Page 244 - Duct Tape Marketing

Ramp Up a Systematic Referral Machine

that is difficult to refuse—a free business-building consultation
(forty-five minutes’ worth) with absolutely no strings attached. Each
time he conducted a free presentation, he acquired four or five pay-
ing clients within two to three months of his initial presentation
(www.businessmarketingsuccess.com).

Win-Win-Win
One of my favorite partnership workshop strategies is to approach

two businesses that market to the same target as you and offer to pro-
vide them with a seminar that will benefit their clients. What makes
this unique is that by including two other businesses (say, a bank and
an accounting firm) you greatly enhance the value of the proposal.
The accounting firm and the bank both get to offer something valu-
able to their clients, but they also get to meet some potential clients
in the process.

The two partners may actually compete to fill the seats for you,
and everyone in attendance is a new referral.

Workshops as Marketing Tool Tips
Since most, if not all, of your speaking engagements will be

unpaid events, it is important to remain focused on the primary goals
of each event—to be seen as an expert, to present useful information,
and to generate highly qualified prospects. It is absolutely essential
that you leave each event with the name and contact information
from as many attendees as possible. (This is like capturing leads that
visit your Web site.) Most groups will understand that some amount
of marketing from you is the price they are paying for a “free” speaker.
The best way to turn your speaking events into marketing events is to
develop a lead capturing system based on the two-step strategy.

At the end of your talk, offer a valuable information product for
attendees who drop their business cards in a bowl you have placed in
the back of the room. There are many ways to create a compelling

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