Being ‘known’ in advance of your meeting (or call) or being remembered after your interaction with a client, is essential when you are trying to build a relationship and stay top-of-mind.
I am telling you loud and clear: it is a different world, a different culture, a different buyer attitude, a different marketing process. Before the power of Google and other search engines, salespeople delivered product knowledge and education to the client. The salesperson that did that best was usually the winner of the sale. Today, the client does not need that. Today they are repelled by salespeople that exhibit the old stereotypical salesperson. In fact, you will rarely get past the gatekeeper when you act like the typical salesperson.
Many restoration marketers are fair at building a basic relationship, but sadly, too many of those initial connections and engagements do not translate into the client remembering you when the time comes to refer you.
It takes much more than talking about recipes or soccer games to establish a long lasting and successful business relationship that gets you repeat referral business. A key factor is your ability to bring something to the table that benefits them and their client.
Too many marketers report that the client (such as an agent or plumber) is friendly and will talk and talk and talk, seeming being interested. That, however, does not usually translate into referral business.
Staying top-of-mind, establishing a go-to presence, and getting the referral depends on them remembering you long after you visited with them. How you are perceived and remembered becomes extremely important because they receive many phone calls and numerous in-person visits on a daily basis. Trying to remember all of them is simply not possible.
The successful long-term connections that you develop with a prospect or client, where they remember you, like you, and want to do business with you, only happen when you have a memorable personal brand.
Obviously, you want a referral (or many), but you must be top-of-mind when they need you. There are several key details that go toward building a personal brand and it does not always have to be something physical like purple hair. Sometimes, it is about capitalizing on your name.
For example: one marketer I work with is Jaclyn, and since she goes by Jax, she leaves a jack with everyone she visits, (a game thought to be around two thousand years old). After 10 visits she also gives them a red rubber ball to complete the Jacks game. It is amazing how many people remember her name and also keep the jacks from each visit.
Building a long-lasting relationship also must include you proving to the prospect or client that you know about their business and their industry (SME). It is the perfect way to build credibility and will help cement the top-of-mind connection.
Establish yourself as an specialist and be a subject matter expert (SME). One of the absolute best ways to set yourself apart from your competitors is to be thought of as the go-to expert. Often, experts do not have formal certification declaring them as experts; it is simply based on their knowledge and expertise as perceived by their audience. Most of us do not realize when a politician says “it” over and over and over, he is doing the equivalent of convincing you he is an expert in whatever he is saying. Oftentimes, just being a problem solver creates the impression that you are an expert.
To be recognized as an authority or expert, you should be actively writing blog articles, be posting really good content on other blogs, as well as several social media sites. To be considered a “celebrity” you can write eBooks, speak at local community events, get interviewed on radio or local TV, and be willing to share “secrets.”
Personal branding is essential to being known and remembered after the visit or engagement. It solidifies you as someone they not only remember, but with others in your market, it helps with implied familiarity and ultimately trust. People do business with people they trust.
Dick Wagner
Dick Wagner has served the Restoration Industry for over 25 years. Dick serves as the President of the SCRT, and he is also on the executive board of Donate4Kids Foundation – a non-profit foster children organization in Florida. In addition, he is also a Florida State appointed Guardian ad Litem as a foster child advocate.
As one of the co-founders of the CREST Network, he works closely with marketers on weekly Zoom calls coaching them on the best way to build client referrals. Dick lives in Southwest Florida with his wife of 34 years.
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