10th
MAR
5 Ways to Make Your Business Easier to Recommend
Posted by cgseo under Social Media
Share 5 Ways to Make Your Business Easier to Recommend This content from: Duct Tape Marketing This post is a special Make a Referral Week guest post featuring education on the subject of referrals and word of mouth marketing and making 1000 referrals to 1000 small businesses – check it out at Make a Referral Week 2010 If I were to ask you what the secret was to getting someone to recommend and refer your business, what would you say? Perhaps you might focus on the experience that you provide. Or you might believe that this is a behaviour that you should focus on illiciting from only your best customers. Now what if I told you that the single biggest reason someone chooses whether or not to refer your business has very little to do with their experience with you? That seems counter intuitive. Yet if this were false, then everyone who had a positive experience would share it with someone else. And everyone who had a negative one would do the same. The point is, people don’t inherently share positive or negative experiences – they need an incentive to do it. The main problem is that anger or frustration IS an incentive. That’s why you hear the often repeated adage that it is much easier to get a customer to post a negative review than it is to post a positive one. Satisfaction, apparently, is not as powerful of a motivator as dissatisfaction. Yet despite this behaviour, there are ways to stack the odds in your favor. You probably already know that online opinions make a difference for your business. So the question you need to ask yourself (especially for Referral Week) is how you can make YOUR business easier for someone to share with a friend, family member or colleague. In other words, you need to be easier to recommend! Here are 5 tips you should consider to help you achieve that: Ask at the right moment . There is one moment when your customer is likely to be happiest of all, and that is the moment right after they buy something. The decision has been made, and anticipation is likely to follow. Why not ask them to share their experience with a friend right in that moment? Use a post-purchase survey online or encourage your customer to write a review or even take some extra business cards with them as they walk out of your retail location. The more you can do to get someone to recommend your business right after purchase, the more referrals you can generate. Create different levels . It is tempting to think of recommendations and referrals in strict terms. Say online review, and your mind probably goes straight to the sort of review you might find on Amazon or TripAdvisor. In reality, there are many different levels of engagement when it comes to online reviews, and hand written experiences are the most extreme. A much simpler style is what you may have seen on Facebook … the simple thumbs up or thumbs down. Star ratings are another easy method. The lesson is simple … to create more likely situations where people will share their opinion, try to accommodate for different levels of effort and complexity. Let them save your details . The magnet for your fridge that your real estate agent always gives you is the prime example of this idea. The opposing idea to #1, the philosophy behind letting your customers save your details easily is that you want to be there in the moment when they do get asked by someone to refer a business or service. Aside from fridge magnets, for the growing digital savvy customer, another way you may be able to stand out is to always include important keywords in your email communications (and always send email receipts). Then your customer can search their email account and even if they don’t remember your business name or have your card handy, you’re just a simple email search away. Have a personality . The basic fact is that people don’t generally remember businesses, they remember other people. For this reason, having a personality is of paramount importance. When you can foster a personal connections with your business, you give them a reason to remember and recommend you to others. This is the power of word of mouth referrals, that we will remember working with someone who we respected and will be more likely to actively recommend that person and their business in any relevant situation. Admit failure . This last tip will seem like an odd addition to the list. After all, we are generally taught to hide (or at least never admit) our failures for fear that it may make us or our businesses appear vulnerable. The surprising fact is that admitting a mistake can be one of the unintentionally best ways to humanize your business. We all make mistakes, but how you deal with them is the real question. Nothing can endear your business more to a customer than making a mistake an going overboard to correct it (and not making the same mistake again, of course). So the next time you or one of your employees makes a mistake, own up to it and actively fix it. You may find that in the process you converted an unhappy customer into a brand evangelist for life. Rohit Bhargava is a founding member of the 360 Digital Influence group at Ogilvy and author of the award winning new marketing book Personality Not Included , an entertaining and useful guide for companies on how to use their personality to stand out. He is also a popular keynote speaker on marketing and business strategy and believes in being approachable Related Posts: 17 Terrific Tactics to Inspire Customer Love (and Get New Business) Build Your Brand So People Will Refer You Making Referrals As a Job Creation Engine 5 Ways to Rock Customer Review Sites How's Your Personality? Powered by Contextual Related Posts Like this post? Share it with others
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5 Ways to Make Your Business Easier to Recommend
9th
MAR
17 Terrific Tactics to Inspire Customer Love (and Get New Business)
Posted by cgseo under Social Media
