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TRUE OR FALSE?
My satisfied clients will provide me with introductions to all the Right-Fit Clients™ can handle.
FALSE – Ongoing research conducted by Julie Littlechild (Absolute Engagement) has demonstrated that satisfied clients are loyal and express a willingness to provide referrals, it is engaged clients that will introduce you to Right-Fit Clients. [See more below.]
TRUE OR FALSE?
Asking my clients for introductions will hurt my client relationships.
FALSE – If you ask for introductions in the right way, you will never hurt a client relationship. Only the old, aggressive, overly assumptive methodologies have the potential to damage a relationship. [See more below.]
TRUE OR FALSE?
Referrals are worthless. I need to get introduced to prospects or I’ll miss an opportunity.
TRUE – These days, as it has become increasingly difficult to get through to people who don’t know you, you want to think in terms of connection – which means an effective introduction. [See more below.]
TRUE OR FALSE?
My prospects and clients are looking for me to be their hero – to save them from their bad decisions or non-decisions.
FALSE – Your prospects and clients want to be the hero of their own story. They look to you to be their guide. You are the Yoda to their Luke Skywalker or the Haymitch Abernathy to your Katniss Everdeen. [See more below.]
4 Core Strategies
The questions above represent the four core courses in our NEW Cates Academy for Relationship Marketing.
In today’s blog, I’m going to draw from the 4 Core Courses in our brand-new Academy. Maybe when you finish reading this blog, you’ll take a closer look at how our Academy might contribute to your exponential business growth by helping you multiply your Best-Fit Clients.
(Psst…as a valued blog reader, we’re offering $200 off your registration to The Cates Academy. Simply use the code TCA200 to unlock this special offer.)
Are You Referable?
The unsolicited referrals you are receiving are a barometer of your referability. You are getting unsolicited referrals, aren’t you? As mentioned above, it is Engagement Clients who make introductions. An engaged client feels connected to both your value and to you as a person.
Throughout the lifetime of your client relationships, you want your clients to feel a value connection and a personal connection.
Are you appropriately proactive?
There are two ways to be proactive for referrals/introductions. First, you can promote introductions by teaching your clients who you serve the best and/or how you would contact their friend or family member. Or you can say something simple such as, “Don’t keep me a secret.”
The two most important ingredients in asking for introductions are:
- Don’t be assumptive. Soften your approach by making sure they’re open to the conversation.
- Come prepared with either specific people you know they know or categories of people you tend to serve well (money-in-motion and life-event categories.
The weakest way to ask for introductions is to say something like, “Who else do you know who I might help.” There’s so much wrong with this and I don’t have the space to deal with that here.
Are you turning referrals into introductions?
If you ask for introductions or your client (or center of influence) volunteers someone, you’re not done until you’ve collaborated to create an effective introduction (connection).
You can get introduced:
- In person in a business setting.
- In person in a social setting.
- A 3-way Zoom call.
- Through a text.
- Through an email handshake (my favorite).
Let your introducer know that how you get introduced is critical to your ability to be of service to their friend, colleague, or family member.
Are you communicating your value effectively?
When you talk about yourself, your team, and/or your value. Are you focusing on “I” and “We” and “Our” or are you focusing on “You” and “Your?”
The biggest mistake many advisors make when communicating their value is trying to establish their credentials and credibility too soon. You want your prospects to see themselves in your message.
Always think in terms of translating the features of your processes and business into benefits that matter to your prospects and clients. Never assume that they will make that translation for themselves.