Some of my best clients and friends over the years have been successful salespeople. These are true professionals always willing to grow and get better at their valuable and profitable craft. Most of them have embraced business coaching because they view themselves as independent owners taking care of their clients (their book of business). They realize to get better results, they must get better. As they grow, their sales grow. Above all, their mindset is very different from most salespeople who have an "employee mentality." These top sales professionals think and act like business owners and this mindset sets them apart.
Over the July 4th weekend, I had occasion to see several of them and ask how they are doing. While most admitted to a softening of the economy, overall, these sales professionals continue to do well and remain optimistic. Why? Because they took the time and effort over the years to build long-term and high-caliber referral relationships. These professionals rely on their proven and predictable referral sources to sustain them in good times and bad. They don't rely on strangers, unqualified prospects, or marketing gimmicks to sustain them. They never settled for the quick and easy sales fix. With a long-term perspective, they built their business on the solid and secure foundation of referrals. They continually plant and nurture seeds and get to reap the harvest of their hard work.
Without question, getting referrals from current clients and others is a highly effective and low-cost way to grow your business. Whether you are a business owner, sales professional, or both, how well are you doing with your referrals? Are you and your company getting an abundance of high-quality referrals? If not, why not? If so, how do you keep them coming?
The key question is, are you referable? Are you worthy of referrals? Are your consistent attitudes and behavior worthy of referrals? Obtaining referrals comes down to earning referrals. You must have confidence, credibility and character. In short, people must trust you to do what you say you will do. You come through for them time and time again.
In order to be referable, you must do the little things well. People must know you, like you and trust you before they refer their customers, clients, peers, friends, advisers, neighbors, vendors/suppliers, etc. to you. Bottom line, you want to get people talking well about you and your services/products to others. They must transfer their enthusiasm and trust for you and your offerings to others. Again, are you and your consistent behavior worthy of referrals?
Here are some basic principles you must follow to earn referrals:
- Continually educate others (paint a vivid picture) about who can benefit from your services/products
- When you meet with people, arrive on time or be early -- show respect for others and their valuable time
- Be passionate about what you do
- Show appreciation for other people's time, advice and referrals - say thank you often and send follow-up thank-you notes
- Focus on helping and enriching others, not yourself
- Follow-through on all commitments (call when you say you will, show up when you say you will, drop off a proposal when you say you will, etc.)
- If you know you won't be able to meet a commitment, call ahead of time and let them know why. Minimize surprises!
- Continually ask for referrals (if not, you are committing a crime against your business)
- Give referrals to get referrals - think about helping out others in your network!
- Let people experience your offering (demonstration, samples, a free consultation, etc.)
- Share your expertise (e-newsletters, published articles, free talks, etc.)
- Build up your credibility and share testimonials with your referral sources and others
Again, if you want more referrals, become a person worthy of more referrals. Don't expect others to change. If you change as suggested above, you will become worthy of more and better referrals.
Daniel M. Murphy
The Growth Coach
Business Coaching Franchise System