Susan Friedmann 00:30
Welcome to book marketing mentors.
The weekly podcast where you learn proven strategies, tools, ideas, and tips from the masters.
Every week can introduce you to a marketing master who will share their expertise to help you market and sell more books.
Today, my special guest is someone who radiates entrepreneurial energy and possesses unshakable devotion to customer service. Steve Ramona discovered his calling at an early age and is now on a mission to share his secret sauce for success.
He thrives on forging meaningful connections sharing referrals and watching people flourish.
His contagious passion for the lore of increase is what makes his podcast doing business with a servant's heart so successful. This show is chock full of inspiring stories about overcoming challenges and serving others. Steve has an incredible knack for spreading good vibes and elevating those around him.
He's a brand-new friend and colleague, Steve.
It's an absolute pleasure to welcome you to the show and thank you for being this week's guest expert at mentor.
Susan Friedmann 01:25
Thank you so much.
I want a wonderful introduction, and I really, really appreciate that.
Oh, my pleasure.
You are.
You're such a wonderful, a flint of knowledge and just connection and you've just got this sense of being so up all the time.
I know that you and I've just recently connected and in that time, wow, I've been on your podcast and, you know, now you're on mine.
Most importantly, you've introduced me to some incredible people in just a short time and I really appreciate that.
But let me ask you, why is this networking and helping serve others so important to you?
That's
Steve Ramona 02:04
a great question.
And Susan, thank you for asking.
I'm gonna start at my very beginning at 17 18.
I just got out of high school and my family started a health club.
And my cousin who was the president asked me to come aboard and work the front desk.
Steve Ramona 02:08
I said, yeah.
I wasn't working.
Yeah.
I don't have to, you know, find a job.
Okay.
Steve Ramona 02:27
Great.
Jumped in and stayed almost 22 year.
I think it's 20 years.
But the time that I worked the front desk was magical for networking.
And here's why I'm 18 and there's 40, 50, 60 year olds walking in the door, coming to work out, that I would say, hello, Tony.
Steve Ramona 02:32
Hey, Debbie.
Hey, Joanne.
Have a great workout when they leave.
Hey, have a great day.
Good seeing you.
Steve Ramona 02:58
Well, what happens is you see these people regularly 234 times a day a week.
You're gonna build relationships and build a network.
And I had 1 gentleman who was a financial guy with multiple millions of dollar clients just way above my level at my 18, 20 years old.
But he used to come say, hello and give me tips and talk about finances.
And 1 day he said, hey, kids, I'll give you a tip.
Steve Ramona 03:08
Be gonna listen and say, absolutely.
You bet Tony he goes, read the wealthy barber.
And this is back in 81 82.
Said, great.
He goes, follow that.
Steve Ramona 03:20
It's a short book.
And what the premise of the book was, take 10 percent of your income and store it away.
Put in some mutual for whatever and don't touch it.
And I did that to him.
I started the book, read it, and it started.
Steve Ramona 03:39
It was, oh, I'm good.
I'd see him every day.
Well, I woke up at 30, so about 10 years later, and I had 58000 dollars in that account.
I went, holy macra, I called him.
Because became friends at his phone number and I say, Tony, I just wanna let you know at 50 he goes 58000 in the account.
Steve Ramona 03:50
He goes, kid I'm glad you listened.
I said, what do you mean?
Because, you know, 90 percent of my clients would never listen.
The 10 percent that did, we both made a ton of money.
You listen, and that's where you are.
Steve Ramona 04:02
And that's what I learned about networking.
I helped him.
He helped me.
And I became a win win.
And I probably met 30, 40000 people over 20 years some I still work with or seek today.
Steve Ramona 04:10
So my very beginning led to networking.
And in thinking, girl, Rich Napoleon Hill, he's 1 the number 1 habit is contacting people.
Susan Friedmann 04:11
Well,
Steve Ramona 04:20
I don't wanna do cold leads.
I wanna build relationships and make them become warm leads and warm partners that will refer me and I refer them.
That is such a
Susan Friedmann 04:42
beautiful story.
I love it.
I think this is a great segue because you said, you know, you don't wanna do cold calling.
