Unlocking the Power of Super-Connection: Tripling Your Referral Rate for Business Success
Jamar John Johnson, a comedian-turned-entrepreneur, explains how to triple referral rates by building genuine relationships instead of transactional ones. He shares the FORM model for finding connection points and the OD4R framework for over-delivering value. Personalized video messages and consistent follow-up can turn the industry average of 23% referrals into exponential growth.
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Wouldn't it be nice if your satisfied customers became brand advocates, actively promoting your business to their network and attracting first-time customers? Wouldn't it even be nicer if they told you that they told 3 people and those people told 3 people and those people told 3 people? Wouldn't that just be great? But understandably, what would it take to create that kind of brand loyalty? And that's coming up next on Marc Haine Live. Welcome to this episode of Marc Haine Live. This is where small business owners and entrepreneurs pick up core skill sets to create the jaw-dropping, show-stopping experience that your customers and your employees deserve. I am your host, Customer and Employee Strategist Marc Haine. And today, my guest is Entremedian Jamar John Johnson. We will be discussing how you can generate productive referrals from your customers to help you build your business. So, stay with us. If this is your first time with us, I'd like to say welcome. I hope that you find this episode extremely valuable. And if you do, please go ahead and check out our past episodes and even leave a review. There is absolutely an absolute Trojan horse full of content there. The minute you uncover it, it'll change your whole reality. So, go ahead and do that. And thank you for investing your time with me today. Thank you, Marc. You know, in a perfect world, you've created a self-sustaining cycle of referrals, which not only fosters amazing customer loyalty and drives trust. But it also drives the business to grow, to be more profitable, and to ensure your long-term success. More than likely though, I hate to say it, but you're probably one of those 23% industry averages for products and service referrals, which is a really low referral quotient. So that brings me to our Question of the Day. On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate your current success in generating referrals for your business? Go ahead and share your experience on social media and make sure that you hashtag it #ExperienceLeadership. I'm looking forward to your comments. As I mentioned, my guest today is a very funny man and refers to himself as an entremedian and a super connector. Jamar John Johnson is a transformational comedian and a speaker for over 26 years. After doing a 14-year military stint, JaMarr returned to his roots of speaking, serving his community through nonprofit volunteering, fundraising, and entrepreneurship. Since 2015, JaMarr has been able to build his lifestyle business that promotes financial literacy, health and wellness, and super connecting. Now, JaMarr is so proud because his book comes out in a couple of days. His book is called Super Connecting. It comes out July 28th and it goes into all sorts of detail about how One can create meaningful relationships in the digital age on any platform, whether that's social media or heaven forbid, face-to-face. But he can teach you how to do that. JaMarr, welcome to the show. It's so great to have you.
Thank you so much for having me, Marc. I appreciate that incredible introduction that I wrote. But actually, it's entrepremedian.
Entrepremedian. Yes, it's a tricky word.
I made it up. But it's entrepreneurship meets comedian. So, entrepremedian.
That's it. So, Thank you to all the dyslexics are really appreciating you roundabout now. Maybe you could tell us a little bit about how you serve your clients.
Absolutely. So, I mean, I serve my clients in a number of ways using creative digital marketing strategies primarily and consulting them in ways on how they can get in front of their customers and stay in front of their customers. But not with just with just puff and trying to just sell, sell, sell by creating real value, real connection, and being vulnerable about their process and transparent about what they do so that they can build a strong connection. Because the lifetime value of someone who believes in how well you serve them is literally priceless.
Yeah, yeah. And so today specifically, we're talking about referral systems and how we can get our customers to Really talk about us. Why is this such an important topic for leaders today? What do you think has changed in the landscape over the last 30 years that now it's essential that that happens?
Well, I think we're noticing that everything is going up in cost. So, advertising channels of all kinds have all increased their rates. And when you are in business, understanding the value of your customer is essential. And most people, the part of their business that gives them the least amount of return is their referral aspect of their business. Now, there have been hundreds of books, probably thousands of books written about how to turn this process into something that's repeatable for people. But most people shy away from it because they don't understand the exponential opportunity in increasing that incrementally on a year-to-year basis. And so, once someone actually sees that, you know what, the ability to take a happy customer, deepen the relationship, and then make the ask after you've given tremendous value is actually a lot easier than going out and finding a new customer and trying to make a new relationship. It's sort of like online dating, so to speak. Right? You can do a lot of swiping. But in terms of the older we get, we realize that those meaningful relationships seem harder and harder to actually build and make. So, it's helping businesses think about the relationship they already have going deeper and then using that entrenched network to create more revenue for their business because they're creating more value, which makes a more sticky business overall.
Yeah, I love that. And we're going to be talking and hope giving the audience some tools that they can leverage today. But in the meantime, I do notice that a lot of business managers would say that they have like a tight pulse of their customers. But when you talk to the customers, it seems to be so off base. What do you think leaders are doing wrong?
