Loyalty In Today's World

What Does Loyalty Look Like?

I am going to say some things here that some people are not going to like. I am sure they will send me comments about how their circumstances are different. This is a huge subject and I am not sure I can do it justice in a few paragraphs, but it is a topic that has been of great interest to me for a long time.

Dogs are Loyal2U
even when you are undeserving
of loyalty...

To me it seems to be a funny world when people don’t know what loyalty looks like. I think it used to be more common. When a person got married 100 years ago, they usually stayed married to the same person for the rest of their lives. It took a death or a disaster of some kind to make people deviate from their marital course. I have read stories from the Victorian era about men who cheated on their wives and they used the rational that they were protecting their wives from the burden of additional child bearing or the suffering of sex. I am not saying they were right, but even when they cheated they had more loyalty than we see nowadays.

When I was a Pastor I did a lot of reading about a movement in Columbia and Argentina where hundreds of thousands of people were joining a church group. The common motivating factor was loyalty to a leader. Several evangelists here in Canada tried to adopt the model to bring on growth and overall it failed miserably. What was missing? Loyalty. The average Canadian would say they are loyal but in reality they don’t even understand the concept. Somewhere along the road we learned from McDonalds that things can be thrown away. We stopped valuing stuff and we also stopped valuing people. Relationships could be replaced. Leadership became a dirty word and people were afraid of domination. We forgot how to be loyal in a positive way.

Loyalty is faithfulness or a devotion to a person, country, group, or cause. Sounds simple enough but in practice, not so easy. These days we question everything. Questioning is not such a bad thing, it helps us to understand, but it has come to the point where many are rebellious against every form of authority. Sure we all want to be free, but even in freedom somebody with authority is keeping the peace. Without any loyalty to a cause, or a system, or a leader, there is anarchy. There is nothing to hold the fabric of society together any more.

If we can’t tell how loyalty looks in relationships or in a cause then we certainly don’t know it in business either. Once I had a businessman invite me to talk about the kinds of social media marketing that my company Loyal2U does. We had a good conversation for over an hour and he invited me back later in the week saying that he would like to add our services to his offering and white label it. He suggested a partnership of sorts where we would each profit from the enterprise. On the next visit to his office however, I overheard him telling a client that his company would use our marketing technique and he offered it to them for a third of our price. There was a flyer on his desk with the language taken right from our website. My impression of this man was that he is a snake oil salesman. The main flaw being: He lacks loyalty.

Another gentlemen asked me for coffee one day and then wanted to know how business was going. He asked a few questions and then told me about the real reason for his inquiry. He wanted me to forfeit all of my hard work and my relationships to join him with a competitor. I have watched that individual jump from job to job, and business opportunity to business opportunity many times over the last few years. What is the real problem? He lacks loyalty.

If you have ever taken part in training with a good network marketing company they usually try to train people on loyalty. They tell their members not to poach the recruits of other members. They teach the members to honor each other and to say good things about one another, and to lift up the leadership. It is a funny thing that this needs to be taught, but it does. I was at a meeting with a reputable company only months ago when a friend that I was with noticed a mutual acquaintance of ours came in with another person we did not know. She leaned over to me and said, “Kerry, you should go get that gal on your team before they sign up with that guy.” I was shocked. I told her that would be really improper, but the point is it smarts of a lack of loyalty. If I had done that, I would be teaching everyone who seen it that poaching is fine. It is not fine. It is without integrity. It smarts of a lack of loyalty.

What Does A Lack Of Loyalty Look Like?

• You don’t like the discomfort of living with others so you can all work together to gain a better lifestyle or buy new homes for each family member. This is something we see immigrants doing, but we would never do. 
• Your young adult child is selling vacuum cleaners and you buy a vacuum cleaner from a stranger at the door instead of supporting your own child.
• Your grown child has financial struggles and needs a hand but you let them land on the street even though you are in a position to help.
• Your brother opens a gas station and you drive across town to avoid buying there.
• Your sister-in-law joins a multi-level business and you take great joy in stealing her dream by telling her how she is going to fail. No matter what she sells, you would buy it anywhere but from her.
• Talking about someone that you are supposed to love in a negative way when they are not present, or even when they are present. That is not only a lack of devotion but spiteful as well.
• No desire to look after the needs of one’s child, mother, brother, sister or relative. No pre-planning for the future.
• You have no respect for your manager at work and go over their head to tell on them. You are an adult tattle tail…

Have you ever watched the Godfather? I am not saying we should cut the heads off of horses or shoot people who disagree with us, but the Godfather had one thing right. He was loyal to a fault. He taught his family to be loyal to each other and to have each other’s back. They could count on one another to be in their corner, even when they were wrong and no matter what the cost was. They didn’t throw each other under the bus to avoid personal repercussions and they all ate together regularly even when there were family tensions.

