A Message From Michael One of the mantras of the Generosity Generation is Give First, Give Thanks, Give Back. If you want to be referable, you have to be a giver - they just go hand-in-hand. In this issue you hear from some of the biggest givers I’ve ever known. The thing that you will realize after reading is it’s so much more than giving - there is a science behind it. Becoming a
giver is a mindshift, and so is being an appreciative receiver. One of my favorite quotes is from Maya Angelou, “I have found that among its other benefits, giving liberates the soul of the giver.” If you want to truly experience joy, give, my friend. It will awaken a part of your soul that you didn’t even know you have and it will attract others who do the same.
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NOVEMBER 2018 FOUNDER AND CEO Michael Maher
VP Sheri Maher EDITOR IN CHIEF Mandy Thacker DIRECTOR OF DESIGN Joshua Nelson GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Ben Duff CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Ashley Alt O’Beria Seats James Walton THIS ISSUE Bob Burg Dave Debruyn Michael Maher John Ruhlin Toril Schoepfer ADVERTISING BookMichaelMaher.com 7L: The Seven Levels of Communication 30Mornings.com GenGenEvents.com ReferralPodcast.com GetAccelerate.com CertifiedReferralTrainers.com CallWithCoach.com
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REFERRALS MAGAZINE | REFERCO.COM | ISSUE 04 | NOVEMBER 2018
WHAT’S INSIDE! Referrals Roundtable What was the last gift you gave?
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referral strategies
The Science of Strategic Gifting 8 featuring John Ruhlin
Want to Break the Internet? Here’s How!
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the influential zone
Mr. Go-Giver Himself Just Keeps on Giving!
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featuring Bob Burg
FREE Download: Chapters 1 & 2 of The Go-Giver Influencer
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be referable
The Seven Gifts of Generosity 22 by Michael J. Maher
Are You up for This 30-Day Challenge?
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Referable Reads 29 catalyst* connection
#GiveBack in a BIG way! 30
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Referrals ROUNDTABLE What was the last gift you gave? Ours was delivered yesterday to Sandra Nickel, friend and Realtor in Montgomery, Alabama who got a flowered Get Well bouquet with a smiley face coffee mug. - Michael
A personalized handmade wooden salad bowl with the bride and groom’s names and wedding date engraved on the bottom. - Carol Bright - Holyoke, MA
15 minutes ago a $100 gift card - PF Chang’s restaurant with a greeting card “Just because” to a sweet couple client of mine. - Tamer Tamer Khamis Gomaa - Lancaster, PA
Got a walker for a neighbor. Then she was able to get a scooter so I can give it again. - Kathy Moreland Presley - Tampa, FL
A hiking backpack for an agent i met for coffee recently who told me she loved hiking. - Pinky Shah - Monroe Township, NJ
A Pendleton blanket made in Oregon. Shelly Hummel - Bend, OR
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The Science of Strategic Gifting Featuring John Ruhlin By O’Beria Seats
referral strategies
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ave you ever given someone a gift that changed the very dynamics of your relationship? A meaningful and sincere gift that actually strengthened your connection with someone? What about a gift that took appreciation to a whole new level? A lot of people would agree that relationships are huge assets. And if this is the case, why not invest in them monetarily in order to get a return? Giving can take many forms, however, expert gifting strategist John Ruhlin focuses on giving tangibly—in the form of gifts. Merriam Webster Dictionary defines the word gift as the act or power of giving. Ruhlin says, “We crave to be known as a valuable human being. When you give someone a gift you’re saying ‘I value you as a human being, and I value the relationship.’” Ruhlin knows firsthand the powerful impact gifts have on professional relationships. He shows Fortune 500 companies and pro sports teams how strategic gifting can help foster their relationships with top clients, prospects and employees. So how did Ruhlin become one of the most requested gift-giving advisors in the nation? Strangely enough, by selling a simple cutting instrument, with a sharpedged, metal blade fitted with a handle. After deliberately deciding not to go to medical school, he takes on an internship at Cutco, the largest manufacturer of kitchen knives and other cutlery tools and utensils. Ruhlin didn’t consider himself to be much of a salesman. Initially, he was often outperformed by other sales reps who worked for Cutco. However, Ruhlin’s luck
JOHN RUHLIN
would soon change after encountering his girlfriend’s father, Paul. Paul was an attorney who had big-time clients, but more importantly he had a passion for giving. Ruhlin asked Paul to sell knives to these clients, hoping to make some much-needed sales. Thing is, it wasn’t necessarily what Paul did for Ruhlin, but it’s what he said to Ruhlin that made all the difference. “If you take care of the family first, then the rest will follow,” Paul said. Ruhlin took this idea and ran with it . . . well he more like bolted. Ruhlin’s first sale was a PO for $1,000. And the rest is literally history. He went on to become the best seller for Cutco out of 1.5 million other reps and distributors. Applying Paul’s principle along with hard work and determination contributed to Ruhlin’s success. His humble beginnings
helped develop in him character and a strong work ethic. Ruhlin, one of six kids, grew up in a household where hand-medowns were most likely considered a privilege. Most people learn the value of hard work as an adult, Ruhlin learned as a young boy. Case in point: Growing up on a Midwestern farm, Ruhlin was responsible for milking the goats, hoeing the corn, and hauling in the wood to keep the family warm during those chilly winters in Ohio. The famous Asian farmer and philosopher Masanobu Fukuoka once said, “The ultimate goal of farming is not the growing of crops, but the cultivation and perfection of human beings.” Hence Ruhlin’s rearing on a farm proved this perception to ring true. As in most cases, true success does not happen without a cost. And Ruhlin’s came
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