Where Do You Get These Ideas?
See, once upon a time I had this deluded notion that the work speaks for itself. There's an old expression I used to believe in. It goes like this: the cream always rises to the top. We live in a meritocracy, right? It's what they told me in school. It's what they keep telling us. It's true, isn't it?
Wrong!
Heck, in Hollywood, there are even private "boards" – just like the forums you see online today – where industry insiders get together, gossip about things and "build your reputation for you," (yikes!) whether it's a good one or not. In the entertainment industry, it's where an awful lot of the referrals get made and simultaneously, reputations destroyed.
I hate to say it, but what I used to believe in is largely a myth! While it's a fact that you'd better have the goods in the first place, and you'd better over-deliver every time, it's just as important (if not moreso) that you have the network! Being great at what you do is only the first step. Having the hook-up is how you get large!
Does This Make Me A Genius?
So, once I had my stunningly brilliant revelation (ahem!), I began to wonder if there wasn't a better way to go about getting more business, particularly since I was a very busy guy who didn't have time to spend days on business development. Clearly, I didn't have the time to go after new stuph.
I began to wonder: what can I do to get more referrals? How can I generate more of these kinds of quality leads? Further, was there a way to control the amount of referrals I got? To, in effect, get referrals "on demand?"
Referrals are the absolute best, hands-down preferred kind of business to get – right? Referrals are easy to work with, eager to get started and don't quibble (so much, anyway) about price and turnaround. Gosh, referrals are actually grateful to "find" you! It's a whole different kind of vibe from chasing around people and begging them for work.
I talked to my Dad, who was a long-time business banker (back in Hollywood, actually – and he's got some stories!). I talked to my circle of friends and associates. I talked to total strangers even! Everybody agreed that referrals were the best thing since the slinky – but nobody had a good, reliable means of getting them.
The Lead Generation Conundrum
Well, I'm a solutions-oriented kind of guy. I pondered this problem for a while. I did some research. Then it occurred to me – wouldn't a web site do the trick? In theory, a web site should get you all the business you can handle, right?
But if this was the case, why were so many people I knew (in fact, every small business person I knew) unhappy with the web? I mean, I knew people who have spent tens of thousands of dollars on their sites for naught. It was like having a beautiful, sparkling new store staffed, stocked and ready to go – in the middle of the Sahara Desert!
There had to be a better way! And guess what? There is. Learn all about it at the Referral section of this site!