5 ways to have more referrals. In order to get more business we need to allow the space and time to have more relationships in your business by building your reputation.
Build Your Reputation 1st
What do I mean by build? We are either busy networking or working or promoting and not taking the time to engage with people having conversations or discussions with people. Ask them how you can support them. Be a giver before expecting them to give to you.
For example, one of the groups on LinkedIn that I used to manage, 1 out of every 10 posts to the discussion board are about promoting their blogs or about themselves. Or you may feel, well if you read my blog you’ll get to know me better. It’s not about me, it’s about the other people that matter.
Read this article about LinkedIn
In another group, a gal calls herself a Queen of Networking, even asking her not to post her articles in the discussion section, to self-promote her services. What does this tell you about this person? Is she interested in other people? No. It’s all about her. The best way to develop your reputation is to allow people to get to know you 1st. This means commenting on questions, posting questions, sharing and caring.
Take Someone for Lunch
Could you take the time and just invite people to coffee, lunch or? When someone is one the opposite side of what you believe in, “Take them out for lunch.” You’ll need to set some ground rules so you can really get to know them like: Be curious, Listen, Ask questions like “What issues really matter to you?” “Can you share a life experience with me?” By dropping your pretense you can let go of knowing it all. Just for one lunch put down your battle gear.
Invitations
Inviting them to find out more how you can help them in their business. Maybe you have a product or service that will really help them. Your marketing is scalable which means to expand and grow..people aren’t scalable.
Your marketing needs to include an invite to someone else. Invite to learn more about how you can help them. Send them a sample; give them a free report; host a call to ask questions; view a presentation. Whatever you can give them, or you receive it’s an opportunity to learn more.
From there you can get to know the other person, and find out if it’s a fit for them. I used to do many, many and many more calls – cold, warm and warner calls. The thing I learned was a NO was not a no..the more no’s I got I knew I was going to get many yes’s!
Get Introductions
Getting an introduction is not quite the same as a referral, however it’s better than a cold call. And after a while your cold calls can become warm. Introduce other people together.
For example people like health professionals or a variety of financial services or one person to another person. See the magic that happens. Ask people to introduce you to their connections or friends.
Join Alignable.
Ask for Referrals
Ask for referrals, these are people who have the same customer as you want to do business with. Be reciprocal, do the same for someone else or the same person.
There are other ways to get more referrals, what are yours?
Join group of where your audience or customers hang out at, where do they get sales, introductions and other places to get introductions.?