I know that 1 of the subjects that we really want to transition to is about sales of service.
I think sales has got such a bad rap because of this thought of having to make a cold call.
Susan Friedmann 04:59
Somebody you don't know and this fear of being rejected from that, whereas your whole premise is sales as service.
So let's transition into that and talk about that and the importance of that and basically how do you get started?
Steve Ramona 05:19
Well, the first thing is a mindset.
And whether it's a book, a mentor, whoever may be, and people can reach out to me and I can show them and help them is thinking law of increase.
And you mentioned my introduction.
I really appreciate that.
When I meet anybody, I'm always thinking How can I take Susan to another level?
Steve Ramona 05:37
How can I give her an up level?
Up level her person, her business, whatever.
Some value Now it could be, hey, you've got a great dress on today, Susan.
It could be very sour, beautiful smile or whatever.
Always leave them with value with the law of increase.
Steve Ramona 06:00
I'm not a cold caller.
I'm not comfortable with that.
But you can do that cold calling too, whether it's on a Zoom or you're on a phone call.
Always thinking, giving back, pay and afford, all those different phrases, in your mindset every time you meet somebody, and when you meet them again and again.
What's so beautiful about that is, yes, you're very them
Susan Friedmann 06:25
focused whereas so often we look at ourselves and I was like, oh, I need to sell this thing.
What are they gonna think of me?
And and you get sort of tied up with your own thinking and forget, like you said, how can I serve the other person because chances are that what goes out there comes back in more ways than you often can imagine?
Steve Ramona 06:45
Yes.
I mean, there's no scoreboard involved here.
Do not serve and go, okay, I'm gonna serve Susan this way and expect Susan to give me 10 referrals or buy my product or service.
You just put it out to the universe, put that positive energy, and it's always changed.
But how do you feel when you do that?
Steve Ramona 06:53
You're gonna feel great and guess what, when you have parts of energy in yourself, you're gonna start doing it more and more and more.
Susan Friedmann 07:31
Yeah.
It does give you that beautiful feeling.
I'm very much about giving and very much about how can I help this person I never think of it as sales as service, but I know that when you said that and you serve with, you know, your service with a servant's heart?
I mean, that is so beautiful and I know that that's what you're doing business podcast is so dramatic and people who you interview there and the stories that you hear and at the same time, Steve, you still have to grow your business.
Talk to us about how does that work?
Steve Ramona 07:43
Well, when you're networking with a servant's heart.
People always remember you.
You're gonna always smile, and I'll use an example today before.
Hot cats today.
You gave me built a great introduction.
Steve Ramona 08:05
You served me.
My heart is glowing right now because you gave me something.
Well, I feel good and it's the paid forward mentality that helps your business.
Now I'm thinking when I get off here, I wanna find somebody to help you grow your business a referral.
The paid for concept is people know about, but I think it's still lost.
Steve Ramona 08:20
And a quick example, I was in the grocery store 1 day.
Business was slow.
Things were happening.
I just got away from the office with the bike groceries.
And I just had this preemination, feeling, energy, to buy the ladies groceries ahead of me and gave the credit card to the clerk, 21 years old, your young guy.
Steve Ramona 08:26
He's like, what are you doing?
I said, I just wanna pay for a grant.
That's crazy.
I said, I'm a crazy guy.
Just go with it.
Steve Ramona 08:33
So he took the card.
It was about 30 40 bucks.
I didn't even remember how much it was.
But her name was Debbie and she had a baby in her arms.
She thanked me very much.
Steve Ramona 08:42
I bought my groceries.
We walked out together and she hugged me and she started crying.
And she said, you just don't know a blessing.
You just gave us.
I said, what's going on, Debbie?
Steve Ramona 09:08
She goes, my husband lost his job last week.
You buying the groceries, we weren't sure where we're gonna get our groceries this week.
We're so thin on money, losing his job, and not the fact that I did that, which was great, and I was happy I did it was, here's what's happening when you serve others is She's obviously gonna go home.
No doubt and tell her husband.
Most of the time, that couple will go out and think, who can we help?
