Fashion
noun fash·ion \ˈfa-shən\
http://www.mensfitness.com/styleandgrooming/fashion/10-basic-fashion-rules-every-guy-should-know
http://www.artofmanliness.com/2016/10/24/101-style-tips-men/
One: he needs to pay attention to his footwear. So many young men, we get away with wearing running shoes all the time. And occasionally, we have to wear a suit, and we wear a dress shoes. But between the running shoes and dress shoes, we have no idea. You need to learn more about good-looking, casual footwear. Put the running shoes to the side. And unless you’re running, put them off. And sandals do not count.
Sandals should be over here, when you go to the beach. Look for, you know, casual leather shoes that look good. You know, start off, you know, go ahead and go for a rubber sole. But, you want something that’s leather, that looks great with a pair of jeans and it’s going to be immediately noticed. So, go out there. You’re going to spend probably at least a $100. But, update your casual footwear. Okay.
Number two: dress like a man not like a boy. What’s the difference? Okay. Boys wear T-shirts all the time. They don’t pay attention to how they look. They just look sloppy. They don’t tuck in their shirts. They wear running shoes with jeans. I mean, that’s how boys in college dress. Men understand that people are making first impressions every time they meet and that they need to present themselves professionally. Men throw on a sports jacket. Men wear colored shirts. Men pay attention to how they look. So, start to dress like a man.
Number three: ignore fashion. You can’t afford it. Okay. So, fashion-what’s in free fashion and style? I’ve talked about it in other videos. But fashion is fleeting. It moves all over the place. You can’t catch it. I mean, even these female style icons or, you know, divas, they can barely stay on top of this stuff. So, as men that really don’t pay much attention to this-and believe me, I don’t actually pay that much attention in fashion.
Style is great because you can look at your grandfather and you can see what worked for him. And in fact, look at some pictures of your grandfather. And you’ll notice that he could actually come to the year 2011, walk around and actually his suit and everything unique, you wouldn’t actually look half bad. And in fact, you would be able to fit in. They’re called the iron wearing [0:02:36] [Phonetics].
I could wear this 15 years from now and I’m still going to fit in. I’m still going to look good. This is style. Fashion, it doesn’t look good a year from now. So, those Crocs-yeah, that was fashion. Okay.
Number four: take care of your clothing. Okay. So, if no one has explained this to you, clothing is made from different fiber types. And you have to treat it and you have to care for it differently. A suit jacket, you can never throw in a washing machine. That wool sweater, you cannot throw it in the washing machine. You have to carefully wash wools. Now, cottons, totally different story. You can be much more rougher with cottons.
But then, there are, you know, garments which are a mixture and you’ve got to be very careful. Learn to read the tag. Pay attention to the tag. And unless you have someone there with experience, be very careful about washing your higher-end garments. You know, your best bet is going to try to keep everything you own cotton up until your dress clothing. All right.
Number five: you need to own one suit. Charcoal gray is probably going to be the safest fabric for you-a solid charcoal gray suit. Keep this style classic and-but you have to have the suit. And don’t think that you’re going to get a suit when you need one. Because when you need one, you‘re going to have to like [0:03:59] [Phonetics] 24 hours. And you don’t want to spend that time, you know, when all your buddies are out having a great time at the…at the bachelor party.
You’re out, you know, trying to track down a suit and sweating about it. Or, if it’s a big interview, you don’t want to be spending your time looking for a suit when you could be preparing for the interview. Every man, whether he be a mechanic, whether he be a janitor, whether he be a banker, he needs to have one complete, great-looking suit that fits in properly. Okay.
Number six: shirts. Start off with whites and blues. Your first five shirts-three whites, two blues. Not too dark of a blue because that makes it a bit casual to two light blues, three whites-make sure they fit your properly. Focus on the fit. Make sure they fit you in the collar, they fit you in the cuffs, have them darted in the body to remove some of that fabric. And the great thing is that those shirts will be interchangeable with that charcoal gray suit.
[0:05:00]
You’re going to have five outfits. So that’s what you want. After you have those five basic shirts, then you can expand off into other colors and try to experiment.
