Some folks “aren’t wired” to offer referrals of friends, family, work associates, and acquaintances to businesses and professionals.
I know a few of these people and have asked them why the reluctance?
- They don’t want the “risk” of the referral they make not going well thereby making them look bad
- They don’t want to “meddle” in the affairs of their peeps
- They don’t see the benefit to THEM
- and when there IS a benefit (Such as a reward), they feel like it’s a little too “mercenary”
These are all (potentially) valid concerns which evaporate when:
- The referrer KNOWS Business or service Provider and is confident in their commitment to high level of service
- The referrer KNOWS the person she is referring well enough to have confidence of a “Good Match”
- The referrer sees a CLEAR benefit in the form of “being the hero” who has facilitated such a great connection
The bread and butter of most businesses is referrals from satisfied customers/clients . . . and the real difference between a business that excels and one that simply gets by is most often driven by rabid fans.
The secret to getting more referrals is simple: Develop a habit of GIVING referrals . . . the more you GIVE, the more you GET.
There are other perks . . . like being invited to more parties . . . becoming known as the “goto” person for anyone who needs a great ______
and achieving superhuman status among mortals.
At Pareto Realty, we do regular “referral calisthenics” in the form of very intentionally getting to KNOW as many local businesses and professionals as we can . . . and being very vigilant for opportunities to “match-make”
As we practice this art, our business grows stronger every year not because of intricate and expensive marketing programs, but because of an ever-expanding sphere of influence in the local community.
with this in mind, we eagerly anticipate new connections with people who wish to grow with us:
- Local Nashville Business Owners and Professionals
- Real Estate Professionals to join our firm
- Home Owners
- Prospective Home Owners
How can you adjust your referral behavior in 2013 to create more business and foster more rewarding relationships?