Monday, April 28, 2008

Improving Your Entreprenurial Impact



Example of a Great "NON-BUSINESS" Card from
our friends Miller and Vee



by Tammy de Leeuw
Financial Advisor Netzone

It's a shame...

Many in the financial services industry don't see themselves as entrepreneurs- and suffer
for it in terms of lost opportunities and missed revenues.

The most successful financial professionals, however, not only see themselves as entrepreneurs- they RELISH that role, and spend MOST of their time in the relentless pursuit of information which will help them become better entrepreneurs.

The dictionary defines an entrepreneur as someone who organizes a business and assumes the risk. But that only scratches the surface. Entrepreneurs are the gin in the vermouth of business; the Mrs. Dash in the bland diet of everyday business existence...

Did you know you are ALL THAT?

In fact, the main reason I started this blog and the ezine was to "incite financial professionals to riotous entrepreneurship." It was not to sell advertising, as some have suggested, because I don't. Instead, I am focused on networking for you so you can be exposed to some of the most innovative marketers, sales trainers, and thinkers on the planet.

Not all of these solutions will fit who you are- you need to trust your instincts and choose what feels right to you. But at least you have a starting point. I hope you continue reading the blog and continue growing in knowledge and wisdom, like the great entrepreneur you are.

Knowledge and action are essential to a successful business and I hope that I can give you the knowledge you need in order to take the actions you must.

Information -- having it and knowing how to use it -- is the key to business strength. Information is the great equalizer. It has no bias -- not toward gender, race nor religion. In its simplest form, information is a single fact. It is anything you see, hear, read, touch, talk about, sniff, observe or question. It's also any idea. It can be a word, a symbol, number, color or comparison.

-Michael B. Shane

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Exceeding Expectations:A Tip for Small Business



by Travis Miller and Jimmy Vee
Gravitational Marketing

In Florida, home pest control really is a pre-requisite. When I first bought my home it was a few years old. After living here for a few months, I received a call from a pest control company.


They explained that they had been servicing the house previously, and would like to continue - I just needed to take over the bill.


I fought it...explaining that I saw no pests, so didn't understand why I needed to pay them.


The guy wisely explained that the reason I didn't have a pest problem was because they had been treating the house heretofore - and if I would like to continue having a pest free home, I should keep the service going.


Good point. Come on out.

That was 2 years ago. I never hear anything from them - except every 2 months a bill appears on my door. It's easy to forget about them - and start to wonder why your paying that bill.


Well, the other day I got a knock on my door. It was Dave from the pest company.


"Mr. Miller, just checking to see if you're having any pest problems."


"Hmm...I did have a small problem in the garage, but that was because I had a small leak - I think I took care of it."


"Well, I'll take a look..."


Fine.


About 15 minutes later, as I'm pulling out of my drive way to head to the office, I notice the guy using a mop like tool to swab away cobwebs from under the soffit and eaves.


"Wow! I didn't know they did that!"


When I returned home that day, I glanced at the bill. The bill detailed the service - including the fact that he not only sprayed in the garage, but baited. He noted that he swabbed the eaves for webs. And he noted that he gave a 16 liter treatment of Termidor.


Termidor? I didn't know they did that too! Wow! I've been meaning to call someone to do preventative treatment for termites - I didn't know I've had that covered all this time.


Anyway, I was so pleased that I filled out the comment form with excellent marks and fired it back. Then, to my surprise, I checked my voicemail tonight and there was a message from the company following up on the service - making sure everything was fine.


Man...these folks are getting serious.

Here's the take away. First of all, the value of their service went up 3 fold for me - and they secured my business for at least another year.


Second, maybe they've been doing this all along - but never caught my attention.


That could be a critical point for your small business.


Are you exceeding expectations? More importantly, do your customers know about it? Are they so busy that they just pay your bill without noticing what you do for them?


How could you highlight the excellent work you do?


These could be important questions to ask of yourself.


I would recommend detailing the steps you take and providing that list to your clients - to be sure they fully understand the effort you make.


Jim and Travis are the authors of “Gravitational Marketing: The Science of Attracting Customers: http://www.GravitationalMarketing.com


Monday, April 21, 2008

Laughter: The Community Builder for Business Speakers


by TJ Walker

Media Training Worldwide

(editor's note: Could ineffective speaking skills be holding you back from getting more clients and making more money? Check out 5 Ways to Dramatically Improve your business at: http://www.mediatrainingworldwide.com/fan/.


