New site to help local small businesses grow by referral

[Nomad]

I'm new to the forum, but excited to interact with everyone as we grow our businesses.

For years I have grown my business by referral and realized that most of the ways that we do it are pretty inefficient. So, after spending lots of time and $$$$, I am about to roll out my site ReferralSmart.com which I think can help just about any local business to grow more easily and effectively by getting and giving good quality referrals. We're in pre-launch right now as we put the finishing touches on the site. I think the way we have it set up is going to be unlike anything else out there.

I look forward to helping everyone at the forum grow their business, and I'll probably be asking a bunch of questions myself. If you have a chance, please check my site out and sign up for the pre-launch updates. Have a great day and keep innovating what you do!

[vangogh]

Welcome to the forum. Sounds like an interesting idea for a business. I'll reserve judgment until after you launch and I can see the details. Naturally we'd all like more referral business.

Nice to have you here and thanks for joining the community.

[businesscrazy83]

Cant wait to check it out!

[Spider]

Welcome aboard. One of the first rules about referrals, I would have thought, is people don't refer someone they don't know. So, who are YOU? You've told us about your business - and it does sound like a great idea - now, I would like to know something about yourself - starting with, What is your name?

[Nomad]

First of all, excellent forum. I don't think that I have ever been on a forum for any business that I have where I received 3 comments in such a short time. Thank you!

Spider, you are very right. Businesses refer other businesses that they know and trust. and to answer your question...

I'd like everyone to know I'm not trying to be elusive about myself. Unfortunately, I need a certain amount of anonymity before the site launches under my LLC due to other ventures and the need to be slightly confidential at this point. That's the nice thing about forums. We have user names where we can help and be helped and still protect our privacy.

Background-wise, I have a landlord related blog and website (I am a landlord myself), wrote a book, have my own financial business, and held a bunch of positions in the health care industry. I found that in the financial business, I not only built my business by referral-- but my small business clients who were most successful built theirs that way also. The way that small local businesses need to network is different that how large companies do it. Having been involved in "networking groups" for a few years, I began to think how it could be done better... so I started working on a unique concept-- and that led to the culmination of Referral Smart. I have a lot of referral networking experience, however, I come from a different type of make-up than many of the gurus out there... I am actually rather introverted at times. I guess you could say shy and over-analytical. Asking for referrals was a very, very tough thing for me to do. So, I also tried to design this site for a variety of personalities... to work for just about anyone-- shy or outgoing.

I'm really excited to get it "live" but don't want to prematurely launch until all the modules that I envision work very well. Nothing like having people sign up, only to be disappointed with the site's function!

Hopefully, I'll build credibility on this board through the help that I lend and the positive exchanges that we all have. When the site launches, I'd like my name to be very much out there... hopefully I man of the year on some magazine and they make a movie about how I changed the face of small business... LOL. But for now, I'm more like a superhero... helping people as Referral Smart, while maintaining my secret identity... (can you tell I used to read comics?)

I look forward to getting to know and help everyone here!

[vangogh]

Sounds like you've put a lot of thought and effort into this and you're making me intrigued to see the live site once it's ready.

Now as for this alter-ego thing was that you I saw flying over the city the other night. There were mysterious reports of many criminals turning up at local police stations and confessing to their crimes. The town is still abuzz with many cries of who was that masked man? :)

[KristineS]

Welcome to the forum. The new site sounds interesting.

[Blessed]

Welcome here - I see no one mentioned that the new guys are supposed to bring everyone donuts on Monday's. We'll cut you some slack this time, but I'm always happy to refer someone who brings goodies to the get-together :)

Your idea does sound intriguing. I'm not introverted, but I still have a hard time with the networking groups around here because #1 I have kids and work from home and don't use a babysitter very often and #2 most of the mingles are in the evening for cocktails - which doesn't work because of reason #1 and because I don't drink alcoholic beverages and because my husband likes me to be home when he finally gets in from work. I've suggested luncheon type meetings and breakfast/coffee type mingles but neither has worked out for the groups I'm on the fringes of. I know there are groups that do those types of mingles, but I haven't found any to get involved with.

