One of the greatest opportunities open to the small business owner is
duplication. Look, you’re an expert a something right, I mean, people
pay you for your knowledge, skill, advice, or ability to listen to and
solve their problems.

But…there’s only so much of you to go around right. Wrong…you, or
at least that part of you that teaches, coaches, and consults is
unlimited when you decide you want it to be.Continue Reading

One of the greatest ways to generate referrals and repeat customers is
to build a community within your customers. In some ways they should
already have much in common – they fit your tight target market and
they value what you have to offer.

Bringing them together in some fashion can really ramp-up the feeling of
connection they have to your products and services.

High-tech companies have for years relied on the input and passion
of user groups
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Today I am interviewing Tom Ehrenfeld, author of the startup garden. I
really enjoyed the book and know you will enjoy Tom’s insights.

Here’s what I am hoping will happen. I have asked Tom some tough
questions. I have included his responses as audio links. Just press on the
the little blue tape recorder type buttons to hear Tom speak.

Then I have included my personal answers to these questions, as a small
business owner.

I want to invite all of my readers and anyone who stumbles onto this site
to add comments to these questions…based on your personal experience.
I’m not looking for right or wrong answers…I simply want to collect input.

So let’s go then. Scroll down and pick out any all questions that interest
you!

Tom Ehrenfeld’s answer

John Jantsch – That’s such a tough one for me because I’m not
a number guy. Sell enough each day and the rest takes care of itself. I
know that’s crazy but I also know from working with small business
owners that the real indicator that matters most is usually buried
deeply in the culture of the business. The money numbers make more
sense and provide tangible evidence, but I think the magic is in tracking
intangibles, like customer referrals generated, innovation from within,
compliments.

Tom Ehrenfeld’s answer

John Jantsch This is such an important marketing idea and few
businesses get it fully. (me too) Some of the greatest community building
I have experienced is when I get my clients together somehow…either by
way of referral networking or even in pure social settings.

This week I am participating in a very interesting project – A blog book tour.

I will be interviewing Tom Ehrenfeld, author of the startup garden on this blog on Wednesday, July 21st. Make sure you visit that day as I will have entries throughout the day.

The tour made stops at other blogs along the way. Check out the interviews on these fantastic weblogs and you will be up to speed.

July 14th – re:invention
July 15th – The Entrepreneurial Mind
July 16th- Small Business Blog
July 19th – Small Business Trends
July 20th – Wantrepreneur

The final stop on the tour is 800-CEO-READ (which by the way is where
you can purchase a copy of the book.)

The single greatest complaint I get from small business owners when it
comes to referral marketing is that they don’t seem to get the kinds of
referrals they want or prefer. (You know, the A clients, as oppossed to
what I call Deferrals)

I think the reason for this is pretty simple and, in fact, is at the heart of
most of your marketing woes.
Continue Reading

One of my personal favorite blog reads is AdRants.

Here’s how author Steve Hall describes it.

Reporting on the brilliance and idiocy of the media and advertising
industry, Adrants offers subversive comment on the questionable, the
absurd, the new and the noteworthy. Everything from new campaign
launches to useful facts and figures to odd little items from the fringe are
delivered with wit, humor and sarcasm.

Just go there and prepare to learn and laugh.