Author: Bill Cates

I blew it and I knew it. I botched an introduction. I should have known better.

You might as well learn from my mistakes – right?

Here are three blunders I have personally made – the first one very recently – and the lessons I’ve learned. (Yes! Even the “Referral Coach” gets it wrong from time to time.)

What does the epic fail of the emergency alert system in Hawaii have to do with your business? More than you might think.

Here are 5 key takeaways about crisis management and damage control that we should all keep in mind when disaster strikes our office – even if that “disaster” is as simple as a disgruntled client.

What does it take to get your prospects and clients to take action? It’s a complicated answer, but this blog will simplify things for you a bit. The first question to ask yourself, “Is the problem I’m trying to solve Latent or Blatant? Second question, “Is this problem Aspirational or Critical?”

Click to see the diagram that will give you a fresh perspective on how to approach prospects and clients – to move them to take action.

3 weeks ago, I was conducting a full-day session and mentioned a recent study that demonstrated that many clients don’t like to be asked for “referrals” but actually enjoy making “introductions.”

About an hour later, I was talking about becoming more “referable” so as to obtain more referrals without asking. A gentleman in the front row politely asked, “Don’t you mean introducable?”

It appears I’m going to have to get a “Referral Swear Jar.” I can see it now. During my speeches and workshops, each time I say “referrals” I’ll have to put a quarter in the jar.

You’re doing everything right – or so you think.

You get introduced to a qualified prospect. You set a 15-minute, get-acquainted phone call. The call goes great. Prospect wants an appointment and say he’ll get back to you with a few dates that work for him.

Then, he goes “radio silent.” This “hot” prospect goes “MIA.” Turns icy cold.

How do you prevent this from happening in the future?

In this Blog, I’ll provide you with 5 strategies to prevent your hot prospects from turning cold.

A subscriber to our weekly blog asked me this question, “How do I ask for referrals without looking like that creepy referral guy?”

While I had to laugh, I do understand this concern that many people have around asking for referrals (and I should really say “Introductions”).

There are two simple strategies you can implement today. You’ll look back and wonder, “Why was I ever uncomfortable with this?”

Our brains are processing thousands of pieces of information every minute. And this, by the way, consumes a tremendous amount of energy. One way our brain attempts to minimize its energy consumption is by always asking the question, “Is this relevant? Do I need to pay attention to this? No? Great. What about this? A threat? An opportunity? And so it goes every waking minute of our lives.

I submit, therefore, that the most important ingredient in getting and keeping someone’s attention is relevance.

If there is one book responsible for creating more millionaires than any other, my guess it would have to be Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill.

One of the many concepts Hill covers is the power of the Mastermind. He said, “When two people get together to brainstorm solutions to problems, it creates a third mind.” This third mind can create ideas that wouldn’t happen with an individual on his/her own.

Many people call this a “study group.” Regardless of what you call it, do you have one? And is it bringing you the results you set out to achieve?

I’ve been using the power of the Mastermind for over 20 years. Here are a few ideas hope you’ll find useful.

Phone calls with prospects should always be mutually qualifying – so therefore there’s a delicate balance between your learning about them and them learning about you.

When you talk about what you do to prospects, you want to make it as relevant to them as possible.

The more engagement you can create before your first call and the more you can learn about your prospect, the more relevant, compelling, and effective you’ll be.

Irrelevance is a deadly poison to be avoided at all cost!

Your client relationships can be broken down into three stages.

Stage II of your client relationships is the “New Client Experience” or “Onboarding Process.”

You can deliver a Welcome Package and/or drip a few items over the first week or two. Either will help you create a “Wow” experience that helps you engage with your new clients on both a “personal level” and “value added level.”

Here are 7 ways I’ve seen a number of businesses use to create great first impressions and even generate referrals without asking for them.