Business to Business Referral Marketing, Customer to Business Referral Marketing, Referral Marketing with Three (Or More) Degrees of Separation
Referral Marketing: What It Is and What It Isn’t
August 4th, 2009 by adminReferral marketing is a relationship based marketing strategy whereby, individuals agree to send each other new business. Referral marketing is probably as old as humanity and as natural as breathing. We have an innate need to promote positive experiences and encourage others to share in that experience. From recommending a favorite pizza joint, to arranging a meeting between a trusted accountant and a colleague, we love to promote what we like. Even as mass media has allowed for large scale advertising, referral marketing is the bread and butter for many small business owners. Small business owners who master relationship based marketing achieve high levels of financial and personal fulfillment.
Do It Yourself SEO for Small Business Owners
August 3rd, 2009 by adminThere are many people with complex strategies but the most fundamental way to increase your SEO for small business, is to consistently create relative content.
The Paradox of Twitter: Twitter Releases Businesses 101 Guide But What Do Service Professionals Think?
July 24th, 2009 by adminAs much as Twitter is stressing “relationship building” in their new Twitter for Business Guide, this concept should be taken with a grain of salt because it will depend on how you define a business relationship. The reality is that value of Twitter, over let’s say a Facebook, Linked In, or Referral Key, is that on Twitter you can share information with a larger group, more rapidly, and repeatedly; with less restrictions.
Three Killer Lead Generation Solutions You Can Use Today
July 20th, 2009 by admin1. Run a Referral Promotion Campaign
Need results quick? Create a referral promotion campaign today. Offer your existing clients and contacts incentive to send you new clients. Create an offer that fits your budget. For example, a $10 iTunes for every anyone who sends you new business that results in a sale.
Promotion campaigns are an age [...]
Obama’s Approval Rating Slipping with Everyone… Except Small Business Owners?
July 17th, 2009 by adminOne may be quick to assume that recent policy has caused a negative shift in small businesses how owners perceive the new administration. This could certainly be the case; as with new legislation, opinions can change very quickly. But if we look back at a Gallup poll that examined Obama’s approval by occupation between March and May we find that Obama’s approval amongst small business owners jumped 11 percentage points from 44% to 55% percent approval between March and May.
New Legislation Spells Tougher Times Ahead for Some Small Businesses
July 15th, 2009 by adminIf you’ve had a chance to take a peak at the cover of today’s Wall Street Journal, then you know that there are dramatic changes on the horizon for sole proprietors, small business owners, and independent professionals alike.
Part 2: New Associated Press Poll Finds That it May Be an Even Better Time for Real Estate Agent Marketing
July 9th, 2009 by adminBack in late May we took a look at an Associated Press poll which found 64% of the respondents thought it was a good time to invest in real estate. (For Part One click here.) Many who had read the article were surprised. How could this outlook on real estate differ so greatly from the media and the pundits who, for the past year, have had very little if anything positive to say about the market?
Survey Finds Small Business Owners Expect Growth In 2009
July 7th, 2009 by adminAccording to a study conducted by email marketing experts Constant Contact, 70% of small business owners anticipate moderate to significant growth 2009. Several organization worked injunction with Constant Contact to put together the “Small Business Attitudes & Outlook Survey”. These comapnies included the American Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE), SCORE and the Association of Small Business Development Centers (ASBDC).
Find An Accountant That Won’t Lose Your Information
July 6th, 2009 by adminSome professionals are hesitant about putting information online. Words like “hacker” and “phishing” come to mind. Unfortunately, much of this fear is unfounded and you are more likely to lose, destroy, or have a hard-copy of your information stolen.
An Experiment: Small Businesses Getting Found in the Real Estate Agent Directory
June 17th, 2009 by adminAs a small business owner, you have a job to do and probably don’t have the time or massive budget to blow on today’s competitive Google rankings.
So, is there a way to get your business some exposure on Google without making it a full time job?
Not a Good Branding Strategy? Reserve Your Unique Small Business URL on Referral Key
June 15th, 2009 by adminUsing your small business name in your URL may prove to be a better way to drive sales; as potential clients are less likely to be looking for your name and more likely to be looking for your business name (especially if your business name describes your services).
The Goose with the Golden Eggs or The Superfluous Accountant Referral
May 29th, 2009 by adminAfter browsing LinkedIn, the accountant realized that the bookkeeper was receiving referrals from a close colleague at a larger firm. When the firm met with potential prospects who were too small to use their services, they would refer the prospect to the bookkeeper.
The accountant contacted the bookkeeper’s colleague without the bookkeeper knowing. He never heard from either of them again.
Poll Finds Public Mistrust of Financial Professionals: It’s Important You Find A Financial Advisor You Trust.
May 28th, 2009 by admin“Do you think the illegal investment scheme financial advisor Bernard Madoff has been accused of running reflects a widespread practice of unethical conduct in the financial and investment industry, or does it just reflect the unethical conduct of a few individuals in an industry that is mostly honest and ethical?”
If Your Colleagues Are Approaching Retirement, It May be Time to Find A CPA
May 27th, 2009 by adminAmongst a handful of professionals offering retirement services, CPAs rank as the primary choice amongst small business owners seeking retirement planning and administration.
Poll Finds That it May Be a Good Time for Real Estate Agent Marketing
May 26th, 2009 by adminDespite all of the pessimism surrounding foreclosures and repositions, many people believe it is a good time to invest in real estate. A recent poll released by the Associated Press asked 1000 respondents, “Would you say that now is a good or bad time to invest in real estate?” The results are as follows:
The Fox and the Stork or The Mortgage Broker Referral and the Real Estate Broker Referral
May 22nd, 2009 by adminSo the day came for the real estate broker to send the mortgage broker a referral; but when the mortgage broker followed up with the client he soon learned that the client was also in a state for which he had no licensing to practice.
