Darian and RMC in the news again!

Darian Richardson - Owner, RMC Franchise Connect - Cincinnati Franchise ConsultantLocally launched RMC Franchise links franchises, business owners

Soapbox, 9/21/2010.
There’s more than one route to entrepreneurship, and a Michigan transplant to Cincinnati has started his own business by helping others launch theirs.

Darian Richardson opened RMC Franchise Connect last fall. Richardson helps others find a franchise that best suits their financial and life goals and matches their personal interests. Located downtown, RMC offers a variety of free services for those looking to go in business for themselves, but wanting to work with an established brand to help them along.

“I like to say with a franchise you’re in business for yourself, but not by yourself,” Richardson said.

He decided to start RMC after working for a company that produced marketing pieces for large corporations. Richardson worked with franchises, which got him interested in the business. His former company Valassis, transferred him from Michigan to Cincinnati to work on a new venture,  Promotion Execution Partners (PEP), a promotional management company.

He’d long had an itch to start his own franchise-related business and after several years at PEP decided to go out on his own. He has one other employee, a marketing director.

“A lot of people asked me why I wanted to start a business in this economy, but I said it was the perfect time to start a business. A lot of people are looking for their next opportunity,” Richardson said.

Among services he offers are profile analyses that best match an individual with a franchise. RMC can also access a person’s skill set, and matches his or her with a compactable franchise opportunity, Richardson said. He can also help people through the franchise process.

“Everyone has their own goals and needs. We do the leg work and provide them with options,” he said. “It really cuts down on the time and money they would need to do it by themselves.

Richardson is paid a commission by the franchise once he helps someone become an owner.

Though most people think of getting into the restaurant business through franchise, the world has opened way beyond food, he said. Among businesses franchisees can get into are health and beauty, home care, lodging, retail, pet care, sports, decorating, coffee shops and even urgent care.

RMC will be launching his Franchise Connect Spotlight series 6:30 p.m., Oct. 13 at his office (The McAlpin Building, 15 West 4th Street) for people who want to find out more about buying their own business. A representative from Liberty Tax, a fast-growing tax preparation company, is among the planned speakers. The cost is $10. RSVP to info@rmcfranchiseconnect.com by October 10.

Writer: Feoshia Henderson
Source: Darian Richardson, founder RMC Franchise Connect

STOP COLD CALLING, Referral Marketing Part 2

Duane Plapp - Cincinnati & Northern Kentucky Referral Marketing Expert
Duane Plapp - Cincinnati & Northern Kentucky Referral Marketing Expert

In early August I wrote a blog titled “Stop Cold Calling, Referral Marketing Part 1”.  We talked about the need for you to create a Referral Marketing Plan and how to identify your target market.  So now that you have a target market, now you need a hook.

We have to create an emotional based message so when people are out looking for referrals for you, they can identify who is a good referral  and  your name comes to mind.  I hear all the time “why did you not refer them to me?” well “I never thought of you “. You have to tickle their brain.

If you want people to remember you then you have to give them something that when they see your potential client the alarm goes off and your name is in the forefront of their brain.  Does this make sense? If you watch TV, it is done by every advertiser. They are trying to do the same thing getting you to remember their product or service when the commercial is over.  Just think of all the products you remember when a certain stimulus is presented (The Geico song, Aflac duck, the target for Target stores and on and on, the Alka Seltzer song). Major advertisers do this all the time. So if we are going to develop a referral business why not copy the pros.

Your question next is “How do I do that”?  Your EBM should be something which you have a passion for and something that directly tells people the main benefit of doing business with you. Many times you say It all the time when you get in the zone or when you a talking with your clients.  What basic need do you satisfy.  I was coaching a Referral Institute student  last week and he asked “how do create the EBM?”.  We were discussing his business and I asked him what goal are you trying to achieve when you discuss your clients financial situation? He said they always want to know “Where’s my check going to come from”.  Wow, that’s a powerful statement and a pretty good EBM.  I told him that he just found his EBM. I help clients discover where the check is going to come from, that’s what I do and when you tell people that, they’ll say “How do you do that?”  And now you have a conversation.  Isn’t it great?  Just evaluate what you do and why you do it.

Why are you in business?

Who are your clients?

What do you sell?

How well do you compete?

Why do people buy from you?

How do you identify my referral partners and how do I develop strong relationships?  Part III next.