Well, I was a leader in the military for 14 years. And the very unique thing about that is you start off First managing a division. And then, you manage a department. And then, you manage the entire departments and become the captain of the ship. And so, to be captain of a ship, you have to learn how to build step by step by step. A lot of people are in managerial positions that have never ever worked the front lines. So, their perception and their perspective is from a very limited vantage point. And so, They're not spending enough time getting to know the ins and outs of the jobs of the people that they're managing. And therefore, there's a whole moat between them and their actual customer. And if you're just doing random surveys, you're not getting the full picture. And so basically, it's a breakdown in communication. And it's a breakdown in the understanding of what really makes a customer satisfied. And you can ask any business in the military. We called it human capital. That was the most expensive part of that military-industrial complex. Well, businesses have to look at the human elements that they have, how to invest more into them, how to train them to really be service-minded and service-oriented. Because I'll tell you what. The customer knows the difference between an organization built upon service. I mean, no one likes to get their computer repaired. But if you have an Apple computer, the experience seems so much more pleasant than any other experience with trying to get electronics fixed. Shout out to the Geek Squad. But I don't look forward to going to see those guys.
Yeah, yeah. It's interesting because— and it's something I think that customers are so in tune to it that you just can't fake it. You can't just be looking up and going, hi, can I help you? Right? It's a real challenge I think for us to be able to train that authentic service mind in our teams. We're talking about you call yourself a super connector. And we're talking about what you call super connecting. Can you explain what super connecting means and how it differs from regular networking or relationship building within a business context?
Sure, absolutely. So, in regular networking, the idea is to almost be like a bee where you just go out and you just try to pollinate as many various sources as possible. But you're not really going deep. And so, when I go into a room, if there's 300 people in a room, my objective is not to make sure that 100 people know my name and have a card from me. My objectives are to find the pockets of interest where there are multiple connection points that will lead to a sustained relationship. So, finding areas of interest. And so, I have a simple formula for that. And it's actually called FORM, right? Family, occupation, recreation, and motivation. By asking those types of questions and you're not spending a bunch of time on what someone does for a living. You're finding out where do we have common ground on areas outside of what we do for work. Because in that way, then we can find opportunities to spend time with one another, getting to know each other to build that know, like, and trust aspect of a business relationship. Now, it doesn't mean you're looking for best friends everywhere you go. But what it means is that you have multiple connection points so that your ability to follow up can truly be authentic. be genuine and actually be about things that matter to them besides, can I get this order?
Right, right. Are there specific industries or types of businesses that are more likely to benefit from super connection and/or super connecting techniques?
Well, ideally, this works in any business where there are 2 humans that have to come together, right? You have to understand a little bit about human psychology to know who, what type of personality you're dealing with, right? But at that point, you have to be what I call interested truly in the outcomes that they're seeking. The only way you can get there is by asking the right questions. It's by having more of a consultative approach no matter what you do. Now, no matter what industry we're in, we're always selling. We're selling something. We're selling an idea. Right? We're selling a product. We're selling a service. And so, whether you're selling insurance, whether you're selling digital advertising, whether you're selling creative, your ability to be able to sell that is going to be largely— it's going to largely hinder on how much information you know about that person to know what makes them tick, what makes them operate. Right? Are you trying to connect with them with the mind, the heart, Or the gut. So, there's a lot of variables. But overall, it's just about becoming more human and less robotic and less scripted, so to speak. It's by learning more facts and details that will make the determination of how strong is this relationship. Because that trust is going to determine the benefit of the doubt. Because oftentimes, people are trying to decide on are they gambling money or reputation. when they make a decision to work with you.
Yeah.
So, how can you shore those things up ahead of time?
At no point did you mention anything about an elevator pitch.
No.
At no point did you talk about you need a 15 to 30-second diatribe about yourself that as soon as you meet somebody, you're just going to vomit these words out into the ether expecting that these people are going to connect with you.
Yeah, you know, I actually think about it. You know, my approach is like reverse elevator pitch. And what I mean by that is sure, it's good to have some things about you that are tight, concise, rehearsed. But that's not what you're leading with.
Yeah.
You're leading with an open ear, an open heart, right? And an open mind first and foremost. You're really trying to make it about them. And you know, for a lot of people, that's difficult. I would say, Because I'm the oldest of 4 and I had to kind of take care of my younger siblings. I lost my father at an early age, unfortunately. And then, I was in the military and I was always in a leadership position. And now, I'm a father. And so, I have a daughter. I'm always thinking about someone else besides myself. And what I noticed, and that's one thing to be really grateful for, is that I've got my health. I wake up every day inspired to do what I do. But whenever I notice, whenever I have slightly off days, My attention tends to be focused internally on what I don't have or what I'm not doing. And whenever I just shift my attention slightly and reach out through my network, whether it be to friends, acquaintances, or potential clients, and just offer more of myself, what tends to happen is I can't also focus on myself. And that frees me. So for me, that version of connecting with people, why I think that's different from networking Because the idea of networking, the reason why a lot of people hate it, the reason why they think it's a 4-letter word is because a lot of people that are out there networking only have their interests in mind when they're going out there. And it's what I call commission breath. Networking people can smell the hunger, the desperation, but also the anxiety and the fear because a lot of people just don't know what they're doing when they're out there. They're not quite sure how to connect and they're kind of awkward about it.
