When coaching salespeople I am continually amazed at how ineffective they are at getting introductions and referrals from existing clients and other relationships. Their ineffectiveness usually falls into one of two categories.
1. They don't ask!
2. They do not have a good process for asking.
Sometimes there are other reasons. This week, Bill Cates offers some reasons that can derail you even before you get started. Here are 4 things to pay attention to before they become an obstacle.
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Extremely Private - Concerned about Confidentiality. Emphasize confidentiality and how that even applies to close family members. Promote referrals by letting them know that when they identify someone who should know about you, everything is always confidential.
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Bad Experience in the Past - Teach your clients that you handle referrals with great care; that you won't pressure their friends, colleagues, or family. That they'll get the "white glove" treatment from you all along the way.
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Not sure how you will make contact - Briefly walk your clients through the process of how you contact referral prospects and what your process looks like. Many times this is just a matter of reminding them how you met them.
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You're Not Referable... Yet. You must have an initial process that is referable - that generates referrals without even asking. And you must use a client service model to determine how often and for what reasons you'll be in touch with them over the course of a year. In the words of a Bonnie Raitt song, "... Give them something to talk about!"
Finally, even when you have a solid process for asking and have paid attention to the pitfalls ahead of time, you will you still come up empty. The worst thing that should happen every time is that you remember to tell them this: "Sometime in the next few weeks you may find yourself in a conversation that relates to the work I do, when that happens I have just one favor to ask, don't keep me a secret." It is amazing how planting those seeds today will yield results tomorrow.