Steve Ramona 09:35
Or at least in the back of their minds, who can I serve and give value to?
Because that's what happens when you serve others.
It's happened in the last 3 or 4 years with me I serve somebody and I'm like, hey, you know, and just happened I introduced you somebody and be a great meeting with them.
So this can be so compounding, losing a financial term, of growing you because you are the brand, especially with the authors you work.
They're the brand.
Steve Ramona 09:59
Well, if that brand is known as somebody has always given value, people are gonna wanna connect with you, which leads to more connections, which leads to more contacts, which leads to more possibilities of either selling your book or having somebody else refer you to sell your book or publish it or whatever your businesses It's such a powerful movement, but it's not being done right now.
And that's my goal is to get more and more people to do it.
Susan Friedmann 10:40
So what I'm hearing here, Steve, is very much thinking, you know, it's not short term.
It's like, let me sell my book right now or let me get a speaking engagement right now.
But it's more in terms of the networking because you never know where that next opportunity might come as I said, you've introduced me to maybe half a dozen people in the last few weeks, and I've had conversations with some of these people, which is now opening doors that I never even thought about.
I never even imagined that might be possible.
So, yes, I mean, this is such a beautiful thing to do.
Susan Friedmann 10:58
It could be long term, but it could be short term.
You just never know.
You just never know who that person that you're networking with could introduce you to somebody or be the person who could turn your business around when the blink of an eye, you just don't know.
The power of the serving, it's always
Steve Ramona 11:15
remembered a quick story.
I gotta sail from a gentleman 3 weeks ago from my in phone business, and I met him a year ago, and he ran into somebody who mentioned me.
He said, oh, I met with Steve a year where I gotta reconnect with them.
Hey, this guy said great things about you.
I remember me it was so great.
Steve Ramona 11:31
You gave me this, and I gave him served him.
Inserved me.
And I that's not what I'm there for, but I served him by just giving him value, and he served me by listening.
I even look at that.
Hey, you're meet with me, Susan, this podcast, just be as connecting that serving each other.
Steve Ramona 11:55
Well, he've gotta connect with me in a meeting and he goes, you know what, I gotta get this info and he says, I'm gonna sign up because of you.
If I didn't serve them a year ago, didn't treat them well, didn't give them some type of value, probably would not have happened.
So I love what you say in Susan about the long term effect.
This can go years.
Like it did at the health club, I mean, Tony, who I talked about, he was there for 8 years.
Steve Ramona 12:07
And I believe he passed away if I remember.
But still, we built a a relationship and a lot of other people were years that I was still connected.
They may have left the club.
I'll see him at a restaurant.
Hey, hello.
Steve Ramona 12:14
God, it was great to see you.
So this can go on for a long, long time.
Tony left a legacy -- Yeah.
--
Susan Friedmann 13:14
with you.
And obviously, I mean, I'm thinking he did with many others, but, you know, you don't know who those were, but you got some very important lessons from him which you acted on.
Now as he said, maybe only 10 percent of the people he gave advice to took action.
It's also there's this passive and active side of information and networking that you get, that it's like, oh, I can dismiss someone, oh, yeah, well, they're not gonna be any good to me because they're in a completely different environment, which is nonsense because we all know, hundreds of people, you just don't know who we, you know, each other knows, the fact that you took action on this savvy advice that you got from him increased your, you know, your bank account without you even knowing and realizing.
You just every week, you put in a little bit, a little bit, and it compounded.
Susan Friedmann 13:25
And I think that's this whole idea of networking is compounding our relationships with people.
Some will pay off and others won't.
They won't all pay off.
But
Steve Ramona 13:37
that's okay.
You just don't know.
Which ones will and which ones will.
What do you think?
So well said, and keep in mind, it didn't cost me anything, but to listen, like you said, take action.
Steve Ramona 13:55
Indecisiveness is a problem in this world.
I run until we all do speaking to other people, but taking action is such a big thing.
You're right.
If I didn't take action, I won't have that money and and a lot of other things, but it didn't cost me anything but to listen.
And move forward with it.
Steve Ramona 14:07
That's the thing about serving.
It's not gonna cost you anything.
