The Persuaders Referral Supercharge

A Christmas Bonus for your Business

2007-12-06T20:29:00.000Z

Well, here we go again! Another year coming to a halt with lots of celebration ahead.
Rather than throw yourself into full celebration right now, how about taking stock of how your business performed last year?

How has your referral business performed in the past 12 months? Have you achieved what you set yourself out to do? If so, could you have achieved even more? Have you celebrated? If you haven't acheived your goals, what's stopped you from reaching your them?

Over the past 12 months, I've had numerous approach me about problems with their referral business. However, here are some of the most common difficulties businesses have in increasing their bottom line. See if any of this resonates with you?

* You leave the money at the table by not asking for the sale?
* You leave in even more money by not asking every customer for a referral?
* You feel embarrassed to ask even a happy customer for referrals?
* Your customer feels confused because of the number of products you have?
* You're so stressed and you desperate to get that next order or customer?
* You starting to hate selling?
* Your customers don't trust you as much as you'd like?
* They don't have a 'need' for your product?
* Your sales are falling way out of control?
* You're losing sales to the competition?

Well, there's nothing in achieving mediocrity in business or sales. If you want to lift yourself away from mediocrity to massive results in 2008 by getting onto The Pathway to Success, then read on...

If you want to give a someone you care for a lifeline by helping them onto The Pathway to Success, then read on...

How'd you like it if:

* You are confident in always asking for customers to buy?
* Your customers know you mean business because you're on purpose?
* You are perceived as the definitive expert in your market?
* You're much more relaxed during sales meetings?
* You're no longer confused about the outcome and have clarity of focus?
* Your customer's trust you more?
* You're much more influential in your customer's business decisions?
* You're able to turn your business 180 degrees and enjoy much more sales?
* You're enjoying being in business...once again?

The Pathway to Success is the definitive audio programme to help you to accelerate your sales...right now!

The Pathway to Success will immerse you in a closed-eye autogenics exercise. You'll be guided through the entire process to help you to Get INCREDIBLE sales.

By the time, you've listened you're probably going to wonder why you previously struggled so much in your sales!

I cannot promise you that by listening to The Pathway to Success, you're going to be a millionairre overnight. However, by listening to the programme consistently over 30 days, you will experience amazing results. That's a promise. But here's the thing: You need to take action right now! So if you're ready to buy the CD for yourself, then click here.

If you'd like to buy a copy or two for someone you care for as a Christmas gift, then click here to guarantee delivery before the mad Christmas rush:

Please note, due to huge demand, there are only a few copies left. So, hurry and order your copy (copies) immediately.

Here's an added bonus for you. Buy now and enjoy our Christmas gift price of only £19.99 instead of the usual £29.99. That's right. Buy right now and you save yourself £10.

Authors of The Pathway to Success:

Harun Rabbani, expert in customer-driven marketing and sales.
David Hyner, behavioural & cognitive expert of top achievers & creator of the Massive Goal Principle.

Keep shining!

Referral Mastery Part I

2007-11-04T12:35:00.000Z

Who is Harun Rabbani, the Persuader?
Harun Rabbani is the foremost authority in customer-driven marketing. He helps his clients to increase their profits by helping them create business growth strategies through innovative systems that work.

Harun’s specialist knowledge in creating highly profitable teams is attributable to his sales experience since the 1982 in small businesses and large corporations. He brings the best of the best practices to you in developing a tactical approach to creating a powerful customer referral-based business. The vast majority of Harun’s sales success is attributed to him developing AND implementing simple, yet effective referral systems for his market.

As a former coach to world class kickboxing champions and as the British Kickboxing titleholder himself, Harun is fully versed in the scientific approach to understanding individual and team motivation. He is straight-talking strategist who builds individuals, teams and companies that lead to the bottom results that you want – increased profits.

For more information on the next programme, please contact Harun Rabbani directly via email – thepersuader@harunrabbani.com

What’s your investment?
A mind-blowing mere £50 plus VAT for 120 minutes of high quality business growth tips and ideas as well as the bonus gifts plus the food!!! Sheer madness.

All covered with a 100% Full Money Back Guarantee

When and where is the next event?
Thursday 22nd November, 6.45 pm for 7pm start. Finish at 9pm.
1 Harley Street, London, W1G 9QD

What people are saying about Harun and his seminars
“I recommend this course very strongly if you want to improve your networking skills because, at the end of the day, behind every successful sale is a person. The more people you know, the more chance of making a sale you’ll get.”
J Durrante, AstraZeneca

“I couldn't believe it. After less than 90 minutes of applying the Referral Explosion system with just one of my contacts, I received over 20 strongly qualified referrals. Each referral is worth the equivalent of 10 times the investment I made in attending this workshop. Thank you, Harun! Thank you!”
G Gill, Arthur Marsh & Son

“Harun is a very spiritually gifted gentleman. With a true sense of knowing, Harun can help you develop financial prosperity solutions with your own spiritual gift. An excellent contact for your network. Especially for helping you develop greater financial confidence in your own work.”
Alexander Maclean, Spiritologist

“I am proud to have Harun as part of my trusted network. He is a great friend and an incredibly passionate and driven Entrepreneur. As a speaker, he wows the audience, as an individual he lights up the room with his warmth and energy. Don’t be fooled by an exterior of a driven, go getter. Whilst he absolutely makes things happen, he is also a warm, tender and wonderful human being, who cares deeply.

If you want to know how to sell? Connect to this master of sales.
If you want to motivate and shine? Conect to this incredible, dynamic speaker.
If you want to get connected? Talk to Harun...”
Michelle Clarke, XL Results Foundation

“I recently saw Harun present a seminar on sales techniques. What impressed me was Harun's openess and honesty about his own experiences, this is a man who has true integrity. But this wasn't just a personal story. Harun has experienced tough times in his business which most of us have, not only does he share his story he has learnt from the experiences and is enabling others to learn from his experience also. Harun's referral system is not just theory, it's tried and tested. I encourage you to make Harun part of your network”
Elaine Gold, Centre for High Performance Development

“I have known Harun for a couple of years now, through working with him on the committee of the Professional Speakers Association in Birmingham.

Harun is quite simply one of the best networkers I know. He is always looking for ways to help and is extremely generous in passing on contacts.

He's also an absolutely lovely guy with a great sense of humour and a fantastic hug! He is warm, sincere and passionate - and a real pleasure to know.

Connect with this guy today. You will not regret it!”
Sue Richardson, Publisher

“Harun is not just good at what he does, he is EXCEPTIONAL. Period.”
Fraser Hay, Lead Generation MBA

“Sometimes it is important to judge people by actions, not words. Harun has always been a great guy to talk to, to network with and work with. I have heard that he has also delivered some fantastic training to BRE members.

But when I personally needed him to deliver... and refer me to a MAJOR contact... he did exactly what he promised.

That's when you ultimately decide whether or not to give someone a strong testimonial. Thanks mate!”
Andy Lopata, best-selling author (networking) – “…And Death Came Third”

“He’s a lovely lad.”
Harun’s mum

Pearls of Wisdom by one of the Grandmasters of Personal Development

2007-11-02T22:09:00.001Z

If you look study the personal develpment industry, you'll notice the vast majority of today's experts based their work on the original teachings of Norman Vincent Peale ('The Power of Positive Thinking') and Napoleon Hill ('Think and Grow Rich').

I've found Hill's work has had the most profound effect on my life and that of many around me. So here's a short video of him talking about attracting abundance into your life. This is absolutely the best way to build the foundation of a referral-based business.

And here's another one that you'll like.

Enjoy!

The Persuader

The Referral Mastery Evening in London

2007-10-21T14:44:00.000Z

Referral Mastery Part I – The Persuader’s Guide to turning your Contacts into your Advocates

* Ever experience the frustration of finding good quality clients?
* Wondered how you could use your network to increase your net wealth?
* Want to have a simple way to accelerate your profits more quickly?

These questions and many more will be answered in the Referral Mastery workshop with Harun Rabbani. This programme is a high-impact programme created especially for entrepreneurs and professionals who own/manage small businesses.

In this interactive workshop you will discover:

* How to get in the flow and attract referrals like bears to honey
* How to recognise how your customers prefer to build relationships
* How to create awesome value experiences for your advocates
* How to use the 5-Step Referral Explosion system to kick-start your new business or new markets
* How to use Referral Explosion to accelerate your existing business
* How to be known as an expert in your field
* How to recognise advocates and time-wasters from a mile off
* How to host a power meeting with your referral partners
* How to build your unpaid salesforce

In addition, you will receive the following bonus gifts:

* An eBook on Referral Mastery as a bonus gift
* An audio programme as a bonus gift to accelerate your growth long after the workshop’s finished
* Access to a bonus follow-up teleseminar to answer your most difficult questions AFTER you’ve applied the Referral Explosion with your advocates

Who is Harun Rabbani, the Persuader?
Harun Rabbani is the foremost authority in customer-driven marketing. He helps his clients to increase their profits by helping them create business growth strategies through innovative systems that work.

Harun’s specialist knowledge in creating highly profitable teams is attributable to his sales experience since the 1982 in small businesses and large corporations. He brings the best of the best practices to you in developing a tactical approach to creating a powerful customer referral-based business. The vast majority of Harun’s sales success is attributed to him developing AND implementing simple, yet effective referral systems for his market.

