Book Review - iCon - Steve Jobs The Greatest Second Act In The History Of Business By Jeffrey S. Young & William L. Simon

Oooh the things I didn’t know!

I’ve owned two ipods, my dad was the first person on our street with a Mac in the 80’s and my best friend is pressuring me to buy a new Apple computer… oh yeah and I knew the names of the two Steve’s of Apple… that was about the extent of my Apple knowledge prior to reading this book. However, I didn’t need to know any more to be unable to put this book down until finished. The more I read about Steve Jobs, the more I wanted to know about him. My only distraction from being utterly entranced by this book was the same as with Disney Wars *link book*, so many names to keep track of! Nerd or not, if you want insight into one of the most influential leaders of our time - grab a copy.

By Kirsty Dunphey with No comments

Book Reveiw - The Dip - The Extraordinary Benefits Of Knowing When To Quit (And When To Stick) By Seth Godin

Tiny and Tantalizing

Seth Godin is a marvel and I’ve always enjoyed his unique insight. The Dip may be one of his more controversial numbers though, going against the age old anti-quitting tradition! For me, this book helped me make sense of a number of decisions I’ve made in the past, but had trouble justifying. It’s a breeze to read – but read it twice to get the full dip-ly goodness!

By Kirsty Dunphey with No comments

Book Review - You Inc. By John McGrath

A concept brilliant in its simplicity

I've always thought that a book has the power to change your life if it gives you even just one idea that you can take away, twist and incorporate into your life. That idea for me in You Inc was when John talks about a fabulous restaurant he once ate at. The restaurant took the time to actually call its clientele the day after they had dined to get feedback and ensure that they'd had a great time and meal. How did they get their phone numbers? Well they already had them from their reservations list. I loved this concept, it's simple, but brilliant. Most restaurants get phone numbers of people who make reservations and then do nothing with them! I've never had a call after dining at a restaurant and I know the impact it would have on me to receive that call. It made me want to run out and twist this idea into my own business (not a restaurant) straight away.

By Kirsty Dunphey with No comments

Book Review - Women's Ventures, Women's Visions By Shoshana Alexander

1997 – how much has changed!

I picked up this book in a $2 bargain box in Texas. I dare say it wasn’t a cheapie because of the content (I really enjoyed it) but more because it was released in 1997. Due to its age - two things stood out to me so clearly. Firstly, there was no mention of the internet. Not one, and not a website or email address on the contributors contact page - now what a great lesson in how much has changed in just ten years. Secondly, so many of the women profiled spoke of the glass ceilings they had hit due to being women. It made me feel very encouraged to compare this with my own talks with fabulous women in business today where the incidents of “boys clubs” are far less.

By Kirsty Dunphey with No comments

Book Review - I Want What She's Having By Naomi Simson

Pleasurable and though provoking.

Naomi’s book did three things for me. It served as an amazing advertisement into her business. It told me of her story (although I really wanted to hear more real life examples in the book). I want what she’s having also gave me some great take homes I could incorporate into my business in a completely different industry. To top it odd the book is gorgeous - a real coffee table piece.

By Kirsty Dunphey with No comments

Everyone needs a … Matt

I remember the moment clearly. About a decade ago, my childhood friend Matt sat patiently trying to explain to me that I would love mobile phone text messages if I just gave them a chance.

With my goldfish like attention span dominating my vision that day I spat back at my good friend that I would not love text messaging, that I would certainly never need to text message and that I did not want to hear anything further on the subject.

Fast forward to today and not only do I conduct business via text messaging, it’s a vital tool for me socially – in fact I even hate speaking on the phone these days I like to text so much. To top it off, without text messaging, the courtship between my husband and I probably wouldn’t have progressed farther than our first hello!

It was in the next few years after my texting habit took hold I realised that, if you’re like me and not on cutting edge of what is about to be cool, you need a “Matt” in your life.

Your “Matt” will be that person who is right on the edge of the latest technology, who knows what’s about to be cool before the masses do and who is generous enough to share that knowledge with you.

My Matt was the one who introduced me to my laptop (and my husband and brother’s to theirs), ipods, blogging, podcasting, facebook, skype, feedburner and so much more! Matt has also asked that I mention that he is working on edging me towards a mac as my new computer.

If you’re not on the edge (as I’m not), how can you find someone who’s out there to advise you?

If you’re a business looking to tap into that edge, how can you find ways to start influencing those “Matt” people who see the next trends before they happen?

