Posts Tagged ‘business networking’
Business Referrals – How NOT to accept one
This was the look I got!
For the first time EVER in my life, I was given a referral and was absolutely floored by the response it got! The response was really an eye opener for what people and businesses should never do when someone refers you a client or business.
What happened?
Well, we have been renovating our house and tore down a wall between our kitchen and dining room. The reno has meant we had to look at a few options for filling in the gap where the wall used to be. I was trying to salvage the new flooring laid in the kitchen last year so we were looking for a unique solution.
Since we moved here in 2008, we have been using the same flooring place for everything we have needed. The service has been excellent, the work as well and that has meant we are a loyal customer to this company. Anytime I need flooring or information I head straight to TK’s Carpet and Flooring in Dartmouth and talk to Claude.
This unique solution I was looking for involved getting a custom piece done so they referred me to another local company, close by that specializes in hardwood (I’m going to play nice and not say their name). So off I went this weekend to inquire about me needs.
When I explained what I was looking for, the woman indicated that they actually could not do this type of item and she gave me some other advice about how to go about it as well. As always, if I was referred to a business I like to let them know, most people always like to know why your chose their business. So I mentioned that TK’s had sent me there thinking they would have the skills/abilities to help. The response?
Oh yes, they always like to send people here when they don’t want to help you out.
Now, this might not seem like a big deal when the words are written out, but when you add the change in her facial expression along with the disdain in her voice as she said this the entire tone of the comment changed. I should have commented right there – but I have not always been as quick with retorts as some can be (My sister is really great at this and would have taken her down for sure).
I left thinking “What a rude way to take a referral for business”. No matter what she thought, she should have said something complimentary as opposed to shooting down the business that sent me to her doors in the first place.
As I drove away, heading in fact to TK’s to check out my other options, I was really thinking about how that was such a crappy thing fro her to say. I appreciated TKs giving me a name to check out, but definitely not her reaction to it.
SO… I did what any good and loyal customer would do – I let them know at TKs the response to their referral. I highly doubt they will refer to them again. And I will never recommend them either.
Lesson learned: Always think about what it means to accept a referral.
Someone, no matter who they are, felt you could help the person they sent to you. Accept this complement in the way it was intended, with courtesy and thought. Anything less and you may find yourself losing customers and future referrals because of your attitude.
What referral good / bad stories have you experienced? Please share here by posting a comment.
Choosing an Event or Conference to Attend
Whether you are a Brick and Mortar Business or an online business – events are happening everywhere – Online, Live and Local. Live events are a great way to network with others in your business field. Human interaction builds strong relationships especially relationships that have a foundation online. They are also a great way to practice networking skills in person. But what events are right for you? The trick is knowing where to look. Here are a few suggestions:
• Check local Business organizations for posted events.
• Visit your favorite blogs/websites for information. If these people are speaking or attending a conference they will want to let their readers know about it.
• Visit online forums. Business forums usually have a place where they list upcoming events both online and offline.
• Visit social networking sites. These are great for business connections – Facebook is one main place where many people or groups post events and send out invites.
Now that you have found some options, how do you choose one? Look at what your goal is for attending the event? You will want to choose live events that are relevant to your business. You wouldn’t attend a crafting seminar if you sell gardening supplies. And, you probably would pass on a seminar that highlights how offline businesses can get into online markets if you already own an online business.
Here are some pointers to making a decision:
• Check geographic location – Your first time out, you might want to stay close to home to lower costs. Money is often tight when you are starting a business.
• Look at event registration costs – Will you recoup the fees?
• Look at the speakers – Who is coming to regale you with their business savvy? If the speakers involved are other business owners or role models in your industry that you have been wanting to meet, don’t pass up the chance to have your questions answered and gain some insight. Adding a face to face will really help gel your connections as well. Contacts made at events can have long lasting benefits.
Choosing a live event to attend doesn’t have to be a hard decision. Gather as much information as you can about upcoming events, their location and fees so you can map out your networking strategy. And it should all be about strategy – why you want to attend and what you will gain from attending.
I recently attended NAMS in Atlanta – Niche Affiliate Marketing Systems. I chose to go for a few reasons:
1. I wanted to learn more about Affiliate Marketing and how it works.
2. It was an opportunity to meet two of my clients in person – one from British Columbia and one from California.
3. There were many other top internet marketers there I have been following for more than one year and it was a chance to listen to their wisdom in person as well as meet them face to face.
When you make conference/event choices by strategically choosing reasons why or why not to go you will find your investment well worth it!
Tawnya Sutherland of VAnetworking
- Denise Wakeman of the Blog Squad
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