Where Relationships & Referrals Meet

Net In Progress

One of the questions I’m asked most often is “Where should I network?” The simple answer: “Network where you have the best chance of meeting your prospect.”

Get involved with at least three of the following types of groups. You may already be involved in one or two and not recognize the group as a networking opportunity.

Networking Groups – There are two types of networking groups: Chambers of commerce and speed networking. The main reason people participate is for networking opportunities. It is classified as open networking: anyone can participate and you will find your competitors there. Chamber events usually have little structure while speed networking has highly structured events.

Interest Groups – There are seven basic types of interest groups: hobby, educational, political, homeowner, alumni, sports and athletic, and cultural. These groups vary as to how often they meet and in structure. However, they have one thing that is beneficial to the networking professional – they’re relaxed. So why’s that a benefit? Well, people aren’t there to do business yet people like to buy from people they feel comfortable with. Let members know what you do without trying to sell to them. Give a little ‘free advice’ on occasion and be a resource for members. But more than anything – enjoy yourself and get involved.

Professional Groups – There are a variety of professional groups ranging from single occupation to business associations to private clubs. These groups usually have membership requirements based on your occupation or professional categories. The benefit of becoming involved with these groups are keeping up with trends in your industry (or an affiliated industry); sharing of ideas; learning new skills; and developing friendly competition.

Gender Groups – This category consists of men’s and/or women’s clubs, fraternities and sororities, and fraternal orders. You may or may not find your competitors at these groups. The benefits of becoming involved are varied and personal to each member.

Referral Groups – These groups are closed contact groups meaning you have exclusive membership and will not have your competitor on your team. These include groups such as REO, BNI, LeTip and various independents. Before joining one of these groups look at who the target market is of each of the members NOT the members themselves. Also look at the quality of referrals (ask to see the copies of the referrals passed that day).

Service, Spiritual & Support – Groups in this category include charitable groups, support groups and religious groups. Doing business at these groups is frowned upon (if done openly and aggressively) however, business is done within these groups every day. Join them for the community connection, do business as a side benefit.

You may reproduce this information in any electronic format as long as you include the following: Author: Raeus Jae Cannon, CEO & Founder of REO, LLC (Referral Exchange Organization). www.reomeetings.com

I was recently working with a small business owner that was struggling to find more business. He had come to me to teach him a little about networking and making connections. He’d attended several events and many people had referred him to me. After we talked a while, I made several suggestions. Every single suggestion I made he responded with “No, that won’t work” or “No, I can’t do that” or “No, I don’t have the time.” That’s fine…his choice. My choice…I fired him.

Why did I fire him? Because he had an extremely negative attitude and was unwilling to try anything new.

Trying new things is why there are so many small businesses! But for some reason once a business owner goes into business they get stuck. They get stuck in their beliefs, their problems and stuck in a small set of solutions. Trying something new is not only scary, its risky.

Here are three things that are NOT risky that I recommend:
1) find a CRM system that tells you who your clients are and more importantly, who your prospects are (Microsoft Outlook is probably already on your computer sitting there waiting for you to use it).

2) create a system for following up with people so you know who, how and when to call (and especially what to say).

3) create a prospect list: keep it simple. List the people or professions or companies that you’d like to meet. Then reach out to the people you know to find who knows them. Then get them to introduce you. How hard is that?

If you’re having a problem with networking; making connections or growing your business – YOU MUST CHANGE! If you want things to stay the same – then by all means keep doing what you’re already doing. BUT if you want to grow your business then doing what got you here, won’t get you where you want to go. YOU MUST CHANGE!

Change your ATTITUDE!

Change your SYSTEMS!

Change is good, however to change an attitudes is nearly impossible. Changing one attitude is equivalent to creating a miracle. Would you like to make your business miraculous? Then CHANGE your systems and your attitude about your them. Don’t have a system? Make one and tweak it until it works for you.

What’s a Great Referral?

In my last post, I said that a referral is when

1. the buyer wants the service provided, and
2. the buyer expects and knows the seller is going to call and when

The referring person (you) has already set up some level of trust and rapport by recommending the person they’re referring.

I’ve identified 3 levels of referral: 1) A recommendation; 2) A set up; and 3) A 360° meeting.

Here’s the scenario: you (the person making a referral to one of your contacts) have found that your contact has a need for a service. You have a great person to refer them to.

Referral – 1^st Level: A Recommendation

Let your contact know why you believe your referral is the best person for the job. Share personal experience or knowledge of their work. Tell your contact how long you’ve known the person you’re referring. The better you know your referral person, the more information you can give at this level. Now you have two choices:

1. Let your contact do the work and just give them your referral’s contact info for them to call later, or
2. Call your referral and save your contact some time trying to reach them later.

Referral – 2^nd Level: A Set Up

The set up can sometimes happen before the recommendation depending on the level of trust your contact has with you.

Set Up a meeting for your referral by calling your referral while you’re still with your contact. This will save your contact time and take something off their busy plate. Two possibilities here:

1. You reach your referral. Tell them the situation and hand the phone to your contact so they can make an appointment
2. You don’t reach your referral. Leave them a message with your contact’s information and the best time to reach them. Your contact will hear you setting this up. They know to why and when to expect the call.

Offering to pick up the phone is a quick and easy way to qualify shoppers from buyers. If they’re not really in the market for the service they will say something like “No, don’t call them now…don’t know that I’m ready yet.”

Referral – 3^rd Level: A 360°

This is the highest level of commitment and referral. Three people are present (you, your referral and your contact). Your job is to explain to both parties why you think they’d work well together. After your initial introduction and rapport building you are free to leave them to set up their next step. Keep in contact with both parties to see if you can help to close the deal.

