How to win new business successfully with referrals – and 3 unusual places to use them
Are referrals a part of your sales activity?
Referrals should be part of every sales person’s activity plan. They are one of the easiest ways to win warm prospects and have worthwhile sales conversations.
However, not everyone asks for referrals as much as they should. According to Dale Carnegie, 91% of customers are happy to give referrals. However, only 11% of sales people actually ask for referrals.
If you are not asking for referrals, you are missing low hanging sales fruit!
Not everyone asks for referrals successfully
One of the issues in getting a referral that results in good business is that it is important to guide your referee. It’s difficult to suggest an introduction if you don’t know what someone is looking for.
Always make sure that you know the type of client that you are looking for. You should make sure that your contact is aware of this. Or you might be looking for small retail businesses or contacts in chain of hotels. Some people even ask to be introduced to specific people or companies. If you are specific in this way it makes it much easier for your network to help you.
Referrals should be a regular part of your sales activity
When should you use referrals?
The most obvious time to use them is straight after you have delivered a successful job. Here are three other times when you should use them:
- At networking meetings, exhibitions and conferences. It is particularly powerful to ask for referrals to other people who are attending the event.
- Online. Social Media is a great place to ask for referrals.
- When prospects say no to you. What have you got to lose by asking for a referral?
I use a 10-step process to win powerful referrals
I’ve only been able to cover a little of the process in this e-mail. To learn the complete process, check out “The 1% change plan. How to increase your print sales in 23 minutes a week”
While we’re at it can you help me with a referral or two?
Please recommend one or two people to download my free pdf-guide “Ten Common Print Selling Errors And What To Do About Them” here. Thank you!
