How to Ask for Referrals, by Jorge Pinkus 
In a live Sales and Marketing Seminar, I asked the participants the following question:
When you already have closed a sale with a new client, how do you ask for that lifeline of every savvy salesperson: a referral?
POSSIBLE ACTIONS:
a) I tell them: "You know that in my business, meeting new people is always very important to me. Would you be kind enough to give me the names and phone numbers of two or three of your acquaintances?" b) Referrals? I am the one who gets new clients. I never ask for referrals! c) I send them a thank-you note after the sale and in the body of the note I ask for a referral, in a non-threathening, kind way. d) Pray for inspiration, since I really don't know. Seriously, I need an advice... e) I take out my notebook and tell the prospect: "Do you know that you can benefit some friends of yours with our relationship? Surely they'll thank you if you put us in contact so they may explore if what we offer might be of service to them. For instance, who do you know in this office building who you may introduce to me?" What do you think is the best answer?
Before reading the results of this [very] informal poll of other Success Voyagers like you, take a moment to answer. Then reading the following will be more beneficial.
...
...
...
...
(Waiting for you to answer...)
...
...
...
These are the answers received:
a) 26%
b) 0%
c) 7%
d) 4%
e) 63%
What I think, if somebody is interested in my thoughts ;) is this:
Of course, we have a clear winner: Answer e) with almost two thirds of the total.
And, of course, it came an easy winner, since the wording in this last way of asking for referrals is clearly indicating the benefits to the client. And it uses an almost magical question: "For instance, who do you know in this office building who you may introduce to me?"
This question (instead of just asking for "someone you know") makes the other person start thinking about the people they know but who are right there, in the same place! You will not need to leave the building to meet them. Besides, it asks the other person to introduce you personally, not just give you their names and phone numbers.
That is a very important time-saver, since you'll leave that building with an appointment already made (good thing, isn't it?).
Compare it with the answer a), where all you are saying is that *you* need something. It will be easy for the prospect to give you a referral if he/she sees that somebody they know (besides you!) will benefit.
Answer c) is *another* way of getting referrals. In fact, the professional salesperson is always looking for opportunities to ask their prospects, clients, associates, colleagues, acquaintances, etc. for referrals.
But what answer c) suggests is really not the BEST way to ask for referrals, since the best time to do it is when you are face-to-face with your new client and, especially, when he/she has just bought something from you.
Answer b) would be a total loser in sales. Everybody *knows* to their heart that to survive and to be the best in sales you always will need referrals. Nobody answered b), so all of them (and, I hope, you too) deserve a well-gained applause (clap-clap-clap...).
And the 4% who answered d) are in the right place! Reading and studying this Success Voyager blog will give you ideas and techniques about how to maximize your sales, marketing and personal productivity, on and off the Internet.
Make it happen!
Jorge Pinkus
Your Maximum Success Guide & Coach
The Success Voyager
P.D. Look what I found:
How to get THOUSANDS of other people selling YOUR PRODUCT and NEVER spend a penny on advertising again!
With the "ZERO-DOLLAR ADVERTISING SYSTEM" you will *literally* NEVER pay for advertising again as you discover a unique system for promoting ANY product or service online with a ZERO-DOLLAR budget. 0 Responses to "How to Ask for Referrals, by Jorge Pinkus"Leave a reply | Author
Jorge Pinkus is your Success Guide --also a Success Voyager himself-- with more than 28 years of experience learning and applying, teaching and training the core concepts of success and achievement, on and off the Internet.
Now, you too will be able to maximize your results and start thinking with a winner's mentality
Archive
Categories
RSS feed |
