Think about this scenario for a moment.  A wedding photographer does an amazing job of a wedding.  The bride is rapt.  She is a popular girl with an extensive network of girlfriends, many of who are starting to get engaged and think about wedding plans. What better person to have for a raving fan ? But there is one thing better than a client who is a raving fan...

Most people when you ask them who they want to meet at a networking event focus on finding potential clients.  Our photographer in the example above may choose to network where is most likely to meet more girls like his first client. If he continues to do fantastic work, some of them will become raving fans and his client base will continue to expand.

But what if as well as networking to find more clients he networked to find other businesses who shared his target market and he focussed on turning those other businesses into raving fans.  There is only one thing better than a client who is a raving fan and that is to have someone who is connecting with your potential clients on a daily basis as a raving fan.  In the photographer’s case that could be the reception centre, the limousine company, the caterer, the cake company, the dress designer etc.  The blushing bride may run out of girlfriends to refer to you – but flourishing businesses will not. 

So instead of networking with the sole objective of finding potential clients,  start networking to develop a referral network of raving fans, other businesses who share your target market and can be counted on to rave about you to their clients on a daily basis. 

The first step is to identify the businesses which share your target market.  Here are some ideas to get you started.

1. Other businesses which form part of your supply chain e.g. real estate agent, mortgage broker, settlement agent, also could include a building inspector, a removalist and so on.
2. Other businesses who can easily identify clients with the problems you solve.  E.g. a business consultant or an accountant sees when a business needs a book-keeper or a solicitor, a book-keeper sees when a business needs a debt collector, or an accountant. 
3. Other businesses which share your target market but provide completely different products or services – e.g. all the businesses servicing the wedding market.
4. Other businesses which provide a slightly different product offering to your target market  (e.g. a pool cleaning contractor and a pool chemical supply company)  or the “same” product offering to a slightly different target market  (e.g. a website company providing 10K plus solutions and a website company providing under 2K solutions. )
5. Other businesses who may be able to provide something of value for your clients or potential clients.  E.g.
   1. A  day spa providing gift vouchers to a financial planner to pass on as thankyou gifts to his/her clients or their wives.
   2. A mechanic providing discounts on a first service to real estate agents and mortgage brokers to give to clients moving into his local area
   3. A bicycle shop offering a gym a bicycle as a prize in a membership drive.

The second step is to turn them into raving fans.   Now is the time to start exploring the WIN - WIN possibilities.  What are their current business objectives and how can you help them to achieve them.  Plus make sure that you are clear on your objectives and what you can give the other person.

Can you help each other to:

• generate new leads
• reduce the cost of your marketing
• improve conversions on existing leads
• increase your average dollar sale or number of sales per customer
• improve client retention or client satisfaction
• generate more raving fans among your existing client base

Here are a number of options for you to think about:

Gifts, discounts, special offers, incentives, competition prizes, referral rewards, shared marketing strategies, cross promotions, creating new products or service together, referral certificates, testimonials.. the opportunities are endless.

The third step is to focus on nurturing and maintaining your referral network as carefully and thoughtfully as you do your client base. Be proactive, stay in touch, help them, thank them, look for ways to support them, their business and their clients and they will do the same for you.

The Attraction Marketing System is the most comprehensive step-by-step marketing system for Small Business owners. It teaches you what you must do in order to get and hold the ATTENTION of your target market.

The system allows you to develop your own unique marketing system including your marketing message, your marketing funnel, how to write effective sales letters and much more.

If you are looking to ATTRACT more CLIENTS to your business then you will
want to get your copy of The Attraction Marketing System today. Find out more here:

www.TheAttractionMarketingSystem.com

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