Referral Appendix. Highground’s Principles of Business.

This appendix is designed as a reference to help you implement the principles and concepts of The Referral of a Lifetime. The appendix contains the following material:

Highground’s Principles of Business Highground’s Principles of Business Questions Letter of Introduction to Past Clients Confession Letter Highground’s Principles Goal Pages Three Magic Questions for New Contacts The Four Business Personality Windows Keep in Touch Suggestions Web of Appreciation Pledge and Policies Sample Highground’s Twenty Next Steps Highground’s principles of business.

These are the four foundational principles of the system. To find out more, return to chapters 3, 4, 5, and 6.

principle 1: The 250 by 250 Rule. It’s not only who you know that counts, it’s who your clients know that is important.

principle 2: Build a database and ABC it.

principle 3: Just Let Me Know. Educate your clients about how you work and your value to them through regular, tangible actions performed without fail.

principle 4: Keep in touch, consistently, personally, and systematically.

Questions.

These reflective questions are the starting point for deploying the system. To find out more, return to chapter 1.

question 1: Do you like yourself?

question 2: Do you believe in your product and company?

question 3: Are you willing to “stay the course”?

Letter of introduction to past clients.

This letter can be used to assign existing clients to a new sales or customer service person. To find out more, return to chapter 4.

Ken and Sue Turek.

1007 Pacific Coast Way.

Rancho Benicia, CA 92117.

Dear Ken and Sue:

I want you to know how much I appreciate the fact that you chose our dealership to purchase your new BMW from.

I, along with the members of our team, want you to know that if you have any questions, any problems, please feel free to call us directly.

It is to that end that I asked our new manager, Paul Kingston, to work with you personally in the event you have any questions or needs. Paul is a proven professional and we are proud to be associated with him. He always puts the relationship first with everyone he serves.

Paul will be contacting you in the near future simply to personally introduce himself and answer any questions you might have.

Thanks again!

Warm regards, P. J. Stoddart.

President.

Rancho Benicia AutoGroup, Inc.

Confession letter.

This letter can be used as the first mailing to those you have neglected to keep in touch with and now want to communicate with regularly. To find out more, return to chapter 5.

Robert and Carole Rusch.

119 Heath Terrace.

Rancho Benicia, CA 92117.

Dear Bob and Carole:

Recently my staff and I have taken the time to review our business and have come to the unanimous conclusion that the most important assets we possess are the relationships we have developed to date,just like the one we have developed with you.

I also confess that we have not been as proactive in our personal communications as we would have liked. It’s to that point that I want you to know we have taken appropriate steps to start communicating more frequently. Be it a newsletter, personal card, or follow-up telephone call from our office, please consider it the tangible evidence that we are putting our relationship with you first in our business.

In the near future, we will be communicating with you personally. Meanwhile, if you have any questions or we can help you in any way, please don’t hesitate to call us!

Sincerely, Philip Stackhouse.

Highground’s principles goal pages.

These goal sheets can be used to plan your personal program. To view completed goals, return to pages 54, 56, 76–77, and 98.

Goal 1.

Goal: Finish my 250 by 250 list and then organize the names. Begin to put my new mind-set into action.

Goal Date:

The date is and I have:

I have already experienced:

I feel:

I am excited about:

My associates and colleagues are:

I am determined to:

Goal 2.

Goal: Have my 250 by 250 database ABC-ed and in use.

Goal Date:

The date is and I have:

I have already experienced:

I feel:

I am excited about:

My associates and colleagues are:

I am determined to:

Goal 3.

Goal: Professionally brand this system with my own style, then begin a proactive program to use in all that I say and do with all those I know.

Goal Date:

The date is and I have:

I have already experienced:

I feel:

I am excited about:

My associates and colleagues are:

I am determined to:

Goal 4.

Goal: Have in place the next twelve months of my Keep in Touch and Web of Appreciation programs.

Goal Date:

The date is and I have:

I have already experienced:

I feel:

I am excited about:

My associates and colleagues are:

I am determined to:

Three magic questions for new contacts.

These simple questions will help engage you immediately with new people you meet. To find out more, return to chapter 3.

1. What is it you do?

2. What do you like most about that?

3. If you could start over, knowing what you now know, what would your day look like?

Bonus follow-up statement to use whenever you choose:

“Tell me more.” The four business personality windows.

The four personality types are expressed in two words. The first word, on the left of the hyphen, represents how people see you and who you are naturally. The word on the right of the hyphen represents your natural tendency in business relationships.

Relational-Relational.

Relational-Business.

Business-Relational.

Business-Business.

Relational-Relational.

The relational-relational person is one who only thinks of relationships with others,how to help them and how to be liked or even loved. These people rarely think of the business ramifications of their actions, or if they do, they will justify them immediately in some relational way. So the second word has to be “relational,” too.

Relational-Business.

When meeting people, the relational-business person is truly interested in the relationship, but when the talk turns to business, this person will begin to think strategically.

Business-Relational.

The business-relational person doesn’t seem at first glance as interested in a relationship as much as in pure business, but this person will develop deep relationships after the business is established.

Business-Business.

This trait is simply the opposite of relational-relational.

Business-business people normally have a hard time with relational principles and the concepts of this system until they justify in some purely business way the time spent with those they’ve affected,which they always do.

Keep in touch suggestions.