Telling “jokes” is usually a bad idea for most speakers, but getting laughs is great for any presenter. Isn’t this contradictory?

The problem with jokes is that they seemed forced and they scream out to the audience “Hey, I’m trying to be funny, so you’d better laugh now!!!” And nobody likes to be told to laugh on demand.


But a speaker can get generate lots of laughs without ever telling a joke. The key to humor is simply being able to pounce quickly on the absurdity of any situation. And if you can poke fun at yourself you are in great shape.


Quickness, spontaneity and self-deprecation are really all you need to get laughs. If you can incorporate these three traits into stories that relate to your audience, you will get laughs regularly from your audiences.


But why is getting laughs important for a speaker, especially if you aren’t a comedian and you’re a talking in a business setting?


Because when your audience laughs with you or at something you said, they are laughing as a group. They are communicating collectively with you and each other. Laughter becomes a common, shared experience.


Simply listening to you in silence is closer to a solitary experience. When audiences laugh, they often stop the speaker (this is good thing if you are the speaker).


Audiences stop and look at fellow audience members to see if they also find the moment humorous and to reaffirm to teach other their good judgment and insight at figuring out that something was funny. Audience members like to give each other glances to share a moment where everyone is “in the know.”


When your audience laughs with you, they are communicating with you. Part of the communication is that they liked something you said or did. And part of the communication is simply that audience member saying, “Hey, I’m listening to you. And since veryone else is laughing, they must be listening to you to. So you must be OK”


So if you aren’t getting occasional laughs from your audiences, don’t panic, and don’t run to the library to check out Milton Berle’s joke book compilation. Instead, loosen up, quicken up, and look for opportunities to have fun, and make fun of yourself.


http://www.mediatrainingworldwide.com/fan/

TJ Walker is the worlds leading speaking coach, author of "Presentation Training A-Z." and "Media Training A-Z." Find out more about doing the one thing that will REALLY cause you to stand out in a crowd- IMPROVING YOUR SPEAKING SKILLS.




Thursday, April 17, 2008

Event Marketing Made EASY- Webclass May 20th



How to Do Events That Get You LOTS of Appointments With Your Ideal Prospects-
With Ray Vendetti, CLU


Join us for a Webinar on May 20

(MASTERS AND MENTORS #3 Cost is $67 and includes audio recording and power points)

How would you like to do an event which costs thousands of dollars less than the typical seminar and can get these kinds of numbers?:

102 participants
89 completed data forms
47 requested specific information about your services (leads)
15 appointments were set the next day
11 appointments were set day 2, followed by 6 the next day
32 TOTAL APPOINTMENTS SET!
16 requesting full financial overviews be completed

Sound too good too be true? Referral Coach International Certified Trainer, Ray Vendetti, CLU is an active agent with years in the business.

Not only did Ray rack up those numbers HIMSELF, but he learned the ins and outs of successful event marketing in the process; tips he will share with you in this 90 minute web class.

This class isn't just theories and generalities, Ray will show you his system step by step, point by point, right down to the list of items and equipment you will need to bring with you.

Not only will well-done events bring you more qualified leads than you can imagine, but doing them will get you known in your community AND will put some of the fun back into your business.

Join us for popular NAIFA presenter Ray Vendetti, as he teaches us how to build the ultimate lead-generation machine. The session will be recorded and all attendees will receive a copy, plus several bonus items.

Ray will show you how any agent or advisor can learn to put on a killer event which will ATTRACT the kinds of affluent clients
you want .

Take advantage of the special FAN investment of only $67.00 Includes the audio recording and powerpoints. (offer good until May 1 only!)

Date: Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Time: 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM PDT, 12-1:30 PM Central, and 1PM-2:30 Eastern



For more information or to register go to:
https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/992017720

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

More on Christine Comaford-Lynch



Don't miss #2 the "MASTERS AND MENTORS" Series of teleclasses with bestselling (Rules for Renegades) author Christine Comaford-Lynch- "How to Attract High Net Worth Clients to Your Business and Have Them Singing Your Praises."

Investment $37. A donation will be made to St. Jude's Childrens' Research Hospital.

Please join us for this entertaining look at HOW the rich think and act differently and how you can adopt some of their habits for yourself and get GREAT RESULTS.