And Susan, I like to I talk to people and they go, well, I don't have a lot of money.
Well, then call your best friend, you haven't talked to him in a year.
And just have a great conversation with them.
Steve Ramona 14:40
Walk down the street and say, hey, how gonna help you open the door for, you know, somebody, help some grocery.
There there are so many ways that you can change your universe by just serving in those ways go to a soup kitchen homeless shelter.
And there's websites out there where you can do that if you need help and you can reach out to me.
But it only costs us time, but it's time well spent.
I'm gonna put that phrase out there because I'll talk to people and they'll do it 1 or 2 times and then they'll stop.
Steve Ramona 15:00
You know, it might meet 4 more people and not forget about it.
So I put a challenge out there to your audience.
And that challenge is gonna be, I want you next week starting Monday.
Every person you meet from Monday to Friday, personally or professionally, In your mindset, I want you to think of how you can give value.
Law of increase.
Steve Ramona 15:20
How can you increase that person?
And I guarantee you 99.9 percent because you know a hundred percent guarantee in this world that you're gonna change lives, you're gonna feel better, And eventually, it's gonna change your life.
It might be a day, it may be a week, it may be a month, it may be a year.
Do not put that school board up.
Just keep serving.
Steve Ramona 15:22
And serving.
Susan Friedmann 16:02
It's interesting this whole concept because you read about, you know, I mean, there's so many people who are depressed and the way of the world at the moment.
But serving others helps you get out of your own garbage and just focus on somebody else.
And that that makes you feel so much better as you rightly say is just that whole concept.
Hey.
Let me look at how I can serve somebody else versus just sort of being in my own stuff and having my own pity party because something didn't go the way I wanted it to or I'm feeling down.
Susan Friedmann 16:06
About some situation or other.
You
Steve Ramona 16:18
wanna get out of that audience and listeners.
I always tell people that I do my self.
We need to have something we'd all do.
We have dips in our life personally and professionally.
When that dip happens, go serve.
Steve Ramona 16:37
It will change that dip really quick.
Because when I did the grocery, I had a bad day, a couple of news shows in my meetings, couple of nonrenewals.
So I lost money that day.
It wasn't locked, but it was just a negative day.
My take completely changed when I took Debbie and bought her groceries.
Steve Ramona 16:51
That night, I took my wife out to dinner.
We celebrated not that, but just being happy and feeling good and positive.
Because with a negative, you bring a positive in.
It's like magnetic.
It'll pull you out of it.
Steve Ramona 17:04
And maybe it's short term, but maybe that short term turns on long term.
I've never served somebody and then tell me, god, dude, this is so bad.
Why'd you do that?
Never.
That's a hundred percent guarantee.
Steve Ramona 17:14
And a hundred percent guarantee, they're gonna smile and feel good.
If it's a short term, you've done your job, it's up to them, of course, to take it to the next level.
That's why I love to pay it for.
Susan Friedmann 17:45
Also, I think it allows you to be grateful for what you have when you serve somebody who liked this woman, Debbie, you know?
You didn't know that her husband had lost a job and that they were short of finances.
And then you suddenly realize, oh my goodness, I did this, you know, out of the kindness of my heart.
And now looking back, I've got to be grateful for what I have because, yes, I'm able to buy my groceries and put food on the table, whereas she was worried about it.
So, yeah,
Steve Ramona 18:12
gratitude is the next level because that will build up as you serve, as you give values, as you give a law of increase, my gratitude.
I've always had it, but it's grown so much.
I'm just giving you an example.
I did a thousand referrals last year over the year.
And my gratitude level because all those people have come back to me thanking me grateful for you or I'm grateful to be here on the show and we need more gratitude in this world.
Steve Ramona 18:23
We lose sight of what we really have, and you said that earlier, Susan.
But serving can bring it out to you.
It just oozes right out of you that energy of gratitude when you serve?
Susan Friedmann 18:55
Yeah.
I've spent time in Southeast Asia -- Mhmm.
-- in the Philippines and Thailand.
I've been involved with projects where you're helping kids who've been orphaned women who've been abused and the smallest little thing, just a small little toy or just being cuddled.
