Here’s a quick message from a graduate of the Referral Institute and very good friend Dave Crane (The Life Designer).

I have just returned from an amazing Internet Marketers Cruise in the US and I used the networking skills, taught to me by Phil to make a number of very lucrative joint ventures and to get invited to join some of the industry’s most exclusive mastermind groups.

I have used the amazing techniques from the course to build my tribe.

Take a look at this…

Thanks Phil.

You are the best.

Dave Crane

The Life Designer

http://www.davecrane.tv

It nevers fails to amaze me how networking works.

I have just received an email from Gail Nott in San Francisco. Gail is the Social media expert who deals with the Referral Institutes social media strategies . I recently met her, while speaking at conference and we are connected also through facebook and twitter

Gail has just sent me a referral to a reporter who is looking for expert sources for their newspaper to quote and interview on referral marketing and networking. What makes this incredible is the reporter is working for an Abu Dhabi based paper just 1 hour from where I live and Gail lives half way round the world 16 hours flight in Concord USA.

The world is indeed small if you are connected. Thanks Gail for the referral and I will let you know how I get on.
Phil

what a crazy statement and yet it seems to be the norm in so many business. We all know customers are the life blood of a business and yet why do approximately 60% of customers go to another supplier.

Research suggests the main reason is because business do not stay in touch i.e communicate with their customers. The customer in a nut shell thinks we don’t care and they forget about us.

Only yesterday I was speaking to the manager of restaurant here in Dubai, He has just returned after 9 years to the bar he opened back in 2001. The bar is nowhere near as successful as it used to be, competition is moving in every where and their numbers are down. My friend decided to do some research and find out what happened to his old loyal clients.

His answer was simple and I think of no surprise:

1 The new mangers and staff began to change so regularly that the customers lost a relationship with the staff.
2 The venue stopped communicating about up and coming events with the customers.
3 Key customers in the Latin community ( a huge influencer for customers to date ) had not received a communication or update in 7 years since he left
4 I myself had to fight to be included on an email from the venue. which finally happened twice and now they have stopped again. ( I have been a customer myself for 9 years )

This scenario is not unique to this restaurant many business have a very poor database management system. It’s not enough just to have a database it must be managed and used strategically.

As a referral marketing expert I know that the best source of referral is not necessarily the existing client ( the best is a proactive contact sphere relationship) . They can, however, provide us with lots of referrals and of course repeat business.

If you are not reading this and do not know who your best client was 5 years ago or have not been in touch with them in the last 6 months I would suggest something maybe missing.

For people in Dubai, if you do need to sort out your database I would recommend the services of Strategy Marketing and it’s owner Corrina Cross I have seen Corrina produce immediate results during this recession for her clients. If you are new in business why not get your database and communications set up from the beginning. Kill the monster while it is little.

We need to keep our customers (who are part of our network) speaking and thinking about us, this is part of the BUZZ we need to develop in the market about us and our products. And boy is it a HUGE part.

Who cares about their customers? hopefully you do:)

Even without a full understanding of behavioural styles you can still make a few basic changes and have more success networking. Have you ever noticed how some people annoy you because they speak to quickly or too slowly. Maybe all the want to do is talk about fun and themselves and not about work. Maybe when you talk about business they start to get uncomfortable. What ever for some reason there is no connection between you and the person you are talking to.

By the way if you feel like this about them the chances are they feel similarly awkward. So how can we do something about it.

In a nut shell we are all different.

So what can you do?

Copy ( Mirror ) their speed of talking, their subject matter ( business or pleasure ), their tonality even the words they use. Their body language. one arm in pocket or arms crossed ( seasoned networks will know this is usally a sign of being uncomfortable) and yes MIRROR them. Poeple quite simply like people like them.

If they use visual words ” see what I mean” or Audio ” I hear what you are saying” Kinetic ” lets touch base ” try to copy their preferred representation system

It will all make you more easy to talk to. Given people like people like them. It will help you develop a relationship whether socially or in business

I am not sure whether to laugh or cry when I hear business owner say they can’t afford 497 aed ( that’s about $135) on learning new skills to build there business.

When you think that most people will happily spend that much on a night out , a meal or a box set of DVD’s.

I guess this is why so many businesses are struggling at the moment. “If you do what you have always done you will get what you always got”

Just 2 weeks ago I was in Dubai and through a friend met a young lady at a salsa party. It turns out this lady was from Marin county san francisco. Because I am intersted in salsa I asked about clubs there and places to go.

One week later I had just walked off stage in san francisco after doing my “Get the Buzz” speach. A lady in the audience asked me where she could dance salsa near petaluma, san francisco.

Now is it only me who finds it a bit odd. Someone from san francisco asking someone from Dubai in the UAE where to do something in their locality over 16 hours flight away.

The funny thing is I could tell her

The world is indeed a small place for those who are connected:)

I recently attended a course that I thought I would share with my network because it was so impactful for me in the following areas and I like to share these experiences:

1 My business
2 MY personal development

Business
For anyone in sales, the knowledge of NLP as a tool is of paramount importance, these skills could take your business to a completely different level. In dealing with staff relations, client service and sales generation. This is just in our normal practice let alone those wishing to use these skills for business/life coaching.

I would summarize my ROI ( Return on investment ) in the following areas.

1 Immediate impact on my business of 54,000aed as a result attending the course.
2 Meeting Incredible individuals who are now valued parts of my network
3 Skills I can now apply to my coaching, Professional speaking and sales ability that have already provided me with many intangibles
4 I managed to give 8 quality referrals to my network as a result
5 Deepen relationships with a number of people whom I have had the greatest respect for but never been able to spend enough time with.
6 I have also located and am building a new Referral Partner and strategic alliance as a result.

Personal Development
1 I have learnt to deal with some personal demons
2 I have deeper and more understanding relationship with the people closest to me
3 I can deal with unwanted thoughts and emotions and instead pull on positive powerful intentions and feelings

Oh and by the way I had an awesome time and got to Karate chop a board in half:)

see below for more details and links.

I highly recommend this course.if you are intersted the next in Dubai 24th – 27th February & 3rd – 5th March 2011
contact me or diretly to Carol Talbot carol@matrix-training.com

Checkout the last 3 minutes of my “Get the Buzz” presentation at Referral Institute Conference this summer. what a great crowd and I think they may remember me

I am sat here its 01.54 and I am putting the finishing touches to my presentation for my presentation tomorrow at Referral Institute conference 2011 on Referral marketing.

I am awake at this crazy hour because I am nervous and I keep wanting to make changes. I never loose the nerves and I think the more value I want to share the more nervous I get. We are have 240 business professionals confirmed attending and I am so excited to be here and help support the local community. I get to share a stage with other top names in the referral marketing industry such as the “Father of Modern” networking Dr Ivan Misner, Mike Macedonio and Dawn Lyons.

What I find rather odd /sad is that only 3 years ago I used to do anything to not do a presentation. As a BNI member I went a whole year without presenting my business to my piers. At the time I thought I was “clever” to get away with it. My goodness how deluded was I. Not only was I missing the opportunity to train my referral team. How could they ever really refer me unless they understood what I did and and what is a good referral. I also nearly lost the opportunity to do something I know do as a living and LOVE it.

Just shows we have to step out of our comfort zones and we might find something we love.

It’s tough these days. So many people check facebook or comment on their blogs as often as their phone or email, often more .

It is so tempting to post immediately to not miss a comment. Just beware of posting because once its out there its out there.

don’t drink and post:)