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Jun 24 2004
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Will Work For Referrals

I may have mentioned that I am releasing an ebook and audio program in a few weeks titled Referral Flood - How to make it rain a flood of new business without spending one dime on advertising.

So…I thought I would let one of my favorite referral strategies out of the bag today.

Many small business owners struggle when it comes to finding sources of referrals, either do to the fact that they are a new business just starting out or they are trying to break into a new industry or market.
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Filed Under: Referral Marketing
Jun 23 2004
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You Are What People Pay For

If people pay you for goods, you are in the product business.

If they pay you for labor, you are in the service business

But…and I’d suggest you think about this one…if they pay you for and value the little things that your company does that simply make their life better, you are in the experience business.Continue Reading

Filed Under: Positioning
Jun 20 2004
posted by

What If Marketing Was A System?

Think about this one for a while. You have systems for accounting, making if, fixing it, shipping it, hiring…even for how to sort the mail. So, why the heck is marketing still an event.

What if you began to analyze every markting function as though you needed to teach it to someone? How we answer the phone, how we tell people what we do here, how we send out the mail, how we solve customer issues, what we say on a sales call, what we do when we get an order.

Then it would need to make sense, then you would need a plan – maybe a document, then it would have to work.Continue Reading

Filed Under: Referral Marketing
Jun 18 2004
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Every Business is a Commodity Business

Time to face the facts. Given nothing to prove them wrong, here’s what your prospect believes. One business is just like another. Any accountant can complete my tax return. Any electrician can install a ceiling fan. Any restaurant can fill me up.

Now, I didn’t say it was true, in fact, you know it’s not true, but there you sit doing nothing about it.
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Filed Under: Positioning
Jun 14 2004
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Educate Your Referral Sources

Do you know the number one reason that business owners don’t get enough high quality referrals?

Fear. That’s it.

Now, on one hand you might think that I mean that some business owners are just flat afraid to ask for referrals. There is no question that there is a great amount of truth to that but…
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Filed Under: Referral Marketing
Jun 10 2004
posted by

Simplify! – Create a marketing strategy that IS the message

People tend to get things that can be boiled down to a really simple message.

Buy this – get that. Hire us – Become famous.

One of the most effective ways to create marketing that achieves this simple character is to come up with a marketing strategy that becomes your core marketing difference and core marketing message.Continue Reading

Filed Under: Referral Marketing
Jun 7 2004
posted by

Best Small Business Marketing Weblog

Hey, I didn’t say so…the readers of MarketingSherpa voted the Duct Tape Marketing Weblog the best small business marketing blog.

You know, I write this stuff here because I love to do it, but it is nice when others acknowledge that they get some value from it.

Thanks! Read about the other winners.

And if that wasn’t enough!

Anita Campbell at Small Business Trends wrote a very nice review of this weblog in her weekly blog spotlight.

Filed Under: Marketing Plans
Jun 4 2004
posted by

Referrals Are A Matter Of Motivation

Most small business owners miss the boat when it comes to getting a constant flow of referrals because they start off in the wrong direction.

If they seek referrals at all, most small business owners head straight to their cleints. Now, your existing clients can be a good source of referrals. And when you think about it, who better to sing your praises than someone who has actually experienced your rare abilities.

The problem though is that your existing clients don’t have much motivation.
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Filed Under: Referral Marketing