How to Use Your Network to Help Clients

You'll get no argument when discussing the power of your personal or professional network. But how many of us are helping clients by leveraging our personal network?

Here are some fast and easy tips to help you reach out and help your clients beyond what your product or service is already providing them:

1. Give them a call if you haven't in a while to get a read on how they are doing. The key is to be the solution to whatever problem they're having, even if it's not your area of expertise.
2. Use your network and reach out on the social web. Some of the connections will seem obvious, and some you'll need to enlist your network to make the introduction.
3. Make sure they are vetted--don't refer someone you're not sure about to your client. You want to become the one who has the connections that are reliable and trustworthy. Most people don't have time to vet, so if you can save them that step, they're more apt to use your referral.
4. Follow up to see if they've met and helped one another.

People helping people. That's the business that works.

The Many Ways To Get To Know An Individual: LinkedIn and Facebook and Twitter, Oh My!

Hi! My name is Sheryl Gina and I am the newest addition to the Better3 team. Terry proposed that I write a Blog so I can introduce myself to the media world out there and I accepted with great enthusiasm. I began my task right away.

The first thought I had was "well, what do I say about myself?" The second thought was "what did I write on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter?" It was then I realized anyone can pretty much find out who I really am online - hence, the title to my Blog.

First, Let's start with me - because this IS all about me.

I have known Terry for an eternity and love her entrepreneurial, positive, tactical, unique, and let's not forget fun, way of thinking and living life. It was these qualities that drew me to accept the position of Relationship Development Manager with her company, Better3.

Having been in the business world for many years has afforded me the opportunity to gain positive experience on all the paths I have chosen to take along the way: Project Management, Customer Service, Operational Improvement, Department Management, Training, Coaching, Building Professional Business Relationships and Marketing, along with a dash of Sales - Experiences that not only created in-your-face challenges, but also build personal character and confidence.

At Better3 our goal is to make any "real-people business" into a better, more customer-based, profitable business and my role is to be the bridge that brings you to that reality. And let's face it. If you have employees and/or customers, then you are a real-people business, right? So, when you get a phone call or an email or a knock from a social media platform that says "My name is Sheryl Gina and I'm with Better3", I promise you will really want to sit up and listen.

Owning or Managing a business is One Big Relationship and you know what they say about people in relationships: You are always to close to see what, or if, something really just isn't working right for that relationship. That is where we come in....(and this is where you picture us on white horses, trotting into your office and holding the key that unlocks all the answers to every question you have on "how can I get more from my business"). The next thing that happens is.....

Well, I can't give away the whole story so I'm going to have to stop here. I can, however, tell you that your story will have a very happy ending. All you have to do is give us the opportunity to show you how.

So just remember, when you hear or see the name, Sheryl Gina from Better3, you'll really want to answer with a welcoming hello.

Thank you for taking the time to learn a little about me and what I do. Terry and I would love to meet and talk with you about how Better3 can make your business even better.

Have an awesome and productive day!

Sheryl Gina

How You Follow Up Wins (or Loses) Business

How do you follow up regarding:

• Prospective new business leads
• Customer questions and problems
• Employee or team concerns
• Community impact
• Bad (or good) press
• Competitor claims

One of the top complaints I hear from people is: "I just don't have enough time." Yeah, I get it. And what we're really saying is: "It's not important enough to me."

And that message gets through to your audience and has impact.

That's why following up and following through is a key ingredient in creating an experience that people respond to and respect.

I have several very busy clients who share this common complaint. When I did the research among their team and especially their customers, it was a pattern that showed up in the responses. Their people didn't feel that they mattered because they were not being paid attention to like they felt they deserved. As a result, they were not as apt to refer, deal with or communicate with my client or their business.

What?

How can a simple thing like following up with someone have that type of an impact? It can and it does. So in this final Better3 Customer Love newsletter, I'd like to offer this: Follow up with your people. Make it personal, quick, and be of service. See what happens.

After learning this insight, one of my busiest clients changed the way they followed up with people. It dramatically improved their business. Now they are top-of-mind for referrals, they know and understand more about what their customers and team want, and above all, they are creating an expectation that the people they serve matter.

Wow.