A solution for the Christmas client slump...BYOB

blog 2019
Written By Andrew Ford

As a consultant and small business owner, I love a good referral. (thanks to all those who send them to me and keep them coming!)

Referrals become clients 50% of the time, cost virtually nothing and you don't have to do loads of social media to get them, so it's a great business to get. The only issue is they are inconsistent, so if you are not consistent with your networking and branding they dry up.

This especially hits hard after a long holiday over Christmas when you take a break and suddenly the start to the new year isn't a full of appointments as you would like. 

Pondering this issue for myself and my clients this year I recognised that there needs to be a way to have more consistent referrals without all the hassle of a massive social media campaign.

There are two parts to the solution: a quality online brand (for referrals to check out your credibility) and a network of referring partners (to give you the referral). 

At Social Star, we already provide the online branding advice. So I went looking for some networking groups. What I discovered is that most are very formal, cost quite a bit to join, very structured in the way they do referrals and not much fun! 

My version of a referral partner is someone I like hanging out with socially, they know what I do and my target market. They get to know me well and over time establish trust in my business, so I get their referrals. Basically, if I enjoy having a beer with them and we are like minded, it's a match. 

Thus, with my team, we created BYOB Social Club. An addition to the Social Star business to enable my friends, clients and partners to make new business connections in the old fashion way - face to face! Strange coming from a digital dude like myself, but I believe this is the trend for 2019. Not more pushing on social media.

So if a club that focusses on business people getting together socially to talk business, get some support, test your ideas and new pitches and generate a few referrals, then check us out!

www.byobsocialclub.com.au

I would love feedback on the concept as it's brand spanking new and we are open to good ideas!

Cheers Andrew

Andrew Ford
Marketing expert Andrew Ford, the founder of Social Star, has discovered the secret of ‘Powerful Branding’. With a fire for unleashing people’s inner brand and developing business models to generate profit from an individual’s passions, Andrew leverages ground-breaking digital and social media marketing techniques to create digital strategies for clients to attract maximum opportunities. Having established a strong name for himself in the field, Andrew blends traditional business techniques with now-necessary tools for entrepreneurs to achieve scale, quality, and influence in their niche. Andrew’s comprehensive business background and qualifications consist of a Bachelor of Business (Marketing) (RMIT 2003), a Graduate Certificate in Management (MBA Executive Program, University of Sydney 2005), and a Masters of Entrepreneurship and Innovation (Swinburne University 2011). Continually on the cutting edge of his own education, Andrew has tested his marketing theories in forums such as the BCG Business Strategy Competition, which he won in 2005 against all Victorian MBA schools, and the Venture Cup Business Plan Competition (Swinburne University 2003), which he won in the Masters category. With experience working at Hewlett-Packard, Sensis (Telstra) and IBM, Andrew also has mentored dozens of junior staffs to help them achieve their professional goals. Meeting and influencing high-profile public figures helped Andrew to realise just how many professionals require more understanding and control of their public brands or appearance, and need help with the skills to use the many amazing free tools at their disposal to generate success. At Social Star, Andrew consults with clients to uncover their personal brand – both where it is today and where it can be tomorrow – and refine and define how that should be displayed in social media in order to attract their perfect target audience. Andrew mentors his clients to rapidly grow their business’ audiences, resulting in larger potential client bases and higher revenue. Applying formulas that integrate over twenty years of Andrew’s business experience and fifteen years of formal business education, Social Star specialises in building clarity and velocity for clients’ brands using the ‘Understand, Build and Leverage’ methodology. ‘Having a Personal Business enables people to have an authentic, congruent connection with their valued clients and partners, using their brand as the bridge,’ says Andrew. ‘I’m highly driven to work with the new breed of entrepreneurs and small business owners – people who have a passion for making the world a better place. Traditional business models are stepping aside as people follow their innermost dreams and my role is to see them operate within their values while creating wealth. Some people think you have to sacrifice what you love to be successful in your business, yet it is actually the opposite. Follow your passion and success will come.’ Lecturing at Swinburne University from 2009 to 2011 on brand dynamics and digital marketing, presenting at numerous conferences, and consulting to hundreds of clients, Andrew has seen his philosophy work that if you follow your unique path, based on your skills, experience, values and goals, you will automatically attract the opportunities you desire and achieve the success you deserve. Living his mantra, Andrew has created a successful business and attracts high-profile clients including musicians, athletes, authors, models, entrepreneurs, professionals and small business owners, helping them find their ‘why’ in their business and fulfilment in their lives. Business for Andrew is more than work, it’s personal. Running a personal business means that he is able to fulfil all of his values rather than separating his life from work. It supports his two boys while providing social opportunities, educational development, fitness opportunities, spiritual fulfilment and many valuable friendships. Social Star has now become the vehicle for Andrew to crystallise his mission in the world, to help people love what they do, supporting his ‘why’, that if more people loved what they did, the world would be a better place.
http://www.andrewford.com.au/
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