For more information and registration, go to:https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/307986949

Oops! I Said It Again...

TJ Walker's Interesting Analysis of Barack Obama's recent controversial comments:


Monday, April 14, 2008

Tammy's Blog Party...

Just curious, did anyone catch the Dateline NBC EIA piece last night? If you didn't- you can see it here:http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24095230/. I am curious as to your thoughts. Post them on the blog.

TJ WALKER AND MEDIA TRAINING WORLDWIDE PRESENT A SPECIAL EDITION OF THEIR ACCLAIMED SPEAKER TRAINING - ONE DAY ONLY IN NEW YORK CITY.

Hear what Jess Todtfeld, President of Media Training Worldwide and TJ Walker have to say about how this one day workshop will help you improve your business.




Sunday, April 13, 2008

Masters and Mentors Webinar #2-With Christine Comaford-Lynch


How To Attract High Net Worth Clients to Your


Practice- And Have Them Singing Your Praises!- With

Christine Comaford-Lynch

Join us for a Webinar on May 14


Space is limited.
Reserve your Webinar seat now at:
https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/307986949

Join us for Presentation #2 in the Masters and Mentors Webinar Series: ( REGISTER NOW: You will be invoiced later for $37.00)

A special evening with a true American innovator, New York Times bestselling author (Rules for Renegades) Christine Comaford-Lynch.

Bill Gates calls Christine "super high bandwidth". Bill Clinton has thanked her for fostering American entrepreneurship, while Newsweek says "by reputation, Christine is the person you want to partner with."

Edgy, exciting, and immensely entertaining, Christine uses examples from her own unbelievable journey into the world of big business to help advisors learn how they can attract and KEEP high net worth clients.

Christine Comaford-Lynch is CEO of Mighty Ventures, an innovation accelerator which helps businesses to massively increase sales, product offerings, and company value.

She has built and sold 5 of her own businesses with an average 700% return on investment, served as a board director or in-the-trenches advisor to 36 startups, and has invested in over 200 startups (including Google) as a venture capitalist or angel investor. Christine has consulted to the White House (Clinton and Bush).

Christine has appeared on CNN, CNBC, MSNBC, FOX Business Network, PBS, CNET and is frequently quoted in the business, technology and general press at large.

Stanford Graduate School of Business has done two case studies on her and PBS has featured her in three specials (Triumph of the Nerds, Nerds 2.0.1, and Nerd TV ).

Don't miss this special presentation designed to help you learn how to think like the rich and powerful so you can ATTRACT them to your practice.

This presentation is part of the MASTERS AND MENTORS series of webinars and there is a nominal fee of $37.00 per attendee. Each paid registrant will receive a FAN GOODIE Pack, loaded with lots of practical information.

FOR A PREVIEW OF WHAT YOU MIGHT HEAR FROM CHRISTINE-COPY AND PASTE THIS LINK INTO YOUR BROWSER.
http://www.mightyventures.com/bio.php#textBio

Title:
How To Attract High Net Worth Clients to Your Practice- And Have Them Singing Your Praises!- With Christine Comaford-Lynch

Date:
Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Time:
6:00 PM - 7:00 PM PDT

System Requirements
PC-based attendees
Required: Windows® 2000, XP Home, XP Pro, 2003 Server, Vista

Macintosh®-based attendees
Required: Mac OS® X 10.3.9 (Panther®) or newer

Thursday, April 10, 2008

"I ALREADY HAVE A FINANCIAL ADVISOR..."



by Sid Walker
Selling Without Wrestling

I just completed the second Selling Without Wrestling™ Teleseminar Series. My plan is to do at least 2 trainings per year. We had a great new group of 49 financial advisors and another 100 people were invited to participate as well (coaching clients and the class of '07 from last fall).

They had some good questions for me as usual.

In the last teleclass I was asked, "What do you say when your telephoning and your prospect says they already have a financial advisor?"

I have written on this topic but for those who have not yet purchased any of my books or CDs, here are some quick ideas.

First, don't panic. This is a "knee-jerk" or automatic response. It's like saying, "I already own a television." It doesn't mean anything. Everyone with any money has been approached by financial advisors. Also, it doesn't necessarily mean they have a "real" relationship with an advisor even if they have purchased something.

My favorite response is: "Tell you what, I will spend an hour with you and teach you the latest and greatest on how to maximize what you are doing with your money plus answer any questions you have.

