Referrals Don’t Expire

Referrals don’t expire because they are never about me, myself, and I (the salesperson). A referral is not a compliment to you. Referrals have everything to do with the client and the client’s friends. Have you heard the line, “Your referrals are the greatest compliment I could receive?” or worse yet, “I build my business on your referrals.” This approach is unprofessional.

Referrals are given because your client believes you will make them look good with their friends or clients.

Has a client ever said, “I’ll have them call you?” or they won’t give you their friend’s phone number? It’s because they don’t trust that you will make them look good. Referrals are about your clients building stronger relationships with their clients. You need to convince them you are just the one to help build that relationship for them.

If sales were that easy, we would all just sit back and wait for the phone to ring. That doesn’t happen, so we must go out and get what we want. To do this, we must first of all know what we want.

Ask yourself:

• Have I asked all past customers for referrals?
• Do I know my target market, or am I looking for anyone that is breathing?
• Do I have a referral form?
• Are you waiting and waiting on your clients to provide introductions?
• Do you have referrals that you forgot to call?
• Are the majority of your referrals vertical?

Tips on Referrals

Remove the old outdated sales jargon from your email signature and replace it with, “Who do you know that might be open to re-evaluating their payroll services? Or “Who do you know that might be open to buying a second home?” The difference is not subtle. It is totally about your customer and not at all about you. It is a call to action and not a plea for help. Remember, referrals are not about you, the salesperson, they are always about your customer and making your customer look good with their friends. Compliment your customer by helping their friends, which ultimately makes you look awesome! Classy people can sense desperation, and you don’t want someone to give you a “charity referral” which is a downgraded referral.

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