REFERRAL STRATEGIES
Ilove getting referrals . In my opinion , they are one of the highest compliments in business . When a person gives us a referral to someone in their sphere of influence , it shouldn ’ t be taken lightly . Not only is someone entrusting us to follow up , but they also have something even more important at stake : their reputation .
This is always in an in-demand topic from clients and readers of my books . To help address this , I ’ ve put together a list of 10 referral commandments to remind and inspire you of their importance and ways to increase the likelihood you ’ ll receive more of them .
# 1 . Thou shall follow up quickly on new opportunities .
# 2 . Thou shall thank the person who referred you with a phone call or thank-you note .
# 3 . Thou shall assume that the referral may have an interest but is not a sure thing
# 4 . Thou shall do your homework by asking good questions to see if this person is a good fit to work with you .
# 5 . Thou shall be courteous and respect the time of the person who has been referred to you .
# 6 . Thou shall make asking for referrals from happy customers an active part of your marketing efforts
# 7 . Thou shall always carry a pen and business cards to capture unexpected opportunities .
# 8 . Thou shall focus on listening to others without distraction to identify possible referrals that would otherwise be missed .
# 9 . Thou shall have a great 15-second commercial to engage and clearly describe what you do and who you seek to serve .
# 10 . Thou shall network with a plan and seek out the best groups to maximize valuable time and energy .
SO NOW THE QUESTION BECOMES HOW DO YOU ASK FOR REFERRALS ?
The real challenge is less the asking and more the setting up a system to get referrals on a consistent basis .
An area I ’ ve shared with others is something I call the “ A . S . K . Formula for Getting More Referrals .”
A IS FOR ASK S IS FOR SPECIFIC
K IS KNOW WHEN TO ASK FOR THE REFERRAL
HERE ’ S A HELPFUL BREAKDOWN OF HOW YOU CAN PUT THIS TO WORK FOR YOU :
When you A . S . K . for referrals it should be done in such a way that triggers your happy customer to immediately think of 1-3 people in their contact sphere that could benefit from knowing more about you . Sounds like common sense , but so few people even do this critical first step .
When you are SPECIFIC about whom you ’ d like to be introduced or referred to , the chances that your customer thinks of someone in their immediate circle who is a great fit for your product , service , or organization increases . The mind thinks in pictures . Thus the goal is to paint a picture in their mind of someone just like them or a peer that they know who might be a good match for you to connect with . Again , the more specific you are with the request , the better the outcome .
The final step in the process is to KNOW when to ask for a referral . Let me give you two big clues as to when referrals could be literally sitting in front of you . First , when a customer is raving about the job you ’ ve done for them , quality of your product , service they ’ ve received , etc . When you are receiving positive comments then this is the best time to ask for referrals . They are often very receptive to introduce you to other people they know . The second scenario is when you come through in a pinch and really help a customer in a bind . At this point they know you can deliver on what you say . And are very likely , if you ’ ve followed the first two steps in the formula , to send you a referral or two .
Don ’ t be afraid to ask for a referral . Show up ready and prepared for every opportunity . +
Tony Rubleski is the president of Mind Capture Group , where his message is designed to help people “ capture ” more minds and profits . He is an in-demand speaker who has given hundreds of presentations , is a strategic business coach , and the creator of the Mind Capture Bootcamp , which just finished its ninth year . He has 25 + years of experience in the personal development industry .
His Mind Capture book series has spawned multiple best sellers in a variety of business and coaching categories with Amazon . The acclaimed series has received many endorsements from a wide range of leaders in marketing , sales , psychology to academia , and multiple New York Times best-selling authors . Book # 7 in the series titled , Positive Disruption : The Power of a Quote & Question to Upshift Your Life , is now available .
His work has been featured in various media outlets ranging from Toastmasters International Magazine , The Detroit Free Press , the FOX TV network , ABC , to CNN Radio , NPR and Entrepreneur Magazine Radio . In addition , he has also served as a faculty member with the U . S . Chamber of Commerce and CEO Space International .
For more information , go to : MindCaptureGroup . com
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