Yeah.
So, I think learning how to super connect takes the pressure off because what it helps you to be able to do like you are, Marc, is become an incredible interviewer. And everybody knows that people love talking about themselves and the things they're interested in. So, if you learn how to ask interested questions, if you learn how to what I call— it's funny that the new platform is called Threads. But if you learn how to follow the thread, of a conversation, even if you're the third person coming in, if you can listen enough, find the thread, just try not to derail the conversation, try to add to it and yes, and it so to speak. What ends up happening is a more cohesive conversation. And then, before long, people realize you added so much value just by asking the right questions without making it about yourself. And now, they're like, wait a minute. We didn't get to know about you. And now, they're like, Eager because you were able to show that it's not always about you. And that is really the definition of teamwork. That's someone who can work well with others. And people like to work with people like that.
And it does take a little bit of intentionality. As you were saying that, I was saying that the antithesis to being this super connector would be like Ned on Groundhog Day when he comes to sell the insurance. As soon as he says it and it's like, am I right? Am I right? You need insurance. Am I right? And it just so Slimy a process. And so, anybody who's tuning into this, if you find that you're more like Ned, that you go into a conversation and you're all trying to fulfill your personal agenda, you might want to rethink that a little bit. To your point, I sat on a plane. I was flying back from Chicago from a speaking event in Chicago. And I sat down next to a gentleman. And it turns out that he was flying into Calgary. And I said, oh, what are you going to Calgary for? He goes, oh, actually I'm going to Banff. Because I'm going to this conference. And of course, being a conference speaker, it's like my ears just perked up right away.
Hmm.
But then, he didn't really tell me anything more. So, I said, tell me a little bit more about this conference. What is it? And it turns out to be some sort of international ski symposium, right? People across the globe are coming into this thing. But I literally had to be intentional to look for those threads that you mentioned to say, how can I continue this conversation forward? And literally, I just did it all to find out everything about what he's concerned about, what he likes about his conference, and so on. And it took a while before he turned around and said, so, what do you do? And I was able to actually leverage what I just learned from him to say, well, you mentioned something about this problem. Well, I'm just coming back from Chicago having talked to another group about this exact same problem.
Wow!
Because of that, we were able to make this connection. And take the relationship forward after we got off the plane. But it becomes that magical of a connection.
It really does. And people think he or she who asks the most interested questions is not just in control of the conversation. They are literally creating space for people who are not used to other people being that intentional about listening and caring. And so, that's why also besides being a super connector, I consider myself a go-giver. I read that book probably 8 years ago. And the concept really shifted how I thought about sales and business. But ultimately, it's about understanding the simple concept about abundance, right?
Yeah.
And I have a little acronym for it. I call it OD4R. When you can overdeliver in value what you receive in price, there are 4 byproducts. The first R, the first R of the 4 Rs is that you get to remain your authentic self. And I think a lot of us, some of us maybe are searching for who we are. And luckily, I've kind of had an idea of who I was for a long time. And so, I'm really not so much invested in from an ego standpoint. But I'm invested in like, you know what? I'm interested in these things and I'm gonna let them shine. I'm not going to be ashamed of the things that I like. I like chess. I like reading. I'm kind of a blerd. I'll be honest with you, right? But coming from the hood, it wasn't necessarily, you know, you kind of had to take a little jabs for having certain interests that were different from everyone else. But I got used to being, hey, I'm willing to go my own way. So, I get to be my authentic self because I can overdeliver in value with what I receive in price.
Yeah.
The second R is that I have real impact with people. I just got an amazing testimonial from speaking engagements that I just did a few weeks ago. And it was just so heartwarming. I sent her a voice note back and she sent me one. We were back and forth just love fasting on one another. So, real impact on missions out there in the world. The 3rd R is that you create raging fans. This particular client, shout out to Meredith Thomas of thankyoulife.org. They do amazing work helping those who can't afford psychedelic therapies. She It's like, what can I do to help spread the word for you? You know, like, and she's been very intentional about asking me over and over and over again. I was like, all right, write me a testimonial. Maybe make me a video. We'll see. But I'm not used to that. But that's because I overdeliver. And then, the 4th R, which is the most critical R that a lot of people unfortunately struggle with. And I think at some point, I did as well. It's being ready to receive the abundance that flows back to you because of that cycle that you started. By overdelivering in value. And that ready to receive means you avoid the self-sabotaging activities that people go into when they don't feel deserving of amazing things that might happen to them because of what they started, right? So, you reap what you sow and be ready to receive that abundance. So, OD4R is the acronym that I think about whenever I try to go into any sort of engagement with someone. How can I overdeliver? How can I not just do good or great. But this is the best that I can do is what my focus is.