You know, these kids are in orphanages and they just they've smile on their faces with just these small little things to suddenly, oh my goodness.
Susan Friedmann 19:06
You can have that impact, something small, but can impact somebody in such a large way.
So, yes.
And that's a great story,
Steve Ramona 19:09
Susan.
And how that make you feel when you saw those smiles?
Susan Friedmann 19:23
Oh, I mean, just on top of the world.
It's just like, I mean, to see a child smile in any event, you know.
That's a universal language.
You don't have to speak any language.
Just seeing somebody smile just, you know, speaks volumes.
Susan Friedmann 19:36
Yes.
And particularly children who you know do not have anything like what you or your children might have or have.
Mhmm.
So yeah.
It's it's beautiful.
Susan Friedmann 20:00
It really is beautiful.
Let's focus on our authors.
You know, let's go back and talk about how our authors can do this and still feel good about the fact that, hey, I've got this book and I want to sell this book.
I want to get speaking gigs or I want to get business.
Talk to us about that and how we can tie
Steve Ramona 20:31
this concept in to the nitty gritty of making money?
Great question.
Being remembered, I think, is a thing with a book.
So somebody's got a book and you give them value, you give them serve it, whatever that may be, maybe it's a 1 page or a little tidbit of what you say in your book.
But giving them value while you're talking to people talking about your book, maybe give them a referral, hey, I have this great book that You know what, Susan?
Steve Ramona 20:57
I've got this gentleman you need to talk to.
Or, hey, let me connect you here.
Here's a great place to bring your business.
Always thinking as an author is no different than selling plumbing, a lawyer, anybody that's selling a product for service.
When you're meeting people about your book doing a presentation and talking about your book, always think of law increase of value that's gonna bring you sales.
Steve Ramona 21:23
Because I think the phrases Susan always forget this.
They buy it because of it through you, if they like you basically, More people are gonna buy your book and how they're gonna like you, gonna learn more about how you are.
And if you're a servant, everybody likes that.
When you are sitting in a truck and giving away toys like you mentioned in Thailand, you're throwing toys at the kids, those parents will never forget you.
If you were selling a book.
Steve Ramona 21:32
Hey, I also, by the way, I have this book.
Don't be afraid when you serve the girl.
And by the way, hey, this is Steve.
I have my book.
I'd love for you to have a copy.
Steve Ramona 21:54
I think this and this and this would help you or whatever the book does.
If that's the thing about serving, it goes both ways.
As you serve, don't expect it, but don't be afraid to show, especially of passion about this book.
And you know it's gonna help people.
People gonna enjoy it, whether it's entertainment, or educational, show them what you're doing because you're gonna be willing to listen.
Steve Ramona 22:22
If you just walked up to a crowd of people and said, hey, here's Steve Romer.
I got this book.
I want you to buy it to go look at John Deere, create a lawyer.
We own that relationship in a short period of time where there's a presentation, a book signing, whatever it may be because somebody comes and sits down and signs you sign the performer given to them and say, hey, what a beautiful smile you have or your child's, you know, Just that little things, they're not gonna remember your book.
And when they go out in the bottom of their world, he memorized the book saying with Steve Ramona.
Steve Ramona 22:32
And wow, he was such a great guy.
Here's his book.
Oh my gosh.
Sales are gonna are gonna grow because now it's compounding.
Hey, you hear about Steven Moore's book.
Steve Ramona 22:43
You hear about Steven Moore's book.
And now you got more people talking about.
Now you have this evangelist community of people sharing your book and selling it for you.
That's how you do masses.
Can't do it alone.
Steve Ramona 22:52
You gotta have masses of a of a group of a community that love your book.
But you've built that community because you of the value to serve them.
Then
Susan Friedmann 23:10
what came to mind as you were saying this is, you know, this whole idea of influence and the buzz about your book.
What are your feelings about social media as regard to this whole concept that we've been talking about?
It's important you can serve with social media.
Steve Ramona 23:38
It could be, you know, here's something free here or I'm doing a free workshop about my book or I'm doing a presentation.
But again, just like in person or on Zoom, or in social media, write something that's gonna give somebody value.