As a former coach to world class kickboxing champions and as the British Kickboxing titleholder himself, Harun is fully versed in the scientific approach to understanding individual and team motivation. He is straight-talking strategist who builds individuals, teams and companies that lead to the bottom results that you want – increased profits.

Timings
The next meeting is 1st November 2007 at 6.45pm finishing at 9pm in 1 Harley Street, London.

To guarantee your place on this programme, simply send an email to Harun Rabbani -mailto:-thepersuader@harunrabbani.com

What’s your investment?
A mind-blowing mere £49 plus VAT for 120 minutes of high quality business growth tips and ideas as well as the bonus gifts plus the food!!! Sheer madness.

All covered with a 100% Lifetime Money Back Guarantee

What people are saying about Harun and his seminars
“I recommend this course very strongly if you want to improve your networking skills because, at the end of the day, behind every successful sale is a person. The more people you know, the more chance of making a sale you’ll get.”
J Durrante, AstraZeneca

“I couldn't believe it. After less than 90 minutes of applying the Referral Explosion system with just one of my contacts, I received over 20 strongly qualified referrals. Each referral is worth the equivalent of 10 times the investment I made in attending this workshop. Thank you, Harun! Thank you!”
G Gill, Arthur Marsh & Son

“Harun is a very spiritually gifted gentleman. With a true sense of knowing, Harun can help you develop financial prosperity solutions with your own spiritual gift. An excellent contact for your network. Especially for helping you develop greater financial confidence in your own work.”
Alexander Maclean, Spiritologist

“I am proud to have Harun as part of my trusted network. He is a great friend and an incredibly passionate and driven Entrepreneur. As a speaker, he wows the audience, as an individual he lights up the room with his warmth and energy. Don’t be fooled by an exterior of a driven, go getter. Whilst he absolutely makes things happen, he is also a warm, tender and wonderful human being, who cares deeply.If you want to know how to sell? Connect to this master of sales.If you want to motivate and shine? Conect to this incredible, dynamic speaker.If you want to get connected? Talk to Harun...”
Michelle Clarke, XL Results Foundation

“I recently saw Harun present a seminar on sales techniques. What impressed me was Harun's openess and honesty about his own experiences, this is a man who has true integrity. But this wasn't just a personal story. Harun has experienced tough times in his business which most of us have, not only does he share his story he has learnt from the experiences and is enabling others to learn from his experience also. Harun's referral system is not just theory, it's tried and tested. I encourage you to make Harun part of your network”
Elaine Gold, Centre for High Performance Development

“I have known Harun for a couple of years now, through working with him on the committee of the Professional Speakers Association in Birmingham.Harun is quite simply one of the best networkers I know. He is always looking for ways to help and is extremely generous in passing on contacts.He's also an absolutely lovely guy with a great sense of humour and a fantastic hug! He is warm, sincere and passionate - and a real pleasure to know.Connect with this guy today. You will not regret it!”
Sue Richardson, Publisher

“Harun is not just good at what he does, he is EXCEPTIONAL. Period.”
Fraser Hay, Lead Generation MBA

“Sometimes it is important to judge people by actions, not words. Harun has always been a great guy to talk to, to network with and work with. I have heard that he has also delivered some fantastic training to BRE members.But when I personally needed him to deliver... and refer me to a MAJOR contact... he did exactly what he promised.That's when you ultimately decide whether or not to give someone a strong testimonial. Thanks mate!”
Andy Lopata, best-selling author (networking) – “…And Death Came Third”

“He’s a lovely lad.”
Harun’s mum

Akasha - A Festival of Brilliant Minds

2007-07-24T16:45:00.000Z

On Sunday 5th August, two thousand people will descend on the world famous London Palladium Theatre to - Connect, Create & Contribute - for what can only be described as a "festival of brilliant minds".

AKASHA 2007 is set to be one of the most enticing, entertaining and enlightening events of the year and we would love to see you there.

After 7 years of promoting events around the world, this event features the best speakers we know of:

Dr John Demartini
Breaking Through Illusions that Run Your Life

Roger Hamilton
Finding your Flow and Creating Your Legacy

Getrude Matshe
Creating More and Contributing More

Bob Proctor
The Law of Attraction

Christopher Howard
Turning Passions into Profits

All tickets to this event are £39 and are allocated on a first booking - best seating basis, so if you plan on attending book today.

2007-07-22T12:49:00.000Z

Often when an entrepreneur sets up a new business, their dream is so big that they imagine it in real time - as if they'd already achieved their goal. That's a great attitude to have. It's also great to have a reality check now and again.

Your business dream will not happen in an instant. Several of my highly successful friends who are entrepreneurs have said this on enough occasions for me to give it some serious consideration. They say to me that it takes between 6 and 7 years for a business to start creating real hardline profits. Richard Branson goes as far as to say he was operating close to insolvency for 12 years before they became profitable.

What!!! You can't be a zillionairre in 12 months? I'm afraid not for most people. So here's a strategy that works for me and several other entrepreneurs. I theme my years. (I only started last year.) Last year was the 'Year of Creating the Brand'. In my case, my Wealth Dynamics profile is a 'Star'. Therefore, my focus has been to define my brand identity around my name and my area of expertise, which is creating wealth through connections. So I spent the most part of last year just developing that brand and all related matters.

This year is the 'Year of Attraction'. All my business activities is about getting in my 'flame' or into my 'flow'. I am in my flame when I use my branding to create attraction to my greatest cause. The rest of this year is all about Broadband Consciousness. My core activity is public speaking around raising human consciousness.

The more you are in your flow, the more you attract people and opportunities. In my case, it is about presenting from the stage and being the 'face' of my business. So far this have led to plenty of divideds and greater profits.

What about you? What will be the overriding purpose of the rest of 2007 in your business for you? What will your theme be?

Until the next episode, don't be nice - be amazing!

The Persuader

Learning from a Master of Business Growth

2007-05-10T14:58:00.000Z

In May, we are affiliated with a one day business event "Business on a Beermat" with Mike Southon. Mike is one of the world’s top business speakers, a Fellow of The Professional Speakers Association, a best selling author and an accomplished entrepreneur in his own right.

He has made frequent appearances on television and radio, has a weekly column in The Daily Telegraph and is a regular commentator in the Financial Times.

About Mike Southon...
In the ‘80s, Mike co-founded, built and sold "The Instruction Set", a software consultancy that was taken from an idea on the back of a beermat to a Multi-Million Pound sale in just a few years.

In the ‘90s, Mike worked with 17 start-ups; two later went public (and three went broke!).

In the ‘00s, Mike has co-authored with Chris West four best-selling books: 'The Beermat Entrepreneur', 'The Boardroom Entrepreneur', 'Sales on a Beermat', and Finance on a Beermat'.

Recently he has shared his entrepreneurial insights with...
Accenture, Advantage West Midlands, Birmingham Chamber, The DTI, Goldman Sachs, GlaxoSmithKline, The Institute of Directors, Rolls-Royce, The Royal Bank of Scotland, Surrey County Council, Symbian, The Timber Trade Federation and Tenon.

Mike's presentations are unique...
He is unscripted, spontaneous and very funny. He has worked with small, medium and large businesses, corporations, government organizations and charities and he has so many great examples that relate to the dynamic art of growing a company.

You are a valued client...
We know that you will really get great value from Mike Southon and as part of our involvement with this event we have organised for you to receive two complimentary tickets (valued at £49 each) to his up-coming presentations as a guest of our company.

Please book your complimentary double-pass ASAP...
If you would like to attend, please book your ticket promptly as the promotional tickets to this event are limited. Bookings can be made through Triumphant Events using this promotional link http://www.triumphantevents.co.uk/?unlock=108-khauqwp7.

Have an amazing day!

The Persuader

The Strategies of the Super Wealthy

2007-02-08T13:04:00.000Z

Busy lives… we all have very busy lives and in a city where it takes an hour to get anywhere, I would NEVER recommend something to you unless I was absolutely positive that you would get fantastic value.

Let me explain, a friend and colleague of mine has been touring speakers around Australia for several years and is now expanding his business into the UK. The reason he is doing this is that he struck onto the very best business speaker he has ever known and has signed him exclusively to do a speaking tour of England.

Roger Hamilton is an absolute sensation throughout Australasia. He is an international best-selling author and owner of 9 businesses for property management to resorts. He is the founder of Asia’s first Social Enterprise magazine, has spoken in front of over 100,000 people in the last few years and is the chairman of Asia’s largest Entrepreneurs network…. All at just 37 years of age!

Now my friend, Daniel Priestley, who is bringing Roger to the UK is a dedicated businessman with a long-term vision and is aiming to build Roger Hamilton’s profile in the UK.

Tickets to see Roger speak are £49each down from £69… for people who are not in MY network… however as a contact of mine, I have organized a special deal whereby you can attend as my guest with a complimentary pass. I believe this is just one small way to say thank you for being part of my network and I sincerely hope I can help your business or career stay on the cutting edge.