17 Terrific Tactics to Inspire Customer Love (and Get New Business) This content from: Duct Tape Marketing This post is a special Make a Referral Week guest post featuring education on the subject of referrals and word of mouth marketing and making 1000 referrals to 1000 small businesses – check it out at Make a Referral Week 2010 There are two fundamental approaches to generate more business: The first is to focus on making your existing customers insanely happy, so that they want to tell others about how much they love you; the second is to simply be a resource, or be helpful, to those who aren’t customers yet. Specifically, here are 17 tactics: 1. Have a goal . Set a clear goal with a specific timeline – for example, you want an x increase in referrals over the next six months. You know that old adage about how you can’t get there if you don’t know where you’re going? It’s true. 2. Monitor the web and primary social channels (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn) for people talking about you or your company . Say thank you (if they are saying nice things). Reach out and ask how you can help (if they aren’t). 3. And if they aren’t, BTW: Apologize for mistakes and solve problems fast. Speed is your ally. 4. Monitor the web and social channels (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn) for specific keywords relevant to your business. Be approachable, conversational, and helpful there. Engage, don’t sell. 5. Join LinkedIn groups relevant to your expertise or industry, and build conversations with relevant individuals . Chime in when you have something to contribute, and be helpful with your advice, suggestions, opinions. Again: It’s about engaging, not selling. (This bears repeating.) 6. Create a blog with content that helps your customers with a problem, or gives advice on a difficult situation, or walks them through a hard decision, or just takes the customer’s point of view, generally. Be a resource, and don’t simply toot your own horn. 7. When someone comments on your blog, respond . Talk back. Thank them for participating with a follow-up email. This is a dead-simple thing, and something a lot of people don’t do. 8. Read other relevant blogs in your industry , or by your customers, or would-be clients. Comment there, too. How? I almost want to repeat that bit about engaging-not-selling again, but I know you get it. 9. Put something on your front door (if you have one) that reminds people to tell their friends about you. (This is an idea from my friend Andy Sernovitz . 10. Put a “tell-a-friend” form on every page of your website . (Another idea from Andy .) 11. Put a special offer in easily forward-able mail . 12. Add a small gift and a word of mouth tool to every package you sell . Do something unexpected. (Andy once sent me a few packets of Bacon Salt with a copy of his new book, for example, which inspired me to blog and tweet about it . 13. Create a mechanism to keep in touch with existing customers or clients , even if they aren’t in buying mode. Perhaps you publish and “insider’s” newsletter, guest-blog on their blogs, or pick up the telephone and call every once in a while, just to say hello. 14. Be generous in your business practices . Go the extra mile. Offer extra service or follow-up support as a routine way of doing business. 15. Be generous with your own referrals . 16. Say thank you . Someone refers new business to you? Send them a note. An especially nice touch in this digital age is a handwritten card. The kind that arrives in the mail. 17. Be nice . Does this sound lame? It’s not. People refer people who treat them well, are approachable, and likeable. Be that person. Your turn. How else do you generate referrals, or inspire positive word-of-mouth? Ann Handley is the Chief Content Officer of MarketingProfs , the world’s largest community of marketers. Follow her on Twitter at @marketingprofs Related Posts: Making Referrals As a Job Creation Engine Author of Word of Mouth Marketing Visits Referral Week 5 Ways to Share Content to Create Referrals Have You Made Your Referral? Get Closer to Your Customers Now Powered by Contextual Related Posts Like this post? Share it with others
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17 Terrific Tactics to Inspire Customer Love (and Get New Business)
9th
Bake a Referral Engine Into Your Business Model
Posted by cgseo under Social Media
Bake a Referral Engine Into Your Business Model This content from: Duct Tape Marketing This post is a special Make a Referral Week guest post featuring education on the subject of referrals and word of mouth marketing and making 1000 referrals to 1000 small businesses – check it out at Make a Referral Week 2010 Have you ever squirmed when a seasoned businessperson asked you “what sets you apart from your competition?” or “what are you truly great at, that no one else in your market can do better than you?” You are not alone. Many new entrepreneurs get uncomfortable with the notion that they have to be an expert in their field to have a successful business. This is because they think that they have to know every last thing about the market in order to be considered an expert. Here is the good news: one of your unique differentiators can be your ability to refer your clients to fantastic people who compliment your work. You don’t have to know everything. You just have to know people who do. I have designed my business this way. I feel exceptionally competent helping corporate employees figure out which business to start. I can wrestle their snarling fears with confidence. I can help them with branding and marketing plans, and teach them how to grow their network using social media. But if they ask what kind of business structure will protect their assets, I draw a blank. That is why I have tax attorney and business process guru Kyle Durand on speed dial. If they are creating a new software product and want to know how to wade through IP laws and trademarks, I send them to Jill Hubbard Bowman . If they have no idea which shopping cart to use on their website, I send them to research maven Crystal Williams, otherwise known as Big Bright Bulb . If they want killer branding design with great copy, I send them to Reese and Kelly Parkinson . If they know what to do but get paralyzed by procrastination, overwhelm and creative blocks, I send them to Charlie Gilkey . If they decide they don’t want to start a business after all and want to get a job, I send them to the best career coach I know, Michele Woodward . And if they are incredibly difficult to work with, I send them to John Jantsch . (Just kidding John! J) Knowing I have world-class business partners who will not only deliver