Do you want to increase your chances of getting high-quality referrals from your customers and centers of influence? Here are three tips you need to check out. If this resonates with you, LIKE if this blog hits home.
When it comes to asking for referrals, one reason many salespeople struggle is they do a poor job of describing the type of prospects they are seeking. If you want to take your ability to obtain high-quality referrals, it starts with painting a vivid picture of the prospects you do your best work for. Here are three tips to help you do that:
1. When you describe the referral you are seeking, focus on the qualities of the referral as opposed to their potential needs. You see, there are two problems with trying to identify prospects who have needs for your services. First, what are the chances of your client understanding the needs of the people they know? And second, even if they do understand the needs of the people they are referring, what are the chances of those prospects needing your services today anyway?
2. Focusing on qualities allows you to describe the "caliber" of client you are seeking. Also, by describing qualities, you can drive your prospecting efforts to the markets you are seeking, in other words, target marketing. Alternatively, if you are not interested in a particular market, that can also be incorporated into your description. For example, you might say, "We do a great job for clients fitting this description, but on the other hand, we have a difficult time helping clients who have this profile."
3. Last but not least, describing the qualities of the prospects you are seeking allows you to pat your great client on the back all at the same time. For example, "I do my best work for clients much like yourself... clients who are successful, responsible, have a proven track record in business, etc., etc.Â
If you want access to a series of ideas to improve your sales success, check out www.theoryofplenty.com or pick up my book, TOP Seller by Brian Kjenner, available on Amazon.