Number seven: need a dark pair of fitted jeans. Now, these are not distressed jeans. These are not jeans that are stone-washed. Dark-colored-they almost look like, you know, very dark indigo or black. And what you’re looking for here is something that you could wear with one of the shirts. Gives you a bit more of a casual look. So, we’re starting to build an interchangeable wardrobe.
Number eight: expand beyond denim. So, notice I said only, you know, have one pair of darks. You can have two pairs of darks. You can have three pairs of darks. But, no matter how many pairs of dark jeans you have, you need to have something else besides jeans, you know, when it comes to trousers or pants. So, look to incorporate khakis. Wool flannel trousers are great.
They’re not this, you know, so wool flannel trousers, they’re not the same as suit trousers. They’re something different. Khakis have various styles. Look to have something else besides denim. All right.
Number nine: don’t always wear a t-shirt. Look to wear a shirt with a collar. If you’re wearing t-shirts six to seven days out of the week, we have a problem. Incorporate polo shirts. Take out some sport, you know, some dress shirts or there are some work shirts or sports shirts, something with a collar. That’s what you want. That’s how a man dresses. I mean, a collared shirt just looks so much better. And pay attention to the fit. Okay.
Those are my nine quick tips for the young man. If you haven’t already, make sure to subscribe to the YouTube channel right above here. If you want to learn more, check out the article and check out our website, Real Me Real Style. There’s a lot of great information out there for young men, for older men, for medium-age men. [Laughs] Hope you enjoy it. Take care. Bye-bye.
You get two “beloved old favorite” exemptions here, as well as formalwear. Ruthlessly pitch or donate the rest.
Well, okay, not everything. But most things: nice pants, shirts, and jackets should all go to the tailor for adjustments, unless they came custom-tailored already.
Here’s what can and can’t be adjusted on your clothes.
Quality lasts longer than quantity, and you look better in it.
Even if you don’t need one. Just get the experience of comparing jacket styles, fabrics, and cuts.
Make sure fit is your number one consideration.
Colored leather and suede are fantastic shoe options. Get a little crazy with reds, blues, and grays. Don’t worry about matching a belt to each one — a black belt with gray shoes or a brown one with oxblood red is fine.
That means they rest very lightly on the leather itself. You shouldn’t have a gap between your pants and your shoes.
Any time you’re wearing a jacket. No exceptions.
Check out our tips for rocking a pocket square, and how to make your own no-sew version.
Then make the rest of the outfit work with them.
Check out our guide to khakis, as well as our gallery on how Steve McQueen rocked his.
Sales people are paid to sell you things whether they look good or not. Take a friend who’ll tell you to your face when you look like an idiot.
Handsome. Functional. Classic. It’s amazing how such a small accessory can greatly enhance how you look and feel.
Read up on our wristwatch primer.
It will help you get the right amount in your outfits. If you don’t know what that is, read an article like this one.
How many pairs do you own? Get some more. Vary the styles. Shoes are the most underrated tools in a guy’s style arsenal.
Read up on the 3 types of shoes every man needs, as well as the dress shoe hierarchy.
…if you’re building houses or ranching cattle. Otherwise, get a dark indigo instead of light blue, or go with a different color entirely.
Write them down and tuck them in your underwear drawer or something. They always come in handy when you’re shopping.
Here’s how to accurately take your own measurements.
Those numbers are worth writing down too. If a shirt fits perfectly, you probably want your other shirts in about that size as well.
Because you might. And even if you don’t, you might as well look like a guy who’s got plans.
Do you like a fat roll? A thin one? Tall, short, rumpled, crisp? Play around with it.
Check out the complete guide to rolling your shirt sleeves.
Nine-tenths of the things you see will be way over the top and useless to you. Use the other 10% for inspiration.
…and costs less than $20. Okay, maybe not every single one, but at least four or five. Even the weird ones. You’ll use them.
Learn more about outfitting your wardrobe from the thrift store.
Yeah, you’ll see guys wearing them with suits. Don’t be those guys. A business suit deserves a business collar, and that means no buttons at the tips.