Then if you like the information I have given you, you can share it with your financial advisor and see what he or she thinks. Fair enough?"

This is a fun response because you get to find out if the door is open for another financial advisor. If the prospect agrees, he or she is saying their current relationship is not that strong or they want a second opinion or they are just open to new ideas. All good things for you as the prospector.

The second part of the question I was asked was, "What if you are with a prospect for the first time and after a few minutes of small talk they say they already have a financial advisor." My response was again, don't panic, and don't give up yet.

It is always good to poke around in areas where you know there is some lingering doubt. Your response could be, "Could I ask you a couple of quick questions?" Prospect says sure. Then try one of these questions:


"Is your money really doing everything you want it to do? Are you really happy with the return you are getting?" or,



"Is there anything you want that you don't have related to money?"



If your prospect still insists that they are good shape.

Then you hit 'em one final time with some reverse psychology. You say, "You must be doing really well with your money and you must have a really smart financial advisor. It is rare that anyone tells me they don't think they could do better with their money. My congratulations to you!"

If the prospect still doesn't budge, you didn't have a chance anyway. They had already made up their mind they were not going to let anyone new into the picture.

What you are hoping for at this point is that the client will admit that they are doing well but they could probably always do better and then ask you what some of your ideas are. I can hear the squeak of the door hinges opening just a crack!

GET SID'S FOUNDATIONAL TEXTBOOK ON SELLING AT 10% OFF!


I am giving $10 off any product purchase from SidWalker.com with this discount code: 101010.

(If for any reason the code doesn't work, make a note in the "comments section" and we will make the adjustment. Offer expires 5/1/08. )

Toll-free: 877-985-3297 (Mention the ad on Financial Advisor Netzone Blog and the 101010 code)
sid@sidwalker.com
SidWalker.com

Wednesday, April 9, 2008

Uh Oh! Here it Comes- The DATELINE Annuity Sales Investigation

BRACE YOURSELVES FOR THE FALLOUT...

(from http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24030575/- Thanks to Todd V. for the heads up)

updated 8:50 a.m. PT, Wed., April. 9, 2008

NEW YORK - April 8, 2008 - With an estimated 15 trillion dollars under their control American seniors have become more of a sales target than ever for insurance agents seeking to sell them annuities. On Sunday, April 13 (7:00 PM/ET), "Dateline" goes undercover in
"Tricks of the Trade" -- a hidden camera investigation revealing what some insurance agents say, and what they don't say, when they think they are alone with a senior.
In his signature style, Chris Hansen then confronts agents about their questionable sales pitches.

NBC News footage shows the widespread practice of agents cloaking themselves
in fancy titles and insurance agents attending a seminar to learn these sales tactics.

Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson, who reviewed "Dateline's" footage,
and who has filed several suits alleging fraud in the sale of annuities to seniors, tells Hansen: "...what is tragic about it is when those agents go into the seniors' homes, it is
literally the wolf among the lambs."

Be sure to watch and/or record this presentation because, if you work with seniors, this will very likely come in the conversation.-td

Sunday, April 6, 2008

Gravitational Marketing




If you ordered the book Gravitational Marketing and did not get your free gifts (they are great!) you need to go to http://www.gravitationalmarketing.com/go?p=tdeleeuw&w=book .

Fill in the information required. You will need your Amazon receipt number in order to access the gifts.

Complete the form BELOW and I will send the report AND some other surprises ASAP.

Thanks,
Tammy

PS: You can still get in on this offer- but only for a few more days- so order now.

Friday, April 4, 2008

Three Important Steps To Becoming A Successful Entrepreneur


by Christine Comaford-Lynch
Author of the NY Times Bestseller
"Rules for Renegades"

You have decided that you are an entrepreneur whether you've taken the plunge yet or not. Now it is time to realize, right from the very beginning how very important it is to learn from what you do well; and, to repeat these positive patterns in order to become a successful entrepreneur.


Here are the three things I have done best in the building of my many companies. Several of these lessons I have become aware of in the past years, and you'll notice many of them are my mistakes turned around.


Step #1: Hire Well - I have become much better at hiring the right people at the right time, and giving them a trial period to help me learn what they're best at. Many people will rise to the occasion, some will not. In the process, you learn the level of trust the person has earned, and you learn how to help them grow, and where to let them take things and run with them. I love making my staff wildly successful.


