The Most Important Factor in Receiving Referrals = YOU!

by Sabrina Risley

Now more than ever, referrals are a key component to business growth. The Referral of a Lifetime by Tim Templeton is one of my favorite books and one I recommend to many professionals. In it, we are reminded of the power of referrals. You see, being given a referral means the referring party strongly endorses your product, your service and even you. By the simple act of referring, the contact who referred you has given you a strong recommendation, therefore you are already viewed favorably. Be mindful that people are more likely to believe what others say about you as compared to what you say about yourself. For someone to say that your company has amazing customer service has a much greater impact than you proclaiming that your service is amazing. It’s the essence of the third-party endorsement that gives you strength.

So how do you go about turning the wheels of the referral cycle?  I’d like you to consider 4 components:

Ask, Educate, Assure and Guide.

Ask for referrals. People want to help you so don’t be afraid to ask for referrals. Take a look at your current list of contacts, clients and individuals in your circle of influence. You have permission to ask for referral from individuals: (1) with whom you have a good relationship, (2) who know your work ethic and service levels, (3) who endorsed your product/service, (4) to whom you currently send referrals.

Educate your referral sources. Do they know enough about you, what you offer, and what constitutes a good referral? Identify your “carrot” or buzz words that they can listen for as they interact with people, and share your carrot words with your referral sources. Education can be provided any number of ways including informative newsletters, direct mail pieces, and one-on-one conversations.

Assure your referral sources. Pledge that you will always deliver top notch service and look out for the best interest of anyone they refer. Prepare yourself for the occasion in which you might need to recommend another company if you are unable to meet the needs and expectations of your new referred contact. Be sure to communicate back to the referring party to let them know what has transpired with their referral (ie, they hired you, purchased your product, recognized it wasn’t a good fit).

Guide your referral sources. Let them know how best to introduce new referrals to you so all parties have the greatest opportunity for success. For example, you might ask your referral source to kindly: (1) provide you with the new contact’s name and telephone number, (2) let you know which of your products or services the contact has an interest, (3) advise their contact to expect a follow up phone call from you.

When you are asking for referrals, educating your sources, assuring them of your commitment to deliver quality service and guiding them so they know how to deliver a referral, you are facilitating the process to receiving referrals that actually lead to business growth.

(c) 2010 Behind The Moon, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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Sabrina Risley founded Behind The Moon, Inc.® in 2003, a Colorado-based networking and referral group organization that sets itself apart with its motto “grow your business by helping others grow theirs.” Behind The Moon offers several networking events across Colorado’s Front Range, as well as referral groups that attract professionals who network to give rather than get.  You will find Sabrina speaking to audiences about effective networking techniques, the power of partnerships, and principles of service and giving as a means to grow a business.  To learn more about Behind The Moon, please visit http://www.BehindTheMoonInc.com.