The Referral Engine

Teaching Your Business to Market Itself

By: John Jantsch

Narrated by: John Jantsch

Length: 6 hrs and 49 mins

Publisher's summary

The small business guru behind Duct Tape Marketing shares his most valuable lesson: how to get your customers to do your best marketing for you.

The power of glitzy advertising and elaborate marketing campaigns is on the wane; word- of-mouth referrals are what drive business today. People trust the recommendation of a friend, family member, colleague, or even stranger with similar tastes over anything thrust at them by a faceless company.

Most business owners believe that whether customers refer them is entirely out of their hands. But science shows that people can't help recommending products and services to their friends - it's an instinct wired deep in the brain. And smart businesses can tap into that hardwired desire.

Marketing expert John Jantsch offers practical techniques for harnessing the power of referrals to ensure a steady flow of new customers. Some of Jantsch's strategies include:

• Talk with your customers, not at them. Thanks to social networking sites, companies of any size have the opportunity to engage with their customers on their home turf as never before-but the key is listening.
• The sales team is the most important part of your marketing team. Salespeople are the company's main link to customers, who are the main source of referrals. Getting them on board with your referral strategy is critical.
• Educate your customers. Referrals are only helpful if they're given to the right people. Educate your customers about whom they should be talking to.

The secret to generating referrals lies in understanding the "Customer Referral Cycle". Businesses can ensure a healthy referral cycle by moving customers and prospects along the path of Know, Like, Trust, Try, Buy, Repeat, and Refer. If everyone in an organization keeps this sequence in mind, Jantsch argues, your business will generate referrals like a well-oiled machine.

©2010 John Jantsch (P)2010 Gildan

Learned a Lot from this book

Would you listen to The Referral Engine again? Why?

Yes, especially the last chapters; where many useful tactics are given

Who was your favorite character and why?

Last Chapters, very informative

Which character – as performed by John Jantsch – was your favorite?

Last Chapters, very informative

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

The secrets formula of Word of Mouth

Any additional comments?

Advised all my friends to buy it, and they were thankful

Okay, but nothing that felt unique

It felt too much like a bunch of random thoughts or Tweetable case studies. There wasn't much strategy, or technique, just a bunch of tactics that may or may not work depending on if you've figured out everything else you'd need to make them stick.

So good I bought the book

This book has a wealth of information for the person running there own business. If you have been in business for any lenght of time you have learned that getting referrals is the one the best business building tools there is and this book give your a wealth of great ideas, from very specific to the basic idea that you need a business that people will talk about. You can have a good business, do everything that you are supposed to but if you don't have a little flair in your business your not giving people a reason to talk about you. This book was such a good listen that I went out and got the paper book for reference. Don't get me wrong, the audio will get you inspired, but going back to the book for reference is also valuable. All in all this book has changed the way I think about my business.

I've read better

I thought the book had to much pchyco-babble and not enough advice on showing you how to acually get it done. It still leaves you to pretty much figure out the tactics and stratagies on getting referal marketing rolling on your own.

Very valuable book

This book exceeded by far my expectations! I am a young entrepreneur trying to grow a 50+ year old family business. I hung onto every word of the author, taking detailed notes every step of the way. I started implementing the tactics suggested and know that we will find great success with the important information shared in this book.

I highly recommend this book to any entrepreneur to consider the powerful impact these concepts may have on their business once properly applied.

Awesome strategies for referral business

When you do your best everyday it results in a job well done. when you do your job well customer are happy. Then it's great to have the referral engine strategy as some of the most enjoyable accounts to work on are the ones that already know you have a great company and are excited to work with you.

Lots of info -- not a bunch of fluff!

What did you love best about The Referral Engine?

He gave lots of solid ideas for generating referrals and marketing one's business in general.

Have you listened to any of John Jantsch’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

No.

Any additional comments?

Now I want to purchase the print version because it is too hard to remember all the ideas when you're driving around in your car. I am going to listen to it a second time through very soon. I do have to say that it is a good marketing book in general, and not always necessarily related to referrals, but very good nonetheless.

Amazingly Helpful

I loved this book so much that I am also buying a print copy that I can mark up! I am developing iPad presentations for myself and other Real Estate agents and much of our business is referral. This books helps line up how to stand out so that you will get referred- I can't wait to put it into practice.

May i be the 1st Referral!!

What an amazing Book!! i believe everyone should read this!! I am in the Insurance Industry in Greece and the story the author has included concerning the Insurance industry in the beginning of the book fit my experience so far!! so i decided to change this and try what he suggests!! will keep you informed on the results!!keep up the great work!! will be referring this book often!!

great book

A great book with some key ideas we have forgotten as well as some to try which will help build referral business.