I have been given this web link that allows a limited number of passes to be given away, so please if you do decide to book in please turn up. I would also recommend booking right now….

http://www.triumphantevents.co.uk/?unlock=108-2bf4djx6

As I said at the beginning of this blog, we all live busy lives and I respect your time greatly. From what I know about Roger Hamilton you will find his presentation to be one of the most insightful, profound, enjoyable and valuable uses of your time.

This link contains all the information on how to book in and what will be discussed.

http://www.triumphantevents.co.uk/?unlock=108-2bf4djx6

Look forward to seeing you there,

The Persuader

Hedging Your Bets. Is it worth it?

2007-01-30T19:49:00.000Z

As Britain is going gambling stir-crazy with the announcement of the new Super-Casino to be built in Manchester, I'm sat here left wondering how many entrepreneurs take unnecessary risks in their business. They take gambles on business projections that they would never apply into their everyday lives. Or the opposite by hoping that their business would grow by Osmosis.

Let me give you an example. I was coaching a business client, Susan, earlier today on what Referral Strategy to implement into her new business partnership. She'd just got a deal to coach 40 people in sharp bursts over 4 sessions over the period of 12 months. I asked her how many referrals will she be asking for from each coachee each time. She wasn't. She didn't feel it was right to ask clients for referrals when they are being coached. Nonsense. Deep inside Susan knew better.

So we did the maths. (We'll use round numbers to avoid complicating things. Actually to avoide confusing me!) Susan's coaching time would have generated £20,000. Not bad for coaching, huh? She also had an affiliate deal with her strategic partner who hired her for the coaching. For every client Susan would create by referral, she would £500. If she asked and only got 1 referral from each coachee per quarter that turned into business, she would have brought in 160 new clients. That amounts to £80,000 worth of referral fees. Pretty amazing, me-thinks!

So Susan would earn four times as much from referral fees as she would as a coach. All the coach did was ask for one high quality referral (preferrably 3 or more) from each client everytime she met. How difficult is that? What about you? What's stopping you from asking for referrrals? Is the price of NOT asking worth paying? For Susan the cost would have been £80,000. That's money left on the table. Money left on the table can never be retrieved. How much money are you willing to leave behind?

Until next time, have an amazing week!

The Persuader

Dreaming Big...

2007-01-19T11:32:00.000Z

Welcome back to The Persuader's Referral Supercharge!

So much has happened since the last session that I don't know where to start. Let's just say that at the beginning of last year I had several dreams of the kind of person I wanted to become and the things I wanted to do. Amazingly several of them have been turning into reality. One of my dreams was to have my own television programme. I had no clue how that was going to happen, but I was convinced it was going to happen. Guess what? Last week I was approached by a veteran of the media who is very keen on creating a show specifically for me. I don't care if it happens now or much later on. As far as I am concerned I am not going to put my feelings on hold and wait for the programme to be on the box before I enjoy it. Wierd? I know! But I am enjoying the feelings of excitement right now.

Given that we are into a New Year, I figured out that like me, everyone else will have their dreams and be making their New Year's resolutions. I also figured that by now, the middle of January, most people would have broken theirs.

How about you taking a different approach this year - one that works? Imagine it is now December 31st 2007. If you were telling a friend about how successful the previous 12 months were, what would you be saying? What kind of business would you have created?

Did you have to work hard and push to chase after new referrals? Or were you like a magnet and attracting great referrals towards you? What did you focus on that helped you to become attractive to people who already knew you? Even more importantly, what did you focus on to attract people who previously had never heard of you?

Most people get confused about setting a clear vision or even a goal for themselves. They jump straight into detail and ask themselves 'how' they can achieve that goal. No wonder so many people find goal-setting hard and realising the goal an even greater uphill struggle.

So here's the BIG tip for the entire
year:

1. Focus on what you want

Imagine what it would look like and feel like having achieved it. Then replay this through your mind over and over again. On a daily basis at least.

2. Act as if you have realised your vision by fully immersing yourself in the feelings associated with that achievement.

3. Take daily action just one step at a time. It's the daily actions that will lead to massive results.

4. Finally, celebrate everytime you have taken action. Act as if you have achieved your vision.

I can go through the science of this approach and theory behind this approach. But I am not going to. As the Zen philosopy goes,

'To know and not to do is not yet to know".

Act on what you already know. Otherwise your knowledge is just academic. Use the tools that are already in your toolbox. Use them more effectively and more efficiently.

Have your dream and dream big. Make 2007 an amazing year. Give it a theme. My theme for 2007 is the 'Year of Attraction'. What's your going to be?

Until next time, don't be good. Be amazing!

The Persuader

How to Deal with Energy Vampires During Sales Presentations

2006-12-05T16:44:00.000Z

"Great spirits often meet with violent opposition from mediocre minds."

Albert Einstein

Have you ever been in a situation where you are presenting your products or services to a group of people? I don't suppose you've ever got so excited about your offering that your conviction may have, inadvertently, rattled a few cages?

Well this is exactly what happened to a good friend of mine when he presented to a small group of entrepreneurs. On this occasion, it seemed that one particular cage was shaken, not stirred. The poor shaken soul was so upset by the experienced, I was genuinely concerned that he may have ended up with PTSD - post-traumatic stress disorder.

My mind soon changed as I witnessed the traumatised individual to lashing out at the speaker, leaving the latter in a very uncomfortable position. Admittedly, I was surprised that one person's passion was upsetting another person's sensibilities. Soon enough, the traumatised individual, now looking like a real victim, started making disparaging comments which just sapped away the high energy of the room.

Up till now 8o% of the audience members were ready to commit to an investment with my friend's organisation. Once the energy level was drained, everyone's interest fell dramatically. But as far as the 'victim' was concerned, he felt like a martyr and believed the rest of the audience was on his side.

So what do you do when your presentation goes from sweet to sour and you lose your edge?

Two strategies:

1. During the sales presentation
If someone is as vocal as our 'victim', do NOT go on the attack. The crap they're giving is just a front for other esteem issues. They will never tell you the real truth why they are rabbitting on. Believe it or not, your customers do LIE to you. Instead, if you have a colleague present, ask them to give the heckler a 1-2-1 attention outside the room. The last thing you want is to lose momentum that you've created during a great presentation because of one energy vampire.

It is up to your colleague to find a win-win-win scenario with the ejected member of the audience. Failing that, they can ask them to leave.

2. After the sales presentation
This is a damage-limitation exercise. You must ensure your reputation remains intact. Telephone the audience members and speak to them individually to ensure they were not feeling too much discomfort. I did this on behalf of my friend. Although, some of them did find my friend a bit too strong in his salesmanship, others found the 'victim's' ranting highly annoying. Fortunately, most of these people were happy to re-commit with my friend.

If the audience is far too big, find a more creative way of communicating with them in a positive manner and with good intention.

How would I have dealt with a heckler?
In all honesty? Probably not too dissimilar to my friend, although I probably would have utilised the first strategy earlier on.

If provocation of the heart and the mind seems to upset some people, then great. You are doing your job. As a presenter of a product, you are not on stage for your own personal therapy so that you can receive a standing ovation. That, my friend, is called having too much ego.

Presentations that provoke discomfort and pain that leads to growth. That is about being customer-centric. Presentations that are politically correct and is easy to bare leads to mediocrity - both in you as the presenter and, worse still, your customer. They deserve better.

If you have customers who do not like growth, get rid of them and get ones who would appreciate your service. Let's face it you will never please everyone. If you thrive on getting unconditional love, then get a dog.

Never give energy vampires too much attention. They thrive on it. Instead, give the time and energy to those who value what you have to offer.

Have an amazing week!

The Persuader

Asking for Referrals Never Hurt Anyone or Does it?

2006-11-29T20:56:00.000Z

"The only thing that will hurt you is your resistance to change."

These are the wise words of my favourite inspirational speaker and mentor, Richard Wilkins.

Many people ask me how is it that they understand the power of asking for referrals yet cannot create the results they want. The answer is not in techniques and systems even though these are important factors. The real truth behind creating wealth through referrals is in your attitude towards asking for referrals.

There are millions of businesses who are involved in some form of networking to help create sales. Fact - only a tiny proportion ask their customers for referrals. Only 5% ask for multiple referrals from each and every customer every single year. The reason why people don't ask for referrals is either from the fear of rejection or they think that asking for referrals is like asking for a compliment.

"If you have to ask for a compliment, then it's not worth having."

These are words that resonate from my childhood. In fact, my father even believed that praising his children or complimenting will turn them into arrogant so and so's.

Asking for referrals is not a form of therapy to massage your ego.

Asking for referrals is another way of expressing how important your work is in making a difference to people's lives. Change is inevitable. Both in your life and that of your customers. As Richard says,

"The only thing that will hurt you is your resistance to change."

This week think about what changes you would like to make to help you boost your referral business. Then just how much resistance you're putting up.

Have an amazing day!

The Persuader

PS If you're getting value from being a subscriber to this blog, then why not forward this blog to three of your closest friends or associates who may also gain value from it. Who knows how much this will impact on their business?

The Wealth & Abundance Mentality

2006-11-21T17:00:00.000Z

Earlier today I was at a men's clothing store called Limeys in Birmingham who's service include made-to-measure suits and shirts. I was greeted by Matthew Britton, the Head of Tailoring. (Please note, I was not sprung upon by a desperate salesperson.) I told him that I was looking to purchase a tailored shirt and suit and within a certain budget.

