Do you know the number one reason that business owners don’t get enough high quality referrals?
Fear. That’s it.
Now, on one hand you might think that I mean that some business owners are just flat afraid to ask for referrals. There is no question that there is a great amount of truth to that but…
The biggest stumbling block of all is that your clients and your referral network are afraid to refer your business because they don’t really know how to do it.
You must train them, educate them, and take them by the hand and show them how to provide you with killer referrals.
Here’s what you must do to create an effective referral marketing system.
1. Narrow your target referral – tell the world you are after a very specific type of prospect.
2. Be able to tell your referral resource – what you do that is extremely valuable – not, I’m a marketing consultant – that much I hope they know. Something more like – “I help financial planners triple what they charge.”
Now you’ve got their attention. Now you’ve given a way to refer you.
3. Tell your referral source exactly what you intend to do with the referred lead. “I will call them and offer them a free evaluation as a gift from you and then add them to my quarterly tips newsletter.” See, most people figure that you might stalk them and hound them until they give. So outline your referral marketing plan for your source and put them at ease.
4. Tell them why they want to refer you – (give them a motivation)
5. Follow-up – thank them and let them know how successful you have been because they referred business to you.
Now, who could be afraid of that love.
Hey, you know what. This would be some good stuff for a book on referrals. I think you’re right. Referral Flood is coming soon!