Seven Ways To Immediately Increase Referrals From Clients
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Seven Ways To Immediately Increase Referrals From Clients
Every salesperson has heard that referrals are by far the best prospecting and marketing method in existence. Yet very few salespeople actually get very many high quality referrals.
Some manage to get a name and phone number here and there. And a few will get several. However most of these are worthlessjust names and phone numbers of people or businesses that have no interest in or need for or cant afford the salespersons product or service.
Nevertheless there are a few who have found a way to not only generate more than just a few referrals but somehow they manage to generate enough to run very successful sales practices almost exclusively off referrals.
Do they have some great secret not everyone else knows?
Actually in a sense yes. Theyve learned that what everybody else does doesnt work. In addition they have learned ways that do work.
Lets look at seven of the most basic things these megareferral producers have learned:
1. Ask for referrals: Sounds stupid right? If you dont ask how do you expect to get them? Unfortunately over 50 of salespeople simply never ask.
2. Ask more than once: Statistics show that if you ask for referrals twice youll get twice as many as if you only ask once.
3. Really Ask: Asking means a direct request for referrals. Studies have also shown that over half of the salespeople who ask for referrals dont really ask they suggest. Theyll say something like Don if you happen to run across someone who could use my service would you give them one of my cards? and then they hand the client a bunch of cardsthat usually go straight into the trash.
4. Let the client know whos a good referral: Very few salespeople ever define for the client who a good referral is. They assume the client knows. Bad assumption. Clients arent in your business. Why should they know? You have to let them know exactly who youre looking for.
5 Help them: Make some suggestions as to people whom they might know. If youre selling insurance and your client builds homes whom do you think they might know? Tons of contractors realtors vendors and suppliers thats who. Suggest some of those folks you know youd like to be referred tothey just might know them.
6. Give them time to think: Dont ask for referrals and stand there waiting for them. When you put your client on the spot like that they arent going to come up with a ton of great referrals. Ask and then let them know exactly when youll get back to them to get the referrals.
7 Dont get names and phone numbers get introduced. A name and phone number is just a name and phone number. Get introduced to the prospect through an introduction letter or phone call.
Megareferral producers have a detailed process they use to generate a large number of high quality referrals from every one of their clients and even prospects. They have developed a disciplined and effective procedure they use with each client that leads to a predictable endreceiving a large number of high quality referrals.
But even without learning the process they use if you simply implement these 7 simple tips youll increase both the number and quality of the referrals you receive from your clients immediately.
About the writer: Paul McCord is a leading authority on prospecting referral selling and personal marketing. He is president of McCord and Associates a Houston Texas based sales training coaching and consulting company. His first book Creating a Million Dollar a Year Sales Income: Sales Success through Client Referrals John Wiley and Sons 2007 is an Amazon and Barnes and Noble bestseller and is quickly becoming recognized as the authoritative work on referral selling. His second book SuperStar Selling: 12 Keys to Becoming a Sales SuperStar will be released in February 2008. He may be reached at pmccordmccordandassociates.com or visit his sales training website at www.powerreferralselling.com
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