Leads and Referrals

Membership within WNA provides many benefits, both professionally and personally: support, community, professional and business development, networking, and the list goes on. Another very important reason for membership within WNA is the passing and sharing of leads and referrals. Below is a brief overview of our leads and referrals process.

First, let’s distinguish between a lead and referral (this definition is taken directly from the website - www.womensnetworkingalliance.com)

• A lead is an opportunity that has not been qualified but you feel might be a good avenue of potential business. In other words, you know of a potential candidate who could benefit from a WNA member’s services. Although you haven’t spoken with the potential candidate, you share her contact information with the WNA member, who will follow-up directly with the potential candidate.

• A referral is an opportunity that is qualified, meaning that the referee has already discussed you and your business with the potential customer. For example, a friend is interesting in hiring a virtual assistant and you tell her about a VA from your WNA chapter. In turn, you forward the friend’s information to the VA and the VA will follow-up. The difference here is the potential customer established a need and you’ve told the potential customer about your WNA contact. When the WNA contact calls and follows-up, the potential customer is expecting the call.

Below are some other FAQs about leads/referrals.

Is there a lead/referral quota?

There are no quotas or requirements when it comes to the number of leads and referrals one passes within WNA. Pass a lead/referral when you make a connection or believe someone to be a good fit for another’s business. Leads/referrals are important however they are only one facet of membership.

How do I submit leads/referrals?

Submission is easy and there are two ways to do so:

· Visit www.womensnetworkingalliance.com and click SUBMIT A REFERRAL in the menu bar.

· During meetings, fill out the paper lead/referral slip and hand directly to the WNA member (white copy) and President (yellow copy).

What if I don’t have any leads/referrals?

Don’t stress about being unable to pass a lead/referral. Instead concentrate on building relationships and getting to know your chapter members. During one-on-one meetings, you’ll have an opportunity to learn about other members and their businesses, the type of client they’re looking for as well as share insights about your own business needs.

Does anyone track leads/referrals?

Yes, both the WNA home office and each chapter president track all leads/referrals. We do this to ensure chapter members are actively supporting each other, both in-chapter and across chapters.

Because leads/referrals are an integral part of what it means to be a member, this year, the member who passes the most leads/referrals across all chapters will win a special Bravo Award, to be announced in January.

Still have questions about leads/referrals? Drop us a line at concierge@womensnetworkingalliance.com

What's in a LOGO?

 

Call it your company icon or emblem but make sure you have one – from day one.  Logos are an important part of a brand. 

 

Often times, small business owners are so excited about selling they forget about setting themselves up for long term success through their branding.  Whether you are a one person company with hopes to grow or a medium to large business, every business needs a marketing strategy and branding.  A logo is an important part of the way your customers will get to know you visually.  Just ask Nike who went from a written form of their company name now to a simple “swish” icon.  Just seeing that swish instantly tells you who they are.  I’ve even seen billboards with a few words and that swish without their company name – that’s the power of a logo.

There are several purposes that logos serve.  It’s the image that makes your customers immediately think of you when they see it.  Without a conscious thought, they associate the logo with your product and company. Your logo should represent what you do in the style you do it.  If you are a upscale, classy company – your logo should represent those qualities.

The Creative Process

Think about  the colors, shapes, photo, text and fonts that you might like in your logo.  Consider the core values you have set for your company and if you haven’t set any, get busy fast!  Your core values are what your customers should expect when they do business with you.  Professionalism, quality and personal service are some very common values.   Once you have a concept around the style and values, then consider what might peak the interest of your audience.  Will this concept you have put together be attractive enough to get the viewer to visit your website to learn more?  

Logo Design & Creation

If you have the budget, I highly recommend you hire a professional to create your logo.  This is an important part of your business and settling for what you can find on the internet or your “next-door-neighbors-son-in-law is good at it” very rarely works.  Graphic artists and branding companies do this for a living and are typically successful at it or they wouldn’t be in business.

Your logo should be:

Designed by creative professionals. 

Often times,  I see logos that are so amateur and unprofessional that I wish they’d just go with their company name in a simple text format.  Don’t skip out on this important part of your business by having a friend or neighbor help you or falling into the trap of a “cheap” online logo designer.  If you’re ready for a good time – try www.logotournament.com where graphic artists compete for your business

Able to be reproduced in the right size.

Being able to resize your logo for a banner or business card is important.  If you don’t have your logo in a clear format that is easy to resize, reconsider using it.  Blurry or choppy logos say something about your view of quality.  Your logo should be clean and clear.

Able to hold it own for many years.

Don’t use trendy colors that are hot today because tomorrow, they may be cold and you’re stuck.  Rely on colors, fonts and shapes that are timeless. 

Free of Stock Art

With an understanding of budget constraints, I often see gift basket professionals designing their logos themselves and using stock art.  This very rarely works.  Stock art are photos you can normally get online for free but so can everyone else.  Try to avoid stock art but if you must, use a professional website such as www.istockphoto.com.

Legible and Appropriate

Avoid using fonts that are too convoluted to read or don’t give the viewer an idea of what your business sells.  While this may work for large corporations who have the money to spend on pushing their brand, it typically doesn’t work for us small businesses. 

Should be Used Regularly

From your Facebook business page to the labels you put on your gift baskets, your logo should be on every marketing opportunity that you have.   Reinforce your brand by using it regularly.

Now what?  Have we inspired you to create or rebrand your company?  If so, we want to know and follow your journey.  Contact us at info@giftbasketassociation.com and let us know you are inspired and getting ready to start the process.  We’ll even help you through the process.