Something worth sharing

Becoming referable is a matter of earning,
not asking.

A good friend gave me a book about building your
business through referrals. The author believes, “The
best marketing strategy is to be referable.” He is
correct. He writes, “Referability means that your very
best clients and customers are continually cloning
themselves -- continually introducing you to those like
themselves or better than themselves.”
According to the author, your referability depends
upon four habits:
1. Show up on time.
2. Do what you say.
3. Finish what you start.
4. Say please and thank you.
Could being referable be that simple? The author
asserts that these four habits convey respect and
appreciation toward the customer. He says, if you’re
arrogant or erratic, you won’t be referred, no matter
how talented or charming you are. He says if you’re
not getting enough referrals, cultivate the four habits.
He is partially right. Very partially.
I say his four elements don’t create referability – his
four elements are a GIVEN in any business
relationship. To be referable, you have to go WAY
BEYOND showing up on time and delivering what you
promise.
Those habits may have worked in 1955, when “Happy
Days” was in full swing, but becoming referable and
earning referrals in today’s times (unhappy days) are
far more complex.
In my experience, I have found that a referral is
earned, not asked for.When you ask for one, you
immediately put your relationship in an awkward
position, especially if the customer is reluctant to give
you one, and you keep pestering him or her.
Here’s why: The one word definition of referral is risk.
When someone gives you a referral, it means they are
willing to risk their relationship with the referred
person or company. They have enough trust and faith
in you to perform in an exemplary manner, and not
jeopardize their existing friendship or business
relationship.
Once you understand the definition of a referral and
realize how delicate, yet powerful, it is -- you at once
realize why you get them (or not) -- and that you must
become risk free in order to earn them.
Referrals are awkward to “ask for,” and often create
discomfort on the part of the customer.
Here are the elements that breed proactive referrals:
1. Be likeable. This is the first prerequisite.Without
a friendly relationship, there is no need to go further.
2. Be reliable. The company, the product, the
service, AND you, must be “best,” and “there when
needed.”
3. The customer considers you an expert in
your field. To be referable, you must have an
expertise that breeds customer confidence.
4. They trust you. The customer is CERTAIN that
you will do everything in the referred party’s best
interest, like you have with theirs.
5. You have a track record of performance. You
have already done the same thing with the customer
and they’re comfortable that you can repeat the
performance.
5.5 They consider you valuable – a resource,
not a salesman. Not just, “do what you say.” There’s
no real value there. I mean, provide value to the
customer beyond your product and service. Helping
the customer to profit more, produce more, or some
other form of value, either attached to your product or
not. Not value in terms of you, value in terms of the
customer.
And there are telltale signs -- clues that you “qualify”
for a referral:
REFERRAL CLUE: Your phone calls are returned.
This means there was a purpose, a value, or a
friendship reason. Returned calls connote respect for
who you are.
REFERRAL CLUE: You get reorders. This means they
WANT to do business with you, and they LIKE to do
business with you.
REFERRAL CLUE: There are no problems with
service issues. Your interactions are smooth and your
execution is flawless.
REFERRAL CLUE: They accept your lunch invitation.
And the conversation is more personal than business.
Here’s the secret: If the one word definition or
referral is “risk,” then you must be risk free – or at
least risk tolerable.
Here’s the strategy that will work 100% of the
time: Give your customer a referral FIRST. It will not
only blow them away, they will become an advocate
on your referral team.
Here’s the report card: The referral you got turned
into a sale.