7 Actions to Measure to Get More Referrals and Introductions

“When performance is measured, performance improves.  When performance is measured and reported back, the rate of improvement accelerates or has dramatic improvement”.  This is often referred to as Karl Pearson’s Law. The question is: can Karl help you get more referrals?  Maybe not. But stick with me, because I can!

The above statement was sent to me by a recent graduate of our Referral Champions Training Camp.  Mark is creating significant results using our process.  Most of the credit goes to him, as he is using this principle to drive his actions and results. Mark has a Referral Buddy. Do you?

You’ve heard the expression: what you measure you can manage.  Add the element of reporting, which could be interpreted as another word for accountability, and you have a powerful combination.

Here are seven actions designed to help you get more referrals and introductions. Keep score on these items AND report your score to your Referral Buddy.

Measure These 7 Items to Get More Referrals and Introductions

1. Giving Referrals
   As you give, you receive. Are you providing value to your prospects, clients, and others through the connections you make? To get more referrals, give more referrals. To get more introductions, create more introductions.

    

2. Promote Referrals and Introductions
   Promoting referrals and introductions does three things: 1) creates referrals in the future; 2) helps you get more referrals on the spot; 3) helps you determine your prospect’s or client’s relationship to referrals – to see if you might ask the next time you get together.  I teach 10 ways to do this, the most popular phrase being Don’t Keep Me a Secret.    (I also wrote a book with this title.)

    

3. Value Discussions
   The cornerstone of your referral process is checking in with your prospects and clients to make sure that expectations are being met, small complaints don’t turn into larger complaints, and that value is being recognized.

    

4. Ask for Specific Referrals
   Some people say you shouldn’t ask for referrals. Hogwash!  Don’t let those people project their fear and mistaken beliefs on to you.  The key to success is in how you do it.  Using the V.I.P.S. Method for Asking, you’ll never be pushy or look like you’re begging.  See my blog post from last week and check out this podcast I did for Selling Across America.

    

5. Turn Referrals into Introductions
   Referrals are worthless until you turn them into a connection with the new prospect. It’s almost impossible to cut through the noise in the marketplace without securing an introduction to your new prospects. An in-person introduction is usually the most effective, if it fits your business model and the parties are open to it. An email handshake works well, but make sure your referral source cc’s you on the introduction.  You have to go for a true connection!

    

6. Contact the New Prospect
   Would you believe that many people get referrals and never contact the new prospect? Very sad and very true.  Two not-so-good things happen when you fail to follow through: 1) you miss the opportunity handed to you on a silver platter; 2) you burn your referral bridge between you and your referral source.

    

7. Thank the Referral Source
   Don’t wait for the prospect to become a client. Reward the giving. This isn’t about the money. Often a handwritten note will suffice. Just don’t let the risk your client took to introduce you to someone else go unnoticed.  Reward the behavior you want to encourage.  How you receive the referrals you get will contribute to your referability.

Not asking for referrals is like a starving person walking past a buffet with a sign saying ‘free food’ and never stopping.

Keeping the Score – Raises the Score

You can keep track of the core activity that helps you get more referrals by downloading our Referral Scoreboard interactive PDF form.   CLICK HERE