What Does Loyalty In Business Look Like?

I have a couple of businesses so let me explain what loyalty looks like to me from that perspective. Loyal2U is a marketing company. So if have a client we are a defender of that brand. We write content for the business as though we are them. We try to understand their heart, their values and their culture and we create the message accordingly. We make sure the client sees the content and signs off on it before it goes live. We watch the responses on social media and report back promptly with both negative and positive comments. We make your clients more Loyal2U so they buy again and again.

The CIBN is a chain of networking referral clubs and we also offer educational events and mastermind sessions. We do business with the people who do business with us. People contact us every week wanting us to promote them for free. They don’t want to pay us for a membership and they have no loyalty to any member of our clubs. We on the other hand look for ways to add value to our members lives and businesses. We work tirelessly to add programs that are of benefit to our members. If we need a service we get it from one of our members. If we need a product we look at our members first. We give leads and referrals. We teach our members how to give leads and referrals. We try every day to create win/win situations and build strong and valuable relationships. We are loyal to our members and sponsors and we encourage them to be loyal to each other as well.

So is loyalty important in your business? Is it important to you in your life? What does that look like to you?

Sincerely and always,

Loyal2U

Kerry

Networking For New Business

Networking Is Key To Getting New Business

Networking was the single activity outside of marketing that blew doors open, brought us new clients, and increased our influence as well as our bottom line. We went to all kinds of networking events and we learned that none are better than others. All work, it is just that some work differently from others. In meetings where only four people showed up we wrote two major sales. At beer and wings events we met many people and they were added to our vortex immediately by connecting with them on LinkedIn. We began to love weekly referral meetings and learned to engage the whole group to become our own sales force. It was enjoyable and it was fruitful. It was a powerful tool when we met people online and then met them at a networking meeting and then again at a coffee shop.

Marketing Or Networking?

I am always baffled by those who ask me if they should spend their money on marketing or networking? That is like saying should I drink liquids or breath? Both are essential to life. I can't imagine trying to hang onto one while forsaking the other! Why would you choose?

Marketing must happen. It is the support behind the scenes for all other sales efforts. These days people look you up on Google so you better be there and be there a lot! Marketing produces all of the things that people see when you meet them through networking. What they find out about you online may determine why they decide to do business with you and it is the basis by which they compare you to your competitors. However, you can't make sales if you don't know anyone. Who you know is important. How well they know you is important. How they feel about you is important.

Networking Is About Relationships

Relationships are the main factor in networking. Some people get excited that they know someone famous online, but the real value comes with those we meet and really network with. An online relationship only goes so far. Some people put great value on their distance communication list and there is some merit in it, but don’t let the fact that Arnold Schwarzenegger talks to you on LinkedIn deceive you into thinking you are somebody big locally. That is not the only basket you need eggs in. Who you know right here, right now, and how they feel about you is more important if you are a local business person.

Make friends. Play nice in the sandbox. Lean the rules of engagement because there are rules of engagement whether you realize it or not. If you want to succeed fast you need to know how to play the game. Giving is best. When in doubt give some more. Give time. Give value. Give referrals. Give yourself. Buy drinks. Hand out gifts. Shake hands. Look people in the eye. Smile. Give some more. This is how one builds relationships that matter.

You will make mistakes. You will inadvertently insult someone. Go apologize. Give that too. These are all lessons of networking and building relationships. You are a real networker when you have 200 people or more that you could call on the phone and say “Hey, I’m having a party” and they don’t ask “Who is this?” They just ask what they can bring. People want to be around a networker. They like others who invest in relationships.

Real networkers don’t just invite people to come to their deal. They can be successful inviting because they were already out attending. They went to the events, the private parties, the coffee meetings, the birthday gatherings, the Stampede Pancake Breakfast and the celebrations. They are widely connected because they left their office. There is a lot of work that goes in behind the scenes for next overnight sensation.

We made networking a lifestyle and it has significantly increased our bottom line. Bob Francis, Zechariah James and myself go to our own events, to others events, and we take in personal events. We plan them into our schedules, we coordinate with each other where we are going and who will cover which event. As a result we are writing larger business deals every month. We are becoming connectors who connect others to the people and things they need and we are teaching those valuable networking skills to our members at the CIBN as well.

