When it comes to racing, getting a head start is illegal. But if you're interested in dramatically increasing your chances of getting referrals, learn how getting a head start is the key to success.
Today's Rocket Fuel is about introducing the topic of referrals with our new clients early in the sales process. How do you do that? Here is an excerpt from my book, TOP Seller (search TOP Seller Kjenner on Amazon) where Lily demonstrates for Jay, her sales manager, her technique for introducing referrals early in the sales process with her customers:
With no sign of hesitation, Lily says, “Do you want me to role-play it?”
“Sounds good - I’ll start.” Jay pulls up a chair and sits across from Lily playing the role of the customer. “Lily, all of your services sound impressive, but I am rather concerned about how much this is going to cost.”
Lily looks calmly at Jay while the rest of us watch from the sidelines. “I’m glad you asked, Jay: cost is an important issue. I have brought along a sample proposal for you to look at. Once we have an agreement on exactly what services you require, we will provide you with a total price. I am confident that you will find our rates competitive with other companies providing a similar caliber of service. Jay, there is another way we are rewarded for providing excellent service that doesn’t cost you anything.”
“What’s that, Lily?”
Lily smiles confidently, looks Jay directly in the eyes, and says, “Like most successful businesses, our goal is to grow our client base. There are different ways to do that, yes, but we find that the best way is to leverage the successful relationships we are building with high-quality clients like yourself. After you have had a chance to properly evaluate our services, if you’re impressed, I ask that you help me identify others that you know of who might benefit from the work I do as well. Does that sound fair?”
Perhaps you're asking why you would want to set expectations for referrals up front. First and foremost, introducing referrals up front lets your clients know your expectations early. If they agree with this expectation, it will then make it that much easier for you to ask for the referrals when the time is right. The great thing is, if you are 100% confident in your request, most times clients will be comfortable with this request as well. So what do you do if they aren't comfortable with the thought of providing referrals? Well, you're going to have to stay tuned for a future Rocket Fuel!
Check out www.theroyofplenty.com for a whole library of Rocket Fuel sales ideas.