Instead of trying to sell me a suit or shirt, Matthew explained about the range of suits they have, including the prices. He also explained exactly why there is such a great price differential between suits and how I can make purchasing very affordable. By the time, he had finished, I was ready to buy there and then.

However, Matthew strongly recommended that, before I go ahead and make such an investment, I should research the other well-known shops with a similar service as well as the independent stores. Furthermore, he even gave me the name of his competitors. And there's more...he advised me on the kind of questions I should be asking the other suppliers. As much as he would like for me to give him the business, Patrick preferred me to go with the store I felt was right for me.

What do you say to such and outstanding human being? This guy was genuine to a fault. Am I going to do my research? Of course I am. It would be rude not to.

How many people do you know in businesses who are willing to praise the competition and encourage their customers to go to them first? I'm hazarding to guess, a precious few. There is plenty of wealth-creation opportunities out there to grab. But remember this, you have to let go in order to reach out.

By letting go of the desperate need to acquire new customers, you will command a lot more respect from your marketplace - both customers and competitors. Will every customer you help buy from you if you treated them like Matthew treated me? Possibly not. Will every customer remember you? YES!

So what about my suit? Who will I be using? That's a done deal. As far as I am concerned, if someone is so willing to give unconditionally as Matthew did, then I can do business with no one but him. Matthew is a true servant-leader - someone who shines by leading from the front by giving his customers what matters most to them.

Have an amazing week!

The Persuader

PS Do you fancy helping to spread this work of wealth and abundance to the rest of the world? How about exercising your abundance muscles by inviting five other people to subscribe for FREE to the Persuader's Referral Supercharge?

Here's a taste of what some of my trusted network have been saying about the Persuader.

The Million-Dollar Question: When Do You Ask for Referrals?

2006-11-17T20:17:00.000Z

Here's a question that many struggle to get the answer. When is the right time to ask for referrals?

Should it be once the business transaction is over? Should it be during the sales process? Should it be after the customer has experienced your product or service?

Actually, the truth is all those and more. So here's a quick list of when you can ask for referrals.

When making the first appointment.
During the sales interview.
If the customer says 'yes', then ask for referrals.
If the customer says 'no', ask for referrals. What have you got to lose anyway? You've got everything to gain.
On delivery of your product or service.
A few days after your customer has purchased your product.
During a follow-up customer review.

The options are many. As you can imagine, there are no limits to when you can ask for referrals. The only limits that you will have are those that you impose on yourself. If you decide to create a referral-centred busines, then start by asking just one step at a time. At the very least, whenever a person says 'no', always ask for a referral. What's the worse they can do? Say 'no'?

Have an amazing day!

The Persuader

The Red Hand Gang

2006-10-09T21:46:00.000Z

Just a quick note to say that this evening I just got off a teleseminar (teleconferencing call about a hugely dynamic business club within Ecademy called 'The Red Hand Gang'. It is led by a mad Scotsman and marketing guru, Fraser Hay. Get to know this man.

The amount of business and marketing ideas that were generated was nothing short of awesome. So if you are a member of Ecademy, then you'd be mad not to join. If you're not a member of Ecademy already, then you're just plain mad! It is a social network where business takes place for all sizes of businesses. Click here to join Ecademy.

One of example that I totally agree with Fraser is that for every happy customer ask for referrals. Here is a simple way to do this:

1. Ask your happy customer for benefit they've gained.
2. Ask for another benefit
3. Ask if they would recommend you.
4. Ask them who they would recommend you to.

Here's example:

You: Susan, Have you enjoyed the service we gave you?

Customer: Yes, I really liked the way you responded to my urgent call on time.

You: What else did you like?

Customer: It cost me a lot less than I expected.

You: Would you be happy to recommend me?

Customer: Of course I would.

You: So who do you know who is a marketing manager of a new start-up in the photonics sector?

I know. Bizzarely specific. And so it should be.

If you wish to register your interest for teleseminars I'll be hosting in the next few months, please register your interest by sending me a message by email:

thepersuader@harunrabbani.com

The numbers of callers will be limited to a few places. The teleseminars are for people who wish to take their referral business to the next level.

How Valuable are your Customers to you?

2006-10-07T16:24:00.000Z

You've heard of the 80/20 Rule, right? Have you ever successfully applied this Law into making a decision on who you will allow to become your customers?

I'm sure this probably doesn't apply to you, but most people have no clue about how to apply this Rule. You may want to consider this. If only 20% of your customers currently give you 80% of your business, then why are you spending 80% of your time with someone who will only give you 20% of your sales?

Let's look at an example. Let's pretend you're generating £1m (or whatever currency you choose) from 100 customers. If the 80/20 Rule was to be applied here, 20 of your customers will be creating £800,000 of sales. That's approximately £40,000 of value per customer. These are the best customers who will also give you the least amount of grief and hence will take the least amount of time to service. I call them 'Saints' because, in my business, they keep my bank manager happy and my ex-wife at off my back.

On the other hand, 80 of your current customers only generate £200,000 of revenue. Therefore, each customer value is approximately £2,500 each. What?!! Shock! Horror! You don't have to be a rocket scientist to work this one out. These guys and gals are giving you a measly 6.25% of what the Saints generate for you. Here's the catch with these 80 customers: they eat away at your most precious asset and the most scarce resource - time.

So who are the different customer types that will try to cross over your threshold to strangle your profitability?

You know what? It doesn't matter. What you will recognise is that they all have one common theme - they will steal your time by either trying to get *free* consulting, requesting to meet you on their terms, be too cowardly to make a decision one way other or just never trust you enough to be of much value to your business. And, I kid you not. You are in business so you and your loved ones can enjoy the benefits of profit creating profits. If you have the desire to want to help anyone and everyone, join the Samaritans.

Carrying on with the above example, what do you reckon would happen if all 100 of your customers spent £40,000 each? I'll make it easy for you. Your sales revenue will shoot from £1m to £4m. Not bad, hey? Here's a little problem: the 80/20 Rule will continue to apply. This time, 20% of your customers will still give you 80% of your revenue. Now there's a problem I'm happy to embrace with both arms. Your Saints will give you referrals for people like themselves or even more successful.

So here's today's tip. Identify who your Saints are. You will recognise them by several give-away signs:-

Thy are your happy customers
They give you 20% of your sales revenue
When asked, they will give you quality referrals

In the next blog, I will share with you how you can ethically cull time stealers from your business. In the meantime, what are you waiting for? Start to identify who your saints are.

Harun 'The Persuader' Rabbani

PS If you're not interested in raising your game in creating a referral-centred business, then you're probably going to waste your time by coming to the Referral Explosion Summit™ on 15th November 2006 in Birmingham. However, if you feel you could do with increasing your profits right now, then this 3 hour workshop will be perfect for you.

PPS This will be the last Referral Explosion Summit™ of 3-hour duration and at £147.00 (+ VAT). From 2007, this programme will be full day Summit with a proportionate increase in investment.

Getting Rid of Time Stealers

2006-09-25T16:12:00.000Z

Over the past decade of selling through my networks, I've discovered a phenomenon that seems to keep re-appearing again and again. In my line of work, I keep coming across some people whom I spend my time with, whilst a very small number of wonderful individuals whom I invest my time with.

Looking back over the 10 years, I've noticed that the business people who I spend my time with account for 70-90% of my appointments. These very same people only account for 20% of my sales revenue.

So I decided I'd do a bit of mathematics. Let's say, at a conservative estimate, I work 40 hours a week as an entrepreneur/sales consultant; and I work only 40 weeks of the year; this amounts to me working for 16,000 hours or 2000 working days over this 10-year period.

Here's the scary bit:

In the 10 years, I've spent (not invested) 1600 days with people who only account for 20% of my business. That leaves the 20% of people who account for approximately 80% of my business.

You've guessed it right. I am talking about the 80/20 Rule or Pareto's Law. So here's today's tip:

Instead of running around like a headless chicken spending time with people like I used to do, find people who you can invest your time with. This is how you do it :-

* Get a simple spreadsheet of all your customers and identify how much income they are providing for you and your company.

* Tabulate next to each customer the amount of time you spend with them (in hours)

* In the next column, divide the income by the hours in order to obtain your return-on-time-invested (ROTI)

* Make customer review appointments (more on this later) with the 20% of the customers who are giving you the greatest ROTI

* Ensure that out of the total customer appointments you have, 80% of these are with your top 20% of existing customers

* During these meetings make sure you always ask for 3 or more referrals. (If you have problems asking, then drop me an email and I will talk you through it.)

So how do you get rid of time stealers?

Every year, cull (that's right, get rid of) between 15% and 20% of your least profitable customers, i.e. the 20% who give you the least ROTI. (By the way, in some of the Asian languages, 'ROTI' also means 'bread'. Oh, the irony!) By culling your biggest time-stealers, you will find that, your profits start increasing exponentially. Furthermore, these very same people will usually give you the greatest headaches. What a fantastic way to get rid of stress without resorting to drugs.

In a future episode, I will show you how you can do this without upsetting too many people. Some will get upset anyway. C'est la vie.

