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I don’t curse much. And when my daughter was young, I pretty much never even said, “Damn.” As she got a little older, that word did slip out from time to time.
So my daughter bought me a Swear Jar – a piggy bank into which I was to put a quarter each time I said a “bad word.” Why am I telling you this? Stay with me…
DO I NEED A REFERRAL SWEAR JAR?
Recently, I was conducting a full-day session and mentioned a recent study that demonstrated that many clients don’t like to be asked for “referrals” but actually enjoy making “introductions.”
About an hour later, I was talking about becoming more “referable” so as to obtain more referrals without asking. A gentleman in the front row politely asked, “Don’t you mean introducable?”
He was right. And now, it appears I’m going to have to get a “Referral Swear Jar.” I can see it now… During my speeches and workshops, each time I say “referrals” I’ll have to put a quarter in the jar. Old habits die hard.
The truth is, referrals (25¢) are pretty much worthless. It’s just so hard to reach people these days, that we have to think in terms of “introductions.”
5 Steps to Better Introductions
#1 – Be assumptive for the introduction. I don’t believe you should ever assume someone is willing to give you referrals; that’s too aggressive.
#2 – Make it collaborative. Creating the introduction should be a joint effort between you and the referral source.
#3 – Make it about protecting the relationships. We want an introduction that feels safe to all parties concerned.
#4 – Take your time. Don’t rush through this. Get a good introduction.
#5 – A referral (25¢) doesn’t count unless it’s actionable! I can’t emphasize this point enough. Anything short of that is wishing and hoping.
Related: 7 Keys To Creating Loyal Advocates