Derek Alvarez Steals The Show…
Derek Alvarez is stealing the show at Better Networker lately. So much so, that I almost feel guilty nominating him for our first official Jason Better guest post.
But I couldn’t toss his submission out, it’s just too good, and I thought you would really like to read it too.
So let’s give Derek a round of much deserved applause…
With that said, I don’t want to leave his wonderful partner Monique Alvarez, out of the picture either. She’s clearly the power behind the throne here, and she’ll beat Derek up, If I don’t mention her. Kidding.
Now, she’s been posting quality video and audio training on Better Networker for quite some time. And I feel a little guilty to say this, but I’ve been so busy, I haven’t had time to watch or listen to it all. But what I have gone through totally rocks…
For this reason, I’m sure you’ll be hearing more about her in the months ahead. They’re over at www.drivetheline.com. And it’s probably the coolest blog I’ve seen in a long, long time. You should go visit them after you read this gem of a submission…
A Jason Better Guest Post By Derek Alvarez…
Attraction Marketing Works In “The Real World” Too
Blanco Tacos + Tequila + Marketing = Derek le gusta mucho!
What the heck am I talking about?
I’m talking about one of Monique and my favorite restaurants, Blanco Taco + Tequila, here in Tucson, Arizona.
(Funny name, I know — but it has some good food, great ambiance, and awesome service.)
Plus, they know how to market themselves, which is really what this post is all about.
What, you thought I was going to talk about the Chicken Molé?
You see, there are a lot of restaurants in the Tucson area that Monique and I love — but this guy Sam Fox, who owns Blanco Taco, along with several other restaurants throughout the Southwest — keeps finding a way to get us coming back to his restaurants.
How does he do this?
MARKETING!
When you get a bill from a Sam Fox restaurant, it has a little piece of paper that says something like, “Join our V.I.P. Club.” Then it asks for your name, email address, and birthday. Genius, really.
Why? Because he’s getting permission to follow up with his customers through emails.
Every holiday, every special occasion, every chance he gets — Sam Fox sends an email to his list telling us about his latest offer.
This past Valentine’s Day, it was dinner for 2 for $35:
- 2 drinks
- an appetizer
- 2 entrées
- and dessert
Wow, what a swell guy, that Sam Fox! I can take Monique out to a nice restaurant, get a nice meal, and not break the bank.
And he made sure to tell me about this a couple of weeks beforehand, so I could make some plans and get a reservation.
He made my “what to do for Valentine’s Day” decision an easy one by making me an offer I couldn’t refuse.
None of our other favorite restaurants did this and that’s how I end up at Sam’s place instead of theirs.
Everything he does sets him apart — from his restaurant’s food, atmosphere, and service — to his special offers and the way he lets his customers know about them.
And he even gets his loyal customers to help him spread the word, like I’m doing in this blog post 
So my question is, What are you doing to set yourself apart from the pack of Network Marketers out there? Let me know in the comments below and make sure to “Retweet” or “Facebook Share” this post if you like tacos and tequila as much as I do.
Before you comment, I wanted to thank everybody who submitted an article/blog post for the first official guest post on the Jason Better blog. I was blown away by how talented you are, and it’s really a shame that we can’t do this every day.
Thank you,
Jason The “Better Networker”
The Jason Better Blog
36 Comments
Josh Garcia on March 1st, 2010
Hey Jason,
First I would like to say, Congrats to Derek & Monique! That is awesome to be feature on JasonBetter.
With so much information online today. It is very easy to get lost in it. At first I thought the competition was fierce with online network marketers. But there still room for more.
On my blog I like to offer short quick tips on online marketing for Network Marketers. You’ll find a lot of online marketing for products or services. But not a whole lot of information for new marketers on how to drive traffic to their blogs.
Chat with you later…
Josh
[Reply]
March 1st, 2010 at 10:02 am
Hey Josh,
More than happy to share…
They’re quite the team.
[Reply]
Tommy DiPietro on March 1st, 2010
Well deserved. I have been reading drivetheline.com for quite some time. I’ve been on their blog radio calls with Monique(highly recommend their calls). Derek even took the time out of his day to check out my personal blog to give advice and leave a comment.
2 thumbs up from me.
Another slam dunk from you Jason for providing us with ridiculously awesome content. Have a great day!
<>
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Jerome Ratliff on March 1st, 2010
What a great choice Jason.
Derek’s stuff rocks the casbah. I’ve been watching his posts and the quality he delivers is what this industry needs. Congrats to Derek and Monique!
It just shows with a little creativity and living up to your brand, things can happen. (My motto, by far!)
Thanks for sharing this one J.
Jerome Ratliff
[Reply]
March 1st, 2010 at 12:04 pm
No prob…
Wish I could share them all but
not enough days in the month. 
[Reply]
Eddie Piotrowski on March 1st, 2010
I just visited your website, DriveTheLine.com, and had to bookmark it in my “Favorites”. Will be coming back for more…
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Derek Alvarez on March 1st, 2010
YOWZA! Thanks Jason,
What a pleasant surprise to go through my weekday morning routine of checking out “The Jason Better Blog” and finding my name at the top!
I really appreciate all the love from you guys.
What a great community of “Better Networkers!”
[Reply]
March 1st, 2010 at 12:05 pm
No prob Derek.
Trust me, I was a little bit harsh
when I judged your entry… just because
you’re getting a little more exposure than
most… but you can’t ignore a submission just
because it’s good. lol.
[Reply]
Wayne Vassell on March 1st, 2010
Hey Derek,
All I can say is… “Wonderful!”…. Clever post and congrats for getting a chance to post on this quality blog.
Jason, great selection Derek is a star in the making.
Wayne Vassell, signing out..
