Week after week I talk to business owners who tell me that they have tons of clients and customers who have sent them new prospects over the years, but when I ask them what they do to get these people to refer new business to them they usually say they do nothing.
When I ask these business owners if they ask customers to send them new customer they usually say, “Yes.” When they tell me what they say to them it usually goes like this, “If you know anyone who needs our help or could benefit from our products make sure you send them our way.”
Notice that the sentence did not ask or even wait for a response. It was not in the form of a question.
Why not just ask for a referral in the form of a question?
Try something like, “Well Bob, I know that you are doing well and I have an important question to ask you; Who do you know that needs our help?”
Haven’t you found that there are customers you sold to several years ago who then came back to see you and seemed to pick up their relationship with you from exactly where they left off?
Maybe they want to know about your spouse and your kids and seem to have some odd sense of pride if your business has expanded in staff or facilities since they were last in.
These clients and customers love you! So, why not give them a job to do when they are outside your office?
Let them know that their job is to send people to you who need your products or services.
Now I know some people may feel a bit uncomfortable about asking clients and customers directly to send you new clients and customers.
You may think that it seems a bit sales-like.
Well it is! So what? Your happy customers want to help you and usually do so by sending you a thank you card or filling out a positive evaluation or rating survey. I’d rather have clients and customers sending me people that they know who need our products and services. Perhaps they can also bring cookies.
Asking for a referral in the form of a question is not something that you would do with every customer, just the ones who are better and know that they have benefited or been helped.
If you think about the sanest people you know, they commonly love helping people.
A sane customer will respond favorably to asking for a direct referral.
CHANGE YOUR MIND. A CLIENT OR CUSTOMER WHO HAS A FAVORABLE RESULT FROM YOUR PRODUCT OR SERVICE WANTS TO HELP YOU OUT!
SHOW THEM HOW!
