Asking for the Referral

by Brent

We all know that people do business with people they know. So how do we gain access to our prospects through relationships?

Referrals from current clients!

Referrals are a fantastic way to gain a head start at establishing relationships. Therefore, asking for referrals should be one of the highest priorities of your management and development team. To make the most of your clients’ referrals, see two tips below for successfully getting a referral.

Be prepared for common objections from your client:

“I don’t give referrals.”

“Let me think about it and get back to you.”

“Give me some of your cards.”

“I don’t know anyone who may be interested.”

Two Tips to Solving the Underlying Issues:

Reputation and Trust

Be certain that your client is satisfied with your performance and you have delivered prior to engaging in the referral conversation. If you explore the root of most objections, it comes down to clients not wanting to put their stamp of approval on the service when making a referral.

Vagueness: Asking Without Direction

When asking for referrals, it may feel like a shotgun approach. You may not know what relationships your clients have or which of those relationships will be a good fit for your services.

We know that your client is a believer in you and your services, otherwise they would not be working with you. If we have a strategic approach, we can overcome the second underlying issue and have a better chance of overcoming the first underlying issue as well.

Do your homework on your clients. Research and create a short list of whom they may know from your prospects. Present your client with the list and ask if he/she would or could make a referral to any of the selected prospects. Your strategic approach shows a proactive mentality that is contagious and compelling. Most clients will be impressed with the research and will appreciate your effort of generating a short list of prospects for them to review.

A great research method of creating your short list of prospects is done through using Relationship Mapping technology or through searching the archives of biographical data on the web.

Happy referrals!