Forms from MORE Meeting Presentation

For anyone wanting to get copies of the forms I referenced in my February 9th, 2010 MORE Meeting presentation, here they are:

Meeting Log and Referral Feedback Form

Do You Know Them...Really?

While the snow is piling up outside and there's no where to go today, I thought I'd catch up on some blogging and social media postings.

In the world of networking, we always stress the KNOW, LIKE, and TRUST factors. What's interesting is to find out how everyone defines these terms. My definition from a networking standpoint is this:

For me to refer someone to another and say that I know them, I would expect that I would stake my personal and business reputation on the line for that other person. In essence, what I am saying when I state that I KNOW someone is that I have firsthand knowledge of their business or the owners of the business and am confident they're going to deliver great products and services for their clients. I am vouching for them.

Others believe because they have met someone previously, they can say that they KNOW them and will refer freely to them. I think that's a mistake that can cause great harm to you and your reputation. I learned the hard way.

When I first joined a networking group, it wasn't long after that a landscaper joined the chapter too. He seemed like a nice guy, friendly, and everyone liked him. A month or two went by and my friend mentioned wanting to do some outside yardwork in front of his house. I gave him this guy's name as a quality landscaper who'd do a great job for him.

What a nightmare! He took a big deposit from my friend (more than $500) and disappeared. He stopped showing up at our weekly chapter meetings too. We came to find out later that he was in jail for spousal abuse, had a cocaine habit, and his business was bankrupt. I could not have been more embarrassed that my name got tarnished in my friend's eyes because of this ill-fated 'referral'.

Fast forward to just a few weeks ago. One of my clients was having computer problems and the referral I had given her in the past for computer issues wasn't working out as good as it should have. I knew of another AmSpirit member that I had met a few times and always thought he presented himself well. I referred him to my client, but with the following disclaimer:

"I have met this person several times, I know nothing about their business firsthand, but he appears to be able to solve the kinds of problems you're having with your computer. If it does work out well for you, please let me know so that in the future I can refer to him with more confidence."

It turned out great! She has mentioned on more than one occasion how happy she is with the service that was provided to her. I took comfort in knowing that I did not foolishly risk my reputation by just slinging any referral her way without qualifying it first.

So if you see me out and about and I ask you if you know someone, I really want to determine if you'll put your reputation on the line for that other person. There are people already around Central Ohio that know lots of folks, but far fewer would risk their own reputations vouching for others.

http://www.jongordon.com/newsletter-011810-5waystomotivate.html

Here's great information on how to motivate your 'team'.

http://www.jongordon.com/newsletter-011810-5waystomotivate.html

Summary of Article in Business First Regarding Referrals

After I posted the link to the article regarding the core principles or giving and receiving referrals I realized that people who do not subscribe to Business First will not be able to read the article in its entirety unless they have a subscription. So I'll summarize:

The Author, Greta Schulz, writes that a lot of people struggle in the fact that more of their clients do not provide referrals back to them. It's not as simple as asking clients, 'who do you know that can use my products/services?'

You have to do 3 things well:

• Paint a picture: teach others to listen specifically for certain statements when they're with others. She used an example of an accountant. If someone says 'I had a really large tax bill last year' you should remember to bring up the name of your accountant friend. Don't just ask others if they need a good accountant. Listen for specific circumstances.

• When others come first, so do you: Give without hesitation. The more referrals you give, the more you will get in return. I'll add my own spin on this here. Don't ever expect it to be a 1-to-1 ratio. That thinking will get you in trouble every time.

• Make swiss cheese out of paper: Every time you see something in the paper or other magazines that makes you think of someone in your network. Cut it out and send to them. They'll appreciate it and you'll stay on top of mind. Handwritten notes, not cards with pre-printed messages on them that look handwritten.

The bottom line is to always look out for the best interest of others and you'll benefit in the long run.

Giving, receiving core principles in finding referrals - Business First of Columbus:

Here is a great article appearing is the current issue of Business First regarding business referrals.

Giving, receiving core principles in finding referrals - Business First of Columbus:

Be Proactive

Be proactive, don't wait for another member to be assigned as your 'lunch buddy'. Get to know all the members in your chapter as much as you possibly can on a one-to-one basis. Learn their business, learn what you must ask others to uncover referrals for that person. What statements should you be listening for that would lead to a referral for another person?

Once you have great rapport with your own chapter, now go find other members in other chapters and do the same thing.

Giving to others first and not focusing on what you want and need will come back to pay off for you...be patient and it will happen.

Reasons Why You Don't Get More Referrals...

Often times I will hear members say, "I just don't get many referrals. I don't know if this networking 'stuff' works for me." Yes, we all joined AmSpirit Business Connections for the same reasons. We want more referrals for our businesses. The question is, "How do we get more referrals?"

It's better to illustrate what 'not to do' in order to have a better appreciation of networking, I think. Too many people sabotage their efforts and you probably for witnessed firsthand some of the bad networking behaviors. Here's a partial list of what 'not to do':

1. Don't follow up with the referrals you are given. Misplace the referral slip given to you and then do not bother asking the person who gave you the referral to provide the information again.

2. Better yet, do not ever give feedback to the person who provided the referral. That way they'll never know if you made a connection or not.

3. Always talk about your business, focusing on what you need. You don't have time to learn about what others need in their businesses, you've got a quota to hit.

4. Go to networking events and pass out as many business cards as possible. Don't take the time to talk to anyone at length. It'll cut down on how many cards you can pass out.

5. Don't give referrals to anyone unless they give one to you first. Let them know you keep score and if they're not going to give something to you, you won't help them either. Also be sure to tell other members in your chapter that you don't get referrals from anyone.

6. Don't get to know anyone from other chapters, it takes too much time. It's hard enough just going to your own chapter meetings every week.

7. If you have a chance to meet a paying client, schedule them over your weekly chapter meeting. It's much better to try to close that one sale than to go meet with your networking group. You probably wouldn't have gotten any referrals that day anyway.

8. Miss meetings for any reason, most likely they won't even know you're not there. Time management is important to you and you can get more done if you don't elect to attend your networking meetings regularly.

9. Don't meet one-on-one with other chapter members. You'll see them at weekly chapter meetings (at least the ones you attend). So why should you take another hour out of your week to meet them individually? It seems like a waste of time.

10. Don't go to any of your chapter or area wide socials. You've put in a full day already, why extend the workday any longer? It's better go get home and unwind watching TV instead. You'll be better rested for the next workday.

So, how many people do you recognize in any of the above statements? You may have even chuckled at the recollection of seeing some of these behaviors in action. If you ever find yourself asking 'Why don't I get more referrals?' do a quick analysis of yourself to be sure you aren't exhibiting any of these behaviors.