DuctTapeMarketing.com
July 11, 2006
In this issue:
Resource #1 - Duct Tape Marketing Workshops, Seminars and Keynotes
Main Article - Creating Client and Referral Communities
Resource #2 - Duct Tape Marketing Channel Grows
Duct Tape Coaches - Become a Duct Tape Marketing Coach
Free Magazine - CRM Magazine
Featured Reading - Blog Wild - Andy Wibbels
Featured Listening - Morph the Cat - Donald Fagen
Duct Tape Blog Named "Best Small Business Marketing Blog" by the Readers of Marketing Sherpa for the third straight year! See the announcement on the Duct Tape Marketing blog and visit some of the other top 10
I've been doing some updates on the Duct Tape Marketing site - if you haven't dropped by for a while you should.
You can always view past newsletter issues here!
Featured Resource - The Duct Tape Marketing Workshops - Does Your Group Need a Practical Small Business Marketing Speaker?  Duct Tape Small Business Workshops - I am available to present small business marketing workshops, seminars and keynotes to groups and associations. Recent presentations include popular marketing workshops for organizations such as the Sage Software, PRSA, Small Business Administration, American Marketing Association, Kauffman Foundation, Painting and Decorating Contractors of America, Associated Builders and Contractors, National Association of Tax Professionals and National Association of the Remodeling Industry.
Contact me for:
Keynotes (30-60 minute inspirational topics that introduce small business owners to the most important elements, trends and strategies involved in growing a business.) Presentations (60-90 presentations designed to deliver marketing strategies and the tactics used to effectively execute them) One half and full day workshops (one half and full day working sessions designed to facilitate the completion of strategic marketing analysis and marketing tactics. Participants will utilize workbooks and other tools to take meaningful steps towards marketing implementation.)
Find out more here
Building Client and Referral Communities
Connecting clients and prospects to each other is powerful way to build a super loyal customer and referral base.
 By John Jantsch
Two of the most important words in the marketing world are Content and Contact. I think the best lead generation is done by providing tons of great content – the best lead conversion is done by providing the right kind of contact. Put content and contact together and you not only have a powerful business building strategy, you have a customer loyalty and referral generating machine.
In my opinion, the best way for small business owners to take advantage of the craving for content and contact is to form communities around products, services and ideas. I think this idea is really at the heart of the unreal growth of social communities like mySpace and YouTube. People are desperately looking to connect.
Helping people connect in business terms may not be exactly the same as helping teenagers connect online, but the principles bare a striking similarity. The following examples illustrate some easy ways to help prospects and clients gain a deeper connection with your organization.
The primary skill needed build community is any size network and a willingness to share openly.
It’s just lunch
I have experienced some pretty fascinating results every time I have brought groups of clients together, even to share lunch. Business owners are starved for contact with their
Peers – the daily grind just makes this too hard to find. Facilitating this is a great service that any business can offer.
Peer to peer education
Current clients are probably more prepared to explain the value of your service to a prospect, including the limitations. Hold “focus groups” made up of several existing clients and several prospects. Let the current clients explain, in a non selling environment, what your service has meant to them, what could be better, how to get more from it. Sit back and learn.
Natural word of mouth marketing
When you deepen a relationship with a client by opening up your contacts and clients to them, you will find that they will begin to naturally (not sales motivated) talk about what you do that matters to them. You cannot purchase that kind of conversation.
Resource director
Bringing client or other resources together and allowing your clients and prospects to take advantage of those resources is a great way to build community and loyalty. Hosting lunches or even teleseminars with other leading experts is a great example of this type of community building.
Referral communities
What if you put together a group of like minded businesses, all focused on the same target audience, and you created a local online community, including a blog that each member of the referral group contributed to. This group could easily generate and educate leads in a way that would allow everyone to win. A semi-formal referral and co marketing strategy is that you would need to make this take off locally.
Creating client and referral communities is very satisfying way to build a business. The pressure that some business owners feel from the need to sell is virtually eliminated. Any business or independent professional that takes community building on as a primary marketing strategy and then sticks with it, can dominate an industry.
