Steve Beecham is an author, speaker, and business owner. He owns ⁠Home Town Mortgage⁠. He discusses his business experience, referral marketing strategies, and speaking career to provide insights for entrepreneurs.

Key Takeaways

  – Referral-based businesses thrive on deep relationships; join multiple organizations to expand your network

  – Provide value and “wow” experiences to generate reciprocity and increase referrals

  – Speaking careers require consistent effort in marketing and building an audience

  – Diversifying business interests can lead to new opportunities and growth

Topics

Steve Beecham’s Business Background

  – 30+ years in the mortgage industry

  – Owns boutique mortgage company with son and small team

  – Survived the 2008 financial crisis by pivoting to writing and speaking

  – Published 4 books on becoming a community’s “go-to” person

Referral Marketing Strategies

  – Focus on making people aware of your business existence

  – Paint vivid pictures of what you’re looking for when asking for referrals

  – Join multiple organizations (e.g., Rotary, Chamber of Commerce) to build deep relationships

  – Aim for one new deal per month from each organization joined

  – Leverage social media: “kidnap” friends on Facebook to expand network

Creating “Wow” Experiences

  – Go beyond good service to create memorable experiences

  – Explore clients’ personal interests/needs beyond your service

  – “Wow” experiences double referral rates from 10% to 20-25%

  – Example: Helping a client’s son find a job in an unrelated field

Speaking Career Development

  – Wrote his first book during the 2008 financial crisis, leading to speaking opportunities

  – Started with free 20-minute speeches at local Rotary clubs

  – Expanded to paid speaking engagements through connections (e.g., Edward Jones)

  – Treat speaking as a business: market yourself, build an audience

  – Leverage social media and existing network for speaking opportunities

Business Diversification

  – Invested in painting and HVAC businesses using marketing expertise

  – Exploring hard money loans for house flippers

  – Advice: Buy and hold properties for long-term wealth-building