Vw Business

Archive for October, 2009

One of the key roles of management is to build business through relationships. A common way to build relationships is through referrals: with, for and through banks, attorneys, employees, peers, and anyone else who has something that someone else wants or needs. The better you are at managing the referral, the better off you and those in your organization will be. Unfortunately, even though most referrals start with good intentions, they’re conducted haphazardly and don’t yield the results people expect. It’s often the reason that referrals are not offered. Who wants to be burned? The tips in this article should help you control the outcomes and get what you want.

Everyone has been embarrassed by their association with another person at one time or another. How about that cousin you wouldn’t want anyone to know about? But what happens when the embarrassment happens in a business situation: more specifically, when you refer one person to another and one of those parties is unprofessional or just plain screws up? Making a bad connection could cost you money or something more valuable and much harder to recoup-your reputation.

We once stepped into an awkward situation when we referred a business peer, seeking a specific product, to one of our clients, who just so happened to offer that very product. We thought we were doing a good thing, a win-win-win thing…until we received a phone call from our client explaining that the referred person made a vulgar offer to a woman on the client’s staff when she said she couldn’t go any lower on her price. We were shocked. Our client ended the conversation with, “I’m not sure what to do, but what he [the business peer] did was disrespectful to my staff and to you. I’m going to let you handle this.” The outcome was hardly the one we were shooting for. All we could do was apologize and hope our reputation didn’t take too big a hit.

The referral is part of Business 101, and it’s a valuable way to extend your business connections. Typical referrals involve three parties: the person who wants something, the person who has something to give, and the person who connects the two. Sounds simple and clean…but as our bad experience shows, sometimes things get messy. So what can you do to facilitate successful referrals? That depends on which of the three roles you’re playing. Here they are.

The person who wants something. If someone connects you to another party, remember to:

1….respect relationships that others have developed. Consider it your way of saying “thanks” to the person who made the connection.

2….stay professional and avoid being too casual or friendly. A referral ONLY opens a door of opportunity. You’re still responsible for building your own relationship.

3….conduct yourself in a way that honors the “referrer.” Your actions represent yourself AND the person who gave you the referral.

4….leave foul language at the door. Everyone has a different tolerance point.

5….keep ethics above board. To do so will net you a double win. To fail will curse you with a double loss at the very least. Good news travels; bad news travels faster.

6….check the ego. Don’t believe that your credentials, awards, accomplishments and the referral impress everyone so much that you can leave your manners at the door.

The person who has something to give. If someone sends business your way, make sure you:

1….deliver what you promise, and promise only what you KNOW you can deliver. If you find that you can’t help out, be honest about it and say thank you.

2….make good on any mistakes that occur. People understand that errors happen. Keep both of the other two parties’ interests in mind when taking responsibility for those errors.

3….if you want to keep the referral business pouring in, make sure you meet or exceed the expectations of the person doing the referring. Hint: they’re expecting you to make them look good.

4….never “bad mouth” the person who referred the business or the one providing the service. What you say will almost surely get back to them.

The person who connects the two. Before you connect one person to another, make sure you:

1….know whom you’re dealing with. Only connect people who will show you in a good light…that goes for the person who wants something as well as the one who has something to give.

2….aren’t connecting people for the soul purpose of getting reciprocal referrals. A client in Boston complained about giving out referrals but rarely getting them in return. Instead of expecting referrals, he learned that the real value came back to him in the form of strengthened business relationships with others.

3….kick off the transaction in a professional fashion. Whether by telephone, email, or in person, set a tone of respect by introducing each person as a respected professional.

4….butt out when you see the relationship blossom. Chalk up the connection as another success and move on.

Referral etiquette is basically pretty simple. Behave yourself, respect others, and do the right thing. Then make sure you deal only with those who do the same. The combination is a winning formula for building new business relationships and strengthening old ones.

© David and Lorrie Goldsmith

What Do You Think A Business Card Is For?

The use of business cards, or calling cards as they were more popularly known, is still widely prevalent today, even in this age of electronic communications. Technologies of instant communications such as Bluetooth and infrared connectivity are easier and much handier ways of sending and receiving data and information, including those contained in a business card. Yet people —and particularly businessmen— still carry around small stacks of business cards, giving them away at every chance they get and at the slightest provocation. Don’t ever tell a businessman you’ll call and he will give you his card, faster than you can say “Jack Robinson”, whoever he is, regardless of whether he has given you one earlier.

