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Archive for the ‘business networks’ Category
Friday, October 16th, 2009
Small businesses on Referral Key fall into one of over 140 distinct industries. Being service professionals, we share an eagerness to network and exchange referrals. But outside of business networking and referral marketing, these small businesses are extremely diverse and can be grouped or divided according to many factors. One such factor is whether the day-to-day activities of the business occur in front of the computer or not.
Work and Pleasure
Marketing consultants, PR agents, graphic designers, programmers, etc. may spend the majority of their day browsing on a computer. For these professionals, leisure and work are often interspersed throughout the day. The line between using the web for fun and for work can be blurred too. It’s no wonder that these professionals are the strongest advocates of, and make up the majority of small business owners participating in blogs, Twitter, Facebook etc.
i.e. Jill is a freelance graphic designer, throughout the day she bounces back and forth between Photoshop and the net. (Twitter, her favorite blogs, Referral Key, message boards…)
Work then Pleasure
Landscapers, dentists, doctors, home inspectors, contractors, etc. are less likely to be in front of a computer; and if they are, they tend to be running specialized software. For these professionals there is a much clearer dichotomy between computing for work and computing for leisure.
i.e. Dave is a contractor. He has two Nextels and a calculator on him at all times. He carries his laptop in his truck but almost exclusively uses it to run his CAD software.
What Do You Think?
Do you believe think certain professions are more likely to be drawn to, or reap the benefits of new social technology?
If this is true, will there be a social media divide and what is the fallout?
Mobile apps may be a way to engage everybody but I wouldn’t count on them being a deal breaker. Most people don’t discover and become acclimated to tools via mobile, adoption usually happens the other way around. Mobile app users tend to be even further entrenched in a social media than their desktop-only counterparts.
Tags: business network, Business Networking, referral marketing
Posted in business networking organizations, business networks, referral marketing | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, September 16th, 2009
Connecting professionals within your business network is not only mentally rewarding but it can be financially rewarding. All too often we only consider the sales needs of ourselves and our immediate referral marketing circle. Creating synergy between other professionals is an important way to expand your network.
I bet you can think of at least half a dozen opportunities for collaboration between two parties that don’t directly know each other.
As you become more aware of your colleague’s needs, you’ll find the opportunity to connect professionals is overwhelming.
Posted in business networking organizations, business networks, referral marketing | No Comments »
Monday, April 20th, 2009
Networking with quality professionals is always important. In this unprecedented housing market the quality of a mortgage broker lead has never been more crucial. Whether you’re looking for a mortgage broker or referring one to a client, trust is incredibly important. Many would say that the recent activities of some lenders would bring into question the trust of many clients and associates alike.
“For the last couple of years, low interest rates, aggressive marketing tactics, scant industry oversight and investors who want to put their money into real estate instead of the stock market have contributed to the ideal operating environment for predatory lenders.”
-Jay MacDonald, MSN Money
Choosing a mortgage broker based on a classified ad or a recommendation from someone you don’t know is foolish. At the very least, find a mortgage broker in a qualified business directory and prepare a list of questions you’d like ask.
Optimally, you want to get referred to a mortgage broker by someone who you know and trust. This could be friends, family or another professional, perhaps a real estate agent. It is important to maintain accountability so that you, the mortgage broker, and the person who referred you are all fully vested in the quality of the service and the referral. This is a “satisfaction guaranteed” referral system.
In many cases, it’s all too easy for a trusting homeowner anxious to leverage a home’s value or lock up a low rate to fall prey to less-than-upfront lenders. Whether you’re a first-time buyer or looking to refinance your home, you need to find the right person.
Tags: mortagage broker lead, Referral System, Small Business Directory
Posted in Business Referral Network, Referral System, business networks | 1 Comment »
Monday, April 6th, 2009
If Clear Channel called you tomorrow morning and said they had an unused billboard and that they’d like to let you use this advertising space for free, you’d be a fool not to act on the offer. While this scenario is unlikely, you’d be surprised just how many small business owners shell out big bucks to be in antiquated directories such as the Yellow Pages, but overlook the easiest and (sometimes free) advertising opportunities available to them.
Online business directories are used by millions of consumers and businesses to find service providers. If you aren’t actively taking advantage of an online business directory, then you’re really doing yourself a disservice. Right now there are probably thousands of potential referral partners and clients seeking services you provide. If you aren’t listed, you don’t exist.
A great place to start is the Referral Key business directory. It’s free and easy to list your business.
1. Create a free account and click “My Profile” in the charcoal navigation bar.
2. Take just a few moments to describe your services in a compelling way.
There are thousands of clients and referral partners searching the directory. By listing your services, you can be confident you are taking the right steps to ensure a stronger business network and more sales leads.
Tags: advertising, b2b directory, Business Directory
Posted in business networks, sales leads | 26 Comments »
Tuesday, March 31st, 2009
For small businesses, it’s vital to band together and actively exchange referrals. Creating an environment exchange referrals will improve your business and increase revenue. This is why business networks are so important. For many networkers the easy part may be agreeing to send each other referrals, but the hardest part is ensuring a steady flow of referral business.
This leaves small business owners asking the question, “How can I ensure this important source of revenue is consistent?”
A promotional campaign is a powerful strategy that allows you to secure a consistent flow of qualified referrals. With a promotional campaign, you offer an incentive to your contacts for sending you new business. i.e. Mary is offering an iTunes Gift Card to any of her contacts who can secure her a new graphic design job.
If you want to add a little grease to the gears of your referral system, try a promotional campaign to motivate your contacts to send you more referrals. A promotional campaign lets you reward trusted associates who send you referrals that end in a sale. The gift is usually proportional to the amount of revenue you make on a sale.
Promotional campaigns are proven to work when your participant knows they’ll be rewarded. Through our research we’ve found that the difference between an extremely profitable promotional campaign and a flop, is how confident the participants are that they’ll be rewarded. At Referral Key, we’ve put together a tool to circumvent this challenge. There is no need for your participant to doubt whether they’ll be rewarded for sending you new business because the campaign is tracked and managed through the Referral Key system.
Referral Key is the most cost effective ways to conduct a promotional campaign. Be wary, there are a handful of services that offer costly snail-mail or stationary solutions. The success rate of direct mailings is extremely low and blowing your budget on cards that are going to end up lining someone’s garbage bin is foolish.
Ideally you are looking for a promotional campaign that fits your budget but is strong enough to drive some real revenue!
Tags: business networks, promotional campaign, referral business, Referral System
Posted in Referral System, business networks, lead generation, referral promotion campaign | No Comments »
Wednesday, October 15th, 2008
It’s common sense that the more people you’re connected with, the more opportunities they’ll be to exchange business referrals. But because you’re connected to 600 people on Facebook, doesn’t mean that those connections are going to be beneficial to the growth of your small business. When it comes to business networking, it’s imperative to build a trusted network in order to get the most out of your relationships.
Teresa Morrow, Board of Advisors with The WECAI Network agrees that, “Networking is not about how many people you can get on your list (by receiving business cards in record speed) or how many followers you can get on twitter or friends on Facebook. It takes time to build a solid connection and meaningful relationship with another person.”
These meaningful relationships that you develop will quickly turn into a trusted network. Of course numbers can matter while networking, but the point is that you want a large effective network. If you can manage your network and trust that each referral you receive will generate a positive outcome, then your business will prosper.
Tags: Business Networking, Facebook, Referral System
Posted in Online Small Business Technology, business networks | No Comments »
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