20 Tips on what to ask for in a testimonial:

When you tell people how wonderful you are and the service you provide they don't listen. When they hear it from others who they know, like and trust ...they listen.

Here are some tips when you start asking satisfied clients and customers for testimonials

1. Three problems your client faced before you came along.
2. How delighted and happy your client is with your services.
3. How easy and fulfilling it is to work with you.
4. Would they recommend your services to anyone else.
5. How does your client feel by taking up your services.
6. How easy is it to do business with you?
7. Why do they continue to do business with you?
8. Why are they loyal customers?
9. What would you say to someone who has never heard of you before?

10. What is unique about your service.
11. What changes has your client seen in themselves since getting
involved with you.
12. Make sure your client puts your testimonial on their letterhead.
13. Ask them not to date it so it doesn’t become out of date.
14. Always give your client a deadline for when you need the
testimonial back.
15. Ask your client verbally
16. Send them a prepaid envelope to send it back
17. Thank your client with a thank you card

18 Or with something more substantial if it leads to business
19. Don’t date testimonials
20. Write testimonials for your clients and educate where you can. Help them to increase their own referrals

Definition of perseverence according to Will Smith aka Hitch

In the 2005 film Hitch
the main charachter was a 'date doctor'. Hitch shows men how to attract women ( who they really really like).
The best line in the film for me was
"The definition of perseverence is following a course of action in spite of discouragement, opposition or previous failures."

This applies to everything in life and not more so than when it comes to following up opportunities after attending business events. Most people have this dilemma

When you follow up in a professional manner by asking prospects for their permission to follow up or open an escape route by saying "If you'd rather I didn't call pleasetell me " then there is no need to worry about being too pushy.
We run a nationwide programme of seminars to help you overcome all your fears of making the follow up call

"When you see someone without a smile....

...give them one of yours."

SMILE…ITS GOOD FOR BUSINESS

Smiling is infectious; you catch it like the flu

When someone smiled at me today, I started smiling too

I passed around the corner and someone saw my grin

And when he smiled I realised, I’d passes it on to him

I thought about that smile and recognized its worth

A single smile, just like mine could travel round the earth

So, if you feel a smile begin, don’t leave it undetected

Let’s start an epidemic quick and get the world infected!!

Think-plan-do....to get the best from your networking

THINK
The reason you're going networking is to 'spot the AHHA sentence' if someone says to you like Freddy above
PLAN
before attending any event plan the 'who what where why when and how' questions

DO....
be enthusiastic
be courteous and polite
be more interested than interesting
be a good listener
be a good host
not be a networking criminal because you don't follow up 'ahaa' moments

Follow up follow up follow up ...or don't go!

At the end of my keynote to a Liverpool business group last week, an attendee complimented me on my session. He identified himself as being with one of the4 big banks and that he thought they might have an interest in my programme.

Before parting company, I had the presence of mind to ask for his business card. I followed him up and we're already talking dates for my training

I keep preaching about the value (and the need) for timely follow up with networking contacts. It's amazing how a strong connection, no matter how brief, can act as the launch pad for opportunities or ignition point for relationships.
Go back and read the story again. Our contact was no more than fifteen seconds long, yet it was the catalyst for a relationship. My follow up contact occurred 48 hours after our conversation yet he responded within an hour of receiving my email.
The moral of my story: follow up with networking contacts within 48 hours of your initial contact, especially those who express interest. You may just get the surprise of your life.

Now, go work your network.