Networking will help you to succeed faster and it brings you new business!

Marketing Makes A Difference

Marketing can’t wait until your product is ready to go to market. That is too late. At that point you NEED sales and a needy sales person can’t sell very well. The pressure is too great. So marketing has to start early.

It is wonderful if you have the money to get a nice fat marketing package, build a brand, get everything perfect and then start a systematic approach but the reality is most small business owners don't start that way. Most start with a skill or an idea. They get busy doing and then they find some customers and then when they realize they have something that sells they look around and consider that they want a bigger piece of the pie. Now they think of marketing. Sometimes it is too far into the process and they are already in financial trouble. Or perhaps they have a large client so they don't think there is a need to spend the money, but marketing is essential to ongoing success. It needs to start right away, it needs to continue when times are good, and it needs to already driving business towards you when that one big client does a sudden exit.

Marketing Does Not Have To Be Expensive

I had no money at all three years ago, but fortunately I had some social media skills that others did not have yet. I used these skills on my own business as well as for clients and that got the ball rolling. I could not afford radio, TV, newspaper so there simply was no dispute about where to spend marketing dollars. That proved to be a good thing because while others were debating the merits of social media I had no choice but to put my all into it and fortunately it worked magically. We became our own best customer. We drank our own koolaid. Later when Loyal2U would sell our services we could say with confidence that Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn when used properly will get your phone ringing. The fact that we were still in business was proof positive. If it did not work we would have been in the 80% that had failed. We only used social media marketing. We never used anything else.

Social Media Marketing Is Effective

Later when I began growing the Calgary Business Network and then the Canadian Imperial Business Network we hired Loyal2U to do our marketing. For the networks we continued to only use social media marketing. Our phone rings every week, many times a week. When they call, they are looking to attend a meeting or buy a membership on the spot. The marketing works.

We used to have to prove that it works every day to every potential client. Now more and more people are hearing success stories and social media marketing is becoming more accepted as a viable marketing option. While some are still ingrained in archaic methods, most forward moving companies have at least the basics in place.

Marketing Can Be Integrated Across Multiple Platforms

Many of the Loyal2U clients came to us already using magazine articles, radio, web design and promotional events. We learned exciting ways to integrate their marketing with the online work that we were doing through social media, blogging and YouTube.

Marketing also included having business cards, brochures, sales support pieces, and being sure that the website answered the necessary questions. The CBN inherited our websites in acquisitions and again had little money for making them the perfectly designed platform. So we did the best we could and we made sure that they were at least clean with good information. That was enough. The social media marketing added to that was what made the difference. Every week tweets and posts were consistently made. Blogs were written. Publications were created. A funnel of activity was produced and it began to pay off in a short period of time.

Good Marketing Assists The Sales Process

Marketing makes the sales job easier. It takes at least 7 touches to get the sale. If a person has already seen you on Facebook, looked at your Linkedin profile, and read your blog they have been touched 3 times before they even met you. It is now easier to get to the 7^th touch. The sales cycle is shortened. Marketing is key to your business success. You must invest in it, and there is a cost to a successful marketing program. Time and money are necessary. Many companies make the mistake of investing thousands of dollars into their product and do not prepare the market to receive their product. The stage needs to be set and followers need to be gained so that when the announcements of new products come there is a group of connected people listening to that message.

At first we had no money so we put in lots of time and then we were able to hire a couple of people to help out and we put more time and money into it. Now it is a free flowing vortex of activity. But why wouldn’t you do it? Why would you spend thousands of dollars on a facility, IT, infrastructure and other things but not invest in your marketing? We spent more money on marketing that on any other expense and that is what made the difference. It is one of three things that we now tell people has created success for the CIBN network and our other affiliations.

We hope that you put some priority on your marketing. Tell us how you are doing.

Always Loyal2U,

Kerry George

Tell The Truth - It Is Good For Business!

Recently I had someone tell me that they liked the fact that I was honest with them about projections for the success of a marketing campaign that they were inquiring about. Social media and online marketing companies have been becoming more and more prevalent these last few years. Anyone with a Facebook account can call themselves a marketing guru. “Real marketing experts” that were trained in schools more than two years ago are floundering trying to figure out how the newest tools are working. There are so many methods that include Google Adwords, blogging, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, webinars, YouTube and more. How they were working last year is different than how it is working today. B2B and B2C techniques are totally different. Some industries are capitalizing on it well, others have not even tried so there is not a real great trail marked out. So now I just tell the truth. If I have done a campaign similar to the one you are asking about I can say so. If not, I have only guess work and theory unless we do some research before we begin. I can also say that research is in your best interest. Costly yes, but better than just shooting in the dark hoping to hit something...