Second you have to communicate with the people you want to get referrals from. You need make them aware of who you are and who is a good referral for you and find out who is a good referral for them.

Duane Plapp is a professional business coach with The Referral Institute Cincinnati.  Duane can help you create “Referrals For Life”.  If you’re interested in learning more about referral marketing you can contact Duane at duper2947@aol.com or 859-240-6428

Are You Memorable?

Doug Smith - Cincinnati Radio Marketing Consultant
Doug Smith - Cincinnati Radio Marketing Consultant

The average American comes into contact with over 5,000 advertising messages every day.  If you subtract out 7 hours for sleep, that leaves 17 hours of available advertising contact time.  That means the average American comes into contact with 294 advertising messages every hour.

An advertising message isn’t just a radio or television commercial, a newspaper ad, or a billboard you pass on the highway.  Every time you open your refrigerator or your pantry, get online, drive past a business sign, open your medicine cabinet in your bathroom, or take a shower you come in contact with a form of advertising by simply looking at the products right in front of your face.  If you see a logo, you are seeing a form of advertising.

Now, when you factor in radio, television, newspaper, magazine, and billboards you can see how that 5,000 number is believable.

So, how do get your message across?  You need to make your advertising memorable and you do that by becoming relevant to your customers and potential customers.

“15 minutes could save you 15%” is how Geico made their name and because they are one of the biggest advertisers in the country, chances are good you have heard that line more than once.   The characters they use in their advertising are cute, but their tag line tackles two issues that are relevant to nearly every person……it doesn’t take a lot of time to save money.

Have you seen or heard an ad for OnStar, General Motors in-vehicle security, communications, and diagnostic system?  They use real life situations, such as locking yourself out of your car or being involved in a car accident, to showcase their product.

Geico and OnStar don’t waste time talking about themselves, instead they focus on how you will benefit by doing business with them.

The great thing is you don’t have to be a Fortune 500 company to take this approach.  All you do is determine the need that your product/service fills and make that the focal point of your advertising.  Geico could save you 15% in 15 minutes…..OnStar could save your life by contacting emergency personnel if you are in a car accident and unable to make the call yourself.

What need does your product/service fill?

Answer that question and you are on your way to becoming memorable.  Remember, you are battling over 5,000 competitors every day for a spot in the brain of your customers.  The odds are agains’t you unless you put in the effort to become memorable.

Doug Smith is a Senior Account Executive for WREW Rewind 94.9 in Cincinnati & Northern Kentucky.  You can contact Doug at  (513) 535-9123 ordosmith@hubbardinteractive.com

STOP COLD CALLING, Referral Marketing-Part 1

Duane Plapp - Cincinnati & Northern Kentucky Referral Marketing Expert
Duane Plapp - Cincinnati & Northern Kentucky Referral Marketing Expert

WHY are you still cold calling?  Cold calling is fruitless, requires you to check your reputation at the door and is the easiest business to lose to other cold calling sales people.  You need to start building your brand and start getting high level referrals.  It all starts with an emotional message that shows your passion for what you do.  Example I am a chiropractor, “I am a bone shaper”.  I’m an insurance agent, “I create the future.” The response is “How do you do that.” Some call this an EBM (emotional based message) others call it a memory hook, whatever you call it; it’s funneling the conversation so that you can develop a relationship. This is what referral marketing is all about. I like to call it “My Power Phrase with passion”.

My mission is to create constant, continuous and predictable referrals for life without cold calling.  We all want to do business by referral, but we don’t create the methodology to implement the platform, so it never comes to reality. Sure we get referrals but they are passive and not consistent. They are not constant, continuous, or predictable.  There’s a “HOPE” that referrals will happen.

If our goal is to do 100% business by referrals than that can only happen if we pass credible referrals and receive credible referrals. It’s called a level 10 referral.  Level 10 referrals are referrals where your only action is to show up a get the check.

There is a way to create a platform where you can create these constant continuous and predictable referrals, it is call referral marketing strategies by Referral Institute. We have created a system to help you change your whole way of doing business.  First it involves a change of one’s mindset.  You must change your way of thinking.

Referral marketing strategies involves three basic principles:

1-      You must create a phrase for people to instantaneous recognize this is a potential client for you.

2-       You must communicate with the people who you want to refer you business to and who you want to develop a strong relationship with.

3-      And last, you must create your own brand.

