Page 242 - Duct Tape Marketing

Ramp Up a Systematic Referral Machine

his search down quickly. Including the word list or directory can also
increase results (www.hollnerpromos.com).

Speak and Grow Opportunities

Let’s Hold a Workshop
Workshops are a great way to spread your expertise and build trust

with a target market, but they are one of the best referral tools around as
well. When you can convince a trade group, client, or related business
to sponsor a workshop featuring you as the guest expert, you have effec-
tively created an endorsement from the sponsor. When the sponsoring
bank or chamber of commerce markets the event, they are essentially
stating that you have something worth hearing and that they trust you.

The other very powerful aspect of a workshop is that it allows
you to present your specific expertise to an entire group of prospects
all at the same time. And you’re in charge of the presentation. Done
correctly, you may come to view this type of marketing tactic as an
orchestrated sales call.

You can, of course, put together workshops on your own, but I
have found that when you take a “hosted workshop” approach, your
marketing by way of speaking will be much more effective and much
less expensive. With the Duct Tape Marketing position of workshops
as referral vehicles, you move the risk of promoting the workshop to
your host group.

You can start your workshop marketing tactic off by contacting
businesses and groups that serve your target market and offering to
hold a free workshop that will benefit their clients or members. Be
prepared to demonstrate why this makes a good topic, but also under-
stand that there are lots of groups that need speakers for lunch and
dinner events. You may need to do a few of these events to get better
at them and to start making a name for yourself. My advice initially is

223