FEBRUARY 2015
In this issue: 1 Building Business Relationships 2 Words of Wisdom 3 INTRODUCING NEW FRANCHISE 4 Top Ten Volume Leaders 5 Chart Toppers 6 BE THE BRAND 7 KUDOS 8 M andatory Area Meeting & Lunch Program 9 Advertising Resource Guide 10 2015 Updated Product Order Form
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SERVPRO® of Southern New England and New York
Building Business Relationships In the current marketing culture, building relationships is key to increasing direct calls for loss mitigation and restoration, and just as important, to gaining trust in clients for referrals to their Centers of Influence (COIs) who in turn can refer work. There are many marketing gurus who tout secrets for building relationships but most of their secrets are common sense things you already know and are doing to some extent: Relationships must be win-win. What are you asking your contact to provide? • Endorsements and recommendations to other potential referral sources; perhaps their peers, clients, or other COIs with whom they have relationships • Direct calls for service • Intersession to resolve potential disputes or issues that may arise while performing services There must be mutual trust and integrity. Your business relationships must include measureable actions that continue to demonstrate that you and your firm: • Provide the quality services, at a fair price that you promised • Respond in a timely manner to emergencies • Honor any commitments you make to both the contact, clients, and anyone else they recommend you to
• Are responsible for the commitments and actions of yourself and subordinates • Adhere to the old saying “your word is your bond” (promises) must be the foremost principle in your business practice to establish and keep strong relationships What is missing in so many franchise operations trying to build strong business relationships? Frequency. Meaning we must interact with contacts more often: • There is a direct correlation of consistent, assertive, and ‘smart’ marketing in relationship building. How often and under what circumstances are you developing your contact base? We do not want to be viewed as distractions or pests, but frequent, meaningful, interactive communication is vital. Always have something new, even a different prospective, to present your contacts. This might include new personnel, facilities, service, or processes that enhance your capacity or capability, which may bring benefit to your contacts and to their clients. Always be listening more than talking, to determine what your contact is asking for to build a trust factor into the relationship • Meeting your contacts may include everything from scheduled or impromptu visits, supplemented by association meetings, tradeshows, other business gatherings, even social-personal occasions, such as, spectator or interactive events, industry functions, and meals continued on page 2