Before you even get this far there is one important action that has to happen. You must have a target market.  What is a target market? It is the section of the market that you are going to direct you marketing efforts towards to create credibility for your brand.  It does not mean that you do not have other products or services.  It is the people you want as specific target to create your niche. If you do not do this first then everything else with be fruitless.

Ok, now you have a target market. You should ask yourself “”who are my clients?”

Part II next week….

How One Thank You Card put 380 People in a Room

Brennan Scanlon - Executive Director BNI Greater Cincinnati & Northern Kentucky
Brennan Scanlon - Executive Director BNI Greater Cincinnati & Northern Kentucky

It was a normal weekday at the office while I sifted through my mail.  Not uncommonly, I had received something from my area Chamber of Commerce.  I should point out that this is our areas largest Chamber with over 5500 members.  As I opened it, I was pleasantly surprised to find a personally hand written thank you note from the Director of Membership, John B.  “Brennan, thanks sincerely for your membership, here’s to your success.”  What an impact this made on me.  I called John to thank him for his thank you card.  Does that seem silly?  It’s not.  Here’s why.  That phone conversation turned into a lunch, which then turned into a meeting as to how our two organizations might help one another.  Although, I knew not to rush the process as our relationship was so new.  Over the next few years, we invited John & his Chamber to enjoy a complimentary booth and 5 minute presentation at our All Chapter BNI Awards Breakfast.  What was in it for us?  Nothing.  We were glad to be associated.

After a few years of this we realized that our two like-minded organizations had an opportunity to take a step together.  Across the globe, regional networking organizations were coming together in February to celebrate networking during “International Networking Week”  (www.internationalnetworkingweek.com).  While “International Networking Week” is an initiative of BNI, it is open to all networking organizations.  Collaboration being the mindset of course (novel idea, I know).  John, Laurie, & Kitty at the Chamber embraced the idea.  What happened next?  Well, 380 people in a room of course.  On February 3rd, 2010 to be exact.  An event sponsored by 13 companies, presented by the largest Chamber in our region, the largest business referral organization (us), and the regions leader in business news.  A powerful keynote speaker names Cea Cohen Elliot (ceaspeaks.com) changed lives that day, and 380 people then walked out to change the lives of others.

Rewind a few years.  Picture John B. sitting at his desk at 5:48pm.  While he is definitely ready to head home for the day, he writes out one last thank you note.  “Brennan, thanks sincerely for your membership, here’s to your success”.  Had he walked out at 5:46pm, there would not have been 380 people in a room, and lives would not have been changes, including my own.

Zig Zigler once said, “you don’t have to be great to start, but you do have to start to be great.”  Life is a boomerang, you’d better start throwing.  Thanks John

Creating Constant Continuous Referrals

Duane Plapp - Professional Business Coach and Referral Marketing Expert
Duane Plapp - Professional Business Coach and Referral Marketing Expert

What is the value of referral marketing? Would you rather create one client via the “Old Fashioned” cold calling or several clients with less effort through your referral power team?

Did you know that it takes the same effort to make one sale as it does to create several new clients by using referral marketing strategies? You create a referral power team with professionals who have the same target market and train each other your products and services. You work to create a strong relationship with your referral power team and to “Train” your sales force. The team is out their looking for potential clients for you just like you are looking for clients for them. Once you both get on the same page the referrals start rolling in.

So the time it takes to try to create one sale you can create three sales. You repeat this four times and you now have four referral partners and they are sending you three referrals per week. You are now getting twelve referrals a week and you’re not spending any more effort than it takes to create one sale.

You have created a sales force that is constantly looking for people who can use your products and services. How strong your relationship and whether you have done great job of training your referral partners will determine the closing ratio.  There is a direct correlation between your relationship and your closing ratio.

Here is a diagram which shows these marketing strategies:

Duane Plapp Referral Marketing Expert

The above is what most sales people use to get new business “Cold Calling”.  Below is how professional sales people who rely on referral marketing find new clients:

Duane Plapp Referral Marketing Expert

Take your business to the next level!  Stop cold calling and start building your network of referral partners or your “Referral Power Team” today.