Step #2: Don't Let Stress Take Over Your Life - There is an infinite amount of work. The big question is what do I have to do today, this week, this month, this quarter? Even if you decided to sacrifice lunch with a friend or decided to compromise that sleep you so desperately needed, and as a result got everything done today, what would you gain? There will always be more work tomorrow. This doesn't mean that it's ok to slack off and let your team members down. No way!


Step #3: Have Balance - Demand balance in your life! Imagine a table. If you put weight equally on all sides, the table will hold up well. If you put an extraordinary amount of weight on one side, the strain could likely break the table. The same thing can happen to people. So be balanced - make it a priority. Take care of your business AND your personal life.


Learning from your mistakes and turning them around to positive patterns is a crucial part of getting your business up and running and becoming a successful entrepreneur. This will be a great help in keeping you on a smooth, bump-free road to business success.


Christine Comaford-Lynch, a five-time CEO, knows the road to becoming a successful entrepreneur. From model to monk to multi-millionaire, Christine always goes after what she wants, gets things done, and now wants to help you get there, too!


Wednesday, April 2, 2008

Special WEBCLASS With Bill Cates- Plan Ahead!


Bill Cates
America's Referral Coach

The Financial Advisor Netzone is pleased to present the first in a series of Web-Classes and is proud to have this series kicked off by bestselling author and CEO of Referral Coach Unlimited,
BILL CATES.


FAN Webclasses will feature world-class presenters (as do all our webinars) but there are some important differences:

Instead of being a more generalized "get to know you" session, these classes will be hardcore drill-downs into some of the issues which concern you most. Often times, there will be accompanying handouts or workbooks.

Another important option, is that the first ten to register will be invited to be panelists, meaning they will have unmuted lines and be allowed to interact with the guest teacher.

There will be a nominal fee of $37, which includes all materials, plus special bonus materials the value of which far exceeds the registration fee.

CLASS SIZE IS STRICTLY LIMITED PLEASE REGISTER EARLY!

HOW TO CREATE A REFERRAL EXPLOSION A LEARNING EXPERIENCE
WITH BILL CATES:
Tuesday, May 6th 11AM Pacific, 1PM Central, 2PM Eastern


Bill Cates is the author of the popular books Unlimited Referrals and Get More Referrals Now!, as well as the president of Referral Coach International.

Known as "America's Referral Coach," Cates draws upon his years of business experience to deliver proven techniques for getting the high quality referrals your business needs in order to survive and thrive.

Bill and his referral system have been featured in Success Magazine, Entrepreneur Magazine, Money Magazine, and Selling Power Magazine.

Bill is also a contributing writer for many publications, including On Wall Street, Horsesmouth.com, Advisor Today and Producers Web.

His entertaining style and wit make him a popular speaker who is always in demand. His students praise his ability to cut through the hype and offer practical advice on how to get more clients through referrals.

FAN is pleased to offer this exceptional presenter in our first-ever WEB CLASS: There is a nominal investment of $37 per attendee which is a discounted price just for FAN blog readers.

The presentation will be recorded and all paid attendees will receive a copy, plus LOTS of bonuses worth far more than the $37 registration fee.


To register go to:https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/134558930

Tuesday, April 1, 2008

Web 2.0: Be Ready for the New Wave of Retirees

BNET (an excellent business website) will present a free webinar designed for all of you are thinking about making the leap into Web 2.0 technologies.


This webinar (which is not sponsored by FAN, by the way) will show you what you need to know in order to reach out via interactive media.


WHO SHOULD ATTEND: Anyone who understands that the next wave of retirees will be the most technology-savvy group of seniors ever. These retirees will gravitate to the advisors who are best able to meet their information needs digitally.


Transforming Your Sales Calls into Interactive Online Demos

April 16th, 2008 at 11AM Pacific 1PM Central and 2PM Eastern
To find out more or to register:
http://jobfunctions.bnet.com/abstract.aspx?docid=347993&promo=
713&tag=nl.e713&cval=wit2.bnet&ctype=default

Speaking of Web 2.0, BNet's Susan Kuchinskas says small business owners need to get on board with new technologies or be rolled over by the competition.

How to Use Web 2.0 Inside Your Company

by Susan Kuchinskas
BNET

Today the business world is undergoing a significant transformation thanks to a set of technologies collectively known as "Web 2.0." Although it's tempting to dismiss Web 2.0 as Silicon Valley hype, that would be a mistake.