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By Kirsty Dunphey with No comments

Crashed and burned and would gladly do it again!

I remember fondly a job interview I once crashed and burned at. It was for a marketing manager at a local vineyard and restaurant.

I clearly remember telling the interviewer that in my opinion marketing encompassed everything from the corporate communications right down to making sure that each fork was polished in the restaurant and laid out exactly in line.

He was not impressed by my response and I knew it as soon as the words had left my mouth.

Knowing this, I wouldn’t change a thing if I were going for the same job today.

I think too many people hear marketing and instantly think “advertising”. To me, marketing embraces so much more that just what we traditionally know as advertising.

After all – aren’t you advertising (or presenting an image of) your company in some way every time your phones are answered? Each time a visitor clicks into your web site or receives an email from someone on your team? Don’t your uniforms and the design of your workspace also convey a message?

You can have a world class advertising or marketing campaign running on every media known to man – but the average customer will still listen carefully when they’re told that there were two hairs in their cappuccino, that the toilets were filthy or that they were snarled at when they turned up for their appointment.

If you’re going to spend the big bucks on marketing, make sure it’s not wasted by spending some time on the other aspects of marketing.

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By Kirsty Dunphey with No comments

Reality Television Your Way to Success

I think I’m one of the only “motivational speakers” (not that I call myself that) who will openly admit that I watch television. I watch bad television too… even… dare I say it… reality television. I like it! It’s an escape for me and a way to relax and while I certainly don’t recommend you waste every minute of your life watching the box, I’m not going to condemn it as to do so would be highly hypocritical.

What I will say though, is even when you’re watching the dodgiest television out there – you can still learn from it!

The following is an excerpt from my new book Retired at 27, If I can do it anyone can and is meant to be a bit of fun. Read it with your tongue well and truly wedged in your cheek.

I like to play a bit of a game when I meet really successful people for the first time. I like to see in which of my reality television categories they fit. I’m yet to meet a really successful person who doesn’t seem to obviously slot into one of the categories I’ve identified here.

Pick the most successful individuals you know personally and read through this list to figure out which “reality success profile(s)” they fit…

“Born with it” categories
This group is those people who are created with innate gifts. They’re blessed with certain characteristics that make them ideally suited (almost from birth it would seem) to rising to success.

Next Top Model
Look out for: Charm and beauty
These are our beauty queens (and kings). They have significant looks and/or charm and they know how to use them to their best effect. Sometimes, but not always, the most ethical of characters, they do what has to be done to get what they want and are happy to utilise their natural talents.

The Osbournes
Look out for: The silver platter
Born into wealth and/or power, you’ll find this individual fits into either the group handed everything but not quite knowing what to do with it or, in some rare and spectacular cases, taking what’s been given and expanding it beyond anyone’s wildest dreams.

So You Think You Can Dance
Look out for: Natural talent
These individuals have been blessed with a mind and talent that is simply built for success, often making their achievement seem almost predestined. Also like the dancers on the show, they have put in the hard yards to hone their skills and ability to create their success.

“Anyone can” categories
The best thing about this group is that any of us can aspire to be here. These are all learned skills that anyone can master if you dedicate yourself to the pursuit.

Dancing with the Stars
Look out for: Don’t even try – you won’t see them coming
These people are the chameleons of any workplace. Change doesn’t faze them as they can adapt to any situation. Flexibility is their middle name and they have no fear of constantly picking up more skills to add to their repertoire. Most importantly – they’re willing to fall over and over and still get up and keep trying.

Amazing Race
Look out for: Team spirit and work ethic
These people are well loved, with a loyal following in any workplace. They have mastered the art of teamwork and understand the true meaning of the synergy concept (1 + 1 = 3). They’re also willing to put in the hard yards and go the extra mile, past any route markers or detours, to get to the final destination.

Idol
Look out for: Volume and confidence
Look out for the person at your next meeting who demands to be noticed. They speak up, they’re confident and they’re loud (with purpose, rather than loud for loud’s sake). Everyone knows them or knows of them and they’re present even when they’re not in the room. They produce high volume in thoughts, ideas and results.

Apprentice
Look out for: The diplomat
These are the master negotiators and deal makers who have wangled and wrung every last upward movement within an organisation that they can. You can hate them if you want, and/or you can learn from them. Listen to how persuasive they can be – they didn’t get here by accident.