You need to reach out to Susan, she's a publisher, And guess what?
She's given me some great tips.
You need to talk to her.
Steve Ramona 24:01
Instead of GOCE Susan, she's a publisher, she's the best just give them value why they need to reach out to somebody in social media.
And I do for my clients, 1 thing that I serve, all my clients get a shout-out on social media.
Max Lambrite, is 1 of my really good friends now.
I'll throw out him on social media.
He's a CEO, a sparing CEO.
Steve Ramona 24:20
And, hey, you need to reach out to him because if you're a CEO, you need to talk to him.
Well, I just gave a servant mentality.
Any CEO out there that wants to reach out with Max, and it's a third party.
Me talking to him and I put his info link in there, I've done a win win win.
They're gonna click on it.
Steve Ramona 24:36
That's gonna connect them.
And then Mac's gonna have a new connection who may turn into a new client or a referral.
And that's where I see the pattern.
Nobody's doing it on social media.
One other guy's doing it, Matt, a friend of mine, he's starting to he has a networking group, and he's shouting out is members.
Steve Ramona 24:49
Hey, you need to reach out here.
But do we matter on social media?
I think people gravitate towards that, and I've seen it more than You gotta talk to this guy.
He's the greatest.
That doesn't spur any emotion to reach out to somebody.
Susan Friedmann 24:56
Yeah.
It's just like saying, hey, read my book as you said.
I wrote a book, read it.
What's it gonna do for me?
Yep.
Susan Friedmann 25:06
So and people are focused on that.
You know, what's in it for me?
That got old radio nation WIIFM.
So yes.
What's in it for our listeners?
Susan Friedmann 25:12
How can they get in touch with you?
How can they find out about the incredible Steve Ramona.
Steve Ramona 25:32
Well, thank you, Susan.
Yeah.
You can reach out to me at my info link.
It's https://inphone.co/sr1
All my contact info is there, and search your favorite podcasting platform “Doing Business with a Servant’s Heart.”
Steve Ramona 25:39
You can also find me on YouTube "Doing Business with a Servant's Heart."
Perfect.
And
Susan Friedmann 25:56
I'll put that in the show notes, Steve, but in case people are not around to write it down so that they've got it.
For them.
As you know, we always end off our podcast with a golden nugget.
I know you've given us many already, but Just 1 more.
Steve Ramona 26:17
I love love this phrase.
I learned it 2, 3 years ago.
Get better 1 percent every day.
It may be serving something.
Reading a book, connecting with a mentor, but improving yourself personally and professionally 1 percent every day And if you started 01/01/2023, I know we're not there now.
Steve Ramona 26:43
By the end of the year, I think it's 356 percent, you would get better.
So if you wanna start today, which is April first, then April Fool's day, I'm not fooling you do this 1, get a percent start today, get 1 percent today, we have 8 months.
So you're looking at about a 202 hundred and 20 percent increase.
And guess what happens?
Anytime we have increased and we are better, we will grow.
Steve Ramona 26:51
2 things happen.
You're gonna get more sales, but to me, more important than that, you're gonna help other people and serve them.
Susan Friedmann 27:00
Yes.
There's so inspirational.
Thank you, Steve.
This has been an absolute pleasure.
Thank you for sharing your wisdom.
Susan Friedmann 27:14
And just the beautiful person, you know, who you are, and I really feel that our listeners will get that.
He'll come through this interview that they really grasp what a beautiful soul you are.
So thank you.
Thank you very much.
Susan Friedmann 27:39
It's good having you here.
Thank you.
So listeners, if your book is not selling the way you wanted or expected to.
Let's you and I jump on a quick call together and brainstorm ways you can ramp up those sales.
You've invested a whole lot of time, money, and energy, and it's time you got the return that you were hoping for.
Susan Friedmann 27:39
Go to BrainstormWithSusan.com and schedule your free call.
And in the meantime, I hope this powerful interview spark some ideas you can use to sell more books.
So until next week, he is wishing you much book and author marketing success.
Here's how to connect with Steve
Click here to schedule your 20-minute brainstorming session with Susan
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