Web 2.0 represents an important step in the evolution of Internet-based tools, and in the years ahead, it's likely to have a major impact on the way information is managed and distributed within your company.


What's the fuss all about? For a complete answer, read our BNET Briefing "What Is Web 2.0?" Briefly, Web 2.0 technologies move data and computing power off desktop PCs and onto the Internet, thus making it easier to collaborate and share information, either among close-knit teams or vast populations.


Salesforce.com's customer relationship management tools, the YouTube video-sharing site, and digg.com's news-aggregation service are all examples of Web 2.0 technology.

(see the rest of the story and the rest of the excellent Web 2.0 Crash Course at:
http://www.bnet.com/2403-13241_23-66093.html?tag=homeCar)

Getting More Referrals



by Bill Cates
Referral Coach International


A complete and thriving referral-based business has four cornerstones. We call our system The Unlimited Referrals® Marketing System.

Get good at any one of these competencies and you're on your way to more referrals. Get good at two or more, and you'll create Unlimited Referrals® and a complete, 100% referral-based business.


1) Enhance Your Referability

How do our clients say "thank you" to us? - by coming back for more and by referring others. This is the first competency, because without it, the others would hardly be possible. You must serve your clients consistently well.

Enough companies are providing such great service these days that the service you provide will be measured by the high standards set by other companies - and not necessarily in your industry.

It's my belief that you should be getting referrals just by virtue of being in business. There are enough people who actually enjoy giving referrals and will do so without being asked.

But, the process of doing business with you must bring value to them, your service must "wow" them enough - to get them talking about you to others.

If you are not currently getting many referrals, then you need to look at the process you use to bring value, the service you provide, and the relationships you establish with your clients.

Every year, it's a good business practice to think strategically and evaluate your value proposition and your client-service model.

The better you become at what you do, the more referrals you'll get without asking and the more you'll get when you do ask.


2) Prospect for Introductions


To build a business quickly and to achieve sustained success, you (or your sales staff) must become a master prospector. A well-executed marketing plan will bring clients to your door (or phone).

But that's not always enough. Sometimes the clients that come to you aren't always the right clients. Sometimes the volume isn't enough to build to the level of sales you desire. I believe you should always be proactive in making referrals happen.

Many salespeople and business owners are great at serving clients, because that's the "safe" side of sales. But these same salespeople don't know how to leverage those great relationships into a continuous flow of new referral prospects. So much money is left on the table.

When asking for referrals, make the request about the value that you bring to your clients/customers and how you can reach others with that value.


3) Network Strategically

Not all of your referrals need to come from satisfied clients. Many can come from the relationships you nurture with people who may never become clients - Centers of Influence.

Every business has natural spheres of influence that you can tap into. Printers use graphic artists, ad agencies, and other non-competing printers.

Financial professionals use accountants, attorneys, and real-estate agents. You get the picture. What are the natural spheres of influence for your business?


Networking is an overused term and yet a strategy that few people employ well. The 3 most important ingredients in effective networking are:


1. think strategically - keep your focus narrow;
2. build value for your Centers of Influence as much and as often as possible...
3. follow up, follow up, follow up.

4) Target Niche Markets

Creating a reputation for yourself and your company with a shot-gun approach to marketing is very difficult. Narrowing your marketing focus to one or two well-defined niches makes it much easier to create a reputation and will substantially increase your referral business.

When you target a niche, your perceived and actual values are increased significantly. Plus, your requests for referrals are more targeted and therefore more effective.

When you target a niche, you bring value to the first appointment that your competitors, who don't target, can not bring. You can engage in a deeper level of conversation about their needs and wants right from the start. Within a niche, your reputation will spread much faster than it could with a broader marketing approach.

Are you committed to referrals?

Building a 100% referral-based business starts with your commitment to do so. Dabbling in referrals will get you a little. Becoming a "student of the game" brings you a steady stream of great clients through referrals.

Bill Cates is the author of two popular books on referrals. "Unlimited Referrals" established Bill as one the foremost experts on how to build a thriving business with referrals. His newest book, "Get More Referrals Now", has just been published by McGraw-Hill. Bill is the president of Referral Coach International.

Bill will be teaching a one hour, straight-to-the point teleclass in May. Sign up for the FAN newsletter to make sure you don't miss it, or keep watching the blog for details.