Referral Marketing | Renewable Referrals - Foreword

During the past five years or so I’ve been in the unique position of watching the six authors of this book join my Duct Tape Marketing Consultant network. Each joined at a different time and eventually formed what I believe is a brilliant demonstration of what it means to have strategic partners. This group originally came together as part of a peer-to-peer workshop. Who would think this group of marketing consultants would continue to meet weekly for over a year since then? They regularly collaborate on projects, share knowledge and become a source of referrals for each other. Despite the fact that each of them is a marketing consultant, they do not see themselves as competing and their spirit of community is evident by the consistent results they achieve as a group. I’m proud to see members of my Consultant network working together so closely and reaping the biggest benefit of what it means to be part of the Duct Tape Marketing network: our community.

After reading Renewable Referrals, I’m pleased to see how they took the concept of strategic partnering for referrals and dove in providing the reader with a plan, practical advice and examples. This group, in its own weekly practice, has become its own internal referral network-- demonstrating the power of ‘word of mouth’ as they continue to refer and collaborate successfully. Most people would hesitate or avoid working in a group within their own industry and yet these six marketing consultants: Dawn, Debbie, Jeff, Kelly, Ray and Rosie embrace it. They would even tell you that it is actually a strength to have members at different levels of experience and skill sets. One person will learn a new tool or tactic and share it with the rest. Sometimes this shortens the learning curve or causes one of them to pivot to something completely different. It’s evident that they support each other in all aspects to continuously become better consultants and business owners.

At last year’s Annual Duct Tape Marketing Consultant Gathering, two of the authors committed to write a book as an action step in 2014. Little did they know at the time that it would end up being a shared vision for the members of their weekly group. As the author of multiple books, I can tell you that writing is no small venture, so I am happy to see these consultants pool their resources to work on this project together and get it completed.

What I enjoyed most about this book is the practical approach it takes towards strategic partnering for referrals. While my own book “The Referral Engine” gave readers a full framework for referral marketing, this book focuses on one of the most consistent sources of work, which is partnering. In the spirit of the Duct Tape Marketing brand, this book is about the practical nuts and bolts of creating that plan and provides a road map for creating those strategic relationships. Renewable Referrals takes a systematic approach to referrals and breaks it down into actionable pieces that will repeatedly produce consistent results year after year.

I am excited to see this tangible result of what these six individual consultants created collectively. Alone they have different talents and strengths, yet together they stand shoulder to shoulder to share some authentic advice about how to go about growing your business. Renewable Referrals provides those simple steps to creating the most powerful referral network possible. My hope is that you take what you learn from these pages and start acting on a plan to begin as soon as you read the last words.

About John Jantsch