Referral Marketing: Establishing Value

Yesterday, I hosted a luncheon for my Referral Institute Graduates. Every month, I host this event for grads as a value added opportunity for them to network with each other, practice their education, and learn something of value to them.

This year, I've made the commitment to feature a Graduate Guest Speaker at each luncheon. Yesterday's speaker was Dave Zang, principle with Partners Through People. Dave's expertise is sales training and assessments. The unique twist from PTP is that they first address the hidden attitudes deep within you before teaching you the sales process. They believe that if you learn a process and still have underlying attitudes that get in your way, you can't be successful ... and I fully agree. Trust me ... we ALL have attitudes that get in our way ... most of them are so deep within us that we don't even recognize that we have them!

Dave taught us that the number one mistake in sales is not building value! If you fail to build value in yourself and your product/service, you will most likely hear the dreaded "I need to think about it". "I need to think about it" is code for "this is not the right solution for me", "I have no real need for this", "I probably can live fine without this", or "this is not in my budget".

If you're successful at establishing value, the customer can't live with you ... and they certainly can't imagine any reason to think about it any further. All of a sudden, you become a "must have".

How well do you establish value? How well do you communicate your value to your referral sources? How well can your referral sources establish your value?

Referral Marketing: Clunker Referrals

Earlier this month, I was the keynote speaker for Pittsburgh's International Networking Day celebration. At the end of my presentation, I opened it up for questions. A gentleman sitting right in front of me a few rows back asked, "What if you get clunker referrals?" So I asked him to explain what he meant by "clunker referrals". He continued by saying, "You know ... when someone gives you a referral that's just not good. What do you do with that referral?"

Perhaps this has happened to you. The way I see it, there are two things to do:

1. If someone passed you a "clunker referral" it's all your fault. It's your responsibility to help educate that person on what is the right referral for you. So, after you thank this person for thinking of you and referring you business ... it's time to step up your education process and coach this person for the results you're looking for in referral business. If you're getting what you want ... it's because of what you're doing. If you're not getting what you want ... it's also because of what you're doing [or not doing].

2. Although the "clunker referral" might not be a good referral for you ... my bet is that it is for someone. Your job, again, is to find that someone. If you're like me, I'm looking for clients that I can perform my best for ... they deserve nothing less. If that "clunker" can be better served by someone else, they deserve it too. And, you can expand your network by finding the right person to help them.

Remember this saying? "One man's trash is another man's treasure!" Perhaps it has new meaning to you now.

Referral Marketing: The College Perspective

Last night, I facilitated a session for Chatham University that was focused on helping students appreciate the power of networking. I talked about how setting SMART goals for their networking efforts would actually help them be more successful, drive who they need to meet, and influence how they speak about their future.

When it came time for the audience to develop a networking goal for themselves, they did amazingly well! I was impressed as I listened to some of their ultimate goals. One young woman wants to work for Discover Magazine writing articles. When I told her that I could connect her to a well known photographer for National Geographic, her jaw hit the floor! Another young woman wants to ultimately become the president of Nigeria!! Seeing that passion in her eyes told me that I'm sure she'll get there. Due to Nigeria's national comodity of cocoa & chocolate, she wanted to meet a chocolatier. When I told her that I could connect her with someone who is good friends with the premier chocolatier in the city of Pittsburgh, her jaw dropped too!

I enjoy helping our future professionals not only see the value in networking, but to begin to learn that they need to talk to people about their goals in order to motivate others to want to help them!

That in mind ... have you told your networking goals to the people who can and are willing to help you!?

Referral Marketing: X-Country Skiing

It was a beautiful day in Pittsburgh today ... perfect for x-country skiing! I enjoy x-country skiing but not for the skiing part, because I'm not that good at it. I can count on falling at least 2-3 times while I'm out.

I enjoy the sport because I'm doing something outdoors and it's great exercise! And, it's a wonderful way to spend quality time with others.

To me, this is sort of how I feel about networking! As The Referability Expert, you might think that I love the sport of networking. On the contrary ... I'm truly an introvert, so networking is WORK for me! However, that being said ... like x-country skiing, it's not the sport that means the most to me. It's the knowing that I could meet someone at any time who could lead me to my next huge opportunity! Or, that I could meet someone who could become a very dear friend. And if I never participated in networking, I might never meet that person!! Plus, although it's difficult at times for an introvert to enter the extroverted world of networking ... it's a great exercise and a built in opportunity to perfect the art of referral marketing for my business.

Like x-country skiing, networking is more fun when you share it ... so I always take a referral partner. It's a great opportunity to spend quality time with that person as well!

So, if you're an introvert like me ... look for the benefits far beyond the discomfort ... and find the joy in the whole experience.

Referral Marketing: FOCUS!

As some of you know, last Monday (2/4), I said goodbye to my old devoted canine companion, Kalar. I have nearly 15 years of memories to keep me going but the vacancy in my heart and in my home is painful. I miss her in every way.

The loss of Kalar came the day before one of the biggest presentations of my career. I was scheduled to be the keynote speaker for Pittsburgh's International Networking Day celebratory event! My mind was certainly not focused on the presentation about to be upon me. Luckily, I had everything prepared and ready to go. Luckily, I have incredibly supportive people surrounding me. Still ... my mind was in a fog and my heart ached. How in the world would I be able to perform at my best?!

FOCUS!! The very next day, the day of the presentation, I woke up and told myself that failure was not an option. Even though I was totally exhausted, I reminded myself of all the people who have worked so hard to get to this day and there was no way I would let them down. I reminded myself that there would be a time to mourn her loss ... just not now. I told myself that it could have been worse ... what if she were to have passed TODAY?! So ... I thanked Kalar for knowing when it was the right time and I settled into my office to review my presentation one last time.

Knowing how to focus your mind is a true artform. Knowing what to physically do to keep yourself focused enables you to perform at your best. Knowing how to truly focus your word of mouth message enhances your success with referral marketing.

FOCUS ... when you need it, I hope you can find it!!

[This picture of Kalar was taken in December 2007]