And by leaders he does not mean dictatorial style; he means people who know and understand their clients and are confident enough to speak their mind and say directly and honestly what they feel is right for the client. No beating around the bush in the hope that something you say the client will agree with.

Jay Abraham is the world leader in marketing advice. So when he speaks I listen.

So how do our clients see you?

Are you the leader they rely on for honest advice when challenges arise? Do you tell them what you think needs to be done even when you know your advice may not be palatable? Or do you say what you know the client wants to hear?

My website is designed by Admission. They call themselves a Digital Marketing Agency. The reason I continue to use them is simple – they are leaders. They research the market in which I operate and give me fearless advice, much of which I would never have thought of. And they don’t concern themselves whether I will like the advice or not because they are leaders in their field.

So here are three key things to do for your clients so you stand out as a leader:-

1. Don’t dump information on them unless you tell them what to do with it and why you are giving it.
2. Make them your centre of attention by getting to understand their challenges at an emotional level, not just a rational one.
3. Present solutions, not strategies. Your clients are looking for leaders who are bold enough to tell them what to do with credibility and authority.

So what things are you doing to ensure your clients see you as a leader?

The Referral Master®

Think of the major companies who have simplified their message down to 3-6 words.

Nike – just do it.
Coke – things go better with coke
BNI – givers gain

Yet many small businesses persist in trying to tell people, sometimes even those who didn’t ask, EVERYTHING they do. A long list of features of their business that no-one remembers.

This approach breaks two major rules of marketing…

1. very few will remember more than the first 3 things you said
2. talking about features instead of benefits turns people off

In the early 1990’s I did four speaking tours of East Russia. While working through interpreters, one thing I learned was the need to speak in short phrases. Most people will simply not remember anything if you talk in long-winded sentences. Our short term memories do not retain large amounts of what I call “info dump”!

So what are you doing about making your message short and memorable?

Do you have a “catch phrase” or “memory hook”?

Can you tell me, in one sentence of less than 10 words what you do?

Is what you say expressed in terms of features or benefits?

….. The Referral Master®

Unfortunately, to reduce people to a demographic is to remove the one factor that will work for you more than any other – the human factor.

Markets are made up of real live human beings who have all the aspects of life that we have. Mortgages, families, fears, achievement, sadness, success, car problems, illness and death, love, hate and everything else that makes us all human. To ignore these factors in your marketing is to ignore who you are and who your clients are.

So who are you marketing to and what does your marketing look and sound like?

Do you talk to and market to your clients and prospects with heart and if not, how is that working for you?

Take a look at the way you speak and interact with your market and ask the question “how much humility is there”! If none or little, then it is time to change!

..… from The Referral Master®

What marketing tool…..

•    never needs any maintenance?
•    does not need a licence to use?
•    can be used anywhere?
•    is the cheapest tool available?
•    and only works when you give it away?

Got the answer? Of course it’s the humble business card.

So how well does yours work for you?

Here are some tips on how to make it become your most economical marketing tool:-

1.    If your name and contact details are not the most prominent things on the card then make them. Logos, photos and other items are secondary, no matter how proud you are of them.
2.    ALWAYS have some with you. I have lost count of the number of people I meet in a variety of circumstances who, when asked, tell me they don’t have any with them.
3.    Give them away like they are too hot to handle. They won’t do any good in your hands (or pocket, wallet or purse).

If you would like more tips go to my website and download the FREE e-book on Business Cards.

..… from The Referral Master®