PS If you have a great referral story to share, then why not email me to this address: thepersuader@harunrabbani.com. In fact, if you have a horror story, I would love to hear from you, too. Perhaps many more people can learn from your experiences.

Another Way to Enhance your Reputation & Credibility

2006-08-31T13:07:00.000Z

Now that I am back from my summer leave, let's get the show on the road by giving you ways you can increase your profits and wealth through the power of referrals.

Last time, I talked about the written testimonial and how it can impact your business when done correctly. There is no doubt that this is a powerful form of leverage. It adds credibility to your publicity as third party endorsements are trusted more than you blowing your own trumpet.

There are two other ways you can supercharge your credibility through testimonials:

Audio testimonial
Video testimonial

So why go through all the trouble of using audio or video testimonials?

Here's why:

If your customer goes through the effort of giving you a video testimonial, doesn't that say how much they value you?
The visual medium paints a much prettier picture than the written word. Look at the popularity of television and radio compared to newspapers.
How many of your competitors' customers give audio/video testimonials? Maybe none? So you will stand out from the competition.
People trust a human face much more than they trust the written word.
Many of your prospective customers are cynical. The third party visual image gives them a sense of confidence that you are what you say you are.
Most people have the herd mentality: they follow what the Jone's are doing. Not many people are willing to take a risk into the unknown. This is especially important if you are selling a service or a new concept.

The audio testimonial is very simple. If you have a satisfied customer, get them to agree to to you recording them onto a mini-disc player. All they need to do is say how much they enjoyed working with you, what benefits they've gained from using your services and why listeners should use you in the future.

The video testimonial is exactly the same, except that you're that you are using video. Easy, huh?

Here's an example of a video testimonial I got from a client who attended the The Referral Explosion Summit™. Click here to see the video testimonial.

So how do you record a video or an audio file?
All you need to record is free software from www.accoustica.com and a simple microphone to record your audio testimonial. This software allows you to convert the recording onto an MP3 file. (In a future issue, I will share with you about how you can create an audio file and upload it onto your website.)

To record a video, you can use simple webcam technology to get your happy customer to give you a simple testimonial. It should last about 6 seconds and no more than 2 minutes. If you want to find out how to use this technology simply click here.

So how can you use this technology to enhance your reputation?
Here's three ideas that will get you going:

Instead of sending long-winded emails, how about sending them a link to your video testimonial or an MP3 attachment?
You can strategically place the video testimonials on your website.
Instead sending heavy marketing brochures, you can send a single DVD/CD to your prospects to find out about you through happy customers.

Do what all great marketers do. Test the audio and video message. Measure it. Refine it. Make it better.

If you're enjoying the Persuader's Referral Supercharge, why don't you send the link to this site to friends, colleagues and loved ones who would value getting these simple tools and techniques. This work is too good to keep it to yourself, don't you think?

How to enhance your reputation with the written testimonial

2006-08-03T22:22:00.000Z

In the next few blogs, you are going to get ideas on how you can increase your reputation throught customer referrals.

Third party endorsements have always been the single most effective way of increasing your attraction to prospective customers. I'm sure you already now this.

My question is how many of your customers have you asked to give you testimonials?

In this issue, let's focus on the quality of the testimonials you receive. Have you ever had a testimonial that says something like,

'She is a great coach'?

Or

'It was an enjoyable experience working with him'?

What do these testimonials mean to you? Other than a temporary boost to your ego, they mean nothing. When I first started collecting feedback forms for testimonials, I picked up hundreds of 'nice' testimonials. But then I realised that the tetimonials were only useful for therapeutic purposes to me. They mean squat to anyone else.

Think about it. Who are you really trying to impress with an endorsement? Prospective customers, I would think. Maybe even suppliers. So make the testimonials count.

When you ask your customer for testimonials, help them by structuring it for the benefit of future customers. Here's the structure that you can tailor to your own business. Yout customer will write the following:

1. What they enjoyed/liked about the product or service.

2. What was or will be the biggest impact on their business?

3. How does it affect profits or savings or confidence, etc

4. What they liked about doing business with you specifically.

5. That they strongly recommend your services to other prospective buyers.

Here are the reasons why you ask:

1. To give readers (of the testimonial) a specific example of one of your services.

2. To demonstrate that your product/service does what you say it does.

3. To give them a measurable and tangible result.

4. People buy from people they like, know and trust.

5. Readers are being asked to a call to action by the third party. Very powerful stuff!

Here's an example of a testimonial I received from an ecstatic client recently:

"I have just been to The Persuader's Referral Explosion where I discovered a system of generating sales leads with the least amount time and effort. I couldn't believe it. After less than 90 minutes of applying the Referral Explosion system with just one of my contacts, I received over 20 strongly qualified referrals. Each referral is worth the equivalent of 10 times the investment I made in attending this workshop. Thank you, Harun! Thank you!

Harun provoke's you to think beyond your capabilities and inspires you to achieve amazing results. If you are thinking of growing your profits quickly, you must attend the Persuader's Referral Explosion" (G Gill, Arthur Marsh Insurance Brokers)

So now you have no reason for not getting every single customer to give you a glowing testimonial. If they are not willing to do this, you may reconsider if they are a truly 'happy' customer.

Fortunes are made by serving the masses

2006-07-28T21:06:00.000Z

Have you ever wondered why it is that some entrepreneurs have the Midas Touch, no matter how ridiculous or hair-brained their ideas seem at the time?

Think about the great industrialists of the 20th century, such as Henry Ford, Thomas Edison; later Bill Gates and Richard Branson. Just about every pioneer who had the courage of their convictions were laughed at. Yet, look at how many of their businesses have created signifcant shifts in the way we live our lives today. (By the way, negative people will be saying, "well what about all their businesses that have failed?")

One of the most critical components of their ability to amass wealth is serving the masses. Do you have a product or a service that can be developed to serve the masses? If you don't, then here's a solution that is a killer.

Create a following of your personal brand, i.e. you. This is one of the most powerful strategies to create referrals that I have come across. This is how you do it.

1. Create a voluntary club (it can be fee-paying or it can be free). This club will need to have a theme that is attractive enough to attract reasonable numbers of people.

2. To get the greatest numbers, use an online resource such as Ecademy. Your club can be a physical offline club, too.

3. Have a regular discussion forum at your club. Debate issues, best practice, new ideas, new products, services. The list can go on and on.

4. Create opportunities to meet the members of your club annually, quarterly, monthly or even once a week (if you have the time). But have at least one or two meetings a year. The theme could be just a social gathering of like-minded people.

The theme of your club could be:

* book reviews
* cooking
* clay-pigeon shooting
* Curry
* making money

The sky's the limit when it comes to picking a choice. You may now be asking how this relates to referrals. And, rightly so. Well, let me give you an example of a work-in-progess.

I have just created a club on Ecademy called 'Asianpreneur'. This is a club for Asian entrepreneurs to connect with each other to network and create wealth in small teams. It is a very exclusive club that will attract positive attention and may even prove to be controversial. That's OK. My mission is to generate 1,000 members by the end of this year for the club. We will also meet on a monthly basis in different parts of the country.

As the leader of the club, I will serve my members by providing them a platform to create wealth and I will facilitate discussion groups. Now my business is about referrals and networking. What are the chances that a some of my members would want to increase their referral business? In reality, I only need a very small number to do business with me to ensure I achieve my business goals.

So think about it. What is your big passion - business or personal hobby - that you can share with others to leverage referrals? If you want to discuss more, then please feel free to connect with me on Ecademy.

Until next time, have an amazing week!

PS If you wish to accelerate your networking prowess, then you may wish to join me in the Referral Explosion Summit on Tuesday 29th August 2006 in Birmingham. Just click here to take advantage of the Early Worm and Early Bird tickets.

How Are You Increasing Your Connectivity?

2006-07-17T20:05:00.000Z

Quite often I am asked by entrepreneurs and professionals, both new and experienced networkers, about how they can increase their connectivity. Unfortunately, quite often networkers fail to recognise one key element to building a powerful network - at their own peril.

I have no doubt in my mind that this key element is an absolute must in your armoury. That element is the magnitude of your network. Yes, that's right. In building a referral business, size does matter. Now I can imagine some dissenting voices saying "it's not what you've got that's important - it's what you do with it."

I agree that you must be able to manage your network effectively and serve them to the best of your ability. On the other hand, how would you rather be perceived – as someone who knows all the right people or as someone who sheepishly works in isolation to the rest of the business community? I know who I’d rather be.

Wouldn't you rather be in a position to offer contacts a connection to their ideal referral or would you rather walk away and be unable to help?

Granted, you cannot help every person you meet. But, if you're better at connecting people than the average (networking) bear, then you will become more referable. You will be more attractive to your contacts and prospective customers. You will improve your connectivity.

So here are my favourite places that I recommend you to go to build your network. Some of these are online networks, whilst some are offline. Some are both.

Ecademy: Social Networking with lots of business exchange

BRE (Business Referral Exchange): Breakfast Networking

BNI (Business Network International): Breakfast Networking

Open BC: Business Network

Network 2 Connect (includes BOB Clubs): Breakfast Networking

PSA (Professional Speakers Association): Networking for experts who speak professionally Linkedin: Business Network There are many more networks that you can be a part of.

