Get To Know Your Neighbors

Jennifer Perna, Owner, Fulton Market Consulting, Chicago, IL

August 13, 2020

2 Min Read
Get To Know Your Neighbors

Referrals are an important part of every business. Any great salesperson knows this. Developing a “sales team” of people that do not work for you but recommend you costs you nothing.

These testimonials are more powerful than your own sales pitch. They are unbiased and come from an external source. Your only job is to make sure you deliver what your references have promised.

Start building your testimonial pool. Invite people into your business to experience what you do. This includes more than just customers. Invite your vendors and your local community to get to know you. Your neighborhood. You never know who may be able to send some business your way. You also don’t know how far their reach is to others.

Inspire

I just returned from a weekend road trip. I drove to Eastern Iowa from Chicago through Southwestern Wisconsin. I spent the first night in a small town called Verona, Wisconsin.

I picked my hotel based on what was open and had the highest TripAdvisor reviews for cleanliness & service (cleanliness is the new luxury). Upon check-in, I was asked to fill out a form for my complimentary breakfast. They were offering an individually-plated meal because the free morning buffet was closed. It was comforting to see the hotel had already made adjustments due to Covid-19.

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I asked Eric at the front desk what he recommended for dinner. I had not dined out a restaurant for the past four months. I was excited yet tentative. I wondered how restaurants would be following cleanliness guidelines. Eric suggested the local bar & grill across the street. I looked out the window at what appeared to be a dive-bar. “Really, I thought?” Eric had seen this face already before. “I know it doesn’t look it, but they shut down every afternoon between 2:00-5:00 pm for a complete scrub down of the place. I watch for it every day that I am here.”

Sold!

I had the best reuben sandwich of my life with an ice cold Wisconsin beer. While I was there, I posted a picture on Instagram. It was that good. I had more likes from that post than any other in the past four months. Before I paid my bill, the owner stopped by my table to see if I enjoyed everything. I let him know my sandwich and beer were excellent and that Eric sent me over. Eric was the best non-paid salesperson on this owner’s team. Now I’m the second best non-paid salesperson on his team. Connect with me if you are going to Verona. I will tell you where to go.

 

About the Author

Jennifer Perna

Owner, Fulton Market Consulting, Chicago, IL

Jennifer Perna started Fulton Market Consulting in May 2017 after developing an event experience and sales management experience portfolio for over 25 years in the downtown Chicago catering and special events industry. Jennifer presently works with owners, managers and all team players at hospitality-related companies on increasing sales and creating business development strategies, streamlining processes for operations and event production and developing best practices for human resources and administrative management. This is especially imperative as we continue to manage a diverse and young talented pool of employees today. Jennifer brings a dynamic, approachable and relatable communication style to all levels and members of the team.Jennifer is an active, passionate and involved member of the International Caterers Association (ICA) where she is on the Executive Board as Immediate Past President, after completing a successful two-year Presidential term. Jennifer has been an ICA member since 2011. She has also been an active board member of the Catersource Advisory Council since 2015.Prior to starting Fulton Market Consulting, Jennifer was Vice President of Sales at Blue Plate Catering from August 2008-April 2017. Jennifer thrived in her position as the leader of a sales department of 32 dynamic sales and production team members generating annual revenue reaching over $25 million in off-premise catering sales, working in over 85 various venues throughout the Chicagoland area.Jennifer & Blue Plate received several accolades and awards during her time including:

 2016 Best and Brightest companies to work for, National Association for Business Resources

• 2015 Achievement in Catering Excellence (ACE), East region, Catersource

 2015 Best Catering Company, Illinois Meetings and Events

• 2015 Couples Choice Award, Wedding Wire

 2009 Hall of Fame Supplier of the Year, Illinois Meetings and Events 

Jennifer is a proud graduate of the Cornell School of Hotel Administration with a Bachelor of Science Degree concentrating in food and beverage and marketing. She recently was a guest speaker at the special event class at the prestigious hotel school in October 2016 and it heading back for a return engagement this autumn.

contact information:

[email protected]

312.515.4380

www.fultonmarketconsulting.com

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