[Reply]
Ilka Flood on March 1st, 2010
Congrats Derek & Monique! Well deserved!!
Awesome post! It goes to show that you don’t have to do much to stand out from the crowd. Just be a bit more personal and ‘connect’ with your clients/customers.
Btw. I bookmarked DriveTheLine.com a while ago. Great stuff there!
Jason,
Fantastic choice for a guest post!
To answer your question … I always send personal thank you notes to all my customers for every order. I also send birthday and holiday cards. I want to make sure they know I value them and their business.
[Reply]
Monique Alvarez on March 1st, 2010
I’ve got a LOT of love for you Jason…
You recognize my Derek PLUS you completely get why he’s such a Star
Thank you for providing such a great place to shine!
[Reply]
March 1st, 2010 at 4:17 pm
No prob,
Totally thrilled to have Better Networkers
like you and Derek… posting quality content
on BN and helping people out.
Thank you.
[Reply]
Elizabeth on March 1st, 2010
Derek’s Post is awesome! Congratulations to you and Monique! I love the story about the taco and tequila place..and about the simple value they give.
I love Derek and Monique’s blog too! Awesome content and such great writing skills…:)
We can hone our own strengths and give unique value in small, but significant ways.
Beth Stowers
[Reply]
Vernon Hoffman on March 1st, 2010
Monique has been a star in my life for,,, um,,, should I say 30+ years :–)) Derek has been awesome for over 3 years now…. Even though I am prejudiced because he is my son in law and she is my beautiful daughter,,, I can’t deny how great of a job they have done with their business and websites. They deserve the recognition and I am very happy and proud of them,,, CONGRATULATIONS !!
[Reply]
March 1st, 2010 at 4:29 pm
Well Vernon, I have to thank you then
for raising a shining star.
Also, for not chasing Derek off, because some
parents make that their job description.
[Reply]
Rebecca Geiger on March 1st, 2010
Cool! gave me ideas about what I could do to up the ante! sweet! now to plot my next marketing adventure..
[Reply]
Chris Owen on March 1st, 2010
Hey Jason,
I have to say, you picked a true winner. I have been reading Derek’s post’s every day for few weeks now, since I found it. He is a great writer, and I feel a connection with him while reading.
I guess I have you to thank Jason. I found his site by clicking through from your comments section.
Thanks to Derek for the great contribution, and congratulations on the big win.
And thanks to Jason for actually reading all those submissions to find this for us.
I have been looking forward to seeing the winner here for quite some time.
[Reply]
March 1st, 2010 at 10:57 pm
Thank you…
It was a pleasure to read the
submissions… although I have to
confess… it was quite the pile.
[Reply]
Jana Socha on March 2nd, 2010
Double Kudos, Jason! Not only do you have a cool name (One of my BFF’s was Jayson!) AND you recognize just how much Monique & Derek ROCK ON!! Truly, they deserve the recognition (yes, I’m a BIG FAN of theirs from Tucson!) AND you get my Thanks and a bookmark this time — I DO appreciate your efforts as well!
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Marcus Baker on March 2nd, 2010
Great post Derek & Monique! An easy and effective read – just the way it should be! Will be heading over to your blog too.
Marcus
[Reply]
Tom Doiron on March 2nd, 2010
Jason thanks for posting Derek’s work.I love the simplicity and the automation of an auto-responder. The restauranteer has a good opt in tactic. Without the email nothing happens, and he has found away to break down the barriers to obtaining emails. Savvy patrons know a quality establishment is not going to resort to cheap tricks. The marketing make it a winner all around.
Wishing You Plenty To Love,
Tom Doiron
Atlanta
[Reply]
March 3rd, 2010 at 9:06 am
No prob,
I think too many conventional
businesses think that marketing doesn’t
apply to them…
I remember consulting with a restaurant owner
about how to get more customers through his doors.
I gave him similar advice here… but he never bothered to
try it out.
He spent thousands of dollars on lightbulbs, but wouldn’t spend
a dime on offering his customers something new or getting their
name and e-mails.
[Reply]
Mitchell Dillman on March 3rd, 2010
Hey There, Jason and Derek…
This is GREAT stuff!!!
Not only this article Derek, but the whole ‘guest’ writer thing, Jason… Way to go, you’ve hit another home run!
Sorry I missed the release, my schedule’s a bit off right now…Juggling 2 Money Makers is gonna take some time to adjust to…
Building new homes and new home businesses at the same time really works up my appetite…Maybe I’ll head on over to Tuscon and Sam’s place…
Thanks Guys,
Mitchell Dillman
[Reply]
March 3rd, 2010 at 12:40 pm
You’re busier than a bee on crack Mitchell…
Don’t forget to take a day off.
[Reply]
A Simple Example of What Internet Marketing Can Do For Your Business | OnTopInternetMarketing.com on March 26th, 2010
[...] Derek Alvarez Steals The Show… [...]
Richard Kaulfers on April 18th, 2010
What most marketers don’t do.
1. Shut up. (You learn by listening).
2. Budget. (The tighter you keep your marketing dollars the more effectively you will use them.
3. Offer extreme value.
^Doing all of this.
[Reply]
Genius Derek
I have been a reader of your quality stuff for a while now and you always deliver the goods.
You very much deserve this coveted spot on the hottest network marketing blog on the net.
J. Great choice.
The post is simple, effective and great, true Derek style.
It highlights that to standing out doesn’t mean you have to do something outstanding.
It just takes a little thought about what your prospects want and will appreciate. The small things go a long way.
Dwayne
[Reply]
March 1st, 2010 at 10:01 am
Thanks Dwayne,
Derek’s a wicked writer. I wish I had
even more time to go through the content
over there, because I’m sure this is the
tip of the iceberg… so to speak.
[Reply]