Remember the famous game show quote

' You’ve got to be in it to win it'!

Networking is just like game shows. When you are out of touch, you’re out!

If you would like to experience the art of networking at its highest form, then why not join the Referral Explosion on Tuesday 29th august 2006 in Birmingham, UK? This is a three-hour workshop designed to shift your customer prospecting into turbo drive. This is the ultimate experience in generating highly qualified referrals – regardless of whether you are an experienced networker or someone with no network. To book your place, please click here.

How much time are you spending building your referral muscles?

2006-06-24T20:31:00.000Z

From time to time, I meet people who are frustrated with the lack of referrals they receive from their networking. They are tired of going to so many meetings and not being able to generate any referrals. After answering one or two searching questions, they quickly realise that they haven’t built their referral muscles to adequate levels.

Building referral muscles is like working out in a gym. The only way to get great results is to consistently push yourself to the limits of your fitness. In the referral game, ignorance is not bliss.

To make yourself referral fit, you must constantly be seeking ways of improving your referrability – on a daily basis. Once a week just doesn’t cut it.

Here’s two ways you can build your referral muscles more effectively:

Always be seeking ways of finding referrals for your referral partners (contacts, customers, etc). Thomas Power of Ecademy says that do not chase the referral. If you are giving quality referrals, then people will feel obliged to return the privilege.
There are different qualities of referrals. The first type is a target customer for your referral partner. On some occasions, an even better referral is to give referrals for centres of influence. For example, a great centre of influence for Will-Writers are Financial Advisors. Financial Advisors frequently subcontract the estate planning their clients desire to Will-Writers. Therefore, it is better for many will-writers to get referrals for Financial Advisors rather than just one-off clients.

Want to find out more about how you can boost your business referrals, then why not book yourself for the Referral Sales Summit on Tuesday 27th June 2006 in Birmingham, UK?

Referral Explosion: The Ultimate Prospecting System

2006-06-20T22:17:00.000Z

Have you ever:

Had the frustration of finding quality referrals from your network?

Wondered if and when and where you could find prospective customers who will buy?

Wanted to eliminate time wastage with badly qualified prospects and increase your time with customers who is willing and able to invest with you?

If 'yes' is the answer to any or all of the above, then you will want to come along to the Referral Sales Summit on Tuesday 27th June at the Apollo Hotel, Edgbaston, Birmingham. For a quick booking please click here.

In this jam-packed event, you will discover the 5-Step Referral Explosion Method that has helped my clients to accelerate their customer acquisition exponentially.

For example, two months ago, I sat down with one of my clients, a management consultant, to use the Referral Explosion system for his business. In the space of two hours, we generated 22 highly qualified customers for him and 18 for myself that's a massive 40 referrals.

Subsequently, the average conversion rate for these prospects to customers has been close to 97%. How many other systems do you know that are as effective as generating qualified prospects as this? Ready to book now?

Three weeks ago, another one of customers, a will-writer, only had 30 minutes to spare. He generated 6 appointments with spheres of influence and ended up with 10 new customers in a matter of days. If you want to hear more, then please feel free to give me a call on 0121 249 0697 or 07813 672 342.

To reserve you place for a customer prospecting extravaganza right now, click here.

Your investment is only £97 plus VAT. There are concessions for members of BRE, BNI, BOB (includes) Ecademy and the GiS Sales Club. Check the website out for details.

Time: 9am for 9.30 am start
Date: Tuesday 27th June 2006
Venue: Apollo Hotel, Hagley Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B16 9RA

Book now to guarantee your place. There are only a few places left.

I look forward to seeing you.

Have an Amazing day!

'The Persuader'

The Power of Saying 'Thank You' to you Referral Partner

2006-06-20T21:48:00.000Z

How times have changed! Growing up in Birmingham in the seventies, I used to hear certain words and phrases that used to be used as common courtesy. A man opening a door for a lady was accepted as gentlemanly behaviour. Yet today, everyone is so politically correct that many of these pleasantries have be thrown out the window.

In February 2005, I was thrilled to be interviewed on BBC Radio 5 Live on the subject of wedding speeches. I couldn’t believe my luck. I’ve always wanted to be interviewed on Radio 5.

Two or three days after the interview, I sent a ‘Thank you’ card to Jonathan, the producer and Phil Williams, the presenter. On receiving the card, Jonathan phoned me up to thank me for the card. To me surprise, he told me that that out of all the interviews they’d done over the years, no-one ever sent them a ‘thank you’ card. I was in fits of laughter until I realised he was deadly serious.

Jonathan thanked me once again and promised me that I’d be invited back again. Subsequently, I was back on Radio 5 after the ‘Live 8’ concert to talk about how to handle stage fright after David Beckham lost his nerves introducing one of the big rock bands. I was interviewed again two days before Christmas Day 2005 about how to be an inspiring speaker like Winston Churchill and Martin Luther King.

What a life! I get to thank people and get to realise my dreams and passions. This week, think about how often you are thanking your valued contacts and customers. By taking just this simple step, you stand out as being authentic and real.

Want to find out more about how you can boost your business referrals, then why not book yourself for the Referral Sales Summit on Tuesday 27th June 2006 in Birmingham, UK?

What's the value you're putting on your relationships compared to the business transaction?

2006-06-08T16:33:00.000Z

Today’s blog is of a sombre nature.

Earlier today, I received a call from the daughter of a dear friend and mentor of mine. My friend had been involved in a car accident recently and was expected to recover from his physical trauma over the next 6 weeks. Unfortunately in the last day or two, he had taken a turn for the worse and has been taken into the intensive care unit of his local hospital. Currently, we are all praying for his recovery.

Although, we became friends through our respective businesses, as veteran networkers, both of us understood the value of our relationship and have subsequently forged an even stronger friendship. Today’s event has given me a timely reminder of the importance of relationships. I would like to share some of my thoughts with you.

How much value are you putting on your relationships compared to your business transactions?

To create a long-term win for both you and your contact, it is your relationship that will win the day. Your contact will remember you in the long run for who you are rather than what you did.

Business transactions will give you only ephemeral pleasure; valued relationships will bring you eternal joy.

This week think about who you would like to build better relationships with.

How do you wish to show your contacts how much you value them?
How will they know that you will always be there for them?
What creative ways can you find to stay in touch with people you value?

Want to find out more about how you can boost your business referrals, then why not book yourself for the Referral Sales Summit on Tuesday 27th June 2006 in Birmingham, UK?

Are you Fit Enough to Receive Referrals?

2006-06-06T17:21:00.000Z

How many times have you spoken with someone at a networking event but you left not understanding what they did in their business or how you could help them?

Recently, I received an online message from an Ecademy contact who was asking for my help. So I thought. He explained that his business idea to me. He was looking for motivated people to help in this great dream he had. I praised him for his enthusiasm. Then I asked what was in it for these motivated people to get involved in his project. In other words, how would they benefit from working with him?

Unfortunately, this particular person was unable to answer this simple question. In fact, he even found it offensive that I should ask such a searching question! Tell me if I am wrong, but before I buy into someone else’s dream and become a stakeholder, I want to know how I can create value for this person AND how I can gain value too.

He doesn’t get it. Building a referral business is about knowing and understanding how you can add value to someone’s business. This involves asking questions and finding out more.

Think about you approach to business. Are you fit enough to receive referrals?

It is so much easier to generate referrals if you know how you can add value to someone’s life or business. A few months ago a member of a local BRE (Business Referral Exchange) chapter asked for a referral to get introduced to Richard Branson. She actually got four referrals for people who can knew him well. However, she never got any introductions because she was unable to give Branson a compelling enough reason to see her. There was nothing in it for him.

Here’s the tip of the day for you. Ask yourself:

What compelling reason does someone have to meet me?
What’s in it for them?
How can I communicate this verbally in 30 seconds or less?

Building a referral-centred business through networking is about creating value for others. It is not about getting personal therapy or being pampered no matter how mediocre your business. If you want to feel loved , get a dog!

Want to find out more about how you can boost your business referrals, then why not book yourself for the Referral Sales Summit on Tuesday 27th June 2006 in Birmingham, UK?

How Do You Reward Your Contacts for Referrals They Give You?

2006-06-02T19:38:00.000Z

This is the million-dollar question.

How comfortable are you about rewarding customers and contacts that give you referrals? If you do reward them, is it in monetary term or something more tangible?

In my travels, I’ve found that formal networking groups, such as BNI and BRE tend to pass referrals amongst themselves with the attitude of givers gain. In other words, you pass referrals to members with the hope that they would reciprocate and give you referrals. This system works for many thousands of business people every day across the globe. So if this works for you, keep at it.

On the other hand, some businesses are so reliant on good quality referrals for high-value products that they are happy to give an introducer’s fee. For example, property companies selling new-builds earn a high enough commission from each sale that they are willing to pay good commission. Financial advisors also offer monetary incentives to introducers.

If you are considering offering financial incentives for referrals, make sure the value of the sale is sufficient for you to warrant such a reward. Giving your profit margins away just to get the sale defeats the objective of being in business.

You may also want to establish if this kind of practice is ethically acceptable in your industry. For example, you would be crossing the legal boundaries if you offered financial incentives to doctors in the UK for giving you referrals. You’d have to find a more creative way to motivate such people.

