This week, during a monthly networking group meeting, an interesting topic came up from a veteran attendee: How to acquire new clients to your business – paid vs. unpaid leads (AKA word of mouth marketing).
The gentleman, a trusted insurance agent in our community, realized that referrals from clients, whether online or offline, were the best source of long-term business sustainability. It was an awesome realization, one that I had been working on for years to make him realize. As soon as he verbally related his epiphany about powerful word of mouth marketing, another gentleman, Jason, corroborated with another personal anecdote, this time about paid vs unpaid networking groups.
Jason has been attending our networking group for almost 2 years; we meet once a month and do not charge a fee for any type of attendance. We share ideas and latest happenings in the business world, especially concentrating on social media marketing and how it relates to long-term ROI as well as offline marketing efforts.
Jason has also been attending another, paid networking group during these past few years. This week, he told us that he has come to realize that for his financial consulting business, our organic-based growth model works better than the paid model in the alternative networking group. He felt that the clients that he received from a relationship based approach (which is the one that we try and encourage in our networking group) stay with him much longer & purchase other services from him compared to those that he gained from a transaction based approach, one that is usually taught in paid networking groups.
I’m using the same relationship-based approach in my store, as many of you know, and it’s working very well. My wife & I concentrate on beginning, developing & strengthening relationships with each client (who is referred to as a guest when he or she comes into our “Spa of Shipping”), who in turn loves the service, empowerment (because of the valid shipping / printing / industry information we provide) & approach, and then goes on to tell many other people to come enjoy the same precious treatment at our place. I’m honored and grateful to live my “why” (in the words of Simon Sinek): To inspire, motivate, uplift & rejuvenate and I encourage you to find your “why” and live it, thereby making the world a better place with each interaction.
With gratitude, effervescence & civility,
Fahim Mojawalla, AMBC Director of Social Media
Co-Owner of Island Ship Center, An AMBC Certified Store
#SpaOfShipping #FahimFix #ExudeExcellence
10 Minutes from Niagara Falls, USA
1879 Whitehaven Road
Grand Island, NY 14072
Phone: 716-773-6300
Website: www.IslandShipCenter.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/FahimShips
Facebook: www.Facebook.com/IslandShipCenter
Source: AMBC Blog