Survivor
Look out for: An axe in your back
Here’s our dodgy category. Even though I love this show, you only have to watch it for one season to realise that it’s rare for someone to compete successfully on the show while upholding any semblance of the ethics they might display in the outside world. If you know someone willing to do anything to get ahead, including playing dirty, then Survivor is definitely their category.

In considering your own personal success, which category or categories would you most like to fit into?

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By Kirsty Dunphey with No comments

What’s In A Signature?

I’ve just had a “celebrity moment”. Janine Allis the founder of Boost Juice just emailed me to thank me for sending her a copy of my new book. I’m a huge fan of Janine and the company she has founded. The fact that she took time to personally contact me just made her stock go even further up!

I love to learn from other successful business people and I think, if we keep our eyes open, we can do so all the time. In receiving Janine’s email my eyes were drawn to her email signature which, in addition to all the standard info (website, phone, address etc) also had the following:

My #1 Boost? : the raspberries relief. YUM!
What you’re reading? ; Nineteen minutes
What I love to do? : sit cuddling my boys
My football team : Go the Hawks !!!

Another successful entrepreneur I know, Lara Fletcher, founder of www.mocks.com.au has the following at the bottom of her email:

Favourite Mock: Cherries, although closely followed by Gelato

I feel like my signature is a bit underdone – being that I just have my favourite motivational quote on mine! I’m missing a marketing opportunity and I’m missing an opportunity to look like a real human being with a personality!!

Not to worry though – I love what these two fabulous entrepreneurs have done – so I’m making it my own and changing my signature right now. What about you?

Here’s what my new one also now includes:

Favourite Quote of the Moment: "Pick battles big enough to matter, small enough to win." Jonathan Kozel

Favourite advertisement heading from www.reallysold.com: Captain Kirk (Would love to explore this vast space)

Latest Book Out: Retired at 27, If I can do it anyone can – get it at www.unleashedknowledge.com

Currently loving: Spaghetti and Lance Armstrong’s books

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By Kirsty Dunphey with No comments

Work Smart – I Don’t Think So!

If I hear one more success story spout the advice – “work smart, not hard” to a wanna-be entrepreneur I might scream. To everyone out there reading this: if you want to start your own business, in my opinion this is the WORST advice you can take.

Starting a small business in Australia, the odds are against you. If you start out with the plan to “work smart, not hard” I believe those odds will skyrocket in a not so positive direction.

When you start your own business it will be fuelled by your passion, your sweat, your desire, your hard work. Am I saying “don’t work smart”? Of course not! I’m speaking from experience and saying that if you think you can ONLY work smart at the beginning I think you’ll be in for a rude shock.

To me the path to success for a new entrepreneur goes like this:

Start: Work hard, hard, hard
Next:Keep working hard, hard, hard and once you have somewhat of a clue, start to incorporate the “smart”
Later:This is when you can look to eliminate as much of the hard as you can by being the smartest cookie in the packet – but it doesn’t come immediately.

Please don’t start a business unless you’re prepared for the “hard” – but always be on the lookout to incorporate the “smart” as you go along.

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When will financial literacy be a core school subject?

We leave high school knowing how to calculate what “x” is given “y” and “z” and that “i” comes before “e” except after “c” and yet most high school leavers are never taught the simple ABCs of financial literacy including how to budget, how to responsibly use credit cards and how to set up an investment or savings plan.

In a study by the Financial Literacy Foundation of Australia titled Financial Literacy: Australians Understanding Money of the 7500 people surveyed 84% of the young people stated that it was important to learn about budgeting. Sadly (and perhaps the reason why this isn’t taught in most high schools) only 57% of adults voiced the same opinion.

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By Kirsty Dunphey with No comments

The power of the word

I’m quite distraught. I was eating my personal trainer approved afternoon snack of 12 almonds (my suggestion of 12 Tim Tams: not approved) when I got a lovely crunchy surprise in my mashed up almond mix. Part of a rear tooth had dislodged and was busily working its way towards my small intestine.

Having my wisdom teeth stitches “accidentally” left in for about 2 weeks too long has left me with a justified fear of going in to see the man with the drill. Not to be deterred I picked up the phone and was told by the monotone receptionist: “you won’t be getting in for at least 4 weeks”.

Now note this was not “our next vacancy is in 4 weeks” or “I’m really sorry, barring dental emergencies we won’t be able to fit you in for 4 weeks” this was simply “you won’t be getting in for at least 4 weeks”.

