Part time jobs which paid squat, led me to thousands of dollars.

[Millard Grubb]

Originally Posted by GordonJ

The SECRET, espoused by every known marketing guru ever...is REFERRALS.

J. Abe. called them hidden assets. D. Kenn. had them as secrets, etc., etc., etc., etc., and on and on and on.

Your SATISFIED customers are the absolute, no argument, hands down, undisputed BEST source of new business.

I'm glad you share that. One note, and this goes back some time when Bob Blagg was writing his JUST ONE IDEA report, I encouraged him to include the exact example, and he did. Sales letters, all the things he would send out to prospects.

We may KNOW that referrals contain a big solution for new business, THE HOW TO GET THEM, and the ways and means, including letters, emails, scripts, etc. would fetch some nice coin in the market.

HOW do I ask my customers for referrals, how to do it in such a way that makes it comfortable, easy, and non threatening?

And I believe this will be an Evergreen product for as long as ever is green.

Thanks for sharing.

Gordon



In answer to your question on having to get gigs fast....

First, I'd contact everyone I did a show for and ask for referrals, giving them a FREE show for every referral that turned into a show. This isn't a risk for me because I know that every show I perform turns into at LEAST 4 other shows throughout the year.

Second, if I have to use social media, I would use copy that sold my shows and see if I could book some shows that way.

Thirdly, still using social media, I would offer a FREE show, with directions to contact me for information. I would make sure that the school getting the FREE show would allow me to mail a snail mail letter to all their friends at other schools AFTER I gave them a great show.

I may have mentioned this before, I did the exact thing with a pre-school director and booked an ENTIRE summer of shows this way.

No reason that a variation of this couldn't work today.

Perhaps someone could offer to do a FREE analysis of a business and then ask for 3 referrals. I seem to remember Paddi Lund, the highly successful Australian dentist, asked for 3 referrals BEFORE he actually started work on a patient.

[/quote]

Thanks Gordon for the kind words.

Most of us who've been around awhile, remember Jay Abraham offering to work for free as long as he got a tremendous referral after a job well done. (BTW, if anyone has a copy of that ad or knows where it is located, I'd sure like to look at it again.)

Jay sent out a very colorful folder out to his list (I have still got it) that proclaimed that if you took Jay's advice you could make money from virtually any business in town. This folder, along with it's contents was very pricey to make... and sold a very expensive seminar... I think this was the $15,000 seminar Jay produced.

In any case, I have always liked the idea of doing something very impactful for free or a very low cost to get people interested in my offer.

There has got to be a way that a person could do this in person. I realize that Jay created his little "Billion Dollar Man" booklet as a substitute for a business card, and Glenn Osborn had his newsletter that helped book clients from an Abraham seminar in the back of the room.

I would think the idea that I mentioned in another post about a "Hotsheet" per Gordon would be the ticket.... Now, just need to figure out what to put on it that gets potential clients excited enough to give me a call.

What might work is some great information with a link to a page that offers a free report as long as they give their email address. HOWEVER, I don't want the slop and mess....so.... offering a free analysis or consult with NO strings (I just tell them what should be done... not how to do it) is probably the right call.

Just put my number, since I will limit who gets this by the fact I am giving it away personally.

[aquablue21]

Originally Posted by cash4notess

That missing link Gordon is what the so called IM Gurus won't share (if they even know) with their entry courses. Gotta attend the 10k Mastermind Workshop for that.

I for one am all EARS.

These forums provide support and training to businesses and organizations by sharing insights on effective practices with a broader range of employers

[cash4notes]

Originally Posted by GordonJ

As I rock away...

Part time work. I've had scores of them. Today, I focus on the why of a few of them.

Companies I worked for include the Akron Auto Auction, Adesa Auto Auction, and American Auto Drive...a fun one.

If you've ever been to an auto auction, they pull the cars in every few minutes and the bidding is fast and furious, and over fast, car leaves, next one in.

I was one of the guys driving those cars. Did that at both auction houses, only like once a week, but the reason wasn't for the wonderful minimum wage...but to get a first peek, a look at what was up for auction that week. So my brother and I had a plan.

In addition to the on site driving during auction day, at Akron Auto, I also was part of a fleet team. We loaded a van up with 10 to 12 guys, drove to NY, NJ area and each driver was dropped off at a car to bring back to Akron. These cars were part of a fleet leasing program. For example, maybe a company like
Progressive had leased a fleet for it's New York sales force, and the lease was up.

So whichever auction house they worked with, would recover these and drive them back. It was cheaper than trying to bring them to one locale and put on trucks, that was very expensive.

Again, the pay wasn't the thing, it was because we knew fleets were well maintained, and even with 200k on the car, minimum parts and replacements and they went at auction for well under blue book.

My most exciting job as a driver, I drove a Pontiac Trans Am like the one in Smoky and the Bandit, from LA to NYC in 3 days, no speed records, of course, but there were times I let it all out.

I actually did that several times when I was young, stupid and traveling.

I liked to drive back then.

Anyhow, as I rock back to nostalgia times...my point was/is...part time gigs, even at minimum wage can give you insights and education into industries, nothing like being an INSIDER.

So, we flipped cars for several years, and I adhere to the principle I wrote about in Sprint to Freedom...buy over there, sell over here. Even the big Auto Auctions use the same principle. Just an opinion, everyone should flip at least one or two cars a year, and it is dirt simple too...BIG DEMAND, and unlimited (mostly) supply. Some very rich guys in USA happen to be auto dealers.

Speaking of driving, other jobs I've had: Driving instructor for SEARS E-Z METHOD, specializing in teens and old people (cause they were the hardest and no one else wanted them).

Jewelry courier. In fact, courier in general, worked for 3 different courier companies, amazing what needs to be taken down the road NOW!

I had a friend work in a Wendy's part-time for a year, THEN, he became a manager, regional and then a co-owner, and part of business that had scores of fast food chains under their roof. From minimum wage, to 100k a year.

So, if you have an interest in anything, consider working in that area to see the inner workings.

If I were younger, I'd be in TESLA, learning all I could.

Gordon

Was selling 5 cars a year before the spike in used cars. In my state 5 is the limit before you have to have a dealer license.

[GordonJ]

Originally Posted by cash4notes

Was selling 5 cars a year before the spike in used cars. In my state 5 is the limit before you have to have a dealer license.

It was the same in OH, not sure today...but, consider the idea, of only a 1k flip on those 5, or 5 thousand dollars to work with.

On any given day, 10,001 Internet Marketers claim we can turn pennies into dollars with their programs. OK.

But 5 k can buy everything you need for an IM business, if one chooses the right one.

So, how many CATS or TRACTORS can you flip in your state? When Bill Myers wrote about the Kubota, BACK in the early 21st century, I made a haul, buying over there and selling over here. My Brother having a flatbed car hauler helped of course.

All kinds of things, but CARS, should be at least a couple a year, just to stay sharp and make fast bux.

Gordon