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I think most people that enjoy #referrals are open to and supportive of giving. After all, a referral is absolutely a gift isn’t it? The problem that many have, however, is that they don’t know when/if the gift is coming.
In coaching with successful #financialadvisors, #financialplanners and salespeople during my coaching career, one thing has come to be known as truth: they will get referrals and they don’t know when they will get them. This is a problem because it artificially puts a ceiling on their #sales efforts.
While its really good to believe that you will get referrals based upon past experiences, it is better (much better) to know you will be getting them and to have an idea of when (at least which quarter) you will get them.
“Hey Mike, how does this relate to the title of this newsletter?!?”
The reason you don’t know when you are getting the referrals is because you, and everybody else, doesn’t have a giving system. They, like you, have an accidental referral system.
The secret to knowing when you will get referrals is to establish a systematic giving system that will guarantee that you are always giving referrals consistently and reliably.
Does that make any sense? That the reason none of us are getting referrals on purpose (unless you are one of those psychopaths that asks for referrals endlessly and as a direct result almost never have your phone calls picked up) is because we (like all of our referral partners) are only giving referrals when they fall out of the sky into our laps. By giving systematically, we build a completely different type of relationship experience.
When you are consistently giving referrals you are having constant conversations with your entire #network about how you can help them…with things you don’t get paid for.
Can you see how that might change their view of you?
You become known as the ‘go to’ for help and advice and are sought out whenever people and companies have challenges and opportunities because you always have an answer, and/or, you always have a contact that can give the answer.
This is why so much of what is called social selling on this and other ‘social’ platforms is really just about social getting.
They never talk about giving referrals and that is how you will KNOW them. They only build their network to GET and never systematize how they will give back. Run away from them. Social, for them is just a more efficient killing floor.
Guess what happens when you become known, with evidence, as a giver?
That’s right…you get talked about more. People begin relationships with you based upon your character and not your product or service. They find out WHAT you do for a living after they get to experience WHO you are as a person.
Sound good?
Why don’t we do this? Because it takes effort.
Building a giving system is akin to hiring a concierge for your business.
What does a concierge need to be successful? A network and a mandate to serve.
That is my action plan for you in this newsletter: Become your clients and business partners concierge.
Leverage technology and especially social media to allow you to build a powerful and trusting network and then personalize it with your service. Here are three things to do between now and the end of the year:
- WHO do your clients need advice from, both on a regular and intermittent basis (mowing the yard vs. replacing the roof)?
- Focus on two basic areas of your network: Residential and commercial. Imagine a house and an office building/warehouse…what professionals would be helping the person that lives/works there?
- Audit your network against that list and see where the holes are…and decide which one you will fill first.
This is just one part of a giving system, but, without it you will never realize the power of effortless and predictable referrals for you and your business.
I have a real masterclass (not one of those 90 minute seminars that never, ever works) on this coming up in January that I will be beta testing locally here in Southwestern VA and online. If you are interested, comment below or drop me a direct message here on @linkedin.
As always, I hope this was helpful and relevant. Let me know your thoughts below and remember I always have time to talk referrals in person, over the phone or on your podcast.
Be Human, Be Giving & Be a Concierge
Related: What Do I Do About ‘Bad’ Referrals?