The front face of this business, the director of customer relations and the person I think is responsible for calming irrational odontophobics like me (yes, that’s the word for those who fear the dentist) had actually somewhat alleviated my fear... by replacing it with indignation!

In your business or in your workplace does your front face realise the power of the word? Do you? Perhaps take a leaf out of my hair dresser's book – they answer every phone call with “Thank you for calling Bladerunner. How can I make your day today?” It’s a bit zany, it makes them laugh and it makes me smile.

The power of the word can invoke rage, or cultivate a fan – what do the words at your business do?

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By Kirsty Dunphey with No comments

The Seven Deadly Sins of Credit Cards

I remember the day my first credit card arrived in the mail. A rush of both terror and excitement made its way through me. Terror because I had watched both of my parents go bankrupt due, in part, to overuse and misuse of credit cards. Excitement – because I had a plan. I was going to avoid the seven deadly sins of credit cards and use mine powerfully and thoughtfully.

Can you avoid the following seven deadly sins?

Wrath
Don’t get angry when your monthly credit card statement is spiralling out of control! Make a commitment to only spend on your credit card that which you can afford to repay in full each month. The interest on credit cards is what can kill you, and paying off the monthly minimum will leave you hand cuffed to your card forever! Get your credit card under control and remember “credit” does not mean “free money”.

Lust
Just because you see a new credit card that comes in pink to match your shoes does not mean you need to get it! I recommend only one extra “emergency” credit card – if you’re responsible enough to NOT use it! “Emergencies” does not mean the new XBOX being pre-released! Keep it for emergencies such as medical emergencies or another credit card being denied when you’re travelling overseas due to your credit card company suspecting theft. Also make sure your emergency credit card has no annual fee.

Greed
Wo-hoo your credit card company has just offered you another limit increase! STOP! Consider the following:
• Each time you get a limit increase it will affect your overall borrowing ability (the higher your credit card limits the lower your borrowing power for assets like a house!)
• The higher your limit the more someone has access to if you’re the unfortunate recipient of identity fraud
• Banks quite often offer limit increases to people who cannot sustain more debt
• Do you really need the increase or are you just excited you’ve been offered it

Sloth
Paying off your credit card with another credit card is not the answer! As soon as you withdraw cash from most credit cards, you start paying interest immediately (in most cases). The only time I recommend you consider this option is when transferring the balance of your credit card to another. Then destroy the old credit card! Use the interest free period on the new card (often up to 6 months on a transferred balance) to help completely pay off your credit card debt.

Envy
Do you have a shopping problem? There are many great techniques for not overdoing the product envy, here are just a few:
• Put your credit card in a glass of water and freeze it. Commit to not buying anything until the water has melted (no microwaves!) and you’ve had time to fully consider the purchase
• Get a low limit on your card (preferably one that doesn’t have a limit high enough to afford the new Manolos!)
• Limit your online shopping to funds you’ve earned in your paypal account (that’s right – ebay your old stuff before you buy new stuff!)

Gluttony
How many is too many credit cards? This is, of course, an individual topic. For me – I have a personal card and a business card and I look for features such as low annual fees, high points for frequent flyer programs and long interest free periods. Importantly, I still stick to my rule of paying off each card in full before interest is due. A great option for someone who isn’t sure whether they’re ready for a credit card yet is to get a charge card – where you have to put the money into the card before you spend it!

Pride
If you feel that your credit card situation is beyond your control. Call your bank or financial institution and organise a time to sit down with one of their staff to organise a payment schedule. The banks have a vested interest in you continuing to attempt payment and can be quite flexible in how they make arrangements for your payment – all you gotta do is swallow your pride and ask!

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By Kirsty Dunphey with No comments

What's on your list?

I'm passionate about lists.

I'm passionate about goals.

Knowing that can you even imagine how passionate I am about my list of goals?! They sit in a box by my desk and each week I add to them. I add to the things I want to do before I leave this earth.

I found this great video online at: http://www.goals-2-go.com/ showing one person's goal list and what they've done with it. Enjoy!

By Kirsty Dunphey with No comments

Don’t think the whole world knows what you do

I just received yet another text message from a company I have no recollection of. The text read “Garments ready for collection at XYZcompany”.

The first time I got this message I had no idea who XYZcompany (of course not their real name) were and only figured it out after the second text by asking random questions of a workmate.

Were they my dry cleaner? Were they a repair shop I’d ordered alterations at? Were they a clothes store? I literally had no idea and their text message gave me no clues.

