distributors. In the recent edition of The Costco Connection, I noticed an article that focused on the huge impact of a business card.

Melissa Crowe, VP of Marketing Services for VistaPrint gave the following few tips for effective business cards:


1. Don’t waste space … use the back of the card too!
2. Use good quality paper
3. Include a clear, concise positioning statement
4. Choose a color that fits your business or appeals to your audience
5. Include your photo to make a lasting impression

Crowe said, “A properly designed business card can be the difference between gaining or losing the interest of a potential customer.” Not only does the card itself generate an impact, but so does the person behind the card and the intention with which the card is passed. I see so many people passing business cards just to pass them out. What's the point? In my opinion, if you pass your card to someone who has not asked for it, it is only one small step behind a cold call ... the difference is that you're in their face! Stop it!

I am also a very safistied VistaPrint customer and I get a lot of compliments on my business card. If you want to know even more about effective business cards, check out the book, “It’s in the Cards!” by Dr. Ivan Misner, Candace Bailly and Dan Georgevich. I've got alot more to say on this subject, but I'll save that for another grey day in Pittsburgh ... which will probably be tomorrow!

Ciao.

The Human Law of Reciprocity

"We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give." - Norman MacEwan

The human law of reciprocity ... if I give to you, you will want to give to me.

The foundation of a reciprocal referral partnership rests on the premise of givers gain. Notice that in this phrase, "give" comes BEFORE "gain". Not the other way around. When you give of yourself to someone else, it is noticed. Giving builds trust, credibility, affection, and loyalty. It demonstrates that you care and have interest in helping that person succeed. The process of giving opens up opportunities for both people involved. Giving creates a life.

I hear alot of people complaining that they don't get enough referrals. My first question is always, "What have you given to your referral network lately?" I'm talking about much more than just in the form of referrals! What are you doing to build the relationship? In business, the law of reciprocity goes much deeper than the referral. Often times, the referral is the end result of time spent giving to that person.

Think about what you do for your referral network. Do you give your time, interest and support whole-heartedly?

How have you given to others in your referral network?

FOCUS!

This afternoon, I attended a networking luncheon hosted by the Pittsburgh chapter of PICPA (Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants). The topic was "Breakthrough Thinking: How to Get Out of a Rut" by Maureen Murray of Maureen Murray Associates. One of the things Maureen spoke about was optimism as a "universal truth". She said, "what you focus on, you get more of!"

That seems to be the theme of my week. Yesterday, a friend gave me a book entitled, "Think and Grow Rich" that really encompasses the same premise.

FOCUS ... some might say it's easier said than done in our crazy, hectic, task oriented worlds. Regardless of how difficult it is ... it's true ... what you focus on, you indeed get more of. When it comes to referral marketing, it's very true.

If you focus on a target market ... you get more of the right kind of referral.
If you focus on specific referral partners ... referrals increase on both sides.
If you focus on where you spend your time ... you get more time back into your schedule.
If you focus on your referral goals ... you meet them.
If you focus on helping other people first ... they will in turn help you ten fold.

Focus ... if you start today, it will all become clear.

What have you focused on and gotten more of in the process?

Tell Your Own Ghost Stories!

Happy Halloween!

This is one of my favorite days of the year. The day when all spirits held within us come alive and manifest themselves in odd, strange, and sometimes very creative costumes. It's also a time when creative minds stretch the boundaries of the ordinary pumpkin and bring it to life. Halloween also brings with it the ghost stories that send chills down your spine and triggers your imagination to make you look over your shoulder, not once, but twice! What I like most about Halloween is the creativity!

How creative are you when it comes to helping your referral sources understand your target market? Are you walking around with a plain brown bag over your head? If you are, you can't see out very well and your referral partners can't see in. They are clueless as to how to refer you most effectively. If you want your business to reflect more than just a plain brown bag, express your creativity. Tell your own ghost stories! You know ... the horror stories that your clients were experiencing before you came to their rescue. Be sure to include all the gory details ... all the pain and suffering ... and of course, the happy ending.

Sharing these kinds of stories with your referral partners will help them understand how you can help other people. Stories make it real. Stories make it memorable. Stories lead to more referrals!

What's your best "ghost" story?