About once a month is good.
Get the lowdown on shining your shoes.
Not for a wedding, and not with a tux. Just for fun some day. Any old suit or sports jacket will do.
Nervous about pulling it off? Read this guide to wearing a flower with manly style.
If you already use product, try a different kind of product.
It’s a useful skill for traveling, and it’ll save you money at home.
Check out our illustrated guide on how to iron your dress shirts.
…for anything that isn’t housework, a workout, or a rock concert. Upgrade to a solid-color tee, or another lightweight option like a henley or polo.
Be sure to read the best damn guide to t-shirts on the internet.
Suit and sports jackets sometimes come with them; as do some dress shirt cuffs.
Not every day, and not always the same piece. But a ring here or a necklace there is great.
Check out our guide to wearing jewelry, as well as our ring-wearing primer.
Be sure they’re free of stains and wrinkles, ready to go at all times. They go with everything.
You can get small testers from most department stores. Try a few and see what goes well with your natural scent.
Check out our guide to wearing fragrances.
The slimmer it is, the less wear and tear on both the wallet and the pocket it’s shoved into. It’ll also look nicer when you pull it out to pay for things.
Not just because it’s cold outside, but also as a fashion accessory.
Make sure you know a few different ways to tie your scarf, too.
The easiest way is to own belts that can snap open for interchangeable buckles, and then to hit the internet looking for vintage buckles — that way you’re only buying two or three pieces of leather for dozens of looks.
Then, if you can afford it, own one lighter social suit as well.
Check out what we like to call “the suit ladder.”
Grab broad checks to add a little weight and breadth, or use light vertical stripes to add height and slim down your appearance.
Wear that Hawaiian shirt or those bright red pants once in a while. Nobody needs to be the textbook timeless gentlemen every day of his life.
Maybe try wearing pink every now and then too.
Light, unstructured ones are particularly prone to wrinkling, so press ’em early and often. Rumpled backs ruin the whole look.
Your wedding band is an exception. But other than that, keep it to one kind of metal.
Launder the things that can be; take what can’t to the dry cleaners. Brush wools off to keep them from pilling and gathering fuzz.
New to, or not very good at laundry? We even have a guide for that.
They don’t even have to share colors — the square could complement a color from the shirt or jacket instead.
A couple plain, dark solid pieces with one bright accent can do more than a flashy, patterned suit or shirt.
Go over the top with color and pattern once in a while — maybe when you have something to celebrate, or just when you’re in a really bouncy mood. But don’t make a habit of it.
If you’ve got a sleek, streamlined jacket and a simple shirt, don’t wear big, fuzzy pants with lots of texture. Similarly, don’t pair a cable-knit sweater with ultra-fine wool slacks. Stay consistent all the way up and down.
Dark earth tones and shades in autumn, grays and blues in winter, colorful pastels in spring — you get the point.
Leather, wool, denim — doesn’t matter. Something battered and beloved that you can wear from the first cool days of fall on up to winter parka season, and again in the spring.
Consider the harrington — it’s been a men’s style staple for decades.
They don’t all have to be identical shades, but you shouldn’t be rocking a black watchband with a brown belt or anything like that.
Anything short enough that you can see the bottom of the suit jacket poking out beneath the hem of the coat doesn’t make the, ahem, cut.
Do your homework and get yourself a Swiss army overcoat.
White trousers after Labor Day. Plaids with stripes. You’re told not to do ’em, but there’s always a reason to break a rule once in a while. Don’t be afraid to. But remember that the “rules” are usually there for a reason, too, and use some common sense.
There’s nothing wrong with being the best-dressed guy in the room. Be aware of social norms — don’t wear a three-piece suit to serve meals at a soup kitchen or something — but in general, plan on looking nicer than other guys in your social group at any given gathering.
Heck, learn a dozen. Some are convenient, some are fancy, and a few are both. Know your favorites.
Here are 4 common necktie knots to get you started.
They’re a way to separate style illiterates from their money. Keep your look timeless. Trends can be a fun inspiration if they appeal to your existing sense of style, but don’t pursue them just because they’re “in.”
