No business ever went under from having too much cash. And
the more referred leads that come into your business, the healthier your state of
account. Regardless of how the market is doing, we can always benefit from
instant referrals. So which one of these sounds like you?
- You're going through a lull and need more business or money - today!
- You're new to the business and need to get things moving
- You've taken a break from the business and need to get back on track
- Business is good and you are busy but you expect things to slow down in the coming months
Regardless of where you’re at in your business, you’ll need
to do two things to generate instant referrals: 1) identify your advocate list
and 2) increase the intensity at which you ask these people for their
referrals.
Identify Your Advocates
Inside of your database, there are A+ clients. These "advocates" are the key individuals who shout your
praises from the rooftops and can always be relied on to help build your
business. Now just as we teach you to sort your entire database into A, B, C and D categories, so too should you arrange these A+
advocates in a similar way and plan lead-generation activities based on their role in helping
your business thrive.
A List:
These heavy-hitters are the richest source of referrals to your business. Enhance
your relationship with these valuable folks through face-to-face activities,
such as lunches or a round of golf.
B List:
These people are genuinely enthusiastic about your business and are the
cheerleaders who will sing your praises to everyone they meet. To foster
instant referrals with this group, be creative with your activities. Host group
activities as a special way to thank them for sending referrals your way.
C List:
This list is comprised of people in your database who are very well-connected
with the most influential people in the industry or community. Since these
folks are so established, offer a series of presentations in your area of
expertise that focus on timeless, relevant topics such as home buying and selling,
homeownership or mortgages.
D List:
The people on the D List are the people and businesses you give most of your
business to, whether it’s the local florist, landscaper or attorney. Referrals
come by way of reciprocity: In order to get an instant referral, you have to
give one. Think, “Who can I send business to?” and act accordingly.
Increase Intensity
Referrals don’t magically appear; you have to work for them
so follow these four strategies to ensure that your intensity leads to more
referrals:
- Do it now! Sometimes necessity is the
biggest motivator. If your pipeline is empty, referrals should be your primary
focus and you need to zero in our lead-generation activities.
- Set Goals. Create specific, tangible goals and
share them with those you give business to.
- Be Persistent...and the referrals will come.
Everyone can sprint for a short time.
- Review Content from your Turning Point Workbook.
Read over the Referral Systems and note:
What would you really like to do?
What have you tried and lapsed doing?
What have you only partially implemented?
There’s no such thing as an overnight success but the Referral
Systems have a trailing effect and the quicker you implement this elements, the
quicker you’ll see the compounding effects of your efforts result in a steady
stream of high quality leads.
Give yourself a target and go visit your
best clients. They’ll be happy to see you and you’ll be happy to generate
instant referrals!