Hey!

I was thinking about my mechanic earlier today and I will tell you why...

His name is Bill. When someone says "Where should I take my car for an oil change or repairs?" I say "Oh go down to Bill at Plaza Auto."

Generally I follow this up with some kind of statement like "He's not the cheapest mechanic but he's super duper honest, uses quality parts, and won't waste your time or money, plus they've been in business for 60 years this year!"

If it's a car-nerd I am talking to, I will also throw in "...and they use mobil oil." This is a car thing. lol. Car people get it. I am not a car person but have been car-person-adjacent.

Bill has been working on my car since I was 20 years old. He's seen every car I have owned, literally.

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He serviced my 1997 hatchback Geo Prism I owned in 2006 (this was my fav car of all time. It got like, 40 miles per gallon, but I had to put cardboard in front of my radiator to get heat in the winter at the dismay of every responsible adult) to my Subaru Crosstrek I have today, and every midwest beater in between.

One of the things I admire about Bill is that I have brought him my car many times with an issue that was outside of his preferred wheelhouse.

Instead of wasting my time, making me pay for a consult, or half-fixing it or damaging it, he will always refer me to someone.

It makes me trust him more and bring him more of my business. He never sells me something I don't need.

Before I got my new car last November, I had an issue with the gas tank in my previous car and dropped it off at Bill's. Apparently gas tanks are something he doesn't work on, and without hesitation before he even called me back, he had already called his buddy's shop down the street for me and asked if they could get me in there instead. I towed my car there, and my car was diagnosed.

Are you referable??

There are THREE things I would like to talk about here.

The first one is that you are an influencer in your own network. No matter what, the people you talk to and who respect you, will hold your opinion higher than any ad they see on tv or on their FB feed.

If you say "take your car to Bill" your friends will more than likely take their car to Bill. I actually don't think I have ever even seen Bill run a single ad. He definitely doesn't have a website. He has been in business for 60 years.

If you say "Go to this restaurant, it's better than that restaurant." Your friends will probably trust your opinion if you have a reputation for always picking the best foodie places. So on and so forth. You get it.

The second, is that you ALSO want to be the business or person who is referable. Can people explain what you do quickly and easily? What are they saying when they talk about you. Can they market you, for you?

For example I said: "Bill might not be the cheapest oil change but he is super duper honest and will tell you what is worth fixing or not."

What are people saying about you? What do you want them to say and how can you start operating more aligned through those business values.

Third, take a lesson from Bill and learn to say no + refer out when you genuinely don't believe you can do the work that someone has asked you for. Maybe you are at capacity. Maybe it isn't your expertise. Learn to REFER people and it will create a much more aligned no from you. Every time I say an "aligned no" to something I know isn't for me, it opens space up for the right things. I want this for you too.

When you say NO to something that isn't for you but refer someone instead it builds trust with your community and trust within your own expertise. In turn, that trust will build more business for you.

But Lauren, my business isn't cut and dry like a mechanic...

Here are some other examples:

• If you want to see an example of super clear business copywriting and speaking, you have to check out my friend Mike Kim.
• I'm so glad you're becoming an online business manager... My friend Chelsea Brinkley runs a super practical community for freelancers and OBMs, let me know if you want her info.
• OMG you write poetry? My friend Melissa Martini's Literary Magazine called Moss Puppy is full of earthy, colorful, inclusive poetry, prose, art and so many other cool things. You should submit.
• You need to write better job posts for your corporation? Katrina Kibben is your person, they've written 1000's of job posts in a way that gets truly qualified applicants and is trusted by brands like Costco.
• Your dog's tummy gets upset from treats. You may want to try The Canine Crunchery! Jane is the owner and she started it because of her own sensitive pups and has been in business now for 15 years!
• You need a blank-slate event space? Now I know this sounds crazy but my friend Kristan owns a funeral home that doubles as an event space. It's super tall ceilings, gorgeous open natural light, on a property surrounded by the most gorgeous tall trees and grass. It's a perfect event space for this event.

Do you see how this works? I could keep going for any type of business.

I love to refer people. Do you want to be on my short list of people to refer? Reply and tell me what kinds of customers need you and who I should refer to you! I will keep you in mind!

And in case you want to refer me to someone you know here are some of the most referable projects I work on, some which you might not know about:

• Design of digital branding graphics like canva templates, podcast art, lead magnets and PDF's, promotional items like mugs, t-shirts, and more. Many people don't know I have a degree in Graphic Design.
• Social Media Management for Small/Med Businesses. I especially like working for businesses in the medical practice, funeral practice, financial practice, law practices but work with all types of businesses.
• Business and marketing strategy, advising, and coaching. I work with teams, businesses, and 1:1 with individuals on their strategy and how their marketing and messaging build loyalty through their websites, online presence, in-person presence, and communication
• Speaker / Trainer / Facilitator on any of these topics above.

If any of these sound interesting to you, feel free to chat with me.

Don't forget to tell me how to refer you! Have a great week!

Lauren V. Davis Personal Branding Strategist ​Grab some free resources here​

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