January New Year’s Greeting Card.

February Item-of-Value Letter.

March Personalized Newsletter.

April Springtime Greeting Card.

May Item-of-Value Letter.

June Personalized Newsletter.

July Fourth of July Card.

August Item-of-Value Letter.

September Personalized Newsletter.

October Item-of-Value Letter.

November Thanksgiving Card.

December Personalized Newsletter.

Web of appreciation pledge and policies sample.

We pledge to show tangible evidence of our appreciation for our clients, associates, vendors, and colleagues,regularly, without fail. We put the relationship first!

All frontline employees are given a budget of $2,000 to utilize as they see fit to say thank you to clients and for customer service relation-stressed situations that require immediate attention.

The company and its team members recognize all standard gift-giving days throughout the year but pledge to go above and beyond the call of duty to become creative and produce lasting impressions through extraordinary customer service and “outlandish” tasteful items of value.

Every referral given is recognized immediately, tangibly, and personally the day it is given.

Every referral that produces business for the company is recognized immediately with more tangible and personal items the day the referral is consummated.

Extraordinary service by vendors and associates is recognized immediately, tangibly, and personally with appropriate recognition.

All team members pledge to recognize each other immediately, regularly, and tangibly when character, integrity, and excellence have been demonstrated.

Highground’s twenty next steps.

This list of next steps can be used as a checklist to implement your personal system.

1. Finish the list of initial names. Call and verify addresses, telephone numbers, and e-mail addresses.

2. ABC all names.

3. Select a contact manager or CRM system. Make sure you have the ability to set ABC fields.

4. Research and select a trusted contract database professional with mail and print service.

5. Research the Internet for different communications you can develop for your Keep in Touch program. Check with those in your industry to see what they use. Outline a twelve-month program.

6. Select an on-line service to help you develop and deliver an immediate Web of Appreciation. Make sure you can access your database for ease of use with standard selections that can be processed without difficulty.

7. Purchase personalized thank-you notes. Immediately send them after every meeting upon gaining permission to add the person to your database.

8. Finalize a twelve-month Keep in Touch print program for your database. Select the items and choose the dates when you will send them. Commit the plan to paper and make it visible. List the program tasks needed each month to deliver without fail.

9. Finalize a Web of Appreciation program. Set an appropriate budget for frontline personnel, referral gifts, and standard holiday gifts in addition to your Keep in Touch program.

10. Send a confession letter to your database.

11. Follow up by calling everyone you have sent a letter to. Ask for birthdays (not years) and anniversaries if appropriate. Enter them into your database.

12. Set personal meetings with your As and explain your new philosophy. Ask for referrals during the meeting.

13. If needed, make a commitment to a set number of personal appointments or telephone calls to add more potential clients to your database. Utilize the three magic questions.

14. If you want a larger sphere of influence, adopt a database. Call everyone on your newly adopted list and ask permission to start communicating.

15. If you want a larger sphere of influence, select a direct-mail list. Customize the list and call each person using the qualifying question Sheila Marie used to build a relational farm (see pages 31–32).

16. Educate everyone on your staff about how the program works. Incorporate the principles into your culture.

17. Call all the people who “make money when you make money”,primarily your vendors. Explain how your program works, ask what you can do for them, and then ask for referrals.

18. Incorporate into your sales presentation how you put relationships first and what the value is to your clients. Share your new philosophy with everyone appropriate who will listen. Then ask for referrals.

19. Use your newfound ‘hall pass’ and make a scheduled call to everyone in your database at least once a year. If you have developed a birthday card program, make the call after you have sent out the birthday card, calling to say “happy birthday.” Ask how you might help the person and ask for a referral or an appointment if appropriate.

20. Always, always ask what you might do for the person you call and always, always remind the person that your business is built on the good opinion of others. Then always ask for a referral, just like Philip did.

About the author. Tim Templeton is an internationally recognized authority in sales processes, systems, presentation, and productivity. He has lectured, trained, and consulted for organizations in multiple industries and countries. His products have been translated into numerous languages.

In 1991, Tim began his training career, contributing to the book The Entrepreneurs Handbook by James C. Ray (Irwin Professional Publishing). In 1995, Tim incorporated and cofounded Providence Seminars and served as CEO.

Throughout the ‘80s, Tim successfully launched and represented dozens of products both nationally and regionally throughout the retail industry.

Tim serves on the national board for The Center for Faithwalk Leadership, a nonprofit organization cofounded by Ken Blanchard. He is a certified facilitator of Leadership Encounter, a two-day, faith-based workshop for businesses and individuals developed by The Center for Faithwalk Leadership and based on Leadership by the Book by Ken Blanchard, Bill Hybels, and Phil Hodges.

Tim resides in the San Diego area with his wife, Maria, and their daughters, Sara, Sheila, and Susie. They are his “delight and the center of his universe.” Services available.

Tim Templeton is available for executive consultation or to motivate and train your group or organization. In addition, Always Positive customizes and institutes Keep-INTouchTM programs and the Web of AppreciationTM for its clients as well as develops incentive programs for companies and individuals who desire to incorporate the principles of this book into their business.

For more information contact Always Positive Marketing Director Toll free: 877-321-6500 E-mail: info @alwayspositive dot com Web sites: www dot alwayspositive dot com www dot realtyempowerment dot com.

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