“Who do you know that could benefit from my services?” This question is similar to ones asked every day by salespeople hungry to add to their customer list. If the person being asked is a satisfied client, shouldn’t they be happy to help out? And shouldn’t you take the opportunity to ask? The answer may surprise you.
We’ve all been taught to ask for referrals. Let’s face it, who doesn’t like to get a warm referral? It beats the heck out of cold calling. But are you skating on thin ice with your approach?
We recently asked some of our clients to compare referrals they asked for from clients to referrals that were gladly given to them by clients. The results caused a few jaws to drop. Chris exclaimed, “In the eight years I’ve been asking for referrals I can’t think of a single time when the referral I received turned into a great client.” That’s not to say that he didn’t get some clients from his approach; they simply weren’t the best type of client. He continued, “Yet, many times when I’ve gotten an unsolicited referral, it ends up being a great referral. In fact, I’ve gotten some of my very best clients that way!”
The truth is that not all referrals are created equal. If you want the best referrals, you have to stop asking for them. There are a couple of things that can go wrong when you ask for a referral. First, if the person you’re asking doesn’t feel 100% comfortable, it will put them in an awkward position. They will typically respond with no referrals or poor referrals. No one will jeopardize their best relationships by referring to someone that they aren’t excited about.
Second, if you are trying to position yourself as a valuable resource with a client or prospect, asking for referrals can be a real credibility-killer. Let’s look at an example. Dave is a financial advisor. He has distinguished himself from others in his field by not acting like everyone else. He has developed a peer-to-peer relationship with Jack, a small business owner. In other words, Jack views Dave as a valuable resource and advisor, not a typical salesperson.
The moment that Dave asks for referrals, Jack realizes that he’s just like every other salesperson. Up to that point, Jack and Dave had a level playing field. Dave was providing counsel and services for which Dave was happily paying. In other words, there was an even exchange of value for services provided. When Dave asks for referrals, he is putting the relationship off-balance. That imbalance puts pressure on Dave.
Let’s get this straight. Referrals are good, but you can’t ask for them without risking damage to your relationships. So what is a salesperson to do? To answer that question, you need to ask yourself another question. What have you done in the past to get unsolicited referrals?
Chances are that the way you gotten your best referrals was that you gave others a reason to refer you. You provided exceptional service and your product or service was the absolute right solution. In other words, you gave them a reason to be a raving fan. It all starts with choosing clients who you can best serve and then doing a phenomenal job. It doesn’t end there however. You must continue to follow-through and be a resource long after the sale is made. You have to stand out with your level of commitment to your client.
Then when a referral is given, you have two great opportunities for getting more referrals. First, show sincere appreciation and gratitude for all referrals given. Your gratitude will inspire them to continue to help you. Second, educate your referral source on why this was or wasn’t a good referral for you. Yes, bad referrals should be acknowledged for what they are. Otherwise, you are destined to get more of the same which is a waste of everyone’s time and energy. Of course, you want to communicate the information in the right manner. Likewise, if someone gives you a great referral, you want to acknowledge to your referral source why the referral is a good one for you. Better education will lead to better and more referrals.
Asking For Referrals May Backfire - To learn more about this author, visit Will Turner's Website.
Like this article? Share it with your friends
 |
Related Articles |
|
 Getting Referrals
|
| |
This list is in my ‘How to Get Referrals’ file, and I have no idea of its source. I must have saved it because it’s a good reminder of things we should be doing all the time to keep referrals flowing to us.
|
|
Did You Get Any Referrals Today?
|
| |
Do you ask this question a hundred times a week? Should you? Most business owners and sales managers know in their hearts that this is the easiest kind of lead to close.
|
|
Are Business Networking Referrals Critical Business Strategies Within Your Strategic Plan?
|
| |
Business networking referrals are big business. Yet many fail to leverage this critical business strategy within their strategic plans. Learn the value of business referrals through 6 simple questions.
|
|
Endless Referrals
|
| |
The intent and theme of Bob Burg's book, "Endless Referrals" is how to get people to know you, like you, and trust you. They should also want to see you succeed, and want to help you to find new business.
|
|
Sales Success Tip-How to Increase Your Referrals
|
| |
Put something small, perhaps a coin or other small object in your hand. Now, hold onto it as tight as you can. What do you notice? The fact is that if anyone wanted to give you something, you would be in no posit...
|
 |
Related Businesses - Evan Elite Authors |
|
The Evan Elite Authors program is currently in beta phase. For details please contact us.
|
|
|
Will Turner
(Visit Will's Website)
As President of Dancing Elephants
Achievement Group, Will feels he has the
best job in the galaxy. He loves working
with salespeople and entrepreneurs to
"unblock" themselves and "unlock"
their potential. Will is the first to
admit that he was a reluctant salesperson
for many years. He thought most
salespeople had to be pushy, and he just
wasn't comfortable in that role. He later
discovered that you don't have to act
like a typical salesperson to be a great
salesperson so he created a company to
teach others what he had learned.
Will transitioned a twenty year career in
sales and sales management into his
current position as President of Dancing
Elephants. In addition to facilitating and
presenting, Will is the author of Impact!,
the company's monthly e-newsletter on
sales performance. He is also the
co-creator of the Sales Magnetism program
and the co-author of Six Secrets of Sales
Magnets.
|
|
|
|
![[Get Copyright Permissions]](http://license.icopyright.net/images/icopy-w.gif){kind=small}