excellent service to my clients but will also be fun and easy to work with allows me sell my strengths and refer the rest. My clients are happy, I am happy, and my circle of partners is happy. Our combined networks generate lots of new business, and many opportunities to collaborate on programs, products and services. How can you bake a great referral network into your business model? Define the problem your clients are trying to solve. Are they trying to start a business? Make more money? Simplify their life? Build a product? Break down all the knowledge and support they will need to solve the problem. Think about which tools they may need, which decisions they have to make and what skills and competencies they require. Identify your strengths. As you examine all that’s needed to solve their problem, think about what you love to do, what interests you, and where people say you excel. Structure your services around your strengths. If you love doing big picture strategy and get bored with implementation, don’t offer that service. By focusing only on what you do best, you will set yourself apart from so many others who struggle to provide everything to everyone. Identify ethical, competent people who are great at solving the rest of the problem. Use your personal networks, social networks and research to find excellent referral partners. Watch closely the first few times you send a client their way. Make sure they deliver great results and make your clients happy. After awhile, you will send them business with your eyes closed. And they will do the same for you. Baking referrals into your business model will not only grow your business, it will make your brand shine. As Miguel de Cervantes said in Don Quixote: “Tell me what company you keep and I’ll tell you what you are.” Pamela Slim is a business coach and author of the award-winning book Escape from Cubicle Nation . Find her at www.escapefromcubiclenation.com and follow her on Twitter @pamslim Related Posts: Do You Know Someone Who Needs to Escape? 17 Terrific Tactics to Inspire Customer Love (and Get New Business) Are There Holes In Your Network? Why Do People Refer? 5 Ways to Amp Up the Personal in Your Brand Powered by Contextual Related Posts Like this post? Share it with others
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Bake a Referral Engine Into Your Business Model
8th
MAR
It Is Make a Referral Week!
Posted by cgseo under Social Media
It Is Make a Referral Week! This content from: Duct Tape Marketing I’ve declared this week, March 8-12, Make a Referral Week with the intent of drawing attention to the act of making referrals rather than simply receiving them. In fact, I have set a goal to challenge 1000 businesses, large and small, to make 1000 referrals this week and publicly tell the world about it on the Make a Referral Week Counter and on Twitter using the #marm hashtag . I have been joined in support of this effort by GoToWebinar , PRWeb , Contsant Contact , Marketing Profs , The Referral Engine Book , Perkett PR , Palo Alto Software , Verizon , Alphagraphics , Vertical Response , BNI , Duct Tape Marketing Coach Network , Intuit , Infusionsoft , Gold Star Referral Clubs and countless personal ambassadors. This blog will feature guest posts and interviews each day this week from thought leaders on the subject of referrals and word of mouth marketing and a live online panel discussion – How to Create a Referral Engine – featuring Ivan Misner, founder of BNI and author of the 29% Solution, Bob Burg, author of Go-Givers Sell More, and Ben McConnell, co-author of Creating Customer Evangelists. The live session is Wednesday, March 10th at Noon CST – Register Here Want to know how you can get involved? Make a referral and post it on the Referral Counter Tweet your referral made using #marm Tell others about the challenge to 1000 Make more referrals If you like this idea of making referrals you can also join the Make a Referral Monday effort on Twitter. Starting today, and every Monday hereafter, make referrals and tell people about in on Twitter using the Make a Referral Monday hashtag (#marm) My hope is that we can turn this idea into a movement of sorts and keep the notion of giving referrals front and center all year long. Related Posts: Building Your Referral Engine - Free Webinar with the Referral A-Team Making Referrals As a Job Creation Engine Have You Made Your Referral? The Referral A Team Heads Up Make a Referral Week Tired of Hearing About E.D. - then do something Powered by Contextual Related Posts Like this post? Share it with others
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It Is Make a Referral Week!
4th
MAR
Building Your Referral Engine – Free Webinar with the Referral A-Team
Posted by cgseo under Social Media
Building Your Referral Engine – Free Webinar with the Referral A-Team This content from: Duct Tape Marketing As part of the Make a Referral Week 2010 Education Series I am highlighting the power of referrals and word of mouth marketing with a live event featuring the some of the brightest authors, speakers and thought leaders on the subject of referral marketing. Join us for a live web discussion Wednesday, March 10th at Noon CST. Click here to register for the online seminar. Ivan Misner , founder of BNI and author of The 29% Solution , Bob Burg , author of Endless Referrals and the Go-Givers Sell More , and Ben McConnell , co-author Creating Customer Evangelists make up a panel of what may be the worlds greatest single collection of thought leaders on the subject of referrals and word of mouth. Join us for a live web discussion Wednesday, March 10th at Noon CST Click here to register for the online seminar. The conference is the headline event of the educational component of Make a Referral Week. More info on the entire week can be found here. Have you made your referral yet? Do it here Related Posts: The Referral A Team Heads Up Make a Referral Week Making Referrals As a Job Creation Engine Have You Made Your Referral? Tired of Hearing About E.D. - then do something Ivan Misner, Bob Burg and Bill Cates on Making Referrals Powered by Contextual Related Posts Like this post? Share it with others
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Building Your Referral Engine – Free Webinar with the Referral A-Team
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