When you’re sending out correspondence from your company – please don’t assume that people will remember your company name. It’s easy to get tunnel vision with this sort of communication thinking that if someone has used your company’s services they’ll instantly recall the name – but trust me – they may not. Why risk the frustration?

This message would have hit its target first time up if they’d simply said: “Garments ready for collection at XYZcompany uniforms, ph: 6355 5555, 123 Smith Street”.

PS – we just went and picked up our “garments” – and they’re fabulous!

By Kirsty Dunphey with No comments

10 Reasons A Pirate Should Be Your Entrepreneurial Role Model

Bring on September 19 - International Talk Like a Pirate Day! In honour of Johnny Depp, ITLAP Day, and the frivolities that go along with it, let’s talk about why you should forgo traditional entrepreneurial role models for the mighty pirate!

The English word pirate is derived ultimately from the Greek word peira meaning “attempt, experience”, or more implicitly "to find luck on the sea". Let’s see how much we can improve your entrepreneurial experience and find you some luck in the sea of business opportunities!

1. Get a parrot on your shoulder
The parrot on your shoulder can represent two things:
i) Your conscience. Every entrepreneur has moments in time where the easier option does not always represent the right option. Remember the parrot on your shoulder is there to guide you.
ii) Your mentor. The voice of guidance from someone who’s been there and done it. Get the right parrot (or mentor) and you’ll skyrocket to greater heights.

2. The eye patch
An entrepreneur needs to have selective vision. They need to be able to block out distractions and zone in on opportunities. Develop your own figurative eye patch by honing in on what you want to focus on – and making the rest walk the plank.

3. The funky pirate wear and the eye liner
An entrepreneur stands out from the crowd. Whether it’s John McGrath, Sydney real estate agent extraordinaire pioneering the no tie business look or Sergey Brin, google co-founder, wearing jeans and a t-shirt while giving a keynote to 10,000 people, entrepreneurs don’t feel the need to conform to outdated business standards. Most wildly successful entrepreneurs are there because they don’t conform in their businesses. They’re edgy and they try new things in their businesses, which quite often spills over into their outerwear and can make them easy to identify.

4. Any weather – Any time
A pirate’s ship and crew carry them through the roughest storms making them mobile, flexible and able to deal with a multitude of circumstances – just like the ultimate entrepreneur.

5. Live and die by the team
No pirate ever managed to crew an entire ship on their own and no successful entrepreneur ever got there without their own crew of motivated, engaged, talented individuals. In the boardroom as on the ocean – the undeserving leader will face a mutiny.

6. The bicorne hat
The entrepreneur needs to be a master of wearing many hats – even if they look as ridiculous as the Napoleon-esque bicorne hat! As an entrepreneur you’ll need to be motivator, innovator, initial implementer and so much more.

7. The peg leg
The pirate manages to swashbuckle all over the world on slippery decks, in rising oceans and with a peg leg no less! As entrepreneurs we all have our own disabilities. Perhaps you don’t have a formal education, perhaps you were poor growing up, perhaps your technology skills aren’t up to scratch. Be like a pirate and get over it! Whatever your peg leg is, compensate for it and move on!

8. The hook
If there’s one thing we all associate with pirates it’s a hook. As an entrepreneur you’ll need to be able to develop an amazing hook. You’ll need a hook to get people on board with your idea, you’ll need a hook to get investors or the bank interested, you’ll need a hook to get your customers frothing at the mouth for your product or service. If Johnny Depp was the hook for Pirates of the Caribbean – do you have a hook of that calibre for your entrepreneurial passion?

9. The treasure chest
Pirates are single minded in their search for treasure. They know what their treasure is and they have a map on how to get there. What is treasure for you? Is it the chest of gold, is it seeing your product in the market, is it having a crew who love coming to work each day? Know your treasure chest – your goal, and then set about developing a map for how to get there.

10. They just arrrrr
Pirates don’t need to define themselves as pirates. You look at them, you know it. Their crew knows it. They know it. Same thing goes for an entrepreneur. Like the passion for the sea – the passion for entrepreneurialism is in your blood. Your heart rate rises at the thought of a new business idea, your brain races and you can’t wait to hoist your colours up the flag pole and set sail on a new adventure.

And for some fun – try out this online English to Pirate translator: http://www.talklikeapirateday.com/translate/index.php

Arrr, t' your ongoin' success Gar – Kirsty

By Kirsty Dunphey with 2 comments

Appropriately Funny or Inappropriately Crude?