Priority #1

Referral Source –make the best and most appropriate referral for your contact.

Referral Recipient –make your referral source look great by always keeping the contact’s best interest at heart. By doing this you’ll double your referral sources – your referral source will feel comfortable referring you again AND their contact now becomes a possible referral source for you too!

I’m reminded of the heightened anxiety as Dorothy, Scarecrow, and Tin Man ventured into the dark, dark forest chanting: “Lions and Tigers and Bears – Oh, my!”

As we help each other to find more business, why would we want to send our valued referral partners into the dark, dark world of “Leads and Referrals and Cold Calls – Oh, my!” It’s a dark and dangerous business world out there full of “oh, just use my name” “I gave them your card” and “they’re going to call you” (just to name a few).

In many networking groups I often hear “I have a lead for…” and I just want to cringe! Why would you want to give a ‘lead’ to someone? After all, I can get (and give) leads from the newspaper, the phone book, or the computer (and so can you)!

The answer: because we’ve been taught 2 things:

1. That a ‘lead’ and a ‘referral’ are the same thing, and
2. That the best kind of referral is to get a name that you can use

So what’s the difference between a ‘lead’ and a ‘referral’?

Lead: a lead is information that is given where the receiver still needs to set rapport, find if there is a need, budget, set up trust and convince the buyer that they’re the best company to do the job. The person receiving a lead is on equal footing with anyone else coming in off the street (cold call).

Referral: a referral is information given where the buyer wants the service provided, expects and knows that the person is going to call them and when to expect the call. The referring person has already set up some level of trust and rapport by recommending the person they’re referring. This is no cold call.

So the next time you ask for a ‘lead’ or give a ‘referral’ – ask yourself: “What kind of business do I want people to help me find?” If you want to make ‘cold calls’ then be my guest keep using the word ‘lead’ and I’ll keep giving you exactly what you asked for.

Next time I’ll discuss the best kind of ‘referral’. Meanwhile, share with me brief stories of when someone made a great referral for you…

This was one of the funniest speakers I’ve ever heard. He was a main stage speaker at the National Speakers Association in Orlando – take a look and learn a little about how we are different.

Where Do You Wear A Name Badge?  Proper Placement Equals Profit

On The Right Side Of The Body – Wrong!

This common belief stems from a study that “someone” did. However, no one seems to know who conducted the study or where it was done. Supposedly, this study concluded that while shaking a person’s hand, people’s eyes follow the line of sight along the arms and thus the name badge should be placed at the end of that line of sight – the upper right chest (just below the shoulder). But that just doesn’t make sense to me…

Follow the Money!

The truth can often be flushed out when you “follow the money.”  So, let’s start by asking three questions:

1) When spending money to purchase logo wear (specifically shirts or jackets), does the promotional products company automatically place the logo on the LEFT side?

Answer: Yes! Promotional Products companies automatically print any logo on the upper LEFT side of a shirt or jacket (as people look at you it would be the upper right quadrant of your body) unless you request otherwise. Is it hard to find anyone’s logo? Not at all – logos are all in the same place.

We’ve been conditioned over many years by the promotional products industry (and even clothing companies) to look for logos in the same place – the LEFT side of the shirt (the right as we look at someone wearing it).  See the GREEN nametag to the right…

2) Do you want your name associated with your logo or company name?

Answer: Yes! Of course you want your name associated with your logo! Make it easy for people to associate the two. Don’t make them read your name and company in two different locations. If your name badge is on the opposing side from your logo – you are mentally and physically disassociating yourself from your company! When you place your name badge just above or below your company logo – you link the two in sight and mind.

What if you don’t wear a logo? Well, when people are looking for your logo – viola – your name badge is exactly where they expect to find the logo. So why wait until you shake someone’s hand? Put your name badge exactly where they expect to find it – BEFORE they shake your hand!

3) When advertising, will you pay a premium for the top RIGHT corner of the page?

Answer: yes, you sure will. Savvy advertisers pay a premium to be located at the top RIGHT corner of the page. Why? Because study after study have found that people’s eyes are drawn to the top RIGHT corner of every page first – yes, before looking at anything else! And that holds true whether it is a magazine page, a web page, a computer screen or your body.

So, imagine the body in a similar fashion to an advertising page. Put the most important information where people will instinctively look – in the top RIGHT corner as they look at you (LEFT on your body).

Wear Your Name Badge on the LEFT Side of Your Body

Wear your name badge in the money spot – the top LEFT corner of your body (where you put your hand during the pledge of allegiance) and just above or below your logo so that when people approach you your name badge is seen in the RIGHT hand side of your chest.

Lanyards

Steer away from dangling nametags that hang on a lanyard. Unless the name is typed in VERY large letters it will draw people’s eyes down to your stomach (or your cleavage) and away from your face.

Rule:  Follow the Money – When it comes to nametags or name badges – LEFT is right!

Raeus Jae Cannon is the Founder and CEO of REO, LLC; a relationship based referral exchange organization that creates networks for all professionals to be well connected and prosperous. She has been training professionals to network effectively since 2004 and is available to speak or train at corporations or associations. For information about REO, LLC click www.reomeetings.com. Contact Raeus at ceo@reomeetings.com

© Copyright since 2006 Raeus Jae Cannon

This article may be reprinted electronically in its entirety; however, it must include the entire author byline with an ac­tive link back to www.reomeetings.com. Send a courtesy copy to ceo@reomeetings.com. You may not print this article in a paid-for arena or for any commercial use.

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