May 2019 • Anthony Tumbiolo

Building a Business

How To Attract Customers Organically and Authentically

Written by: Anthony Tumbiolo|May 21, 2019

Sales and new business are very hot topics.

If you scroll down through any social media platform, you’ll be flooded with so-called marketing gurus.

Apparently, they’ve all “discovered” the latest, most innovative strategy that, in 5 simple steps, will bring you more clients than you can possibly manage.

Look, if you’re reading this article to find a groundbreaking technique, I have a feeling that you’ll be disappointed.

I don’t have it.

I don’t have the coolest FB Ads hacks.

Or the newest LinkedIn cold-messaging tips.

I just don’t.

What I do have is a $4M/year business and a bunch of years of experience in my shoulders.

By all means, I don’t know everything. But I do want to share with you the approach I’ve used to grow my company from 0 to 4 Million.

If you are a business owner or a CEO, I really think this can help you attract more clients and scale your business in a very organic and authentic way.

Here’s how…

The Most Unsexy Marketing Strategy Ever:

What I do is this:

I meet people.

And then I help them.

And if I can’t help them myself, I try to connect them with someone that might be able to.

There really are hundreds of people I’ve introduced that have done business together –which is awesome.

And I do this every single day. And every single week. And every single month. And every single year.

Just think about it:

In the last 5 years that I’ve been really focused on this, I’ve probably talked to around 3,000 people.

(50 people/month x 12 months x 5 years. And I’m sure it’s more because there are days where I’m talking to 5-8 people).

And then it compounds.

Seriously, how is it going to look when I’ve done this consistently for ten more years? Or 20 more years? The more people you meet and help, the better it gets.

It’s a long game.

And this weird thing happens when you help a lot of people:

It comes back to you.

Maybe not now. Maybe not in a year. Honestly, maybe not ever.

But, a lot of times, it does. And it can happen in ways you don’t expect or long after you’ve even forgotten about it.

Why some people don’t like this method:

I was recently having a conversation about this on Twitter with Mike, a good friend of mine.

And something he said really spurred my thinking:

“Shiny object syndrome is a real thing.

People don’t think this works because, if it did work, they would have to do ungodly amounts of work.

I’m not going to become a hustle-porn account, but some people don’t want to do it.

Not can’t, won’t.”

And I 100% agreed with him.

This is a ton of work without an immediate ROI. That’s why some business owners don’t like our answer to how to get more clients. Others love it.

“Intellectually, he added, it’s much easier to say that Mike and Anthony are wrong. Then, it shifts the burden away from oneself.”

He’s right. This is not the automated way to get clients while you sleep.

It’s a very slow strategy that takes years. But it pays off later on.

And it all starts with…

The Importance of Giving

My friend Chris Schembra once told me about Adam Grant’s book Give And Take.

In it, Adam talks about how the most successful people are givers and not takers.

I never thought about this as a “strategy.”

Going into it, I just wanted to help as many people as I could. I trusted that business would eventually flow my way.

And I really subscribe to the idea that stuff comes around to people that give more than they take.

Over the 7+ years I’ve been playing this game, I’ve personally seen how people have built very big businesses following this philosophy.

And this is not a hidden secret.

It’s just about giving as much value as you can and expect nothing in return.

Yes, even if you have to do free stuff for others.

I worked for free when I was starting up to prove my value. And I now help a bunch of people without asking for an economic return. And that’s okay.

I kid you not, if you have patience and bring an enormous amount of value, business will find you sooner or later. I’ve received referrals from people I haven’t talked to in 2 or 3 years.

There’s a Law of Attraction component to it as well. What you put out will be what you receive. It just works.

But something you have to keep on doing is this…

Share your story.

As you help people, you have to also be constantly storytelling.

There’s power in telling people your story and what you’re doing, right?

I’ve told my story over the years when it comes to Jakt so many times to so many people… that they just know me now.

I’m top of mind with those that I’m interacted with (and helped). So then, if there’s ever anything that might be a good fit for us, they tell me.

Sure, there will be people that say things like:

“Referrals aren’t scalable.”

But referrals alone can build a really solid book of business. At Jakt, the combination of referrals and channel partners makes up for the vast majority of our revenue.

And this doesn’t have to be your only client acquisition strategy.

I’m not shitting on any paid marketing channels. There are definitely good things when it comes to them.

I just wanted to share the importance of meeting people, helping them, and telling your story.

Yes, you’ll need a truckload of patience.

And a ton of effort.

And a bunch of work.

But, in my opinion, it’s worth it.

3 Quick Takeaways On This Approach:

The more people you help and the more value you bring, the more people you’ll make an impact on. Doing that consistently over time will bring business back to you. Give more than you take.
This is a slow process. It’s not easy, and it takes a lot of work. That’s why some people don’t like it. You won’t see results in the first week, but it compounds in the long run.
You have to share who you are and what you’re up to. Keep on telling your story so that you’re top of mind when they have business to send your way.