I have tended to shy away from giving financial rewards for referrals. I compare it to giving money to a member of my family on their birthday instead of giving a gift. It shows a lack of creativity and thought on my part and, as humans tend to be so fickle, people tend to forget your monetary gift a lot quicker than if it were a tangible present.

My preference is to either give back awesome referrals or give a physical gift or I’ll invite them to a private dinner party. In the case of the latter, the gift is an experience for the recipient to mix and mingle with highly connected and respected individuals.

So, use the next seven days to think about how you can inspire and motivate your contacts by rewarding them with a simple gift that you are both comfortable with.

Want to find out more about how you can boost your business referrals, then why not book yourself for the Referral Sales Summit on Tuesday 27th June 2006 in Birmingham, UK?

What does Success Mean to You in your Referral Business?

2006-05-30T16:18:00.000Z

What is the meaning of success?

* If you ask Donald Trump, it may mean carrying out a major property deal.

* If you ask Richard Branson, it may mean turning the 'Virgin' brand into an international household name.

* If you ask Tiger Woods, success will mean being the World's number one golf professional.

* If you'd asked Mother Theresa, success is helping the poor and the needy in the streets of Calcutta.

* If you ask the homeless, it may mean having the next meal and a shelter for the night.

I don't know what success means to you, but I do know what it means to me. Success is achieving about:

Having a purpose in life
Having someone to love
Having somewhere meaningful to be

So what's this got to do with growing a referral business? Everything. It's all well and good chasing after new referrals. But what are the results you are getting?

A worthwhile business or a whole lot of busyness?

How many people do you know who are constantly going from one meeting to the next generating referrals? Yet, what quality of referrals are they? Are they worth the paper they're written on? These people are more busyness people than business people.

This week make a decision on who you would like to be: A business-owner or busyness person.

If you prefer to be a busyness person and take the more chaotic approach, then what will be the consequences actions in 6 months, 12 months, 24 months from now?

If you choose to be a business-owner, what are the consequences of acting on this be within the next 7 days, over the next 6 months, over 2 years?

If the latter consequences are more attractive to you, then do three things over the next 7 days:

1. Decide on what your business purpose is and create a plan of action to realise your purpose.

2. Decide on who's lives you are going to touch. Be very specific. The more specific you are, the better your chance of hitting your goal.

3. Set yourself daily, weekly and monthly milestones. Find a creative way to celebrate your success every time you reach a milestone. All too often we beat ourselves for failing every little error. Yet, how often do we celebrate little successes? Do we wait around until we hit that BIG goal before we celebrate?

Oscar Wilde said,

"Success is a science; if you have the conditions you get the result."

A 1% change everyday will lead to a 100% change in 70 days. So act today; act now - by just 1%. Do this for 70 days. Let me know what happens in 70 days time.

Want to find out more about how you can boost your business referrals, then why not book yourself for the Referral Sales Summit on Tuesday 27th June 2006 in Birmingham, UK?

The Power of Asking for Specific Referrals

2006-05-27T15:42:00.000Z

I don’t know about you but I’ve tried all sorts of approaches in order to get better quality referrals. And, I must admit that I’ve not always had the results I’ve been looking for.

Then I learnt to the power of specificity. I noticed that some people were getting a lot more referrals even though they were asking for some bizarre contacts. Just over a week ago, one of my fellow BRE (Business Referral Exchange) members in South Birmingham, Richard, asked for a referral that was beyond bizarre. Richard is a director of a tool-manufacturing firm. His firm made a one-off product for a veterinary dentist – a tooth-file for horses!

At this particular meeting, Richard wanted to market these horse tooth-files to more veterinary dentists. So he said something similar to this:

“Who do you know who can introduce me to a horse dentist?”

Now let me tell you this much about Birmingham - she is not known for her equestrian heritage. Therefore, you could imagine how surprised I was when Richard received four quality referrals. Moreover, on the following week, another member, Peter, actually found another veterinary dentist who was willing to meet Richard. How bizarre!

So, here’s something to chew on. What’s your million-dollar referral? How long have you been holding back on asking because you thought there was no chance that you would get any referral?

Want to find out more about how you can boost your business referrals, then why not book yourself for the Referral Sales Summit on Tuesday 27th June 2006 in Birmingham, UK?

Want to Get Better Referrals from Breakfast Networking Meetings?

2006-05-25T11:42:00.000Z

How effecting is your referral business from attending breakfast networking groups?

It is so easy to get staid and complacent by attending the same breakfast group week in, week out. When this happens, the quality of your referrals fall. So how about injecting some life into your referral marketing?

In March 2006, I decided I needed a lot more referrals for the research for my forthcoming book on referrals. As I belonged to a national business breakfast networking group called BRE (Business Referral Exchange), I made a decision to visit 5 local chapters to generate more referrals. In one week, I had achieved my objective. The results were nothing short of amazing. I generated 47 referrals for my ideal referral from 5 meetings.

So what did I do differently? I simply polished up my 60-second presentation and made sure I treated each opportunity as if it were the last one I would ever give. So by the time I got back to my own breakfast group, there was a marked difference in my presentation. Subsequently, I have received better quality referrals from my own group.

So, if you would like to improve your return on time invested (ROTI) from your breakfast group, do these two things:

Be 100% confident that your 60-second presentation is specific, original and memorable
Treat each presentation as if it were the last one you would ever give.

Want to find out more about how you can boost your business referrals, then why not book yourself for the Referral Sales Summit on Tuesday 27th June 2006 in Birmingham, UK?

Giving Referrals Unconditionally

2006-05-24T08:28:00.000Z

Have you heard the saying,

"What goes around, comes around"?

My good friend and mentor, Richard Wilkins, asks:

"Do you really believe that what goes around, comes around? So what have you got going around? What are you giving out to the universe"

In the world of breakfast networking, there is a mantra that is repeated across the world - 'givers gain'. (I think Dr Ivan Misner of Business Network International - BNI - came up with this one.) In other words, the more referrals you give, the more referrals you'll gain.

This is an excellent approach to follow. It's certainly better than 'show me yours and I'll show you mine'. That should be left at the playground and not brought into the business environment.
As much as I like this approach, I am convinced there is something even more profound than this -

'Give (referrals) unconditionally'.

From the givers point of view, there is no better feeling than to be able to give referrals that have no conditions attached. No pressure on you to have expectations that may or may not come to fruition. Furthermore, you are not putting your life and relationship on hold waiting for that ever-elusive payback.

From the referral receivers point of view, they are not made to feel pressure to give back; nor are they of the view that their are strings attached to your referral.

So where does that leave you, the giver?

By giving unconditionally, you have done two things:

- You have elevated the value of you in the eyes of your network.

The most precious resource that you have is your time. When you are giving your time up to connect people, then you are seen as a valuable asset instead of a commodity. Thus, the more you give, the greater will be the value of you to your network. Period.

- You become more referable.

People will want to refer to you. They will see you as someone who is a giver and, therefore, they will want to give you more referrals in order for them to gain in the long run.

Works like a charm. Give it a shot for a month and let me know how you got on with it. If you are worried that you will not get referrals, then there's a few things you can do to make yourself more referable. More about this in a future blog on your 'expertise' as a connector.

Want to find out more about how you can boost your business referrals, then why not book yourself for the Referral Sales Summit on Tuesday 27th June 2006 in Birmingham, UK?

Reason # 5 for NOT asking for Referrals

2006-05-23T19:02:00.000Z

What if the Customer Backs Off if I ask for a Referral?

This is a good question. If you've just converted a customer to buy your products, why would they back off? If Mrs Customer refuses to help, she may have several reasons:

She is not convinced her purchase will do everything you said it will do
She doesn't like you and she bought from you out of no choice
She doesn't know how to give you referrals
She doesn't know how good or bad you will treat her referrals
She does not trust you

1. If she is not convinced about the purchase, then you need to redress the balance. Otherwise, shortly after you've gone she will forget about what the value of her purchase was and she will not do your reputation any favours. Think about the times you've been abroad on holiday and bought souvenirs. you get back home and you cannot understand what possessed you. You got carried away in the euphoria of being on holiday on foreign shores. The trouble with this kind of transaction is you'll have a lot of disgruntled customers. Deal with it. Make sure your customers are happy with your products.

2. It is very unlikely that customers will purchase from you if they do not like you. Most mature adults are able to handle obnoxious sales people. The people I worry for are the elderly, the frail and people with learning difficulties. If you are selling to these kind of people, take the time to understand what's important to your customers. If they do not value your offer or like you, that's fine. Walk away. It takes only one bad word about you to undo a hundred good words. Is it worth risking your reputation? Learn to say 'no' difficult to customers.

3. If your customers do not know how to give referrals, teach them how the process works. Re-assure them that you will treat your referrals with respect and that you will not let them down. There'll be more on this on a separate blog.

4. If your customer is uncertain how well you treat your referrals, then either they are cynical or you have treated that customer badly. Ask your customer how they would best like the referral contact. Then re-assure them by explaining how you will contact them and that you will use your meeting as an opportunity to find out if you can bring value to your referral. Also, re-assure them that if you cannot bring value, then you are happy to walk away.

