Topic: Marketing Ideas / Email that helps build testimonials and referrals

Thank you for the post Sallie. Attached is a word document of the script you provided for everyone to download and customize for their businesses.

Topic: Marketing Ideas / No Reds!

Way to keep it simple and be in action.

Topic: Marketing Ideas / A Script that Works in any Market (Download the Business Update Script)

I have recently coached numerous realtors that have an extended network of hundreds of contacts including past clients and family and friends that they have not been in touch with for a long time. What I hear most is that they do not know what to say to their network or they do not know how to call and ask for a referral. Both of these issues can be overcome with relative ease by following the exercise below and modifying the Business Update Script for your business.

First: Indentify a specific client you want to work with

A couple examples are first-time home buyers or people looking to buy their second home. Do not get caught up in asking someone if they know of someone looking to buy or sell a home. The more specific you are, the more your network will think of who they can refer you.

Second: Modify the Business Update Script

Download the Business Update Script. There is one for a realtor and one for a lender. Use them as is or make changes to them. The important parts to note are:

• People love to hear from you and get updated on what you are doing in your business.

• Saying “a 2 minute call about business” sets the context of the call. You will not get caught up in a personal conversation attempting to bring up the real intention of the call. The people you call will appreciate this.

• You are not asking for a referral. Instead, you are offering your services twice.

• You are qualifying the prospect. If they agree to have you call from time-to-time, you have their permission to market to them.

Third: Role Play the Script

Practice with a colleague, friend or family member. Role play for no more than 20 minutes. Ask for some feedback and get ready to make some calls to your network.

Fourth: Call Your Network

Set some goals. If you have 100 people in your database, commit to calling 5 or 10 a day. Remember a contact is not leaving a message. A contact is getting someone on the phone that says yes or no.

Topic: Marketing Ideas / No Reds!

Try this. Every Monday morning log into your MyZhone account. Go to the Contacts page and change the sort order to Least Healthy. Now, look at how many in person contacts you have set as your weekly goal. Let’s say your weekly goal for in person contacts is 5, call the top 5 people on the list, make an appointment with each of them for this week by Thursday. On Friday morning, write a personal thank you note for their time. You just got 5 phone calls, 5 in person contacts, and 5 personal notes.

Watch your red contacts disappear.

Note: If the first five can’t meet with you this week, still set up the appointment for when they can. Keep going down your list until you’ve scheduled the number of in person contacts you have set as your weekly goal.

Print the contact list in this order and use the printout to keep track of your daily progress.

I hope this helps.

Topic: Marketing Ideas / Email that helps build testimonials and referrals

Hello MyZhone.com community. I got this email from a professional I work with and have used it for my business. I sent it out to 72 people I have in my network and got 22 testimonials and 6 referrals!

Dear __,

I’m writing to thank you for having me as part of your __ (health care / real estate / business) team and sharing that trust with your referrals. My goal to help people ____ . I could not do that without your help in spreading the word. Thank you.

In an effort to help more people, I am updating my marketing collateral. The way in which I can help people has grown over the last __ years. Sometimes it helps people if they see that others have been helped with similar problems or are pleased with the service they have gotten so I’d like to put some of your feedback on my new collateral.

I would greatly appreciate it if you wrote a few lines about your experience with my services, how I helped you with a particular issue, or comment about me or my business in general. If you’d like comments to be anonymous, I could just use your initials, but ideally I would like to display your name and either your profession or where you live. As always, I’d like to hear any constructive criticism you may have.

Thank you very much. Know that if you decide to do this, you will be helping others make an important ____ decision.

Be Well,
[your name here]

Topic: Marketing Ideas / Thank you notes to speakers

I am in a BNI group and I make it a habit to send a thank you note to the weekly speakers. Everyone appreciates getting feedback after doing a presentation and I’ll be more in their mind for making the gesture.

Topic: Marketing Ideas / Getting referrals from restaurants

Since I joined MyZhone.com, I have been very successful building business to business relationships that produce referrals.

I am a creature of habit. For example, I go to the same 2-3 restaurants every month. Not only have I been spending money for family dinners at my favorite spots, but I have brought these establishments tons of business by referring them to my friends and family.

Last year, as part of my business plan, I developed my B2B relationships to capture more referral business. First, I got to know the owners of the establishments I frequent much better. Then, once they began recognizing me by name, I scheduled a meeting to discuss how we can help each other grow our businesses.

My goal at the meeting was to get some kind of promotion or discount to offer my clients and to get the commitment by the owner to refer me business.

I sent out the attached letter promoting one of the restaurants I frequent. I sent out many letters like this promoting my business partners. The key is to make the letter personal.

Topic: Marketing Ideas / Stamp Rate Change Letter

I have attached a cover letter that another photographer gave me this week after I told her about my referral based business. Thought it would help everyone if I posted here. I am going to send it out to my referral members. In the spirit of giving!

Post office site address: http://www.usps.com/prices/

Topic: Marketing Ideas / Sample Thank You Notes

My goal is to write at least one thank you note every day. The attached file includes some of my favorite salutations. How do you say thank you?