Comments on: Does Your Business Referral Engine Need Tuning? http://www.jonathanfields.com/blog/building-your-biz-with-referrals-are-you-dropping-the-ball/ Innovation, Creativity, Entrepreneurship, Personal Development Fri, 10 Feb 2012 17:29:32 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Molly http://www.jonathanfields.com/blog/building-your-biz-with-referrals-are-you-dropping-the-ball/#comment-15578 Molly Mon, 24 May 2010 17:26:50 +0000 http://www.jonathanfields.com/blog/?p=3903#comment-15578 Everyone at the uRefer office is very excited to read John's book (we've already ordered multiple copies)! Our company has developed a SaaS to support the referral process- not a substitute for John's 7 steps, mentioned above, but a supplement that is definitely very helpful to manage a large volume of advocates and referrals- as well as making it easier for advocates to actually make a referral. Thanks for the post, and John, we'd love to sit down and pick your brain. Everyone at the uRefer office is very excited to read John’s book (we’ve already ordered multiple copies)! Our company has developed a SaaS to support the referral process- not a substitute for John’s 7 steps, mentioned above, but a supplement that is definitely very helpful to manage a large volume of advocates and referrals- as well as making it easier for advocates to actually make a referral. Thanks for the post, and John, we’d love to sit down and pick your brain.

]]> By: Jonathan Fields http://www.jonathanfields.com/blog/building-your-biz-with-referrals-are-you-dropping-the-ball/#comment-15291 Jonathan Fields Sun, 16 May 2010 19:45:11 +0000 http://www.jonathanfields.com/blog/?p=3903#comment-15291 Great question, Mike. What John was saying, and what I teach in my Tribal Author programs, is that the choice between traditional publishing and self-publishing is largely a factor of what your bigger business plan is. So, for example, if you're looking to build a career speaking outside of your own events, consulting or being a traditional media personality, tradition publishing still matters. If you're looking to build an info-product or private training empire, it matters less. And, if you just want to write and you have the knowledge and desire to build your own substantial platform, it matters even less. It's really about what you are trying to build "beyond the book." Great question, Mike. What John was saying, and what I teach in my Tribal Author programs, is that the choice between traditional publishing and self-publishing is largely a factor of what your bigger business plan is. So, for example, if you’re looking to build a career speaking outside of your own events, consulting or being a traditional media personality, tradition publishing still matters. If you’re looking to build an info-product or private training empire, it matters less. And, if you just want to write and you have the knowledge and desire to build your own substantial platform, it matters even less.

It’s really about what you are trying to build “beyond the book.”

]]> By: Mike Willner http://www.jonathanfields.com/blog/building-your-biz-with-referrals-are-you-dropping-the-ball/#comment-15288 Mike Willner Sun, 16 May 2010 17:41:29 +0000 http://www.jonathanfields.com/blog/?p=3903#comment-15288 Jonathan - It is my understanding that you think many authors should self-publish because "you can’t justify giving up a huge chunk of money to a publisher when you know your book’s success lies entirely within your sphere of Tribal Author influence." John, however, believes that what traditional publishing does for the brand "is provide reach and credibility far beyond what I have on my own." And John has more reach and credibility than most. I assume that John wants this additional reach and credibility because he believes that in the long-run it will help him make more money (unless he doesn't care about money, and he just wants to be more famous for famous-sake, which I doubt). So my take-away is this: If an author can get an established company to publish his or her book, then in the long-run he or she will have a broader reach, more credibility, and ultimately, will make more money than if he or she were to self-publish. Am I wrong? Jonathan – It is my understanding that you think many authors should self-publish because “you can’t justify giving up a huge chunk of money to a publisher when you know your book’s success lies entirely within your sphere of Tribal Author influence.” John, however, believes that what traditional publishing does for the brand “is provide reach and credibility far beyond what I have on my own.” And John has more reach and credibility than most. I assume that John wants this additional reach and credibility because he believes that in the long-run it will help him make more money (unless he doesn’t care about money, and he just wants to be more famous for famous-sake, which I doubt).

So my take-away is this: If an author can get an established company to publish his or her book, then in the long-run he or she will have a broader reach, more credibility, and ultimately, will make more money than if he or she were to self-publish.

Am I wrong?