[cbscreative]

Interesting intro thread. Welcome to the SBF. Perhaps tomorrow, you can bring a large box of fresh baked bagels with a variety of flavored cream cheese tubs to choose from. Just set them next to the coffee in the lobby and feel free to pour yourself a cup too. You could bring donuts, but bagels will keep us sharper so we don't give out bogus advice from a sugar high.

[Spider]

...I've suggested luncheon type meetings and breakfast/coffee type mingles but neither has worked out for the groups I'm on the fringes of. I know there are groups that do those types of mingles, but I haven't found any to get involved with.Try www.Meetup.com

Not only are you likely to find a group nearby that meets at times that suit you, it is also extremely easy to start your own group. Meetup.com will help you on both counts.

[Nomad]

Thanks for the warm welcome everyone! Blessed, I understand your time management issue completely. The idea of local meeting groups is great, but doesn't work for everyone... either from a time, place, personality or organizational standpoint. The goal of my site is to offer an additional and/or alternative way to network and refer business to business for those who want the ability to focus on a specific niche, track their growth and utilize the web to make it more efficient. Best of luck to everyone in this forum on growing your business by whatever (ethical) means available!

[vangogh]

I'm one who doesn't care much for the local meeting group. Not that I think there's anything wrong with those groups, but rather I don't make them work well for me. I prefer networking online at times of my own choosing.

[greenoak]

i wouldnt be nterested either....
but i would love an indiana indie business or small business group.....but im local not world wide web....

[Nomad]

i wouldnt be nterested either....
but i would love an indiana indie business or small business group.....but im local not world wide web....

That's EXACTLY the idea greenoak! The site will hook up small LOCAL growing businesses together. You want a small Indiana indie group... you'll be able to get on this site and find local businesses in your area of Indiana that it makes sense to network market amongst. Think of the site as letting you CHOOSE local businesses to network with and giving you the TOOLS TO TRACK how effective your efforts are working (or not)!

I just uploaded a teaser/intro video on YouTube today. If you go to my site, you'll see a link to it just under the "subscribe" box. I'd opinions, constructive comments, etc. if anyone has the time or inclination.

[Spider]

Excellent video. Very professional and very motivating.

One small suggestion, if I may - about halfway through there was as slide that said, "Your Business Can't Survive" - I think it would have been much more effective to say, "Your Business Cannot Survive."

Well done!

[Nomad]

Thanks Spider! Easy fix to make when I do the first tweaks. I appreciate your taking the time to watch and comment.

[vangogh]

I thought the video was professionally done, but I don't know that it's going to work. I get the main message. Business is hard and most businesses don't survive. We're here to help make sure you do.

The problem for me was that the first half goes on too long with the doom and gloom. Had I not been committed to watching because I wanted to offer you some thoughts, I would have stopped watching after about 30 seconds, if I even made it that long. I think you need to start mixing in the positive message sooner than you do. You gain my attention in the first few seconds, but then you don't hold my interest after because you're really just repeating the same thing over and over again.

With the second half I think you need to offer some details about why your solution is going to help. You can tell me over and over again about how wonderful your site is, but without a single detail it comes across more like snake oil.

Ever since you arrived here on the forum the things you've said here have intrigued me and I've been interested in seeing your site once it's live and public. After watching the video I'm less interested. The video for me is overkill. The first half tries too hard to scare me and the second half offers no details about how you can help.

[Nomad]

vangogh,
thanks for the critique... I agree that I need to focus more on what the site offers as a benefit to local small businesses. I planned on revising it closer to the launch, but maybe some tweaks earlier on might be in order...

I appreciate your taking the time to watch and comment. It's nice to have a group of colleagues online here to give and get feedback, advice, support, etc.

[vangogh]

I hope I helped. I forgot to mention it in my last post, but I do think the approach you're using in the video is a good one. I just didn't think it was executed as well as it could be.