Matt in Ireland at Bunratty Castle

Here is a system for you that makes it easy to remember the four crucial elements of getting a referral. It applies to all the people you know.

Memorise these four words and practice them until they become habits.

If you truly want to get more and better referrals for the rest of your professional life, I repeat: Memorise these four
words and practice them until they become habits.

Earned
Who
How
Control

Continue reading “Referrals in Four Words” »

Most people are not very comfortable asking for referrals. Your reluctance to ask for what you want greatly limits the amount of business you can generate.

While better wording, having a referral system and more strategy about who to ask, centers of influence, and where to network can make a positive difference because it boosts competence, often this is not enough. Why? Because people think about themselves most of the time. They are not waking up and wracking their brains all day long wondering how they can help you.

So you need to ask the 98% of them that have not yet referred you!

If you really want to bring in more business this year, you must work on the inside job – of believing more and more that it is silly not to ask for what you want.
Continue reading “How Comfortable Are You Asking For Referrals?” »

One of the most enjoyable and motivating books I’ve read in some time is Alan Sugar’s What You See Is What You Get. Sugar is very well known in the UK as a rags-to-riches entrepreneur billionaire in the consumer electronics industry who has been knighted and made his name on BBC TV’s The Apprentice.

It is full of wisdom and humour on what it takes to get to the top in any business.

Here is what inspired me and how to use these ideas:

1. He started from very humble origins and made a fortune

Despite leaving school at 16 and growing up on a council estate (public housing), he used initiative endlessly to seek ways to make money. In addition, he was a fast learner. Continue reading “10 Reasons Why Alan Sugar’s Autobiography Is So Inspiring” »

The most important part of getting referrals is making it EASY for others to open doors by being crystal clear about what you want.

With all of your contacts, your goal is threefold:

a)    Identify people who sound like potential prospects

b)    Identify people that they like (they are not going to refer you to a boss they can’t stand or a sibling they resent). As you use the steps below, listen for their tone of voice – how they talk about that individual.

c)    Keep it simple! Narrow your ask to 1-3 people most of the time. Almost no one is going to take a week off work to refer you effectively to dozens of others.

Since no one way can work every time, here are six ways to excel in this area:

1. Research/pre-planning

Before you meet, do some homework on who your client is connected to:

Google for co-workers, LinkedIn contacts, beneficiaries on insurance or pension plans. What people have they already mentioned in their life?
Continue reading “Be Effective with Your Referral Request: Six Ways to Identify Prospects” »