“I will not apologize for this referral,” said the real estate broker…
One bad referral begetteth another.
What the Direct TV Promotional Campaign Can Teach Small Business Owners About Pre Qualified Leads
May 19th, 2009 by adminThe idea is to make it as seamless as possible for your contacts to refer you new business and be rewarded. You can use technology to eliminate the guess work for you and more importantly your participants.
Multiple Networking Profiles for Custom Lead Generation?
May 18th, 2009 by adminIf the “environment” defines the “context” of our activities, then referral marketing at a “one-stop-shop” business/social networking site, is the equivalent of going to Central Park and striking up a conversation with anyone in a suit.
The Wind and the Sun or The Two Mortgage Brokers and The Mortgage Referral
May 15th, 2009 by adminWe proudly present Fable Fridays. This weekly installment will draw parallels between referral networking and some of society’s most cherished moral tales: Aesop’s Fables.
You could go to expensive seminars and buy up every book on referral marketing, but it doesn’t take a marketing genius to realize that Aesop got it right nearly 3,000 years ago.
See [...]
Business Networking Organizations Are Like Snowflakes; No Two Are Identical
May 14th, 2009 by adminWhether you attend a formal meet up group or you have developed a referral network on your own terms, you have probably thought about how your network would compare to others.
If you ask anyone who’s been in multiple business networking organizations, they’ll likely tell you that not all business networks are equally effective at creating [...]
The Single Most Important Competitive Advantage to Generate B2B Leads… You Already Have
May 13th, 2009 by adminAttracting qualified sales leads involves more than just you and your prospect… there’s also your competitors. Identifying the competitive advantage in your marketing strategy is the key to small business lead generation. You must ask yourself:
“What barrier-to-entry does my marketing strategy have?”
10 Phrases For Any Networker Who’s Serious About Generating Sales Leads
May 12th, 2009 by adminWe found inspiration for today’s blog in the OED (Oxford English Dictionary). After listening to NPR’s interview with Ammon Shea, who spent the last year reading 22,000 pages of the OED in a Manhattan basement, we realized that referral networking had its own unique lexicon. Because the OED contains words and not phrases, we thought [...]
Custom Leads from People Who Already Know You
May 11th, 2009 by admin“A study, co-authored by Shawndra Hill, Wharton professor of operations and information management, found that consumers are far more apt to buy a company’s product if they are ‘network neighbors’ with existing customers.”
-Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania
The Hare with Many Friends or The Consultant with Many Mortgage Broker Leads
May 8th, 2009 by adminThe mortgage broker took some initiative and created a powerful referral system. “A 10% commission to anyone who sends me a referral that leads to a sale!” She let everyone in town know about her promotional offer.
Part 1: What Monopoly Taught Me About the Lead Generation Process
May 7th, 2009 by adminJust like in the “real” business world, success in Monopoly is both a combination of skill and luck. One of the biggest differences between people who consistently win in Monopoly and those who don’t, is how they approach the game.
Can Networking Online be Considered Green? A Green Qualified Sales Lead
May 6th, 2009 by adminBecause there are no guidelines as to what can be labeled “Green”, we’d like to get your opinion on Green networking.
What do you think?
B2b Leads for Customer Oriented Service Providers
May 5th, 2009 by adminQuality service providers tend to have a keen eye for other service provider who share the same values. Because of the intimate nature of small business commerce, service providers have a good idea of what their clients expect when it comes to outstanding service. They’ll be more likely to send a referral or even recommend a professional who sets the same standards for quality.
Keep Your Refinance Leads Competitve
May 4th, 2009 by adminUse a small business directory to find qualified mortgage brokers. You may need to return to the business directory several times to get an idea of who can get you the best rate.
The Man and The Satyr or The Insurance Agent and Facebook as a Sales Leads Software
May 1st, 2009 by adminThe insurance agent’s colleague who happened to be sitting in the room, asked, “Why do you keep adding these contacts to network with you if you don’t know them? This is what you call referral software?”
“I could always use more referral partners,” said the insurance agent, “and this is very easy.”
A Smart Qualified Lead Generation Strategy Without Using Google
April 30th, 2009 by adminJan is a real estate agent. Her brother Karl advised her to start a blog and buy some “Adwords” to get ranked for the phrase “Indiana Real Estate”. He told her her that appearing at the top of Google will give her qualified lead generation.”
Take Advantage of a Renters Market with a Specialty Real Estate Agent Referral
April 29th, 2009 by adminThere is no doubt that we are in a fickle real estate market. Many people are losing there homes and at the same time many owners are lowering their prices.
Rona Fischman of Boston Real Estate Now agrees, “Rents are down across America. Business Week reports that rental rates are down, especially in luxury, doorman buildings.”
With [...]
15 Small Business Lead Generation Tips Written in Haiku
April 28th, 2009 by adminhai⋅ku
a major form of Japanese verse, written in 17 syllables divided into 3 lines of 5, 7, and 5 syllables, and employing highly evocative allusions and comparisons.
The Miser and his Gold or the Accountant and his CPA Referral
April 24th, 2009 by adminA competing CPA from the business directory, who had noticed this, began encouraging others in the referral network to send him new business. He promised them a timely and qualified business referral for every referral they sent him.
When the accountant noticed he was receiving less referrals, he called his colleague and told him about decline in new business.
Three Tools to Improve Your Sales Lead Generation
April 23rd, 2009 by adminReferral marketing is an essential strategy for most small business owners. Effectively managing your referral is one of the easiest ways to increase the quantity and quality of your sales leads.
