The Secret to Getting Referred
Here’s the secret to getting referred: It’s about them! No one today is interested in you. Everyone today is interested in himself or herself. That’s the secret.
Most sales and marketing professionals operate under the old paradigm of talking all about them, their company, their achievements, yada yada yada. It doesn’t work anymore. You know it’s true. If it weren’t true you would have more work than you could handle.
So let’s get right to the practical application and skip the lesson for today. Remember the secret: It’s about them! It’s all about them! Keep that in mind and go do this with anyone you’d like a referral from:
- Make an out-of-office appointment with them (coffee/tea, lunch, snack, etc.)
- Ask them these questions (they talk 70% of the time, you 30%)
- What got you into the industry/work you’re in?
- What do you enjoy most about the work you do?
- What are your greatest successes/victories/accomplishments?
- What is the biggest challenge you face today?
- In what ways can I most help you?
- Thank them for their time and allowing you to know them better
That’s it. No strings. No requests for work. No talk about you and your needs. It’s about them! This is how they come to know, like, and trust you (the basic ingredients for any successful relational sale to take place).
Once they know you genuinely care about them, they will like you because you make them feel important, then they will trust you with referrals to take care of their clients.
Get the work you so desperately need. Make 10 appointments with people you would like referrals from. Complete the steps above keeping the secret in mind. Watch what happens.
We’d love to hear the results of your efforts, celebrate your wins, and help you solve your problems. Book a time at your convenience to talk one-on-one with Gerry by clicking the link below.