I didn't start out that way in marketing. In the beginning we wanted the client so bad and we believed our own crap. So we made lavish promises and then worked like crazy to try to make them a reality for our client. Sometimes it worked and the client was really happy. Sometimes though the client wanted to reach a market that we were really not that skilled in reaching and it took so many resources to get any action happening that we lost money trying to perform to their expectations. Eventually we got smart enough to charge extra for some of that work and we got really good at certain markets and we could confidently make measured projections.

These days I just tell the truth. I don’t actually need a client that bad anyway. We are not looking for new clients because the process of looking is costly and time consuming and my other business interests are lucrative so it has not been the best timing to pursue. Strangely though that attracts more clients. Tell them you are too busy for them and they want you. Odd people we are…

So there I was talking to a gentleman about the CalgaryBusiness Network and he was saying he wanted Loyal2U to take him on as a client, and why? Because I told him I could not promise him lavish results. He informed me that he had been sold marketing packages of exorbitant prices and got nothing from the experience but the “turn off” was not the result. The “turn off” was the fact that they lied to him. They had said that it would bring him new clients. He did not get new clients.

I like being honest as a selling feature. Why not just be truthful? It is easier to sell the truth. It feels good. Just say, “I can’t make that promise. I feel it should work this way based on these experiences but honestly your industry is tough. It may take planning and time and some consistency to see any results. I feel that a long term plan would bring the best results but I am not making any guarantees.”

I know that if you are in sales you are thinking I am nuts about now. How could one land the sale with that attitude? Recently I was listening to Kevin Trudeau who was quoting a mentor in his life. The man said, “You need to care, but not that much.” It is good advice.

We do need to care about the sale. We need to care about the client. We need to care about getting the contract or the sign up or whatever we are trying to get. We need to care that we can deliver what we say we can deliver. We need to care about being true to ourselves and being an honest and authentic person. Some will like that, but if they say “no” it shouldn't ruin our day anyway. There are other sales. There are those that are not impressed with bragging. There are smart clients that realize that just because we have had great success with Velda’s Grower Direct we may not know anything about the financial industry. So why fake it? It is like a marriage relationship. If you lie about little things or expectations and then your partner finds out, they are angry. They feel they can’t trust you. If you care, then care enough to tell the truth. Isn't that what happens in healthy relationships?

So why not tell the truth and then the ones who actually say “yes” we can go forward with and we don’t have to pretend at every meeting that we are achieving things that we are not. We don’t have to try to act like we understand things that we don’t. We can instead explore options together as a team asking questions and seeking real answers with all of our cards out on the table. Together we can be open looking for answers and bringing in other professionals when we need more information. We can say I don’t know the numbers on that. I believe that it may be this, but that is a gut feeling not an accurate market report or a study. Let’s find some of those and get them onto the table before we make our next move here. We can then brainstorm more effectively and real results are more likely.

If a potential client comes to me and says, “I am trying to achieve X,”  I now say, “I know nothing about X.” I have full confidence to say so. If I have a competitor that specializes in X I refer them immediately, as I realize that the learning process is going to be expensive for both me and my client. If I know that my competitors know nothing about X then I simply tell this potential client that really nobody is having much luck with X (that I am aware of.) I can offer to brainstorm with them on ways to achieve X and possibly we can come up with a workable plan but then they are paying for work effort, planning, research and content building based on the findings - not results. Together with some hard work we may hit on something profitable and if they are willing to take the chance with somebody who admittedly knows nothing about their challenge then we can start an honest relationship and move forward. In many cases I would be their best hope anyway in this market because others don’t know either, although they may not have the moxy to say so…

Isn't it better to tell the truth?

Always Loyal2U

Kerry George

I thought this was cute. The truth about internet dating. Not a good way to present yourself. Definitely leads to false expectations!

Being Connected

One of the best things about doing business in Calgary is the way that people do business in Calgary. I don’t know what your experience has been but mine has been truly awesome.

I spent 12 years in ministry and entered into the business realm with fear and trepidation about a year and a half ago. I was unfamiliar with business practices and really green in operational procedures. I had some ideas of how to do some modern marketing based on some experiences that I had and some great results that I had been able to achieve on a few projects. I felt that I could learn what I needed to, hire some experts and see some good things happen. It was not really a planned entrance into the marketplace so it is with great pleasure that I can announce that we are around and doing well at this time. We are beating the odds and seeing growth every month, hiring new employees and making a major impact in the marketplace.

