7 Ideas to Unblock Your Referral Supply Chain

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“Supply Chain Disruption!”  It’s all over the news. 

But what about your supply chain of new clients?  Are you getting in front of the right people in the most favorable basis? 

Is it simply a matter of quantity? Or quality? Or a bit of both?

7 ideas to help you unblock your supply chain of referrals, introductions, and new clients

  1. Become Irreplaceable.  Extend your reach through the entire family. Help them with essential document organization. Become the quarterback of their advisory team. Build business friendships.  For more on this idea, click here. 
     
  2. Have a Notable Client Interview You:  For your next educational webinar, in-person event, or podcast – get one of your clients to interview you. It’s a plus if they are recognized in your target market. Now, your best advice and experience is being pulled from you by someone who has experienced your value first hand.
     
  3. Help Them with Their Bucket List.  Talking about goals and dreams is great. When you talk in terms of their “bucket list,” things become more concrete. It’s a list you can help them check off. Click here to listen to this podcast episode to see how Lester Matlock has done it.
     
  4. Teach Your Clients How You Handle Referrals.  The two biggest reasons why clients don’t give unsolicited referrals is because they are concerned about confidentiality and they don’t know how you’ll reach out to their friends, colleagues, and family. They want to protect their relationships. Allay their concerns. Click here to learn more about this simple, yet powerful strategy.
     
  5. Teach Your Clients Who You Serve the Best.  Teaching your clients who you serve the best will do two things for you.  1) Promote referrals/introductions, 2) Upgrade the quality of prospects sent your way. And to do this, YOU need to be clear who a Right-Fit Client™ is for you.  Here’s a check list to help.
     
  6. Use a New-Client Onboarding Plan.  Helping your clients realize that they made a great decision to work with you will bring you unsolicited referrals from brand new clients. Brian Sweet’s firm uses the 90 Day Dazzle. Rob Gibbing’s firm uses the Transition Navigator. Want to know more about this overlooked strategy?  Listen to my interview of Brian Sweet: Use The 90-Day Dazzle for Client Onboarding and Win Referrals Fast.
     
  7. Make Quick Calls to Discuss FORM.  Devote 30 to 60 minutes every week to call your clients using the FORM Module:  Family, Occupation, Recreation, Money. Start with checking into to what’s new with their family. Limit these calls to 7-10 minutes. You’ll rarely make it to the Money conversation, but that’s okay. This call is meant to strengthen your business friendship – which is the secret sauce to creating advocates for you and your business.

ACTION STEPS

  1. Pick one or two of the above strategies and get started today.
     
  2. Pick one or two more to implement 2 to 3 months from now, once you’ve established the first two strategies as habits.

Related: Build a Successful Business Operating By Referral Only