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We All Speak the Language of Referrals

Written by: Ivan R. Misner

Article Overview: The idea of growing your business through word-of-mouth marketing is a concept that crosses cultural, ethnic, and political, boundaries. It resonates within entrepreneurs all over the world. It resonates in Europe, Africa, Asia and the Americas – because we all speak the language of referrals.

We All Speak the Language of Referrals

The idea of growing your business through word-of-mouth marketing is a concept that crosses cultural, ethnic, and political, boundaries. It resonates within entrepreneurs all over the world. It resonates in Europe, Africa, Asia and the Americas – because we all speak the language of referrals.


As I have put together business development networks or referral groups in many countries around the world over the last two decades, I have been frequently told that this type of word-of-mouth marketing won’t work in other countries. It was ironic to hear “this won’t work here, we’re different” the first time, because it was said by someone in one part of Southern California talking about people who were 25 miles away in another part of Southern California!


Although I didn’t realize it at the time, I later came to understand that this person just didn’t want to do the hard work necessary to slowly build his referral business. Rather than say, “I don’t want to do that,” it was easier to say, “we’re different here” (even though “here” was only a few miles away from “there”).


Over the years I was amazed to come across some people who absolutely refused to follow the tried and true fundamentals, no matter that they were proven to work in generating referrals as I developed networking programs through BNI across the United States and later the world. In many cases they used the “we’re different” argument or said things like “that won’t work here”.


When talking about self-development, I have a friend who often says that “when it comes to ourselves, we’re always the exception.” Everybody else should do what’s been proven to work. It seems that the “we’re different here” mantra that some people spout actually prevents them from following proven methods of self-development. Only truly successful people understand that everyone who has achieved success has succumbed to the basics.


Years ago, I began to dissect what we were doing to determine just what it is about referral marketing that makes it cross national and cultural boundaries so well. I determined that the lowest common denominator is that people want referrals! The public wants referrals, the business community wants referrals, and everyone seems to want referrals. In order to generate referrals, people must build trust. Building trust takes time. Structured networking programs speed up the process in a safe environment but, they still take time.


Apparently, this concept does transcend cultural differences. One of the reasons that this happens is that networking programs operate within the cultural context not outside it. That is to say that the cultural differences can easily integrate within a structured program that takes time and is based on building trust amongst other business people. Structured networking programs may then embrace cultural differences while following an overlay or system that emphasizes relationship building and referral generation.


Now, of course it’s true that people ARE different around the world, but normally all business people want to conduct business more effectively. When harnessing the power of word-of-mouth marketing is the goal, driving businesses further faster through business to business networking is the result! Codifying the process of networking into a networking system helps businesses learn how to do that which transcends our cultural differences.


My experience has shown that people in any consumer-driven economy can use a networking system to improve their business. If this system is done within the cultural context and not outside it, I have found that the same networking concepts and techniques are almost completely transferable from one country to another. It is basically due to the truth that business is business when it comes to word-of-mouth marketing, no matter the culture, ethnicity, or political persuasion.

This doesn't change the challenges that occur when someone from one country networks or does business with someone from another country; however, networking techniques are simply business techniques. They work around the world - ESPECIALLY when they are applied within the specific cultural context.

America, Canada, the United Kingdom, Malaysia, South Africa, or Germany, different races and religions, different colors and cultures:


We are all different – but we all speak the language of referrals.


We are all different – but we all believe that relationships are the key to building a business.


We are all different – but we all believe we can do better by helping connect people together.


Word-of-mouth marketing is a great way to “get” business… but it’s an even better way to “do” business.


While there may be many other things to divide us and separate us, in different countries and cultures, different languages, and religions, different people and places, different races and accents, we are all united by one thing: we all speak the language of referrals. And that my friends, transcends our cultural differences


Called the father of modern networking, Dr. Ivan Misner is a New York Times bestselling author and Founder of BNI (www.bni.com), the world’s largest business networking organization. His latest book, Truth or Delusion can be viewed at www.TruthorDelusion.com. Dr. Misner is also the Sr. Partner for the Referral Institute, an international referral training company (www.referralinstitute.com). He can be reached at misner@bni.com .

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