Duane Plapp is a professional business coach with The Referral Institute Cincinnati.  Duane can help you create “Referrals For Life”.  If you’re interested in learning more about referral marketing you can contact Duane at duper2947@aol.com or 859-240-6428

So you want to have 100% Referrals

So you want to have 100% Referrals

You are at a Networking event and you start a conversation with a mature gentlemen who looks very successful. You ask him how he gets all of his clients. He says I only work on referrals.
You think that would be the ultimate quest. It would be great to only get business by referrals……

Continue reading

Build Your Business On Stone

Duane Plapp - Professional Business Coach and Referral Marketing Expert
Duane Plapp - Professional Business Coach and Referral Marketing Expert

Build your business on Stone

So you are now an entenpeneur and you are now going to create your business model. You ask “ Am I going to prospect by cold calling, advertising or direct marketing or am I going to build it through relationships”.

There are several questions you must answer:

-How long are you planning on staying in business?

What kind of business model do I want?

What future am I going to have?

What makes the most sense?

How much capital am I going to invest?

The answers are easy.

Build you business on a solid foundation which will stand the test of time. Relationships are the only way to build your business so It will stand the test of time. Relationships create trust and loyalty.

If  we create business through cold calling and advertising we can create  instant but short term income. There is no trust or loyalty established.  So when we stop the advertising  or price increases the income is gone. This is the same as building my house on the sand. Lets build our houses on stone. Stone lasts and sand erodes and then there is nothing left.

Relationships if developed properly will last a lifetime. If the advertising stops and the prices increase they are still there. If your price increases the client  gives you the opportunity to keep the business because of the  relationship. If that business comes from a cold call they just call someone else and never give you the opportunity to maintain their business.

The way to create  business built on stone is through  referral marketing strategies. It has been said that we all want to create our business through referrals but very few ever develop the methodology to make it happen.

By developing referral marketing strategies you can create CONSTANT CONTINUOUS PREDICTABLE REFERRALS WITHOUT COLDING CALLING WHICH WILL CREATE REFERRALS FOR LIFE.

Amazing an idea which will help us build our business on stone.

The next question :                 HOW DO WE DO THIS?

We need to get educated in referral marketing. We need to get immersed in the strategies of referral marketing. We need to get our referral partners educated by the referral marketing experts.

S.Duane Plapp  Sr.

Coach and Certified Trainer

Referral Institute-Cincinnati

duane@referralinstitute-cincinnati.com

www.referralinstitute-cincinnati.com

What do you do or sell?

Doug Smith - Cincinnati Radio Marketing Consultant
Doug Smith - Cincinnati Radio Marketing Consultant
What do you do or sell?
I’m sure you’ve been in networking and social settings where this question has been asked a thousand times, but coming up with the correct answer is much harder than you think. If your answer is the actual product or service you provide, your answer, although correct, is actually incorrect.
For example, if you work for a chamber of commerce and you tell others that you “work at the so-and-so chamber of commerce” you are not giving insight into how you could potentially help the person who asked you the question. Instead, if you said “I create opportunities for business professionals, like yourself, to grow their business through interactions with other business professionals” you are going to grab the other persons attention and a meaningful conversation begins. This answer speaks to the emotional need of the person you are talking to (who doesn’t want to grow their business?) and if you can attach your product or service to an emotional need, you are on your way to earning their business.
(At your next networking or social gathering, ask 10 people what they do and I promise you most, if not all, will answer with the obvious.)
Think of your advertising as one gigantic social event as it gives you the opportunity to come in contact with thousands of people everyday. Is your advertising message stating the obvious or are you engaging your potential customers by tapping into an emotional need? Are you using your advertisement to talk about how long you’ve been in business? Are you listing every product you sell? Are you talking about how great your customer service is? If you answered “Yes” to any of those questions your advertisement is not going to stand out to your prospective customers because you are stating the obvious and, honestly, your potential customers don’t care.
Determine the emotional need attached to your product or service and then hammer that point home in your advertisements. If you can attach your product or service to an emotional need of your prospects, you are on your way to earning a customer. (Don’t believe me? You may laugh at a commercial that claims you can get great abs by working out only 3 minutes a day, but the only one really laughing is that company….all the way to the bank.) Like I stated earlier, people don’t join a chamber of commerce to kill time, they join because they want to grow their business.
So, let me ask you again…….what do you do or sell? I hope your answer is different from the one you had two minutes ago.

Doug Smith is a Senior Account Executive for WREW Rewind 94.9 and www.cincysavers.com in Cincinnati & Northern Kentucky.  You can contact Doug at  (513) 535-9123 or dosmith@hubbardinteractive.com