My project director Megan commented on a chalk board she’d seen at the front of a place of business today.

The quote on it read:
“If quizzes are quizzical, then what are tests?”

I giggled wildly when she told me this. Her question to me though, was did I feel this was appropriate material to be displayed in front of a respectable business?

It’s a hard one to answer! On the plus side:
• It made me chuckle
• I remember the business a little more now than I did previously
• It lets me know a little about the personality of the shop owner
• It makes me more likely to check out their chalk board next time I walk past
• It made enough of an impact on Megan that she mentioned it (word of mouth)

On the negative side, I’m sure some people might get offended by the joke. I wasn’t offended, I had my chuckle and I’m sure I will again next time I enter this shop!

Not too many things in life are ever completely black and white – but in this case all the positives could be gained without fear of the negative if the joke / saying choice were a little more PG rated.

Here’s some to consider if you’re thinking of doing something like this to put some laughter into someone’s day and hopefully get them talking about your business in a positive way!

Son, if you really want something in this life, you have to work for it. Now quiet! They're about to announce the lottery numbers. - Homer Simpson

Never take life seriously. Nobody gets out alive anyway.

Last night I lay in bed looking up at the stars in the sky and I thought to myself, where the heck is the ceiling.

Energizer Bunny arrested, charged with battery.

Keep smiling – and making others smile!

Be memorable!

By Kirsty Dunphey with No comments

Hrm... this got me thinking...

I was kicking back today reading “Make a name for yourself” by Scott Ginsberg (aka That guy who wears a nametag 24/7). Great book – lots of neat, easy to implement ideas.

But then I just read this one part where Scott encourages you to complete the sentence… “To me happiness is…”

Hrrm… I was stumped! Now I fully believe that you attract what you focus on, but here I was unable to answer that question easily! I thought to myself, "How can I be attracting happiness if I can’t even define it!".

It was a great lesson for me to sit down and run through the possibilities…

Here are some earlier drafts:

To me happiness is…
being in the company of amazing people
achieving my goals
anything that makes me smile
not answering this stupid question because I can’t answer it!!!!
cupcakes, daffodils and a good night’s sleep
feeling a sense of accomplishment

I wasn’t happy with any of these responses and it took me about a day before I came up with one I was happy with.

So let me leave you with some wise words from Scott Ginsberg…

1. Figure out how you would complete to following sentence: “To me, happiness is ______________.”
2. Make sure the answer doesn’t hurt anybody, including yourself.
3. Guard it with your life.
4. Commence happiness.

And if you want to know what my eventual answer was – email me: http://www.kirstydunphey.com/contact.html and tell me your answer!

By Kirsty Dunphey with 2 comments

A simple difference is all it takes

I was in full multi-tasking glory; typing, skyping and emailing, when I called my hairdresser the other day. I was calling to make a simple appointment and was (obviously) not paying full attention to the call.

The answer to my ringing phone was “Welcome to Bladerunner, how can I make your day today?”

How can they make my day today?

I can’t remember ever having been asked how someone could make my day on the phone. It was unexpected, different and it got my attention.

I had an instant shift from multi-tasking maniac to a smiling fan and all it took was a change in the way they answered their phone.

What could you subtly change about the way you to do business to have this same effect?

By Kirsty Dunphey with No comments

Take me - but then thank me!

What’s easier: marketing, advertising or cold calling to get a new client or having a new client call you directly? Most people would intuitively and correctly say – having the client call directly. What could be more simple than having the business walk right up to you and say “take me!”.

The next vital steps when a potential client calls you directly should be:

1. Ask how they found out about you. Many times these people will have been referred by someone to you. The referrer could be a previous happy client, a friend, a family member or simply someone in your sphere.

2. Acknowledge the referral. I don’t particularly care how you do this, just make sure you do it and do it immediately! If someone has taken the time to favourably speak about you to someone then the least you can do is pick up the phone and say thank you. Perhaps you might send a thank you card. If the referral warrants it – maybe a small token of your appreciation like a gift.

Take real estate agents for example, a referral of a client to them can mean thousands of dollars. Don’t be the person who doesn’t bother to find out where the referral came from. Even worse, don’t be the person who knows but does not acknowledge it.

The call you should always try and avoid is the one where a referrer has to ask you if you received their referral. It’s insulting to the person who referred the client that you haven’t thanked them and it’s no way to ensure they’ll continue speaking in such glowing terms about you!

By Kirsty Dunphey with No comments