Networking - are you using it? Effectively?

Networking and its co-strategy, referral marketing, have been the 'latest things' for a good few years now. Yet many of us are still not taking advantage of the full potential. A simple thing like asking current satisfied clients to suggest to others that they visit your stand could significantly increase leads at your next show.

My old mate, Andy Lopata, probably knows more about this subject than anyone alse in the UK. And he's just written a book to help you get more out of networking and referrals.

Now, Andy is not paying me any commission for pushing his book, so I am certainly not going to recommend it. But I do recommend you read the details below, check it out at your local bookstore and then make up your own mind.

Jim Ewan

If you want to grow your business, get Recommended

Recommended - How to sell through networking and referrals

A 2010 study  ('Referral Programs and Customer Value’ Schmitt, Skiera and Van den Bulte) has shown that customers who come through referral spend more with a business, produce higher margins to that business in the early stages of their relationship, remain as customers of that business for a longer period of time and spend more with the business over time than customers who come through other routes to market.

The best sales strategies focus on opening the door before closing the sale. Referrals are one of the oldest forms of marketing and we all know that a recommendation from a friend or trusted contact is worth far more than what we hear from an advert or a salesperson. Yet how many businesses actually have a strategy to generate such referrals? Most rely on happy clients to recommend them, but that simply doesn’t happen as often as they’d like.

Recommended, written by Andy Lopata, the co-author of the Amazon bestseller '…and Death Came Third!' shows sales professionals and business owners how to maximise the potential of their networks to get more quality referrals and more new business more easily than they ever thought possible.

“Powerful referrals are the foundation for any successful business and this is a practical guide to both receiving and giving high quality introductions.” Colin Wright, Senior Vice-President, Global Sales Development, MasterCard

In today’s risk-averse economy generating referrals through networking is proving to be the most effective, and least expensive, way of creating new business. Perfect for start-ups looking to make their mark without breaking the bank, or established companies wishing to expand an existing customer base, Recommended will show readers how to implement simple strategies which will result in the leads crucial to keeping a business flourishing.

·         Down-to-earth advice on how to generate better quality business leads that convert more easily and quickly into real sales

·         Practical, takeaway information which can be implemented easily.

·         Detailed guidance on how to utilise LinkedIn to generate referrals

Insightful, resourceful and presented in an easy to digest, takeaway format, Recommended is the must-read book for any business that wants to capitalise on that most valuable of assets; their own networks.

Recommended (published by Pearson Prentice Hall) is available this August, priced £14.99 from http://www.recommendedthebook.com/ and all good bookshops. 

About the author: Andy Lopata is a featured columnist in US magazine, The National Networker and writes for several British business publications. For eight years, Andy was Managing Director of the UK network, Business Referral Exchange. He has since worked with a range of organisations, such as Sage, Merrill Lynch, RBS Group, and MasterCard, helping them realise their full sales potential through networking. 

But remember, this book is not recommended by Jim Ewan!