The Japanese have a beautiful way of doing business that I learned while living there and making friends with shop keepers and restaurant owners. This mindset is truly "foreign" to the American business community. Since learning of this at a young age, I have adopted it as my referral plan. It is both fulfilling and stress free. And it really makes my life simpler as I don't have to keep up with what I owe whom.
I have shared this concept with friends and family with much success, so I wanted to share it with all of you: Realtors®, Stagers, Mortgage Bankers, Escrow Officers, Title Reps and Consumers. There are so many applications for this that the world needs to hear.
In Japan, when a shop owner has a clothing boutique and his friends come to shop, the owner doesn't give his friend a discount or deal. The friend simply shops at the store because he wants his friend to succeed. In return, that shop owner goes to eat at friend's restaurant, and guess what? She pays full price! No "do I still owe you?", or "didn't I pay you back?", or even worse, "I never got a discount in return". And mind you, this method works even if both friends don't have a business. The Japanese model is more "pay-it-forward" than "let's make a deal".
Now for the American way: I think it's somewhere between I'll-scratch-your-back-if-you'll-scratch-mine and Whimpy's request to "gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today". It is my experience that trades/referral fees/kickbacks and deals are expected... and it is really surprising when not taken advantage of or offered. For example, years ago I worked part time for a bank that was shut down by the FDIC. I was self insured, but many of the employees didn't know what to do for health insurance coverage. I asked my independent agent come to the bank and meet with everyone that was interested. He got a couple new clients, the employees got health insurance and I got nothing! Now, of course, you know I'm not complaining about it. In fact, my agent kindly offered to pay a month's premium for me. But I declined and explained to him my Japanese methodology. My hope is that he applied it somewhere in his life, too.
One of the best things about this style of doing business is you never have to make the mistake of under valuing a service or a friend. Were I or my health insurance agent's his new clients only worth one month's premium I could have wondered? Or was that $400 discount at the restaurant worth the .0025% deal I got on my home loan? Or did I refer ten or eleven clients to them and was that 5 of 6 I got in return. The problem is the current "system" in America just does not work! Feelings are hurt, business is expected instead of earned and everyone is keeping tabs. How exhausting!
Now, I know some of you who would rather get a deal from the restaurant owner, and then give him a deal later, and, of course, you really would give that deal as your word is good. But how many of you have been on the wrong end of this equation before? I still feel a little uncomfortable reminding someone that they owe me, which is why it is easier to say "no" the first time, then to learn to accept the losses.
This isn't to say that you can't make strategic partnerships - and create teams to work together, just do it for the mutual benefit of the team and leave out the kickbacks, referral fees, bartering and trades. How much nicer referral networks would be without all the back scratching fever!
As for Interior Solutions, we don't want you to hire us because you get a discount. Hire us because you:
- trust us,
- like working with us and
- value our skills!
And we will tell people about you because we:
- like you
- think you have integrity and
- are good at what you do!
If you want great staging services to sell homes faster call us, if you want your back scratched call the competition.
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