See previous point about trends, and add some emphasis. You’re nobody’s billboard. No visible brand names.
Get some good skin cream and use it. Find the product that solves your particular problems, whether that’s oily skin, dry skin, or something else entirely.
Rockstar.
Scarves, hats, jewelry, funky shoes, weird belts. Get some unique items and use them whenever an outfit looks okay, but boring. Thrift stores, eBay, and Etsy are all great sources for these.
If you’re not going to class right this minute, trade up to a messenger bag or a briefcase. For that matter, trade up even if you are in school.
Own a couple pairs in a couple different styles — you’ll end up needing them as you vary your look.
The taper toward the waist is half the point of a jacket. Don’t lose the effect by going unbuttoned.
Close the top button on a two-button coat, and either the middle button only or the top two buttons on a three-button coat. There are other looks, and someone’s always trying them out, but these will always be right.
Know the “Sometimes, Always, Never” rule.
At the end of the day, you can’t look like a runway model in clothes from Walmart. Be prepared to spend at least a little money if you want to look really good.
Missing buttons, fraying edges, torn seams — get ’em into a tailor and get ’em fixed. No excuses. Wear and tear looks terrible in public.
On the road or in a pinch? Check out these 11 clothing hacks for fixing problems on the go.
Have some good brogues, saddle shoes, or loafers for your day-to-day get-ups.
If everything fits and the colors aren’t an obvious clash, your outfit is probably presentable at the very least. The rest is just details.
Trim your nails, shave regularly and with care, brush your teeth. A raggedy body under nice clothes jars the eye (and looks gross).
Keep a regular grooming routine with a checklist to stay on top of things.
“A half inch of linen” is the old-fashioned rule of thumb. Don’t obsess about it too much, but show at least a little shirt cuff.
Paisleys, variegated stripes, figure patterns, knits — mix it up. Look for textures beyond basic glossy silk (or synthetic) and for varied colors.
There are other options out there, but none are as timeless and sublime as the plain white pinstripe on a dark charcoal or navy suit.
Get a case, and make that case something that works with your basic tastes. Funky is good; so is slim. The less of a bulge in your pockets, the better.
It can even be a blazer, rather than a suit jacket, so long as you keep the trousers and shirt conservative. But don’t you dare wear that double-breasted jacket unbuttoned.
If you don’t own at least a few pieces in lightweight linen or seersucker, you’re torturing yourself needlessly.
Check out more easy ways to boost your summer style.
See what you like. You never know.
If you’ve been waiting for everyone to wake up and realize how stylish yours is, stop.
Assuming we’re talking about leather dress shoes, a higher gloss is dressier, while a softer texture is more casual.
Wear a patterned one in place of a regular necktie some time.
While you’re at it, bone up on how to tie a bow tie.
A little longer is okay; shorter is not.
Swimwear, pajamas, workout clothes — someone’s going to see you in them eventually. Buy ones you look good in, and replace them before they wear out.
You can have a full beard if you really want one, but shape the edges with a razor so that it doesn’t look like you’ve just let it grow. You want people to think you’re making a statement, not being lazy.
Check out the science behind what your facial hair signals to others.
Wear clothes that guide the eye upward toward your chin and mouth. There’s a reason classic menswear tends to open upward (think about collared shirts and suit jackets).
Small checks with wide-spaced stripes — no problem. Big checks with big stripes — problem.
It’s great to be working towards a fitter physique, but don’t look like a total schlump until you get there.
Here are some style tips for larger men, as well as advice for skinny guys.
Half the time you’ll end up giving these to a girl to wear when she gets cold — and that’s just fine.
Make it easy to reach in, grab any couple of items, and have an outfit that works. That means finding a home for the less-stylish utility pieces that’s far away from your good clothes.
Even fashionable women are working with a different stylistic language from you. Unless one or both of you are cross-dressers, don’t make a habit of taking regular style advice from a woman.
Shorts cut the leg in two; a pair of lightweight linen, seersucker, or cotton pants will create a sleeker, more put-together silhouette, and always look better than shorts, while only being slightly warmer to wear.