Mental Pictures

"The soul never thinks without a mental picture." - Aristotle

I like this quote. It reminds me that if I want to educate people on how to bring me referrals, I must become a mental artist. It's my job to paint those mental images that accurately describe my target market. It's my job to paint the background as well as the details.

Mental pictures have a way of staying with us through our busy day. Mental pictures make is easier for your referral sources to bring you the right kind of referral. When you consider all the time you waste with referrals that are not good for you, great mental pictures can save you lots of time!

In this simple example, which statements paint a better picture for you as a referral source?
1) "I want to meet anyone with a face."
2) "I want to meet women over 40 that are beginning to get "smile" wrinkles."

1) "I want to meet everyone that wants to buy a new car."
2) "I want to meet the owners of cars with a mileage of over 90,000 miles."

If you answered #2 for both, you are correct! Creating more of a mental image triggers your brain and your soul to think.

What does the mental picture of your target market look like?

Four Letter Words!

Cold call. Look at it ... it's two four letter words! Does that tell you something? I prefer to grow my business entirely by referrals. In my opinion, it's a better way of doing business. It's a more natural and comfortable way of doing business. And, it's a more honest way of doing business.

Growing your business by referral builds in an element of integrity. Think about it ... who would refer you business if you weren't doing top notch work? Who would refer you business if they weren't themselves convinced that you would do a great job? When someone chooses to refer you, they choose to put their hard-earned reputation on the line for you. There is a lot of responsibility that's attached to that referral!

A referral business keeps you honest and at the top of your game. I know what it feels like to get a cold call. I'll do almost anything to avoid it! Why would I want people to purposefully avoid me when I can become more attractive to people by being referred to them by someone they know, like and trust? A referral business makes my life so much more enjoyable. It makes getting new business easy and FUN!

Why do you like getting referral business?

Connect the Dots!

Tonight I'm going to a networking function by PowerLink. PowerLink is a non-profit organization focused on helping women-owned businesses to advance. It accomplishes this goal by supporting the business with an advisory board for one year. I had the opportunity to serve on an advisory board for a short time. I found the experience to be incredibly rewarding and equally challenging at times. I truly hope to serve on another board in the future.

This event is sure to be attended by plenty of movers and shakers in Pittsburgh. My past instinct for an event like this would have been to get my business card in the hands of as many people as possible. Now, focussing on referral marketing, I'm about as far away from that tactic as possible. My purpose at this kind of event is no longer to sell myself, but instead, look for opportunities for my referral partners. My first goal this evening is to invite two people to Becky's upcoming Dream Book Seminar on November 13th. My second goal is to look for opportunities for Dave, Linda or Cathy.

If you really want to ensure that your time is well spent at a networking function, focus on someone else other than YOU. Set a goal for the event in order to have a purpose for being there!

What are some of your goals for networking events?

The Season of Small Talk

As the leaves continue to fall and the air is glittered with snowflakes, it reminds me that the season will soon be upon us. No, I'm not talking about the holiday season ... not yet anyway. It's the pre-holiday season ... the networking party season ... the season of small talk!

Think of all the parties that happen somewhere between the end of November and the First of January. You know ... the office parties (potentially yours and your partner's), the group parties, the parties for clients, the networking business parties, the social parties with friends, etc. etc. Every time you turn around, you're not only finding something else to wear but also finding something else to talk about with someone new.

A lot of people cringe when it comes to making small talk at business or social events. Perhaps those few moments of awkward dead silence have happened to you on occasion. A tip that I learned from my friend, Deanna Tucci Schmitt, who is quite the exceptional networker, is to always remember the acronym FORM ... which stands for Family, Occupation, Recreation, and Move On. If you can remember this one simple acronym when at a party or business networking event, small talk will be a breeze. People generally like to talk about their family, they find it easy to talk about what they enjoy doing and tend to elaborate on what they do for a living. Don't forget to practice some exit lines as you really should move around a meet a few new people.

Small talk ... it can opens doors ... it can begin relationships ... and it could possibly lead to profitable business opportunities.

What tips do you have to offer someone to enhance their small talk abilities?

Truth or Delusion?