]]> By: Life http://www.jonathanfields.com/blog/building-your-biz-with-referrals-are-you-dropping-the-ball/#comment-15283 Life Sat, 15 May 2010 20:44:37 +0000 http://www.jonathanfields.com/blog/?p=3903#comment-15283 For many B&M businesses, coming to grips with Offline v. Online,and more specifically leveraging opportunities in their offline businesses online,especially when we’re talking about a traditional “Old School” technique like referrals, remains a paradox. IF… Big IF, they even take time(most don’t… too busy working IN the biz) to “strum the guitar”, seems like they’re caught too many times sitting in the middle of the floor studying the Mindmap Wall hoping the Buddha Wall will kick ‘em in the butt. Or, perhaps it’s as you pointed out,they really want to short-circuit John’s 7 stages, and would rather simply “buy” Like and Trust as john answered. +1 For many B&M businesses, coming to grips with Offline v. Online,and more specifically leveraging opportunities in their offline businesses online,especially when we’re talking about a traditional “Old School” technique like referrals, remains a paradox. IF… Big IF, they even take time(most don’t… too busy working IN the biz) to “strum the guitar”, seems like they’re caught too many times sitting in the middle of the floor studying the Mindmap Wall hoping the Buddha Wall will kick ‘em in the butt. Or, perhaps it’s as you pointed out,they really want to short-circuit John’s 7 stages, and would rather simply “buy” Like and Trust as john answered.
+1

]]> By: John Jantsch http://www.jonathanfields.com/blog/building-your-biz-with-referrals-are-you-dropping-the-ball/#comment-15281 John Jantsch Sat, 15 May 2010 13:10:26 +0000 http://www.jonathanfields.com/blog/?p=3903#comment-15281 Looking forward to your feedback after you get a chance to get through the book. Looking forward to your feedback after you get a chance to get through the book.

]]> By: John Jantsch http://www.jonathanfields.com/blog/building-your-biz-with-referrals-are-you-dropping-the-ball/#comment-15280 John Jantsch Sat, 15 May 2010 13:10:02 +0000 http://www.jonathanfields.com/blog/?p=3903#comment-15280 Richard - my guess is, and this is not universal, many of the professors and folks that write the text books for those courses, have never actually felt what it's like to generate real business for a real small business. Richard – my guess is, and this is not universal, many of the professors and folks that write the text books for those courses, have never actually felt what it’s like to generate real business for a real small business.

]]> By: Richard http://www.jonathanfields.com/blog/building-your-biz-with-referrals-are-you-dropping-the-ball/#comment-15275 Richard Sat, 15 May 2010 00:49:58 +0000 http://www.jonathanfields.com/blog/?p=3903#comment-15275 Great post Jonathan - as usual! :-) & JJ I'm really looking forward to reading this latest book of yours. I like your style - simple, practical, no BS - just go for what actually works. I've a degree in Marketing & frankly, pick any ten pages in your duct tape book & you'll learn more about real life 'marketing' than 4 years in a business degree. You guys have any thoughts on why the heck business degrees are so full of BS? and irrelevant information?? thanks Rich Great post Jonathan – as usual! :-)

& JJ I’m really looking forward to reading this latest book of yours. I like your style – simple, practical, no BS – just go for what actually works.

I’ve a degree in Marketing & frankly, pick any ten pages in your duct tape book & you’ll learn more about real life ‘marketing’ than 4 years in a business degree. You guys have any thoughts on why the heck business degrees are so full of BS? and irrelevant information??

thanks
Rich

]]> By: Daniel Kaneshiro http://www.jonathanfields.com/blog/building-your-biz-with-referrals-are-you-dropping-the-ball/#comment-15270 Daniel Kaneshiro Fri, 14 May 2010 18:46:40 +0000 http://www.jonathanfields.com/blog/?p=3903#comment-15270 In my line of business we have a high learning curve to begin with. Most people don't know what we do, let alone know we exist. But once they do they love it, and wished they knew about it earlier. That's when we turn them into our salesforce and walking evangelists of our company. I will definitely be picking up this book. Always interested in how other's are growing their business. In my line of business we have a high learning curve to begin with. Most people don’t know what we do, let alone know we exist. But once they do they love it, and wished they knew about it earlier. That’s when we turn them into our salesforce and walking evangelists of our company. I will definitely be picking up this book. Always interested in how other’s are growing their business.

]]> By: Jonathan Fields http://www.jonathanfields.com/blog/building-your-biz-with-referrals-are-you-dropping-the-ball/#comment-15267 Jonathan Fields Fri, 14 May 2010 17:21:52 +0000 http://www.jonathanfields.com/blog/?p=3903#comment-15267 I've found that same thing. It's almost like the referral adds perceived value to the solution being offered. I’ve found that same thing. It’s almost like the referral adds perceived value to the solution being offered.

]]> By: Marian Schembari http://www.jonathanfields.com/blog/building-your-biz-with-referrals-are-you-dropping-the-ball/#comment-15265 Marian Schembari Fri, 14 May 2010 15:52:25 +0000 http://www.jonathanfields.com/blog/?p=3903#comment-15265 I'm totally excited to read this book! I’m totally excited to read this book!

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