Books like Endless Referrals: Network Your Everyday Contacts into Sales

A solid book on networking, broadly applicable to business relationships. It's mostly about in-person networking, and there are some tips for using the phone, but the edition I read didn't cover anything online, which is where I spend most of my networking time.Burg says the theme of the book is to show how to get people to know, like, and trust you. And to get these people to want you to succeed and help you find new business. Basically, to make them your personal ambassadors.I wish I'd read this years ago, when I first started networking at in-person events. Within the first 2-3 years of that I had learned most of what's in this book from various sources, but it would've been nice to have had it earlier, all at once, from one source!I like the technique for remembering people's names. I'll have to try it and see if it works better than my current technique.I read this to learn more about getting referrals from the clients of my web agency, OptimWise. I skimmed the sections about in-person networking, cold calling, and door-to-door prospecting. I've never done cold calling or door-to-door prospecting, but I used to do a lot of in-person networking. The last couple years I've worked to generate leads online, but I still get referrals from existing clients, and want to encourage more.NotesQuestions Are The Successful Networker's Most Valuable Ammunition"If you are networking correctly, the other person will never know that you are networking."Main reason for having your business card is not to give it to someone else, but to get the other person's card.After the introduction, invest 99.9% of the conversation in asking that person questions about himself and his business. Do not talk about yourself and your business. Instead of giving your job title, give a short benefit statement. Financial planner would say, "I help people create and manage wealth." See "Features vs. benefits" below.Ask questions that make people feel good about being in a conversation with you; that make them feel good about you as a person.10 networking questions that work every timeThese are friendly and fun to answer and will tell you something about the way that person thinks. You will only use a few in each conversation; those appropriate to the conversation.1. How did you get your start in the widget business?2. What do you enjoy most about your profession?3. What separates you and your company from the competition?4. What advice would you give someone just starting in the widget business?5. What one thing would you do with your business if you knew you could not fail?6. What significant changes have you seen take place in your profession through the years?7. What do you see as the coming trends in the widget business?8. Describe the strangest or funniest incident you've experienced in your business.9. What ways have you found to be the most effective for promoting your business? [If you work in marketing, do not ask this question, because they will feel you're probing.]10. What one sentence would you like people to use in describing the way you do business?After establishing rapport, ask, "How can I know if someone I'm talking to is a good prospect for you?"How To Work Any CrowdLocate the centers of influence; the people who probably know a lot of people. Meet them one-on-one at the event. Watch for them to leave the group they're in, then walk up and introduce yourself. Later at event, bump into them again and greet them by name. Profitable Follow UpSend a personalized thank-you note to each influencer you met. A non-pushy, simple, brief note written in blue ink. Say something like, "Hi [name], Thank you. It was a pleasure meeting you. If I can ever refer business your way, I certainly will."Have a custom postcard with these items in the top right corner, top to bottom: company name and logo; your photo; your name; your contact info. Your photo helps them remember you.Send prospects a notepad with those same items at the top of each page, every month or so.Send prospects articles and other info that relate to them or their business, profession, personal interests, or hobbies.Referral thank-you: "Dear [name], thank you so much for your nice referral of [name]. You can be assured that anyone you refer to me will be treated with the utmost caring and professionalism."Understanding The Law Of Successful Giving And Successful ReceivingFeatures vs. benefits• Advertising agency: "We show you how to dramatically increase your company's revenues through strategic positioning in the marketplace."• Graphic artist: "I show you how to present your perfect image to those with whom you want to do business."• Life insurance salesperson: "I show people how to plan for a sound financial future while protecting themselves and their loved ones for the present, through insurance."• Real estate agent: "I help people successfully market their home and purchase their perfect dream home."• Dentist: "I provide healthy teeth and smiles, with no pain."• Financial planner: "I help people create and manage wealth."Benefit statement should be short, succinct, descriptive sentence no more than 7 seconds long. Should tell what you do and how it will benefit the person using your services. Often begins with, "I show people how to …" or, "I help people to …." Show where you help somebody do something, or do something for somebody. That something can be to help them achieve a positive goal or avoid a particular pain.When you contact referral, say, "I promised [referrer's name] I'd call you" to be better positioned in their mind.Prospecting for Fun and ProfitIf prospect says he recently purchased your product from someone else, say, "No kidding, what kind did you get? How did you happen to go with them? What's been your experience over the last few months? Who was involved in making that decision? If you were going to make that decision today, what would be different about it? I'll give you some info about our products, including info that may help you with some of the problems you've had. Feel free to give me a call within the next few months if I may help you. In fact, if I haven't heard from you, may I call you? Do you have any info describing what you do? I always like to know what my prospective clients do. Possibly I can refer some business your way. Thanks. … I'm curious: do you know anyone who might be in a similar position to the one you were in a few months ago, so I can talk to them and see if I may be of some assistance?"Position Yourself As The Expert (And Only Logical Resource) In Your FieldOne way to position yourself is as a consumer advocate. Share interesting tidbits not known by the average consumer in your field. Point out practices in your profession that shouldn't be happening, because they're unethical or otherwise negative. What do you know that the public needs or wants to know about, or has the right to know?It's beneficial to publish in publications within your field, even if only your peers consume those publications. When prospects know you've appeared in those publications, it builds credibility.Even if a prospect can't give you their business because of a commitment to their current provider, they may still refer to you.Customer Service: The Networker's Best Friend"Going the extra mile, or even the extra step, is worth all the paid advertising in the world." Great customer service generates referrals.Cross-promotions: The Ultimate In Win-Win NetworkingHave a cross-promotion partner give you certificates to their business, which you give your customer upon purchase as an added value for buying from you.Example: If you're a life insurance salesperson targeting the wealthy, you can cross-promote with other businesses targeting that group. Tell those businesspeople you'll be contacting wealthy people who spend on cars, homes, club memberships, food, etc., and you're offering an excellent opportunity to position themselves in front of this lucrative market.Cross-promotions can be used to get in front of a prospect, or to close a deal, or to increase the frequency of contacting a prospect.Example: An attorney and accountant could agree to allow each other's clients to call the other professional with a quick question for a limited time for a 30-day trial. The professionals would try to convert these leads.Cross-promote with a nonprofit to increase engagement. For example, ask prospects if they fill out a 4-5 question survey, you'll donate $2 to charity. Design the questions to see if you should follow up with the prospect.Remember Names and Faces for ProfitMake name-face connections1. Find the person's outstanding facial feature.2. Form a mental picture of what the name suggests, or a sound-alike (similar sound or word that turns name into something you can picture).3. Form a ridiculous (silly, illogical) association between the mental picture suggested by the name or sound-alike and the outstanding facial feature.Don't try to remember the person's name by thinking of a celebrity or friend with the same name, because this can get confusing; you may not remember the right celebrity or friend.Sound-alike examplesSimon: dime inGarrett: carrotTaylor: tailorKakish: cactusMalinowski: mail on a ski; melon ow skiJoan: groanDave: saveTim: tinMary: marryTo remember first name, take the picture you created of the person's last name and associate it with a picture of the first name.Example to remember James Conant: Outstanding facial feature is triangle-shaped face. Picture a gigantic triangular ice cream cone, topped with ants instead of sprinkles. Use word "games" to remember James. See those ants on top of that cone playing lots of games in the ice cream?