Category: Get More Referrals

On March 28, I’ll be hosting our next webinar on how to ask for referrals without pushing or begging. And as you might imagine, timing is everything. The when to ask for referrals is a critical piece of the puzzle.

Some people ask for referrals (introductions) much too soon in their new relationships. While others wait entirely too long to ask – if they ever ask at all. Just like Goldilocks wanted the chair, the soup, and the bed “just right” you want your timing to be just right.

There are three things to keep in mind re: the timing of when to ask…

STOP asking too soon and STOP waiting too long. Make your timing JUST RIGHT!

At my live presentations, every time I make a blanket statement about the right or wrong way to do something, someone comes up after my talk and say, “You said not to ______. I’ve been doing that for 15 years and it still works.”

My response is simple, “Then keep doing it. If it’s legal, ethical, moral, and everyone wins, then keep on keeping on.” I mean, who am I to stop someone who is getting the results they want.

With that said, I feel pretty strongly about these to mistakes that I see people make all the time.

You’ll have to click over to the blog to get the skinny, but here’s the gist:

Mistake #1 – Making Referrals All about You

Mistake #2 – Being Way Too General with Your Request

POP QUIZ! Fill in the blanks right now!

The Sun, the Moon and the _______.

The 3 little _______. Goldilocks and the 3 ______.

Everywhere you look throughout history there’s been power in 3’s; in the triad.

I ran into a financial professional the other day who told me that he has fun with his request for referrals by invoking the power of three.

Personally, I think what he does is one of those both simple and brilliant.

Keep reading to get the sample script and insight into this powerful dynamic…

How productive are your centers of influence – your non clients who have the ability to provide you with strong introductions to qualified prospects?

Are you getting the quantity and quality of effective introductions that you’d like?

Getting referrals and introductions from non-clients (centers of influence or referral partners) is not always as easy as we’d like it to be.

There are 7 logical steps that if done well, will help you create multiple centers of influence providing you with solid introductions to just the right prospects.

Results are a few simple steps and quality action away. (+ Bonus Video Included)

I bet that you think 1 + 1 = 2. Not every time! I’m going to show you how bringing two powerful strategies together will produce three important benefits for you:

1. Converting More Prospects into Clients
2. Higher Client Satisfaction and Loyalty
3. More Referrals and Personal Introductions (sometimes without asking

Without question, the #1 Most Important Strategy I’ve been using and teaching for 25 years is The Value Discussion. The Value Discussion helps you increase prospect and client engagement. It often generates referrals on the spot and it’s the starting point of a referral conversation – at the appropriate time.

The #2 Most Important Strategy I’ve been using and teaching for 25 years is “foreshadowing.” Foreshadowing a conversation you intend to have later makes it easier and more effective when the time comes.

How Does 1 + 1 = 3? Keep reading. I’ll show you how.

I just discovered the easiest, most comfortable, and most effective way to ask for referrals. Fasten your seatbelt… this could be a game changer for you! You’ve heard me talk about sharing your Why with…

The 4 most prevalent mistakes I see in asking for referrals are:

1. Thinking you’re more referable than you really are.

2. Merely promoting referrals – not really asking for specific introductions to specific people or brainstorming various categories.

3. Not creating an environment of “brainstorming” or “exploration” – no pressure and no right or wrong suggestions.

4. Not coming prepared to suggest specific people or categories.

Check out the situation presented to me by one of our readers. Check out my answer. Then tell me what you would do. (Seriously – I’d love your comments.)

What’s that definition of insanity again? Oh… right! “Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.”

One form of referral insanity is using outdated methods. Managers and trainers often teach what worked for them, but only produce mediocre results in this new world where we need to blend the analogue side of referrals with the digital side.

There are 5 insanely common and easy to make mistakes that so many people are making in their efforts to boost referrals and introductions.

PLEASE tell me you’re not making these mistakes!

For many years, the “letter of introduction” was a common practice when someone traveled to another city for the purposes of doing business.

The telephone almost, but not quite, replaced the letter of introduction. And the in-person introduction still remains as the highest form of introduction.

So what is the one thing that is so significant to warrant my bold claim?

The Digital Introduction!

Email, LinkedIn, and Texting are becoming the introduction of choice. But are they the most effective?

Are you wondering what a guy taking an axe to his beard has to do with growing your business with referrals and introductions?

You have to hear this quick, fun story about how a financial rep generated the most referral activity he ever had in a 45-day period AND had a ton of fun doing it.

More importantly, his clients had fun with the entire process and he’s still getting residual referrals and introductions without even asking.