Lately we’ve been discussing the importance of small talk, follow-up, and connecting with people. If you are in any industry that is considered a “people business” (psst, most of us are), mastering your communication skills and follow-up strategies is a MUST.

You likely know that getting leads is just half the battle. The other half is following up on those leads effectively so that they can be converted from a lead into a paying customer. But not all leads are created equal, and they require different follow-up strategies. Cold leads, warm leads, and hot leads require varying amounts and types of follow-up.

In this article, we will discuss some of the strategies you can implement for each degree of leads you get for maximum likelihood of converting them into paid clients!

Typically, we classify our leads into 3 categories. Sticking with that model, we will start with cold leads and work our way to hot ones!

Cold Leads

Cold leads are potential customers who, at some point, have...

The response from my last article about the value of small talk has been amazing! It got a lot of you asking questions and wondering HOW to effectively engage in small talk. I love the conversations around this topic because for some reason, even the most confident experts and leaders can struggle to make small talk when in new environments or networking situations.

Humans are social creatures by nature, so why do we get awkward and uncomfortable in social situations? I can’t answer that question, but today I am giving you 6 ways to engage in small talk or ease into a new social situation that can help you feel less nervous and more confident. 

1. Bring a friend: The easiest way to feel more comfortable at a networking event or in an unfamiliar social situation, is to bring a friend. By bringing a friend you ensure that you know at least one person in the room and will have someone to talk to if you aren’t able to break into a conversation with others. Having a friend also provides a...

I have never been a fan of small talk. I’m kind of impatient and I like to get into the good parts of conversations quickly. However, when your business depends on networking and building connections to grow, small talk is a valuable tool in your arsenal! I have learned over the years to slow down and enjoy the mundane parts of conversation, the parts where you get to learn about people and get to know them, with no pressure, and no expectation!

Building connections with people, especially potential clients and referral partners, is a process. It takes time to build the know, like, and trust factor and you can’t just jump right into business with people…at least not usually (we all hope for that one client that instantly wants to work with us…it happens, but not very often! 😉).

Back to small talk. Does anyone really care what the weather is doing or who won last week’s basketball game? Probably not, but general topics like weather or sports are terrific ice breakers. Most of the time...

As a business owner, following up with clients and prospects is essential to your success. You can meet thousands of potential clients over the course of your career but if you don’t put in the work to follow up and convert them to paying clients, you will never grow your business.

Your follow-up strategy can make all the difference in whether you gain a client from an interaction. Let’s say you meet someone at a networking event, and you really hit it off. You both agree that you should meet for coffee or lunch to discuss ways to support each other. You leave the event feeling jazzed at the prospect of a new client or referral partner, and then, nothing happens. Weeks go by, you lose your jazzed excitement, and you think, hmmm, I really should reach out to that person. But by then it feels awkward, so you don’t do it. Sound familiar? I too am guilty of this. But I am here to tell you that your follow-up strategy doesn’t have to be boring, cumbersome, awkward, or scary!

As with just ...

Consistency is a key component of a successful business communication strategy. The uniformity and delivery of your brand message should always be at the forefront of your communication. In this blog post, we will discuss the importance of consistency in your business communication strategy and how it can help you grow and scale your business.

Consistency refers to the structure of your messaging, brand colors and appearance, tone, frequency of contact and posting, your process of communicating with your clients and non-paying audience, and the media via which you choose to communicate. 

You can have the most robust communication strategy but if you don’t implement consistent contact, interaction, and follow up with your audience, your business will not grow the way you want it to. If you are unsure why consistency is so important, here are 4 reasons to keep in mind when planning out your content strategy:

1. Builds Your Trust and Credibility – Building your credibility should be o...

If you have been around here for a minute, you have probably heard me talk about the 5 Cs of communication. (If you are new here, you can learn more HERE)

One of those Cs is Credibility, and it is one of the most important traits for you to develop as a business owner. 

Credibility is simply the quality of being believable and trustworthy. As a specialist in your chosen field of business, it is of utmost importance that you ARE knowledgeable and worthy of the trust of your clients. 

But how do you develop that quality?

Through communication.

Effective communication is an essential aspect of building credibility. When you are credible, people are more likely to respect you, listen to you, and utilize your services. 

Whether you are communicating in person, face to face, virtually, or on social media, there are several ways to build credibility through your communication. 

Here are my four favorite ways to do so:

1. Be honest. Tell the truth, always. People appreciate honesty an...

This one is for the realtors and loan officers out there! Whether you have been licensed for a short time or are a seasoned pro, listen up!

Let’s talk about pre-licensing education. It’s great, isn’t it? You spend hours and hours and hours being talked at, quizzed, and force fed all the things you shouldn’t do (so that you can stay out of jail and not commit fraud – which is super handy and very important), yet there is zero time spent teaching you about the most important thing in the business: PEOPLE.

You see, selling homes or selling loans is not about the transactions or the sales themselves. It is truly about the people you work with and serve. Yet, nothing in your pre-licensing education teaches you about how to effectively connect with people so that you can not only stay out of jail and remain a free person with a license to practice, but also build a business that will serve you for years to come.

I am here to fix that.

As I meet and work with more industry professionals...

In any service-based business, building profitable relationships is essential for success. Profitable relationships are those that benefit all parties involved and result in more business opportunities. By building strong relationships with your clients, colleagues, and referral partners, you can create a network that supports your growth and provides ongoing success.

Consistent contact is the key to nurturing profitable relationships. This means staying in touch with industry partners and clients, past and present, on a regular basis to ensure they remember you and stay informed about your business. You can do this by sending newsletters, video or audio messages, promotional emails, or personalized text messages to remind them of your services or just to see how they are doing. Your contact doesn’t always have to be business related. The key to these relationships is that they are about more than just business, they are about connecting on a human level! Get to know your clients and ...

Building relationships is a critical aspect of running a successful business. Strong relationships with clients, partners, and employees can help you create and attract a loyal customer base, increase brand awareness, and establish a positive reputation in the market. 

In today’s blog post, I am going to share with you the three easiest ways to build strong, profitable relationships that will take your business from surviving to thriving in any market!

1. Communication: Communication is key when it comes to building relationships. Regularly interacting with your clients, partners, and employees helps to keep the lines of communication open and fosters trust. This can be done through regular check-ins, updates, and feedback sessions. Regular communication also helps to address any concerns or issues that may arise and allows you to set expectations as early and often as necessary.
2. Personalization: Personalization is a great way to build relationships. Getting to know your clients, par...

In today's fast-paced and highly competitive world, it is crucial for businesses and service professionals to focus on building strong relationships with their clients. While traditional marketing approaches may help attract new customers, they do not necessarily ensure loyalty and continued business with your current customers. 

In this blog post, we will explore the concept of relationship marketing, why it is important, and how it can help your business succeed. We will also delve into the specific uses of relationship marketing in service-based businesses. 

Whether you are a business owner, marketer, or simply interested in learning more about customer relationships, this article is for you. By the end, you'll have a deeper understanding of how relationship marketing can drive success for your business. Let’s dive in!

What is Relationship Marketing?

Relationship marketing is a customer-centric approach that prioritizes building long-term, personal connections with customers t...