If you do wear shorts, at least follow this guide.
Yeah, you’ll get advertisements that you don’t want. But you’ll also get sales and coupons that you will want, and that they don’t offer anywhere else. If you limit yourself to two or three of your top favorite brands, it’s well worth the inbox clutter.
Don’t be shy about it. Embrace the authoritative tap-tap-tap of stacked leather heels.
Even when you know they’re doing something wrong. They’re not going to take it as a kindness no matter how sweetly you say it.
Or even someone’s grandfather. The generations before us knew a thing or two about looking sharp.
And most important of all…
Ever. If it isn’t a close, flattering fit with no pinching or sagging, don’t wear it. This is the ultimate rule for looking good. Seriously. If you’re going to take one thing away today, take this one. NEVER WEAR A BAD FIT.
Join hosts Somnath Sikdar and David M Frees for the sixth and final episode of "Understanding the Client Patient Customer Life Cycle":How to trigger a client to go from a buyer to an advocate, referring and/or repurchasing.
Join hosts Somnath Sikdar and David M Frees for the fifth episode of a five part series:Education as a driver of consumption to improve retention.
Join hosts Somnath Sikdar and David M Frees for the fourth episode of a five part series: The Customer Journey: Purchase and Up-sell.
Join hosts Somnath Sikdar and David M Frees for the third episode of a five part series: Building Client and Customer Trust Through Indoctrination.
Join hosts Somnath Sikdar and David M Frees for the second episode of a five part series: Using Education to Build Rapport and Trust with Clients and Customers.
Join hosts Somnath Sikdar and David M Frees for the first episode of a five part series: Building Attention and Awareness, Understanding the Client Customer Life Cycle.
Join hosts Somnath Sikdar and David M Frees for the first part of a five part series on understanding the client customer life cycle.
Meetings (in organizations, businesses or even in professional practices and families) are a powerful tool to clarify goals, determine a course of action, and to implement and monitor implementation. They are, however, widely misunderstood, misused, and are incredible opportunities squandered.
Like anyone who’s been in business for more than a few weeks, you’ve almost certainly experienced the pain and frustration of poorly run meetings. In fact, I’ve been in and run more than my fair share of disappointment or ineffective meetings. But, through time, and by paying attention to what really works (and what’s supported by real data and experience) I’ve become better.
So, I’ll share a few of the best practices, strategies and tactics so that you can skip the long trial and error phase and go right to getting the most out of meetings in every possible dimension ranging from better morale, to faster and better implementation, to higher levels of profit, and client, customer and patient satisfaction and ultimately…referrals.
So what are the most common problems? Meeting that never end, meetings that waste time and fail to achieve any results, meetings that lack focus and kill morale.
You’ve probably experienced all of these. And the data supports your memory/perceptions.
Wow! Whether you are organizing meetings or simply attending them, you owe it to yourself to become more effective at this professional skill. Just imagine the gains you will achieve if you become 1% or 5% better at meetings over time. See http://projectmanagementhacks.com/meeting-tips/
So what’s the cure? How do we go from running uninteresting and perhaps even damaging meetings to a system that produces calculated, consisten, energizing results?
Never host, facilitate or attend a meeting without clarifying what needs to happen at the strategic and tactical level.
Having a clearly defined and written purpose and a list of the intended and needed results of the meeting (prioritized) will definitely change the tone and flow for the better.
This can, however, also cause you to close your mind to other alternatives, suggestions, and data from other participants.
Solutions? I always make sure that there are reminders in my copy of the agenda to seek input from others and to allow for the fact that they may have more and better data than I do.
Along the same lines…
Vague ideas and intentions to have a discussion on a topic rarely end on a productive note followed by specific actions and desired results. The meeting agenda is really the key to clarifying your thoughts AND to getting others to prepare in advance.
If you are just getting started with agendas, start with a point form list of topics to be discussed and make sure that material is provided to attendees at least one day before the meeting.