Yeah, it's so funny because I talked to my— I have a colleague that teases me all the time because one time, we were out for supper and we were in a restaurant. And the food was okay. And I looked at her and I said, you know, if they could just care this much, it would have made a world of difference. And so now, every time we talk about something, she goes, yeah, this much, right? This much, right?
I like that.
You have to care this much. Right? And it's pretty phenomenal because you can really tell, I think, within our team, we have people who really care about what they do. And so, the other part of it from a leadership perspective is we really have to look as leaders is, are we robbing our team of being able to exude their zone of genius and play within their passions?
Absolutely!
I think that's like we get so tied down sometimes with policy that we just hinder the people's ability to care as much as they want to care. Yeah, you've got some pretty cool tools that you use to kind of round out kind of how you apply this super connection thing. I'd love to delve into them and we'll get to that right after this.
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I am speaking with sought-after speaker and super connector, the super connector himself, Jamar John Johnson. Jamar, before we get into the tools, are there any ethical considerations or potential downsides to jumping on this super connecting bandwagon that businesses should be aware of?
Of course, there's always ethical concerns, right? You got to be careful about crossing lines and going too far. You got to think about You know, what your long-term objectives are, right? And it's funny. I've been really fascinated with this show called Suits, which is now available on Netflix. But you know, you've got these lawyers and everything. There's always an opportunity to potentially cross a line. It's like, do you cross it or not? And obviously, I would say choose the option that is most ethical at all times, right? You know, honor, courage, and commitment is what I stand by even from my military days. But you've just got to be mindful of people are only going to be as open with you as you are willing to be open with them. So, vulnerability is your greatest superpower. But use judgment. And whenever in doubt, this is where having a supportive network of professional people, ethical people that you can bounce things off of. You don't get wisdom by just living life on your own and making everything about you and just Every decision you make is right because you say so. You've got to lean on people and lean on other people's wisdom to help you refine your ideas. And so, I've got the Rule of 33 where you spend 33% of your time with people of your peers, 33% of your time with mentors that are further along in the journey and have some more wisdom to share with you. And then, you got to start the practice and the habit of giving back right now. You can't wait until when I make it to some significant point that— because honestly, there are people who are already looking up to you that are already watching you. And so, every move you make has a consequence not just for you and your business but in the people around you that are potentially working with you or potentially aspiring to, or just watching you from afar.
Yeah, I do know that one of the moral tests people can use right away is, am I trying to manipulate a situation? That's probably the easiest thing, right? And I find that all too often in networking events and that sort of thing where people have the elevator pitch, All they want to do is as quickly as possible, they just want to grab your business card. They want to know, is this a target or not? And keep moving on. And it lacks any kind of sincerity. It lacks any kind of memorable interaction because I've got calls 6 months after I've been at a conference and somebody says, yeah, my name is Rick. We met at this conference. And I couldn't remember him at all.
Hmm.
And he was one of those guys who, yeah, here's my card. Can I get your card? And he'd write something back. And And it just completely lacked any kind of authenticity. And so, there's an aspect of the authenticity, being vulnerable. But then, that aspect of having a sense of humility as well. That you're in a room full of people and you don't know where they are in your 3 tiers.
Sure.
So, how does one test out where they can go with people? You mentioned the idea of of asking questions.
Interested questions. Leveraging FORM is the first thing to think about, right? Just a simple formula to remember. I'm going to use FORM. I'm going to ask interested questions, not interesting questions. Because interesting means it's interesting to you, not necessarily them, right? And then, any opportunity I can to be vulnerable, I'm going to take it. Not because I'm trying to manipulate. But just because I want them to know what kind of person that I am from an honesty standpoint, from an experience standpoint. When you are vulnerable, you give other people the opportunity that they most likely are not getting on a day-to-day basis to do so in return.
Yeah, yeah.
A lot of people are walking around with masks on and defensive shields. And they're worried, like you said, of the guy, like someone who just wants to come. I literally I stopped having business cards because I remember over the course of maybe my first 15 years in the speaking and comedy business, I probably handed out a little over 13,000 business cards. The reason why I know that approximate number is because I bought them. I printed them and I would be giving them out. But it was with people after events and shows. People would just come and ask for it.
Yeah.
But it was very little follow-through on their part.
Yeah.
And so, what I realized was if you're going to build a sustainable business, you got to be building your list because you are the one who is responsible for intentionally following up for your business. So, when I stopped just handing out cards, I had to get way more intentional with the not just collection of data but who is this person? Where do they fit in the grand scheme of things? Where do they want to fit after we connect? Yeah, what are their needs?
What are they wanting? What are their pain points? What are they celebrating? What are they happy at, right? All these different things. And so, to your point, when you're making, when you're creating the questions, it's not, so, what do you think of the weather?
No, completely avoid the surface-level questions. And I think using form to just get those. I use that as an easy way to just think of things that are maybe more meaningful to a person, right?
Yeah.