5. Ultimately, the reason when a customer refuses to give referrals, it is because she does not trust you. The only way you can deal with that is go back to the drawing board, build and sustain a better relationship with your customer and come back for the referrals on another day. If they don't trust you, the quality of referrals she would give you will be low.

To summarise:

Treat your customers how you would want to be treated - with respect, honour and a value for their time
Build trust and be trustworthy
Deliver on your promises and some
Ask your customer with respect and conviction for referrals
Teach them how you operate a referral system

Who is making the most out of the sales meeting – the buyer or you, the seller? A sale is made every time a buyer meets the seller. Sometimes the seller convinces the buyer to go ahead and buy; sometimes the buyer convinces both of you that he shouldn’t buy. Who’s making the most out of the sale – you or your customer? Always remember to ask your buyer for referrals.

Want to find out more about how you can boost your business referrals, then why not book yourself for the Referral Sales Summit on Tuesday 27th June 2006 in Birmingham, UK?

Reason # 4 for NOT Asking for Referrals

2006-05-16T19:27:00.000Z

100% of my business is from referrals and they come to me automatically. I don’t have to ask for referrals.

If all your business comes via referrals without you ever having to ask, then well done and congratulations!

Therefore I can safely assume you don’t do any marketing, networking or advertising your services in any format. However, most folks say this fall into a slightly different category to you.

One of my clients who focuses his energy on re-mortgages once said to me that 100% of his business is from referrals. When questioned how many of his 600 clients gave him referrals in the last 12 months, he said a handful. The rest of his business was through a breakfast network group. Yes, my client business was 100% referrals-based, but that also left him short. The number of referrals he got from his clients was negligible. If all his clients were happy, why were they not giving him more referrals? Yet he was wondering why he was not enjoying the double-digit growth in his business.

Asking for referrals makes you more referable. The cost of client acquisition will fall and you will enjoy much quicker business growth.

Who is making the most out of the sales meeting – the buyer or you, the seller? A sale is made every time a buyer meets the seller. Sometimes the seller convinces the buyer to go ahead and buy; sometimes the buyer convinces both of you that he shouldn’t buy. Who’s making the most out of the sale – you or your customer? Always remember to ask your buyer for referrals.

Want to find out more about how you can boost your business referrals, then why not book yourself for the Referral Sales Summit on Tuesday 27th June 2006 in Birmingham, UK?

Reason #3 for NOT Asking Your Customers for Referrals

2006-05-15T11:29:00.000Z

My Customers Haven't Experienced my Service Fully Yet

This is another dubious reason for not asking customers for referrals. If you were someone who is focused on what your customers value most, then you would have identified how they see a successful outcome from your sales meeting. The outcome in this case is your customer buying from you. When they’ve said yes to you, it’s because they gain value from your service (or promise of service).

Your customers are in a positive state of mind when they purchase from you. Their view about your product is clearly going to favourable – otherwise they would not be buying from you. If you don’t believe me, ask them if they are happy to be doing business with you as soon as they’ve said ‘yes’. My bet is they will not be saying,

“Actually, I’ve bought from you because I dislike you so much that this is the only way to get rid of you for good!”

Of course they’re not buying from you out of reluctance. They are happy with you right now. Will they get even happier afterwards? Perhaps. But here’s a reality check for you. Once your customer has bought from you, they will be enjoying the benefits of your product. They will not be thinking what a wonderful sales person you are. They will forget you quickly. Get over it.

One of my clients, Melvin Evans who specialises in providing legal services related to estate planning and inheritance tax, including writing wills. Do you know when his clients get value from the service he offers? When they’re dead. Do you really think Melvin waits around till after his clients have enjoyed the benefits of his services before he asks them for referrals? So what are you waiting for? You may not be in the will writing business, but your customers have a great chance of moving on or away from you before you get a second chance. So why wait?

Thus, it is imperative for you to ask for referrals whilst you are still hot in your customer’s mind and whilst you still have some influence over their decision-making process – during the sales interview.

Who is making the most out of the sales meeting – the buyer or you, the seller?

A sale is made every time a buyer meets the seller. Sometimes the seller convinces the buyer to go ahead and buy; sometimes the buyer convinces both of you that he shouldn’t buy. Who’s making the most out of the sale – you or your customer? Always remember to ask your buyer for referrals.

Want to find out more about how you can boost your business referrals, then why not book yourself for the Referral Sales Summit on Tuesday 27th June 2006 in Birmingham, UK?

Reason #2 for NOT Asking for Referrals

2006-04-29T18:11:00.001Z

What if my prospect has not bought anything from me?

Can you just imagine that - someone saying 'no' to you?!!!

Of course, many of your prospective customers over the years will not buy anything from you. Even if they have a need for your services, they may choose not to buy from you from a variety of reasons. They may have an incumbent supplier; they may not have the money or they may plain and simply be in a buying state at that moment you ask.

The vast majority of people are generally nice and do not like to say 'no'. They don't like letting people down. So what are the chances that your prospects enjoy saying 'no'? Probably little. So don't make them feel pressured. Help them bow out of your offering gracefully. How do you do this? Thank them for their time and then ask them for a referral.

Here's an example of how you can ask:

"Steven, I respect you for saying 'no' and I understand that not everyone will be ready to buy now. That's OK by me. As you may have sensed, I am passionate about what the Acme financial protection plan can do for a business owner's peace of mind.

So, who do you know who is a business owner of an IT software firm who has recently gone into partnership two or more directors and is based in the West Midlands area?"

By asking for a referral, you are giving your prospect a more comfortable way to walk away from your business proposition. What's the worst thing that can happen? They refuse to help you and you never see them again?

What's the best thing that can happen? They give you a qualified referral that leads to more sales = profits!

Who's making the most out of the sales meeting - you or your prospect? How long are you going to leave money at the table? Massive results only happen when you've taken a few small steps of courage everyday. Act today. Act now.

Who is making the most out of the sales meeting – the buyer or you, the seller? A sale is made every time a buyer meets the seller. Sometimes the seller convinces the buyer to go ahead and buy; sometimes the buyer convinces both of you that he shouldn’t buy. Who’s making the most out of the sale – you or your customer? Always remember to ask your buyer for referrals.

Want to find out more about how you can boost your business referrals, then why not book yourself for the Referral Sales Summit on Tuesday 27th June 2006 in Birmingham, UK?

Reason # 1 for NOT Asking for Referrals

2006-04-29T13:07:00.000Z

Sounding pushy and rude

Recently during a networking discussion, I overheard the following comment made by an entrepreneur:

"I've never gone out looking for referrals. I always considered that kind of thing pushy and rude. Some of my clients wouldn't be receptive to that kind of thing at all, so I've always avoided asking directly."

Frankly, I am amazed that some people think this way. Is this the kind of person who would present a great product to a client, then to deny the customer the right to own the product because they think that asking for the sale seems a bit pushy?

I have yet to meet a happy customer who slammed the door in my face because I've asked for them a referral. If your customers choose to refuse to give your referrals, it is because of one of the following:

They are not really happy with your products or
They do not understand the referral process

If the underlying reason is number 1, then you will need to find out what was missing from what they purchased from you. Then deal with it before proceeding to ask for a referral.

If they do not understand the referral process, then it is up to you to educate them. Reassure them that you will only contact the referral after your customer has told them in advance. Let them know how you will proceed with communicating with your referral.

Don't have the alarmist mindset that asking for referrals is about you going on an ego trip. It's not. You are asking your customer for referrals in order for you to help the next group of customers with your wonderful service. How much money are you leaving at the table by not asking your customers to give referrals?

Want to find out more about how you can boost your business referrals, then why not book yourself for the Referral Sales Summit on Tuesday 27th June 2006 in Birmingham, UK?

A Referral Success: 'and Death Came Third'

2006-04-28T19:31:00.000Z

On 5th April 2005, Andy Lopata and Peter Roper managed to get their book '...and Death Came Third' to the number 2 spot on Amazon on the day of the book's launch, instantly making it a best seller. I wonder how many millions of authors dream of getting their book into the top 100, let alone the second highest spot?

Yet, how is it that two relatively unknown businessmen managed to capture the attention of enough buyers to outsell many thousands of other books on that one day? Why would unsuspecting visitors to Amazon suddenly have the urge to puchase a book that was not being discounted (£14.95), nor did it have any reviews at that time?

There is more to it than meets the eye. Andy Lopata are networkers and professional speakers. They knew approximately how many they needed to sell to hit the top spot and they knew they couldn't simply do it on their own. So do you know what they did? They just asked people in their network to help. They created an ethical bribe for people who bought the book on the day of approximately £2000 worth of bonus gifts and created one of the most powerful forms of advertising I know - viral marketing. I'm not sure about the exact figures, but I think they got their marketing message to approximately 250,000 people in the space of 5 days. Even though a very small proportion bought (2,000 people), it was enough to catapult them to the number 2 spot.

So what's the moral of the story? If you don't ask BIG in your referral marketing, you don't get BIG results. Andy and Peter asked BIG, played BIG and they got a MASSIVE result.

Want to find out more about how you can boost your business referrals, then why not book yourself for the Referral Sales Summit on Tuesday 27th June 2006 in Birmingham, UK?