For better results, provide background information on the agenda items and specially what is desired and what kind of data, ideas, and information will be useful and what goals have been established for the meeting so that everyone attending has the same information.
What about when you are asked to attend a meeting without an agenda? Ask, “Can you please send me an agenda for the meeting so that I can prepare?”
Pro Tip: For frequently held meetings such as a weekly status meeting on a project, you can save time by creating a meeting agenda template. Once you have that in place, preparing an agenda becomes a matter of taking time to clarify your specific objectives for THAT meeting and then filling in the blanks.
The people in the meeting room make or break your effectiveness. I have been in MANY meetings where the key person – a manager or executive – is not present. As a result, no significant decisions can be made.
For Meeting Organizers: limit the number of people attending the meeting. The purpose of meetings is to make decisions and get work done in service of a specific strategic or tactical goal. For the most part, meetings are not the best way to simply share information (exception: meetings are helpful to share sensitive information or information that can be emotionally charged and best not shared by email).
For Meeting Attendees: read the attendee list before you walk into the room. Do you see any unfamiliar names? If so, consider Goggling outside attendees or when it comes to “insiders” looking them up in your organization’s directory (or on LinkedIn). Surprises are not your friend when it comes to meetings.
Watching the clock is important in an effective meeting. When nobody takes charge of managing time, it is easy to become careless and unfocused. Remember – when people attend a meeting they cannot do anything else. Make the time count!
For Meeting Organizers: starting the meeting on time and ending on time (or a few minutes early!) will quickly enhance your reputation as an organized person. If you are running a large or complex meeting, consider asking a colleague to serve as time keeper. If managing meetings to the clock is challenging for you, the parking lot habit (see #4 below) will be a game changer!
For Meeting Attendees: start by arriving early at the meeting (I suggest 5 minutes for in person meetings and 1-2 meetings for conference calls). That means avoiding back to back committments on your calendar whenever possible.
The Think Tank method is a way to keep the meeting focused without offending participants (and keeping them engaged) with good ideas or information that are not on point. It captures ideas to be added to another meeting or Think Tank process without defeating the original purpose of the meeting at hand.
This process, when used correctly, can really perform two useful functions. First, it serves to keep the meeting focused on the stated agenda. Second, acknowledges (and captures) important points, ideas, and information raised by attendees.
Warning: The Think Tank must be combined with careful and systematic follow up if you wish to be truly effective and for participants to feel that they are being heard and influential. Otherwise, you are likely to gain a reputation for simply making a show of acknowledging other people. Finally, by failing to follow up you or your organization or team may be missing out on exceptional ideas.
Pro Tip: As a meeting organizer, here are a few steps to use the Think Tank concept.
When a major bill comes to a vote on the floor of the house or senate, the party or bill sponsors try to know in advance what the vote will be. They reach out to influential members to get their vote and to reach out to others.
You should be doing the same when you know that a major decision (related to funding, budgets, personnel) will be made at a meeting.
Serious decisions like this require building a habit of reaching out to others in advance of the meeting. In essence, you communicate with people one-on-one before the meeting about the decision before the meeting occurs. While time consuming, this approach increases your chances of success (and avoids surprises other meeting attendees). It allows you to determine what needs to happen at the meeting in order for the desired result to be more certain.
Pro Tip: For an extended discussion of the “pre-wire” or counting the votes concept, listen to the Manager Tools podcast: How to Prewire a Meeting.
Taking notes in meetings is an essential skill and there is quite a bit of science that supports doing it by hand rather than on a computer. There are a number of reasons to do it including: capture of ideas, creating a record of action items and who will do them, capturing questions that need to be answered or assignments that require follow up by you or another person as well as a timeline of such actions.
All are vital so let’s consider how attendees and organizers can act on notes.
As noted, take notes in a paper notebook (e.g. a Moleskine notebook or something similar) rather than using a computer, tablet or other device. Even if you have fantastic abilities to focus on the meeting, other people may assume that you are “catching up on email” instead of paying attention to the meeting if you take notes on a computer.