Their family. Their occupation, sure, interesting. Their recreation, that leads to some interesting things because people, when they're not working, most of the time is going to be probably spent on the hobby they really care about or with family, right? But more importantly, what motivates them? What drives them? That question right there is going to get to the to the idea of, is someone just merely driven by money? Is someone driven by impact? Right? Now, I feel like I'm an impact-driven person. So, when I find people that are driven in that sense, I'm really intrigued. You know, what got you into that work you do with that particular nonprofit?
Wow!
You're on the board of this nonprofit? You know, it's interesting. They're actually interviewing me to come keynote speak at the next event.
Wow!
And then, you start going down this rabbit hole of super connecting where your spirits start to entwine. And you start to realize, you know what? I'm not alone in this world. There are other people out there like me who care, who give a darn about things.
Yep.
And if I just ask the right questions, I'm gonna find them. But you're not going to get there by trying to speed date every person you meet at the networking event because that's not how it literally— deeper relationships take a little bit more time. and thoughtfulness in the approach. And so, while there are some basics to it, the idea is I give you the basics and then I show you ways on how to use them. So then, you can create your own concoction and mixture of how you apply them. It's not to, you know, here's press A, press B, press select, press start, right? No, it's not. This is not a video game. This is human beings.
Right.
Authentic connection is hard to come by. But when you feel it, You know it.
And it works. And it feels so good. Imtiaz is asking a question. Imtiaz, he asked, what are some common mistakes or pitfalls to avoid when attempting to triple your referral rate? And how can you overcome these challenges for sustaining business success? That's a really great question.
It's a big question. Yeah, sure. It's a great question. Well, the first thing is don't think about tripling your referral rate as the main objective. Right? Because tripling is actually even a limiting potentiality of what will happen if you build better relationships with your clients and customers. Right? It could be, you could quadruple. Right? You could continue to go higher with that number the deeper you go because you have sustained relationships that give you much more touchpoints. See, the bottom line is a lot of people think they leverage technology. You got email. You got text. People got advertising. And what people don't realize is what people lack today more than ever is the human connection. The more human connection that you can create with your potential clients and customers, what you're actually doing is you're inspiring them. You're giving them hope, right? And I don't know about you but the best kind of dealer is a hope dealer. Because a hope dealer keeps you hopeful and optimistic about the future. And that's something that in this day and age, you just don't get that often. People are doom and gloom because that's also a manipulation tactic to get people to kind of make a decision now because time's running out. Like, think about all the tactics that we hear in marketing and advertising. But if you're really sincere about connecting with people and being there for them, then those deeper connections are going to lead to Wow, you're doing so much for me. How can I help you? Right? And it's like, wow! It's like, that's the magic word. You know you're doing the right thing when more of the people that you're doing business with are asking you how they can help you in return.
Yeah, yeah. And this is not just all volunteerism either. This is you do business with somebody, then somebody turns around and says, how can I help you with your business?
Absolutely.
You know, there are, I mean, there's lots of organizations in the United States In the States, there's Vistage. And in Canada, there's Tech where business operators can actually meet with other business operators.
Absolutely.
Where you transparently acknowledge what your challenges are. And then, you have a group of people from different industries who can lend their insights and their experiences to you as mentors and coaches. And I think that is just to your point. You can't do it all by yourself. JaMarr, I know that one of your superpowers of course is humor, being a stand-up comedian as well. Talk to us a little bit about the importance of levity and humor within our business practices.
Sure. Well, I think levity and humor, people think about humor and they think about the funniest person, right? And they compare and contrast themselves to the funniest person. And that's not really what's necessary to create an environment where people feel safe. using humor in and around you, whether that be people and your peers, people you're managing, or even your superiors. So, humor is the fastest connection between 2 strangers. Because when you can make someone laugh, it's an involuntary trusting. And at the same time, humor oftentimes requires a little bit of risk, of vulnerability, which then leads to And openness. And it's actually neurochemical. When someone laughs, something is triggered inside them, right? And it's a part of a cocktail called BDNF, brain-derived neurotrophic factors. And so, oxytocin is the same chemical that bonds a mother to their child, that bonds couples in a relationship, that bonds people during laughter. So, sometimes the attempt at laughter can cause people to actually laugh and find you more endearing because you are willing to risk. You're saying, hey, listen, I'm not a master or expert at this craft yet. But I want to bring something to bring some levity to the meeting today. And you can make an attempt. But even if you're the CEO or you're the manager, maybe you don't feel like you have humor. You're not wielding it at your fingertips, you can leverage it by creating a safe space for those around you to do so. And the studies have been shown when managers, when CEOs create environments where humor is appreciated, people are more open. They're more creative. And they're more likely to speak up when an actual issue occurs. Why? Because they feel like they can be— they have a trusted environment. in which they can be vulnerable. Because using humor is an attempt to be vulnerable. Essentially, there's a chasm that you are creating in the minds of the listener. And if the chasm is too far, when they try to jump that chasm, if they can't land on the other side, they're not going to laugh. So, there's a risk of them like not landing and then you kind of have egg on your face. But even making that attempt though creates an opportunity for you to be vulnerable and acknowledge when the humor doesn't land, take responsibility and accountability, which is a humbling endeavor within itself.
