Posted by on 1 November 2011 | 0 Comments

Tags: referrals, marketing, sales, christian business, roundtables, forum, ceo, leadership, small business

We all know that “referrals” are the best and most economical way to grow our businesses, right? So if that is the case, why is it that many of us either struggle to receive referrals from our customers? Worse yet, why do many struggle to ask for them? Could it be that we are asking the wrong question? Rather than asking “WHO do you know who needs my help?” quite possibly we should be asking “WHY would you refer anyone to me for help?”. To answer the latter question, it would appear that there are two main reasons WHY our customers would HAND us a referral? Both have to do with TWO HELPING HANDS.

The first has to do with a HAND OF APPLAUSE. In the social media culture, these customers are called your “raving fans”. They are raving about how you have helped them in their business to achieve the goals they have set, solve problems they have encountered or provided solutions that have propelled them forward. Scripturally, we are told in the Proverbs “ let another man’s lips praise you and not your own”. Why? Praise from another is free from any hidden agenda. It is also FREE!!! Let’s face it, most consumers are very suspicious when it comes to sales persons. We discount whatever a salesperson tells us right? Come on, we have all done it one time or another when we walked in to a store, knowing we are going to make a purchase. The salesman approaches you and asks “ Can I help you?”. Immediately, what comes out in your protection mode is “No thanks, I am just looking”. Really?  Would you really be there unless you weren't  at least thinking about buying something? Then, we typically lie and hide when we feel any pressure.  In contrast, when someone is praising your business and its products and services, there is no pressure, only praise, as people verbally applaud your effectiveness and quality.

The second has to do with a HAND FOR A CAUSE. What would cause our customers to actually refer someone to us? Believe it or not, many of us get this cause mixed up in our minds and as a result, feel very uncomfortable asking for a referral. You see, typically we do not like to ask for referrals, because we don’t like asking people for help or possibly make them feel like we are trying to manipulate them. However, do you know that in most cases, customers do not refer people for the cause of helping you as much as for the cause of helping their friend, who they know has a need. That is where being REFERRAL WORTHY REALLY COMES INTO PLAY.  When you have a customer who is a raving fan and knows of someone in need, referrals will come to you at a lightning quick pace..

So how do we become referral worthy? Using the Acronym RAVE, let’s break it down:

R-Respect their relationships. In a referral, remember that the one making the referral is taking the risk. If you do not provide a superior experience, it is your referring customer’s reputation that is on the line. Also, treat those referrals with dignity and respect, making sure that you do not employ high pressure tactics. Maintain your posture by caring, but not caring too much!

So how have you grown through referrals? I would love to hear . . . . . .