What do you do once you have referrals?

Know what to do once you have referrals:
Create a simple system for keeping track of them!

Once you start getting referrals, congratulations! Now you will likely start running into a new challenge – not getting your calls returned.

Once common question I hear running seminars is: “What do we do after we have referrals?”

You Only Prospect Twice: when you feel like it and when you don’t.

1) You want one location with the following info: their contact info, name of referral source, each date of contact (minimum of 5), room for personal comments and the end result. You want to have physical space in your system to write personal comments, such as “call in a month: just had a baby” or “ask about their vacation to Mexico”.

Email me if you would like a copy of the referral tracker I use.

This is so prospects don’t fall through the cracks.

2) You schedule time to review your prospect list at least weekly. This must happen.

3) You keep referral sources informed as to how things are progressing. Almost everyone drops the ball here and, yes, that includes me. This IS a big deal for two reasons:

a) Because people who are already a referral source can represent a potential gold mine if we build the relationship right – or feel pretty ticked because they went out of their way to refer you and you did not make them feel appreciated.

b) Because quite often you need to enlist the help of your referral source more than once to get in touch. Let’s say you’ve left three messages with their referral and you’ve heard nothing. Go back to that referral source and say; “Just to let you know, I have called Michelle three times and left messages over the past few weeks and have not heard back from her YET.”

Often this will make that person feel a bit badly and go back out to bat for you.

4) Sometimes you also need to think of other creative ways to get your name in front of prospects when your voice mail messages aren’t working. Answer the question for that person: “How else can I add value to this person?” I usually prospect sales managers so I needed to ask myself, “What is important to them? What would help them in their jobs? What should I read more of that has ideas that they would appreciate? What events in their community do I know of that they should know about and might not?”

Two Keys for the Follow Up Calls:

Key One: Never sound needy.

In Jim Camp’s Start With No, he reminds us how important it is not to sound needy – like your calling them is doing them a favor and that you really don’t need the business. One suggestion he makes is to tell people a) how much you would like to meet them and b) (if this is true) that you are not sure if they’re interested, c) they should let you know either way.

This way you sound professional, interested and not desperate - that it won’t impact your livelihood (you are already doing well and if you’re not, act the part in advance!). He argues that this relaxes your prospects and I have found that more people get back to me sooner, usually to say that they are still interested. And if they’re not, wouldn’t you rather know? The other week over a stout at a microbrewery, a financial advisor having his best year said to me that if he wasn’t hearing people say no, he wasn’t talking to enough people. That’s the mindset of a winner because this is the real world.

Key Two: Use the word ‘because’.
Robert Cialdini’s research has found that even when we don’t have a very good reason, humans respond remarkably more positively when we give them a reason using the word ‘because’.

Here is a sample script:
“Hi Steve, this is Matt Anderson.
 DAVE HARPER recommended I get in touch with you.
 I’m not sure how much he explained to you about what I do;
 I have been helping him (ex.) map out a retirement plan.
 (Tip #1) Dave wasn’t sure about your situation and I don’t know either. Maybe you have no interest in a brief conversation. If not, just tell me. That’s fine.
 (Tip #2) But he did recommend us meeting because he’s been very pleased with what we’ve
 accomplished so far.
I was wondering if we could set up a brief meeting/quick cup of coffee/grab a quick lunch
 and connect on how your financial goals are coming along and see if there’s a fit with how I help/work with business owners like Dave/young families/retirees/other dentists .
 If you could call or email me with 2 or 3 times that work for you, either leave me a message at (608) 843-3827 or shoot me an email to matt@thereferralauthority.com
 Thanks and I’ll look forward to talking to you soon.”

Three Tips for More Success Following Up:

Tip One: Zig Ziglar has a story about meeting with parents who can’t control their kids. He says that if these people cannot say no to their kids, this is a sure sign of prospects that will have a hard time saying no to you. He also says the same for people who do not cancel appointments but don’t show up. If they don’t have the backbone to even call and say “no thanks”, they are likely going to have a hard time telling you no when you decide to get in front of them.

Tip Two: Most people admire those who persist – especially other business people. That's why you need to try at least 5 times. Your persistence makes a statement that you believe in why you are calling and the other person’s resistance often drops.

It does seem that many people’s mindsets have shifted to one that says “I won’t call them back. If they are really keen to talk they can call me again.” The etiquette is simply to leave polite messages each time and call as if it’s the first time you’ve left a message. I really believe it is the tone of our voices that makes a big difference. Sometimes I will mention a date we talked or met so I come across as professional and organized (and to politely remind the person that it has been a while!).

Tip Three: Find the best time and place for YOU to make your calls. It was a long time before I realized I most enjoyed calling people when I was driving somewhere. For me I feel like I have more of a sense of mission if I’m calling on the road, like it’s the only time I can call them (which has become increasingly true but wasn’t always). I prefer to do other things when I’m in the office that can only done when I’m there. Sometimes I enjoy calling people from a favorite café with a favorite beverage in front of me. This feels more like fun.

Who else would appreciate reading this? Please forward it on and share the wealth!