Liked this article? Hit me up on Twitter @anthonytumbiolo and let me know!

How to Network as an Introvert

Written by: Anthony Tumbiolo|May 17, 2019

I talked about the importance of sales in a recent article. Basically, my point was that they should be a priority for many (if not all) business owners and CEOs -especially in the beginning.

I also argued that the way I grew Jakt in the early days was not through some groundbreaking marketing strategy.

We didn’t use Facebook ads. Or PPC. Or Youtube ads…

And, for the most part, we still don’t.

I just went out and talked to people. I met with them and found out what they needed. What their problems were. How I could add value and help. And, if my company could help them, great! If not, I’d introduce them to someone who could.

I’m simplifying, but you get my point. (Click here to read the whole article.)

That post received some interesting feedback from entrepreneurs who are struggling with doing just that.

It doesn’t come naturally to them to meet with other people and “network.” They think of themselves as introverts.

Funny thing, I do too.

Many people are surprised when they hear this. But let me tell you, I LOVE my alone time and really dislike groups of people.

So I totally understand how that can seem like a daunting task. But I do want to share my strategies as an introvert to not just overcome that –but use it to my advantage.

Before we get into that, let’s really understand…

What does it mean to be an introvert:

Having an introverted personality is not about being shy. Or quiet. Or reclusive.

I’ve heard them all before. But, to me, being an introvert is much more complex than simply withdrawing yourself into a quiet room like a hermit in rural Nebraska.

Sure, as an introvert, I love being alone.

And yeah, being in big groups drains my energy. I personally don’t like being around them. I gain this energy back by being by myself and doing my own thing.

But, on the other hand, I’m good at communicating one-on-one with potential clients, for example.

And I’m more than fine leading meetings with my team.

The point is, there’s a spectrum to intro and extraversion. I consider myself an introvert with extroverted tendencies. But let’s not assign cliches to either side.

At the same time, your personality does affect how you should be…

Networking as a business owner

If you’re a business owner, you need to sell. Period.

But, many introversion-oriented business leaders have a tough time creating organic relationships through networking.

The thing is, it’s not that you can’t do it. It’s that you’re not approaching it from the way that will give YOU results.

You have to custom-tailor it to your strengths, and then capitalize on them.

When I first started Jakt, I was told over and over again that I should go to large networking events. That I should go to these big conferences and push business cards through people’s throats.

If you’re saying “fuck that, I’m not doing that”…

Well, don’t do it then. Seriously. Do what comes naturally to you.

I found that I built much closer connections with people one-on-one rather than attending every networking event to meet hundreds of people at once.

That’s just not me, so I don’t do it.

There are other ways we introverts can network…

Why not just email someone you want to meet and invite them out for coffee? Or video chat with someone if you’re remote? Or connect with them first on social media and start a conversation?

I do all of these. All the time. And have been for years.

Instead of wasting time, effort, and energy on doing shit that makes you suffer, start…

Playing to your strengths.

Whether you’re an introvert or an extrovert, know what you’re good at and what you like. And triple down on that.

If you’re an extrovert, great. Use that to your advantage. Go meet all those people at networking events. Just remember that you still need to make a deeper connection.

And if you’re an introvert, take a more selective approach. Build this connection one-on-one –it doesn’t matter. In the end, we’re both accomplishing the same thing.

But doing it the way it comes naturally to you will make you achieve more results without hating every second of it.

Self-awareness and being uncomfortable.

Don’t get me wrong:

You have to meet people.

And I’m not saying you should stay recluded in your comfort zone –all warmed up under the blankets.

Yes, be self-aware enough to know what you like and what you don’t, and what you’re good at and what you’re not.

But also, strike the right balance between embracing your strengths and doing things that may make you a bit uncomfortable.

Let’s say you’re at your city’s WeWork and you hear a couple of people talking. What do you do?

You can stay quiet and mind your own business. And, honestly, as an introvert, that’s our first reaction, right?

But, if you have something valuable to add, make yourself uncomfortable.

Jump into the conversation (the timing has to be right and what you say and how you say it has to be right otherwise it will come off weird – but that’s out of the scope of this article).

Build a connection, add some value and maybe even help them out. You never know which stranger can be your next client –talking from experience here!

Networking as an Introvert Takeaways:

Being an introvert doesn’t mean you are a shy or that who can’t talk to others. It’s about what gives you energy and what drains you.
Play to your strengths. If you’d rather network over coffee, via Skype, or even Twitter, do it! What works for other people doesn’t have to work for you. Tailor your approach to what comes naturally to you.
Be self-aware to know what you like and what you’re good at, but also be okay with being uncomfortable and placing yourself outside of your comfort zone. Try shit out.