Yep. It's so funny because I tend to be goofy at the best of times. And I'll be with my daughter and I'll say something highly inappropriate. And she goes, Dad, here's the line and you just went over it. So, it's a good double-check to make me think about where my humor is lying. I know that you refer to something as the Big V as one of these superpowers when driving referrals. Could you talk a little bit about that?
Well, say I couldn't hear that question. Say the question again.
The Big V. You said, you mentioned that you have this superpower to drive referrals and you call it the Big V.
Oh yes, yes, yes, the Big V. So, the Big V is video. And what I mean by video is you can use video in all sorts of ways. Short form. You can send clients personalized videos. And you can see there are some marketers that they figured out that this is a really game-changing thing. And so, they try to do video at scale. But what I highly recommend is doing video at the basic level because it comes off as more authentic. There have actually been studies that have been done that have shown that user-generated content about different products and services using video convert at a higher rate than highly produced professional-looking content. And so, in my one of many cell phones, I've got over 10,000 videos that I have made reaching out to people, Sending them messages about the day, things. And it just takes it a little bit further. And the reason why is because ultimately, human beings connect through story and through voice. And then, video gives them like, hey, I know we're far apart. We're in different parts of the world. But hey, you can see my face. You can see— we can detect sincerity. I mean, we have so many different parts about our face that When someone looks at us, it's like what you're saying, how likely is it true? Your face kind of gives some of it away. That's why they say, you don't have a poker face, right? So, in poker, you're trying to not show any emotions or fake out emotions so that you can get people to think something different. So, showing your face and sometimes you can't do it in real time. Leveraging video is that medium that allows you to really super connect.
And it's so easy now to do it. Like any browser now, you can get some sort of video interface on it that you can record a very quick video. So, it becomes a 30-second, hey, JaMarr, I really enjoyed having you on the show. Thank you so much. If you need anything from me, please do let me know. In the meantime, thanks.
Right?
So simple and so easy. And it is probably even faster now than actually typing out an email.
It is faster. And you can actually transmit more information in a really short period of time. So, video and voice is what I like to use as a differentiator. And I can't tell you it's been countless times. But between different platforms, LinkedIn, Instagram, obviously there are ways to do it via text message and email. I've gotten so many replies back from people who even right now, it's 2023. And I've gotten messages back on LinkedIn from people who didn't even know there was a voice note feature on LinkedIn because that was the first time they ever received one. So, just by sending voice notes and video, you are a part of the 1% of connectors, which is why I call you a super connector if you do so.
This is such a fascinating topic. Could you let everybody know how they can get in touch with you if this is resonating with them and they want to reach out to get some help? How can they reach you?
Sure. So of course, you can go to my website iamjamarr.com. I have a contact form there. Also, I have some other podcasts that I've appeared on. You can also reach out to me on LinkedIn, Jamarr John Johnson. And then finally, whenever I do speaking engagements, I give out— I have a personal number that is just for business. It's 213-318-4919. There'll be some little automations and things in there that'll kind of help you Navigate your way through what precisely you're looking for. And then, I can text back and forth with you and set up a time for a virtual coffee if it makes sense for both of us.
Love it, love it, love it! Imtiaz has another question for us. How can social media and online platforms be utilized to amplify your business's referral efforts and reach a broader audience? Another great question.
Another great question. But again, the big V. If you're using video in your business, And video doesn't necessarily mean that you have to be an amazing speaker, amazing on camera. It doesn't mean that. Sometimes, it might be just you've got your head on a small corner of the video. But you're using your screen and explaining a process, explaining a service, right? Explaining something that you do.
Yeah.
Sometimes, you can do a video where it's just a screen share and you're not even showing your face. You're just using your voice. And now, with AI, you can leverage AI in some of those ways. But here's the thing. The power of media is that a video works for you even when you're asleep. So, if you're constantly publishing content and it doesn't have to be daily. But if you're posting content on a frequent basis, you are connecting and reaching people. And then, that same content can be reused in many different ways. So, leveraging the social media platforms, it's free advertising. But you still got to do a bit of legwork to build meaningful relationships so that your content matters to the people that potentially might see it, right? What people think is, hey, I'm just putting content out. But if you're putting content out without context and without connection to people, it has no meaning. So, you gotta for a time Spend some energy and effort really building relationships without asking for anything in return. And that turns into an investment into people that then pays itself back tenfold because now you'll have more engagement with the content that you do post. And it'll have a bigger impact.
It really is a situation of you have to give to get. Like, if you— I mean, one of the things that I've learned over the years with social media is is that I have to be just as interested in my customers, where they are at, and be on to be able to comment on what they're celebrating, to be able to acknowledge what they're challenged with. Whatever they put on social media, we have to be part of that conversation. But not for any other purpose than just to show that I cared enough to resonate with your message and to respond.