Loyal2U is growing and with the acquisition of the Calgary Business Network we are in a very exciting place indeed. We are showing with the two companies an increase in profits each month and we are quickly establishing a market niche and seeing real results for those who choose to do business with us. This last month we took on beautiful office space in Douglasdale at the Destiny Business Centre. It has got to be some of the top lease property in the city. The whole building is absolutely gorgeous with floor to ceiling hardwood doors, glass and tastefully colored walls. There is a foyer, a marvelous boardroom and a great kitchen. If that is not enough the owner even provides coffee, tea and bottled water for us and our clients (There is space available if you need some 403-809-3146 and the address is 105, 11500 29 Street SE).

On top of all of that one of our clients for Loyal2U Jim Pescott has adorned the walls with his world renowned paintings. Jim is a pointillist who travels to Italy, New York and Toronto regularly. He has been written up in major third party magazines as a Master Pointillist and it is an honor to showcase his work here for personal and corporate viewing.

Things are looking very rosy for Loyal2U and The Calgary Business Network but did we do it all ourselves. It is true that over the last few months we have brought on some exceptional team players. We have a sales team that is absolutely gifted at relationship marketing making the customers interest the highest priority. We have some very competent people working behind the scenes as well getting out the message for ourselves and for our clients online. These are all good. However, our team is much larger than those that make the payroll.

I believe our increasing success has less to do with us and more to do with those that we have connected with. It has to do with people like Jim Messner who was the founder of the Calgary Business Network who took a chance on us when nobody even knew who Loyal2U was. It has to do with Velda Paynter who owns Velda’s Grower Direct and has become a friend and a contributor in many ways. It has to do with many of the business people that I met personally over the last year and people who have sown into my life and the lives of my staff through personal mentorship.  Guys like Pepsi Fortin and Alex Privalov who took a deep interest in the training and mentoring of our sales staff and personal mentors like Kathleen Mailer of Today’s Business Woman Magazine and Doug Tibben who have aided us with advice and service. I could list many more here as there have been dozens that have contributed and I am sure there will be dozens more in this next year.

In business there are many twists and turns. Connections to others that care and that know things that you don’t know are very important. The right connections connect you with more right connections. The right connections refer you. The right connections are easy for you to promote as well.

I recently re-read “The Go-Giver”by Bob Burg. I love that he left the connector until last. The connector was the link in the net that made networking so profitable for everyone else in the story. The connector made everything else possible. I hope to be a great connector when I grow up. How about you?

It is not what you know, but who you know that matters. And it really matters how well you know them and that they know you too. Really know you...

Always Loyal2U,

Kerry George

Addendum 

This is a video on how NOT to network. I had to chuckled at some of methods and catch phrases...

Put Your Cowboy Hat On!

The Calgary Stampede means different things for different people. It is a time for Calgarians to show their heritage and get out their cowclothes complete with buckles, belts, boots and hats. Gentlemen are more likely to open a door and say “Mam” as they pass by and then there is the good ol’ hospitality of lots of free breakfasts, barbeques and beef on a bun.

Those of you in the tourist or retail industry are very likely pretty excited. After all this is a big time of year for you. If you are in the sales industry may be more or less excited depending on what you sell. In our industry of social media and online footprinting we are in a huge upturn. Every time of year is good right now. Everyone needs us.

Being part of the Calgary Business Network puts our team at Loyal2U around all kinds of business people within a variety of industries. I have had some professionals tell me that during the Stampede they send everyone on vacation because no sales can be made because everyone is stampeding this month.

Personally I am more of an optimist than that. I feel that every day is a good day for making a sale and that there are no bad times of the year, just bad attitudes that hold us back. 

So here are a few of my personal tips for making the most out of Stampede Week. I hope that you like them:

• Get out your cowboy hat and jeans and make contacts at the Stampede Tradeshow and book them all for the week after.
• Take potential clients with you to the rodeo.
• Take advantage of all the free pancake breakfasts by meeting clients there, taking sales staff there, making new contacts there. Use http://flapjackfinder.com/ to find out where they are.
• Get back on LinkedIn and see who you can do business with in another city where there is no Stampede going on.
• Take your camera along and get great shots of potential clients and put them on a Send Out Card with a note about getting together for coffee the week after the Stampede. (If you go to the link I have arranged a free one just for you.)

Got any other ideas? Send them to me at Loyal2Uinfo@gmail.com and I may post them for you.