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Joanne Black is America’s foremost authority on referral selling and the author of two books: No More Cold Calling™: A breakthrough system that beats the competition, When Pick Up the Damn Phone!: How people, not technology, make deals. Companies in growth mode recognize the need to move from sourcing leads through technology to sourcing qualified leads through relationships. Clients work with Joanne to build a culture of referrals and move quickly from transactional to referral selling. For more information: https://www.nomorecoldcalling.com/
SmallBizLady: It’s no secret that today’s market is crowded. Thanks to technology and globalization, competition is tougher than ever. So how do you get buyers to choose you?
Joanne Black: Here are some tips. It’s not the technology. Competitors have access to the same data, social selling tools, and marketing applications as you. They’ve probably read the same sales blogs and articles and know how to use LinkedIn.
The secret to true sales success is building strong and respected relationships that earn the right to seek referrals.
SmallBizLady: What makes referrals a faster way to increase revenue and grow your business?
Joanne Black: Acquiring new customers is the biggest sales challenge for anyone in business. But not any customer, just those who fit your ideal customer profile.
That’s exactly what referrals do. Receive referrals to key prospects. It’s not just calling names on a list.you are calling Real Decision makers who expect to hear from you and are willing to accept your calls. Join meetings early, spot pressing issues, build strong relationships, get introduced to others in your organization, and solidify your position as a trusted and preferred resource with a single call.
SmallBizLady: What’s your biggest missed opportunity when seeking referrals?
Joanne Black: Every company has high-value, underutilized revenue streams that can create significant opportunities in good times and bad.
We are waiting for you. They will be happy to introduce you, but you have to ask. All businesses receive inbound referrals — when a customer asks you to reply or someone contacts you and says they were referred. Proactively learn how to solicit referrals and make referrals the #1 outbound prospecting approach.
I know you’ve done a great job, but I’m wondering why clients don’t refer you to me on a regular basis.
- They don’t know you want more businessSounds like a silly question, but how will they know unless you tell them? They are busy running their business and not thinking about you. They may also think you don’t have time if they introduce you. Tell him that he’s looking for one or two great customers, just like them.
- They don’t know your ideal customer. Who exactly do you want to meet? People want to make good introductions and attract good people. Describe your ideal client in as much detail as possible, including their role in the company, geographic location, size of the company, and what problems they face and can solve.
- Not articulating business reasons for referrals and knowing how to ask for referralsClients refer you because you are a good person, trustworthy, polite, and so on.
How to buy an existing business
David Barnett often says it took him ten years to forget what he was taught in business school. After a career in advertising sales, Burnett started several businesses, including a commercial debt brokerage firm. Assisting small businesses with financing has led to the field of business brokerage. Over the years, Barnett began his career as a local private investor, managing his own portfolio of income properties while selling dozens of businesses for others. Burnett regularly consults with professionals and banks on business and property values. Today, he works with entrepreneurs and aspiring entrepreneurs around the world to buy, sell and improve their businesses.For more information www.David C Barnett.com
SmallBizLady: Where’s the best place to find a business to buy from?
David C. Burnett: The easiest place is to look at the online marketplace where people are advertising their business for sale. of which only 1 has been found by this method. The best way to find one is to decide what kind of business you want to do, build relationships with owners in that industry, and find them directly. You may avoid conflicts with other buyers.
SmallBizLady: I heard that you can buy a business with zero down payment, is that true?
David C. Burnett: Only those who are already in a specific industry and have a business with a strong balance sheet. A person who is wealthy and controls a business or property can buy a business outright with someone else’s money. People without money generally do not have these opportunities. Don’t be fooled into thinking that your trickery and cunning will somehow get you something of great value for nothing in return.
SmallBizLady: Why should I consider buying a business instead of just starting a new one?
David C. Burnett: To be successful in business, you need the products, services, and systems you offer your customers, and you need a market of ample and willing customers to cover your costs and make a profit. When you start something new, you are in a race to grow your business and find customers on time before you run out of money. This is the race to breakeven, and this is where startup risk comes from. When you buy a business, these elements are in place from the start. If you buy right, you can invest in your purchase and get an immediate return.
How to grow your service business
chef Eboni Bowman shares a lifelong passion for cooking Flavor Atlantais a Georgia-based small business that offers personal chef services, meal preparation, cooking classes and catering. Both of Eboni’s grandmothers were good cooks and bakers (one was a professional caterer). Eboni started helping her grandmother in the kitchen when she was five years old. Eboni studied at the Atlanta Museum of Art Culinary School and has over 20 years of experience in the culinary and hospitality industry.For more information https://flavoratlanta.com
SmallBizLady: What are your top tips for growing your service business?
Ebony Bowman: You don’t have to do everything yourself. So consider outsourcing tasks that you don’t have the time or expertise to do or enjoy. Yes, it does come at a cost, but many business owners don’t realize that outsourcing, done right, can actually yield more benefits than they spend. A good example for me is outsourcing shipping. When I first started Flavor Atlanta, I did my own customer deliveries. But as my customer base grew, it became too time-consuming and stressful, making on-the-go deliveries and cooking meals in the kitchen impractical.
When I started using a crowdsourced delivery platform called roadie, which not only gave me more time to spend growing my business, but also led to an increase in sales. That’s because Roadie enables same-day delivery for his up to 100 miles. This includes far more customers than I could have driven.
SmallBizLady: How important is marketing and networking to your growth strategy?
Ebony Bowman: Social media is an important part of your overall marketing strategy. During the holiday season, when people are more likely to be looking for a caterer, we target local paid ads on social media. But for regular posts, don’t underestimate the power of hashtags. What I have learned is that people like to support local businesses. For example, using small business tags wherever you are, such as #ATLsmallbusiness in Atlanta, can be a great way to reach potential customers.
SmallBizLady: How have community volunteers helped your business grow?
Ebony Bowman: Trust me, I understand that small business owners are busy! You may also find it helpful. For example, I started a farm-to-table cooking experience. An organization that supports black-owned farms in Georgia. I did it to help farmers, not to promote business, but the farmers I met through volunteering liked what I did and hired me for a paid catering job. I was.
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