A new book has just entered onto the business networking book shelves! "Truth or Delusion? Busting Networking's Biggest Myths" written by Dr. Ivan Misner and his co-authors Mike Macedonio and Mike Garrison is a new release and at the top of Amazon's business book list.

I am big fan of Dr. Ivan Misner. He is the founder of the largest referral organization in the world, Business Network International. I can always depend on the high quality of his material. His books never fail to educate, motivate and inspire me to be a more effective networker.

Truth or Delusion is no different. This small book packs a huge punch! It helps to clarify the true meaning of networking and referral marketing. It's an easy read ... I had a hard time putting it down. Every topic in the book has value.

I recommend that business owners, sales professionals and recent college graduates find the time to read this book. You will get a high return on your investment!

What other networking or business books have been powerful for you?

BNI Boiler System

I belong to BNI (Business Network International) in Western Pennsylvania www.bni-westernpa.com . My relationships in my BNI chapter (Circle of Excellence) provide me with nearly 98% of my business. No kidding! And all of this business is coming from word of mouth. It certainly didn't happen right away. I had to develop strong, key relationships to work the system. I needed to learn the system of effective word of mouth marketing. I took the Certified Networker course and soon found myself as the master trainer for the course in this area.

Last night, in a session of Certified Networker, we were discussing the different types of networking groups to consider. Ed Lackman from Guideline Printing, belongs to BNI and made an analogy for how Certified Networker can impact a BNI member's performance. He said something like this ...

"Picture BNI as a stove top. When you become a member, you turn on a burner. But as a new member, you're sitting on the burner next to the one you turned on. You might get a little warm from heat transfer, but not much. So, then you take MSP training and you move closer to the hot burner. But, you're still only getting radiant heat. If you start to take Advanced Training, you're sitting half way on the hot burner. You're starting to feel the impact of the heat because you're simmering. Certified Networker puts you dead center on the burner and it begins a rapid boil for your business."

The rapid boil is the state that really produces a high return on your networking investment in BNI. What actions and steps are you taking to get you and your business to reach a rapid boil?

Fortune Cookie Predictions

Yesterday, my fortune cookie read: “Do your work with your whole heart, and you will succeed.”

To me, this means if you are truly passionate about your work, you will succeed. In word of mouth marketing, passion is essential for your success. Do you find yourself gravitating towards passionate people? I do. Would you refer someone to your best client if that person has a "ho hum" attitude about what they do? I don't. And, I suspect you won't either.

It's simple. If you're passionate about what you do, that passion needs to come out in your word of mouth message. If you effectively express your passion, other people will be inspired to share your message. If you’re not passionate about what you do … the bottom line is, no one else will be either and your message will not go very far. In word of mouth marketing, that could be disasterous.

Are you passionate about your work? How do you express that passion in your word of mouth message?

By the way ... the lucky numbers were 15, 34, 22, 27, 19, and 7 ... GO FOR IT!

Your Comfort Zone is NOT Safe!

Animals, like humans have comfort zones. As the weather becomes colder, I've noticed the field mice trying to find their way into their warm comfort zone ... my house! My house, however, is not a safe place for mice. I have two cats who are not very kind to mice and an exterminator that visits every three months (www.fryepestmanagement.com). Between the two, the mice really don't have a chance to succeed.

Every day, I see people clinging to their comfort zone as if it were the safest place to be at the moment. At networking events, I see colleagues sticking together like a pack at one table. At my BNI meetings, I see people who stake a claim for a specific chair and never, ever move. I see the sole-proprietor business owner, who never ventures out of the home to meet new people. We humans definately have our comfort zones.

Staying within your comfort zone as a business owner is not a safe thing to do if your intention is to grow your business. I personally feel that it limits your visibility, minimizes your contacts, and potentially stifles the growth of your business.

Your comfort zone is not always safe! Take it from the mice.

How has going outside of your comfort zone benefited your business?

Plan ... or be LOST!

Do you have marketing goals? Do you have word of mouth marketing goals? Do you have a plan by which to accomplish these goals?

I know from my experience that planning in advance in critical to my success. I see it impact my life every day. For example, just the other day, some friends gathered to go through a corn maze ... at night, in the dark! As we entered the maze, the corn towered twice our height and was thick as thick could be. We could hear voices, but see absolutely no one and no other flashlights. Obviously, we needed a plan! Without a plan, I'm sure that we would still be somewhere ... LOST ... in that 6 acre plot of corn. Thankfully, our plan worked and we made it out in about 45 minutes. I wonder if Suzanne and her group ever made it out? I don't think they had a plan.