This only proves business cards still play a vital role in business or even everyday life, because even those not in business, such as students, have calling cards in their names. Why so? A number of reasons have been advanced as to the business card’s functions, and they range from as a source of personal pride to a business tool.

The functions of a business card

As a business advertising tool. A business card will normally contain the owner’s name, form or list of business or service rendered, phone or contact number/s, and some sort of catchphrase or slogan for the business. In this way the holder will immediately see in the card if the card owner is the appropriate solution to his immediate needs. So actually the card acts as a kind of ‘sleeper’ or inactive advertising for the owner, accessed when needed.

As a social link. Many people accept other people’s business cards and promptly forget both the card and the person right afterwards. Then the card is remembered when the holder needs to contact the card owner socially, and so the card is dredged up from the dustbin of ‘where-did-I-place-it’ questions. Or, you may not care what the guy sells, but he is so hunky…

As a travelling reference. If you know a friend who requires his boat engine serviced and you bump into someone who does that, you may wish to request his card to pass to your friend, who might later pass it on to another with similar needs. Without the card, neither potential customer will remember the boat engine service provider when the service is required. With it, the card owner may well capture a whole boating association.

As a personal affectation. It is simply classy to give away business cards, even if the owner has no business. It gives the owner a feeling of ‘superiority’ -for lack of a more appropriate term-over others. It is also a lot easier to just hand a receptionist, say, your business card instead of explaining who you are.

So, the card

Different people have different uses for a business card and if you think one reason is enough, then you’re wrong. A business card does all of the above, and often, more.

The internet has become a certifiable cash cow. Many people are embracing the internet lifestyle. Basically, they work from the comfort of their home, (or with a satellite internet hookup they can work from anywhere in the world), they put in few hours and they make loads of cash (the beach front view is optional). It’s a great way to live for those who want to escape the grind of 9 to 5 and become a 12 month internet millionaire.

The best part of the (satellite) internet lifestyle is the freedom. Internet entrepreneurs are their own bosses. They make their own hours. They control how their business works. They aren’t shilling for anyone else. They don’t work for the man. So just how do they do it?

Well, if you’ve got a high speed internet connection, there are an infinite number of ways to make money.

One of the most popular ways to earn money online is through affiliate marketing. Basically, you allow an advertisement for a product or service to be placed on your site or blog and the cash comes rolling in. Every time a sale is made via a click from your site, you get a percentage of the sale. One of the more popular affiliate services out there today is Clickbank.

12 Month Internet Millionaire

A lot of people make some extra cash by selling merchandise online. You can easily auction off your collection of vintage toys or first edition books on eBay and make a killing. If you’re the crafty type, you can hawk your wares on Etsy, a site dedicated to handmade artifacts. You can also sell your stuff on Amazon.

Or you can build your own online store. For those who don’t have any programming skills, Yahoo! Merchant Solutions is a great way to get started. They provide the infrastructure for handling payments and displaying your products. You just do the selling and watch as the cash rolls in.

Advertising is another way to go and it’s basically an effortless stream of revenue. For instance, with Google Adsense, you get contextual ads slapped on your blog or website and each time someone clicks on the ad, you get money. Adbrite is another similar ad network.

If you’ve got some writing skills you can write articles for PaidContent or DemandStudios. You can also offer your services on freelance job sites like Elance and ClicknWork.

Or start a blog. Come up with excellent posts on a consistent basis, build up a loyal audience, and the traffic, and thus the money will follow. With good ad placement you’ll be able to make a fine living.

If you’re a graphic designer or filmmaker there are tons of sites out there that offer money for your work. Eefoof, for example, will pay video makers, based on their traffic stats. Cafepress allows designers to submit T-shirt ideas for free. They collect any profits made from shirts sold with their design.

Know someone who’d be perfect for a job? Refer them and collect the rewards. Many job sites pay people for making referrals.

These are just a few ideas for making money on the web. Remember with a high speed satellite internet connection, the possibilities to becomming a 12 month internet millionaire are endless.

Learn How To Become A 12 Month Internet Millionaire