Yeah, I call it the 2-cent method. Everywhere you go, leave your 2 cents.
Yeah, we have no pennies in Canada.
Well, make it a nickel.
Make it a nickel. It's inflation anyway.
Yeah. But you get the idea, right? If you just put a little energy out there into the ecosystem. And an easy way to do that, especially with online, is that You can search and find areas of interest that you already have. So, you're not going that far out of your area of interest to make connections. And that way, the time you're spending feels fun. It feels meaningful. And then, you're making connections that even expand outside of the business world.
And at the very least, mention their puppy. Goodness knows that'll connect.
Puppies make people feel— puppies make people feel better. Just the sight of them. All through my condo complex, there are a bunch of people with puppies and dogs. And I see them every day from afar. I don't have to pick up the poop.
Yeah, don't have to deal with that stuff.
Yeah.
Hey, I know that—
Keep it in the gate. Keep it in the gate.
I know that the customer journey, like I talk about customer journey and the fact that customers will hit different milestones with us. How important in this idea of being a super connector, how important is aftercare, is the aftercare piece?
Well, I mean, the aftercare is a big part of what's the long-term value, right? After you've done your particular service, if you really ask interested questions and really got to know them, there should be someplace that you can hand them off to continue what they need in their journey. Right? Because we can't do everything. Of course, it'd be nice to. But what I like to think of being a super connector is being very plugged in and tapped in to other processes and services out there that could be of assistance to the people in your network. So, even after you've served them, you've got someplace else. And you're natural at that too, Marc. I mean, you almost had a referral for me right before we even started this because you really care. And you're like, hey, I know someone who does great work. I would vouch for them. So, you naturally had an instinct of sharing that forward.
That's it.
So, the aftercare part is being really honest about, hey, here's where you're at. Here's what we got done. Here's what we accomplished. Great! I'm going to get a referral. I mean, this is great. But to go to this next level for what you might need, there's other people that can serve you that I can't. And so, if you need help in discerning which ones you should go with, I'm happy to help you with that process. I have some people. But of course, I'd like you to find some people and we can compare and contrast to help you make the best decision. And people really appreciate that kind of transparency where you're not just like, okay, we're done. I'll see you later. You're like, no, this is an ongoing relationship because they might need you again. Oftentimes, entrepreneurs have many different businesses, right? They shift. They pivot as things happen, right? We got AI coming out now. And so, a lot of people are having to shift their business. Some people are resistant to it. And so, Things are going to come back around again. So, if you have the wherewithal to keep them in mind and keep finding ways to serve them after you've served them, that's how you end up expanding the lifetime value of that customer. Not just from a monetary standpoint but from a joy, from a pleasure, from a happiness standpoint because you actually really care about what they got going on in their life.
Yeah, yeah. And it just highlights I've been saying for years that we have gone from transactional relationships to relationships, to relational relationships. And so, it is all about creating those relationships. And we see it a lot of times like my wife and I bought a new couch and loveseat. And the sales rep was really good, really cared about us. We bought the couch. We got the couch home and all that. Crickets! Nothing after that.
Nothing.
So, it's like, okay, well, exactly how much did he care? Because he really seemed to care about us while we were there before we signed it, before we gave the credit card over. How much did he really care? And so again, that to me is— to me, it was not— they didn't take care, a good grasp of the opportunity that aftercare would have presented. Because that again would have turned into, oh my goodness, I can't believe how much he really does care.
Yep.
So, it's—
And you stand out when you do that very easily. Because 98%, or I'm making that statistic up, but most people don't do a good job. I'm just thinking about that. I just bought a new Mercedes a couple months ago.
5-star.
And the guy was amazing. And he was super nice. And every time I go, whenever you need anything, give me a call. And then, he was like, hey, I'm gonna send you a survey. Make sure I'm all 5 stars. And I'm like, someone who really cares isn't asking you to give them a perfect score.
Yeah.
They're asking you to give them what they deserved.
And they also asked, was I able to take good care of you? Is there anything I could have done better?
Yes.
Rather than saying, oh, you know, our dealership needs to have the 5 stars. Can you please make sure you rate me with 5 stars?
Yeah.
I'd really like to talk about some dos and don'ts of becoming a super connector. And we'll get to that right after this.
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I hope that you are getting a ton of value from today's episode. As you can tell, Jamar and I are passionate about today's topic. And if you belong to an organization that could use our help, or who might be planning a leadership retreat or a conference, drop us a line. We'd love to super connect with you. And we'd love to explore how we could be of service to you and your people because it is all about service. So, JaMarr, what advice would you give to businesses that are just starting to implement some sort of awareness around some of these super connector strategies?
