Kitchen & Bath Design News

MAY 2015

Kitchen & Bath Design News is the industry's leading business, design and product resource for the kitchen and bath trade.

Issue link: http://kitchenbathdesign.epubxp.com/i/514365

Contents of this Issue

Navigation

Page 20 of 77

May 2015 | ForResidentialPros.com | 19 the balance that keeps the relation- ship moving along and keeps your company at the forefront of their minds when referring you or your products/services. In our business, we work primarily of referrals from other people, and they are critically important to the suc- cess of our business. Builders and contractors make up the majority of this group; with new construction, we are usually referred by them, and in renovations, our company is typically referring them. It's a two-way street that works well. We all have these types of symbiotic relationships in our businesses that allow us to cross refer. The hard (but often lucrative) part is fnd- ing, developing and setting up a proftable referral/cross referral relationship with in- dividuals or businesses that may not be related to your direct business. This is where you have to get creative in developing new networking relationships. Find a small group of like- minded networking contacts and learn how you can refer and cross refer within that group of each other's busi- nesses, and the doors will begin to open. Don't be afraid to ask them for the referrals. Ask, "Who do you know that would beneft from my prod- ucts and services, and would you set up a meeting for us to talk further?" A personal introduction, be it in person or just an email or phone call, goes a long way for your cred- ibility, and the likelihood of you getting a meeting set up skyrockets. But remember, this only works long term if you know that it can't just be all about you. You have to have some- thing for them in return, i.e. a referral, lead or prospect for them. With a little creativ- ity and some out-of-the-box thinking, you can put to- gether a program that works for you and your networking contacts. Networking doesn't have to be that awkward happy hour business-to-business networking where you see how many business cards you can collect in two hours. If you fnd your- self at one of these events, make it worthwhile. Concentrate on spending time only with a few individuals and maximize the quality of the time you spend with them. Work to develop a relationship. If networking opportunities pres- ent themselves outside of work, don't be afraid to strike up a conversation with someone you might not know. You might have some great opportu- nities in front of you – and without asking you might never know! THE DESIGNER'S CHOICE FOR BEAUTIFUL VENTILATION Combining performance and beauty, WhisperRecessed LED ™ hides a powerful yet quiet 80 CFM fan behind an elegant recessed LED light. Its stylish all-in-one design delivers the quietest, most efficient ENERGY STAR ® certified recessed fan/ light combo unit available. In fact, you'll only know it's working because of the clean, fresh air in your bathroom. What's more, the warm white dimmable LED lamp lasts up to five times longer and uses up to 20% less energy than CFLs. Best of all, the environmentally friendly WhisperRecessed LED helps you comply with the industry's most stringent green building standards. Style, performance, and energy savings. By design. To learn more, visit us.panasonic.com/ventfans. THE ART AND DESIGN OF SP T VENTILATION Circle No. 12 on Product Card

Articles in this issue

Links on this page

Archives of this issue

view archives of Kitchen & Bath Design News - MAY 2015