Rob's Blog

Most people will tell you that their business comes mostly from referrals, recommendations, introductions and word of mouth. Yet few can tell you:

• where each of their referrals comes from
• how to identify and develop their best referral sources
• how many referrals they need
• what kind of referrals they're looking for
• the amount of business they generate by referral

Considering this is your best source of business, shouldn't you be a little more on top of this kind of information? Until getting involved with the Referral Institute, I was just as clueless about this critical information. Even after writing several books and guides on networking and referrals, I didn't have this kind of tracking, measuring and stretegising about my referrals.

How things have changed! I can now tell you within £20 how much business I will get from referrals next year, and from whom. Can you do that? Would youlike to know how?

Join me for one of the upcoming Referral Success 101 seminars in Nottingham, Derby or Leicester. They are three hours of world-class insight that gives you powerful business models guaranteed to predictably increase your business by personal recommendation!

Just click on any of the dates on the calendar to the right to book yourself in. It's £147, and if you would like to bring along a couple of people, ask me for a £100 discount. If you want to come for free, just put five people in the room!

Do this now and you'll set up your business, your networking and your marketing to double your referral business in 2010. I guarantee it!

After a 12 month 'sojourn' as a reputation and personal marketing expert, I'm getting back to:

• What I know most about.
• What I'm best at.
• Where I can add the most tangible value to people.
• Where I've made my biggest impact over the years.
• What people have paid me the most money for!

That's networking and referrals. Specifically, I'll be helping people network at a higher and deeper level with the right people so they create referrals for life!

See, it was all very well being a personal marketing expert, and a bestselling author on How to Build Your Reputation, but I'm delighted and excited to be taking on the East Midlands region for global training organisation Referral Institute.

Not everyone understood the whole reputation thing. Not everyone wanted it. Sometimes it felt like I was too 'out there' with it! But in going back to what I've built my business on, and coupled with the world class resources and strategies coming out of the US on referral and word of mouth marketing, this is a logical and exciting move!

The vision for the business is to assemble a committed and elite 'mastermind' group of business people across Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Leicestershire who fulfil the following criteria:

1. You are coachable and willing to learn new ways of thinking and doing.
2. You are a fan of personal and professional development to raise your game.
3. You want LOTS more business by referral.
4. You have a referrable business proposition.
5. You have a business development angle to your role.
6. You are committed to invest monthly in yourself and your marketing.
7. You are involved with (or plan to be) good networking groups.
8. You have (or are building) a network of contacts that you are currently not leveraging as you should.

If this is you, then over the next few weeks I'm going to invite you onto a ground-breaking programme which will double your referral income over the next year, GUARANTEED!

If you want to learn more or for a special 'BE MY GUEST' ticket to one of the Referral Success 101 Masterclasses in October, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call me on 0115 846 2127!

Here's to your most profitable year of networking and referrals EVER!

There are many different audiences you'll come across when you're networking. Many different people will ask you 'What do you do?'

Unless you know something about who has asked you the question, you're in a 'blind situation.' You're at a distinct disadvantage. So here are ten of the most useful questions about your audience to help you craft a more bespoke Elevator Speech (ES):

1. Who are they?
2. What is their role in the company/organisation?
3. What does their company do or make?
4. Who are their customers/clients?
5. What makes them good or unique?
6. What are their needs and issues?
7. Where are they hurting?
8. Are they failing in any areas?
9. What are their plans and goals?
10. Where might there be opportunities?

It pays when you're networking to ask more questions than you answer, and get your questions in first. Then by the time they ask you, you can craft your ES accordingly. And that makes it impactful, memorable and 'pass on-able'.

As a result, you'll soon find your referral income going through the roof. And all because you've started to craft your message!