Sure. Well, I mean, super connecting strategies, they're very human-like, right? So, you don't even necessarily need technology. What I would say is Focus on refining the process. And I would think the biggest process would be the authentic follow-up. So, as you're going out there and making connections, what's your follow-up process? And obviously, I mentioned video and voice. So, start to practice that. And don't be afraid. It's going to feel a little messy and it's going to feel a little awkward at times. But don't be afraid to let people know that you're trying something out. Be transparent about that. And it doesn't have to have a bunch of editing and things like that added to it. Literally, just the raw video will do the job at first. And as you get more sophisticated, then you can start to add on some elements. But what I think people really struggle with sometimes is the overwhelm of trying to take on too many systems at once. Change is possible. But incremental change is the most likely long-term successful outcome. And even like if you're trying to lose weight, I have something I call low-intensity steady-state cardio that allowed me to lose 55 pounds because I did the same simple thing every single day without needing a break, without risking injury, without exhausting myself. And it was repeatable. And so, I think that when you are out there connecting with people, try to keep it at a level that you can manage until your capacity goes up. Sometimes, when I'm coaching clients, I used to start off with 20, right? Can you go make 20 new contacts today? And a lot of them would really struggle. They would get to 10. They would get to 12. And I had to realize, you know what? I shouldn't just start with an arbitrary number that is easy for me because I've got 26 years of experience doing it. I need to figure out where their baseline is and then build up the muscle and the habit so they get good at it. You know, I could, you know, I used to, when I first got out of the military, I was in New York City working in real estate. And in order to get stage time at some of the clubs, you had to go out there and bark, what they call. And so, I remember selling tickets to comedy shows to people who didn't even speak English. But I was in the middle of Times Square and there's tons of opportunities, right? Tons of repetition of just talking to people and making them smile. And right. But in your business, you don't want to be that transactional. You want to be a lot more relational. And so, at first, for you to build relationships, it might take you 10 minutes with a person. Because you're building the skills to learn how to ask the interested questions. But when you get good at it, and I would recommend, you know, you could buy a really good book called The Challenger Sale. There's another book called To Sell Is Human by Daniel Pink. And then, obviously The Go-Giver. But those things, what they do is they shift your mindset around the ickiness of networking, the ickiness of sales. Or you can buy my book, right? Superconnecting. And when you do that though, is I want you to be really intentional on building up these core questions that you ask so that you can not learn how to just repeat questions but learn how to ask interested questions that follow the thread. So, you're not overwhelming yourself with trying to meet 20 people at this networking event. You made 5 solid connections and then create a game plan to follow up with them that's somewhat soon, right? Because the more time goes by, like you said, the guy who called you up 2 months later was like, hey, I got your card. And it's like, But what about me stood out, made you want to reach out? You have to know those things. You have to internalize those things. And a lot of people, they do a lot of networking over the phone. And so, they're just taking notes and they're just shorthand in a CRM.
Yes.
You want to have a deeper connection than that. And that's only going to happen if you're really real, if you're really present. If you're not asking them questions but then off in your mind thinking about something else because you You're just trying to go through motions. You know, if you feel like you're going to go through the motions, I say stay home. Reserve your energy to recuperate and go back out there the next day when you can be authentically caring. Because the marketplace is vicious. And if you're out there being a phony, people are going to sense it. And then, you're going to develop a reputation that's going to be hard to outrun.
This has been absolutely fantastic, Jamar. As we wrap up, do you have any last Thoughts?
You know, there's besides humor, music is a very powerful super connector. And so, asking questions and around what people like from a music standpoint and bonding in that realm because there's so much emotional connection there is another realm to talk about. And that's why I have a theme song for super connecting. But think about that as well in your strategy because comedy, music, and even art It's very human. It's very emotional. And we're the only ones on this planet that get to appreciate it. Yes.
Yeah, I love it. Could you remind everybody one more time how they can get a hold of you?
You can get a hold of me on my website iamjamar.com or LinkedIn @JamarJohnJohnson. Or you can reach me directly on my cell phone at 213-318-4919 and stand by for some automation. But I do respond and text you back.
Love it. And I will put all that in the show notes so people can get a hold of you. Thank you again. I really appreciate you taking time out to do this with me. I know how busy you are. I love that.
I had a blast, Marc.
You're passionate enough to share your knowledge.
This is a lot of fun, man. Lights, cameras, action. Actually, I gave a talk last night and it was called Time for Some Action.
So there you go. Love it. Love it. Thanks again, Jamar.
My pleasure. Take care.
If you have any questions about today's episode or would like a complimentary 30-minute brainstorming session with you and your team, feel free to book some time on my online calendar. The link is down below. It's the one that's marked meetwith.marchaine.com. How convenient is that, eh? meetwith.marchaine.com. As always, I am at your service. And if you haven't done so yet, why don't you go ahead and subscribe to this I'd love for you to get the bookings every time we come up with fresh new content that you'll get notifications for it by subscribing to this podcast. That's how you're going to get that. And please, if you feel up to it and you feel brave enough, could you leave a review about this episode? That would be absolutely marvelous as well. Thank you for joining me today. My name is Marc Haine. I hope that you stay safe, stay healthy, and of course, I hope that you dare To be the exception. Thanks so much.