All of my goals keep me on track and help me to get the most out of my networking and word of mouth efforts. For example, I am currently in the process of developing a new referral partner for my business, Pinnacle Training Services, and developing my first additional trainer for Certified Networker in Western PA.

What are some of your word of mouth marketing goals?

Meeting the Neighbors!

For whatever reason, today was the day to meet the neighbors. Both of them!

I live in an area where the houses are far apart from one another and there really are no kids to bring people together. We've lived here for three months now. Up until today, I've waved to the them as we are both mowing our lawns or passing each other in our cars. That's actually pretty pitiful seeing as though I make networking my business. But, what can I say ... my introverted side takes over once in a while ... especially off the clock.

Anyway, Jim's his name and his wife Jane live across the street. Here he comes walking down my driveway to say hi as I'm planting my poppies and iris for the spring. He's a very nice older man who has lived on this street for 35 years. He told me the low down on the neighborhood in just 20 minutes. We talked about the local deer, the neighbors, their home in the mountains of PA, the winters they spend in Florida and oh yes, his past career (he's been retired since 1988). Jim used to own his own business making sheet metal. Bingo! I asked Jim if he knew Scalise Industries (another sheet metal company in the area). "Oh yeh, Mark Scalise! Nice guy!" I bet Jim didn't think I would know anyone who made sheet metal. I did some training for Scalise Industries a few years ago. Jim's going to see Mark next week and will tell him I said Hi.

This got me thinking about that six degrees of seperation. I wonder who else Jim knows? How about Amy (my other neighbor that I met today). I wonder who she knows? We had a brief conversation at the mailbox. Networking is a funny thing. It never fails, even for me, that when I turn my networking button off or slack off a bit by not making the first effort to say "hi" to the neighbors, what could I be missing? I'm sure glad that networking bug pinches me on occassion.

Have you ever not wanted to go to a networking event and then found it to be great? Have you made the effort to meet your neighbors?

Ciao for now. I'm off to prepare to go to a Corn Maze! If you like a challenge and you never heard of a corn maze, look it up online www.lonesomevalleyfarms.com http://www.lonesomevalleyfarms.com... you're in for real treat!

Welcome to my blog!

Hello and welcome to my blog.

To be honest, I've never done anything like this before. I feel like I'm writing my thoughts in some kind of cosmic diary. Wow! This is going to be interesting! Especially to those who know how computer savy I am ... NOT!

Yesterday, my friend Debby Peters in Ohio was telling me all about this process of creating a blog. Debby operates Certified Networker of Ohio www.cnpofohio.blogspot.com and began a blog this year in order to expand her visibility and establish a greater web presence for Certified Networker. She has said that in doing so, she has also been establishing herself as the "networking guru", as she likes to be called. I certainly look to Debby for expert advice. She inspired me to create this blog (among other things) ... thank's Debby! Let's see where this ride will take me!

The main focus of my blog is to discuss and share primarily on the topics of networking, referral marketing, word of mouth marketing, and other relevant material that inspires people to do business with each other. Of course if something really cool or interesting comes to mind or pops into my day, that may find itself here as well. The bottom line is, I hope that you will learn something new, be reminded of something significant, or simply enjoy my perspective on business and life.

How about if we start with this?

Networking ... people connecting with other people to build relationships. Individuals all over the world participate in some form networking (business, personal, or social). It's a common human practice that crosses the boundaries of culture, race, religion, ethnicity, etc. The demoninator is the human need to connect to other people and form relationships.

If networking has such a global impact on the human race and international economy, why not celebrate it with a national day of recognition? In fact, February 6, 2007 will be the first celebrated International Networking Day. Did you know that? It is official! Dr. Ivan Misner, founder of BNI or Business Network International (www.bni.com) has teamed up with colleagues around the world to make this happen. So keep your ears to the ground and eyes to the sky for more information coming your way about International Networking Day.

Do you have a great story to share about networking in other countries or cultures?

Ciao.