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John Jantsch is a veteran marketing coach, award winning blogger and author of Duct Tape Marketing: The World's Most Practical Small Business Marketing Guide published by Thomas Nelson - due out in the fall of 2006
He is the creator of the Duct Tape Marketing small business marketing system. You can find more information by visiting http://www.ducttapemarketing.com
You may reprint this article in its entirety if you attribute the article to John Jantsch and include the information about the author above.
Duct Tape Resource: Duct Tape Marketing Blog Channel This week I added 14 new blogs on specific small business topics to the Duct Tape Marketing Blog Channel bringing the total to 22. The collective brainpower coming from this blog network will make it the place to go for small business information.
Some of the blogs on the channel are authored by well known small business folks, some are written by people you may not be familiar with, but whom I have watched and felt had much to say.
Feel free to kick around a bit and flip through the stations on the channel by browsing the navigation links at the top of each blog's page. I have added a Duct Tape Marketing Blog Channel Digest page that allows you to visit one page and view the most recently updated content. In addition, you can subscribe to the Channel Digest Feed and get the updates to the entire channel of blogs sent to your favorite reader.
Duct Tape Coaches - Duct Tape Marketing Authorized Coaches - coming to a town near you (already spanning the USA, UK and Canada!)
Think you might want to become a Duct Tape Marketing Authorized Coach?
Find out more here
Next Training Intensive is September 21-22! To become a coach Email John Jantsch or visit
Duct Tape Marketing Coach
Featured Reading
 Andy Wibbels takes on the topic of blogging for business with simplicity and humor.
I love the way he writes and makes the seemingly complicated subject seems reasonable. This is not a "Blog for Dummies" book though. This book is full of practical advice from someone who knows what he is talking about. Andy just recently joined the Duct Tape Marketing Blog Channel and can be found writing Business Blogging Confidential.
Featured Listening
Morph the Cat - Donald Fagen
First Album in a long time from 1/2 of Steely Dan, Donald Fagen. As with most Steely Dan stuff and the Donald Fagen solo albums, the production is flawless. Arrangements are complex, yet don't sound like it.
The lyrics deal with some of the darker themes to emerge from post 9/11 America, but I still find myself tapping along to the beat.
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Featured Resource #1
The Duct Tape Marketing Small Business Marketing System
This complete small business marketing program contains 15 workbooks, 12 audios CDs - packaged in a Duct Tape Marketing 3 ring binder. This is the same tool I use to coach my clients. Find out more.
Featured Resource #2 - The Duct Tape Marketing System Workbooks The Ultimate Marketing System individual workbooks and audios. 15 workbooks and 12 audios. Buy one or buy them all. $29 Workbook only/$39 workbook and audio. Individual Workbooks and Audio CDs Featured Resource #3 - Digital Version Now Available for Immediate Download 
Referral Flood - How to generate a flood of new business without spending one dime on advertising
I just released a digital version that allow you to download the 125 page ebook as a PDF file and MP3 Audios. I also passed on the saving to you. The digital version is $79 (as opposed to $97 for printed version) + no shipping
Resource - Get Local Search Engine Traffic
Don’t Let Your Small Business Get Left Behind in the Local Search Engine Game 
Get your local business found online automatically by local prospects with a Duct Tape Marketing Local Search Engine profile. One of the best ways to get your business found in your town by local prospects. More Featured Resource #3 - Blog Lightning - How To Create and Promote Your Blog In A Flash Drawing from my experience creating blogs, including my award winning Duct Tape Marketing Blog, I have launched a complete step-by-step guide that takes you by the hand and shows you exactly what to do to instantly create and promote a successful blog for your business.
You also get 14 video screencast tutorials that allow you to watch over my shoulder as I actually do the steps I outline in the system - It does not get any easier than this! - Order Blog Lightning Featured Free Magazine
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CRM Magazine Is written for executives responsible for moving the enterprise toward a customer-focused approach.... Duct Tape Marketing Podcast
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