Taking notes for Meeting Organizers: if you plan to send minutes or a summary of the meeting to attendees, say this at the start of the meeting and explain what you will include. Sending out meeting minutes, even a few paragraphs or bullet points, is a best practice. Have another person backing you up or record the meeting as you’ll have a number of responsibilities and you don’t want to miss anything. Remember, however, that recording can have a chilling effect unless it’s been established as part of the process.
Taking notes for Meeting Attendees: bring a copy of the agenda and use that document to guide your note taking. Focus on the decisions made in the meeting and items that require further investigation or action on your part.
The art and science of follow up is a vital business and professional habit generally and with respect to meetings is essential. When it comes to meeting tips, following up in a timely basis is a great way to manage stress and make a good impression on others.
It’s also desirable to make it a system and habit.
A best practice is to use the agenda with bulleted notes to follow up be email on the same day. However, (and specifically when ideas and information are put into the “think tank” and are on hold) phone or in person follow up might be desirable.
Join Our Hosts Dave and Somnath Sikdar as we discuss: How to get more and better referrals, even when you don't like to ask.
Why do you want and need referrals?
Every business or professional practice thrives when it gets referrals from existing clients, customers, and patients.
Why?
They come to you with a higher level of trust inherited from the fact that you were “referred.”
That trust means that the sale and transaction costs less and is on a faster track.
Clients who are referred are 25- 50% more likely to engage and but and are, when treated right, also more likely to refer.
Referral is so powerful and valuable, that it cannot be ignored but many businesses and professionals are dubious and are often afraid to ask for referral.
So, we have put together a number of ways to trigger referral even when you hate to ask.
Better yet, when you take a few hours to carefully get to know your very best clients, customers and patients, you’ll also be building a resource of knowing specifically who your existing customers should refer to you and your profitability and productivity Not to mention morale will soar.
So, here are 15 (or more) ways to get more AND better/more profitable and enjoyable referrals (as you go prioritize them in the order in which you’re most likely to implement):
You can also rotate small gifts such as a notebook, book, or cupcakes from https://www.wickedgoodcupcakes.com.
3. If you have clients, customers or patients who don't refer, create another way for them to recommend you (e.g., report, case study, testimonials). I call these referral tools. Make it something that they’re delighted to share. I often say “If you know anyone else who has this problem or needs this solution here’s a resource that you can share with them.”
4. Make sure your current clients know about all the products and services you offer and how you help so they can either refer within their company or to others they know. Too often sellers assume their clients know more about them than they do.
5. Add a link to a form on your website for referral submissions.
6. Stay in touch. The more often you’re in touch and giving them great content and resources, the more likely you are to be top of mind.
7. Be remarkable; remind clients why your company is special. Give them something (good) to talk about. A few times a year we meet just to ask the question how could we “show up” in an extraordinary and memorable way? When someone has an extraordinary experience they tend to share it.
8. Inspire confidence and remove the risk. It's risky referring someone—what if it's not successful? The more you can inspire confidence and trust in your referral sources by letting them know that 90% (or whatever) of your business comes from repeat customers/clients and patients.
9. Offer a referral commission. This may or may not be legal or ethical depending on your business or profession but consider it.
10. Provide valuable content your referral sources can share with their network—an invitation to a breakfast or lunch seminar or webinar on an industry topic, research briefs, an article about a regulatory change or industry trend, etc. Make it something special for them to share.
11. Treat the vendors and suppliers with which you do business as partners. Make sure they're aware of who and how you help.
12. Create a list of buyers you want to work with. Check out their LinkedIn profiles to see whether you're connected in any way. If so, reach out to them via your network—whether it's an individual, a company, or a group.
13. Treat your team members and clients as partners, too. Let them know you view them as a strategic partner, and tell them you hope they'll do the same with you. Create formal channels to share referrals.
14. Give a referral. It's one of the best ways to get one in return.
Join hosts Somnath Sikdar and David M Frees at Fines Herbes Malvern with Producer Leslie as we learn about how to prep your garden to be In Top Form all season long.
Producer Leslie discusses what seeds to start when, what cuttings to do now, and how to prep your garden beds to have the best growing season yet.
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