by Tony Vidler       

Getting referrals is difficult enough for many, but to get the right referrals is even tougher. It’s always nice to get any referral of course, but it doesn’t help if we do get a referral and it is someone that we just can’t deliver great value to.

So we do want to try and take charge of the process of generating referrals, rather than leaving it to chance.  But when it comes to the time in our engagement with a prospect or client where we want to discuss future referral possibilities then the traditional way of helping people zero in on possibilities is to drop the “who do you know who….” bomb.

That is a bomb too. It gets dropped into the middle of the conversation and their mind and explodes with stressful possibilities….as it essentially asks them to begin poring over all possible contacts that they have and begin a process of selection and recommendation.  That is asking a lot of someone where the professional relationship is relatively new and untested.  And you are asking them to sift through everyone they know…it is confusing and  overwhelming.

Not surprisingly therefore, most people feel uncomfortable and awkward about providing referrals when the “who do you know who” bomb is dropped on them.  So it is not really that effective, is it? 

There is a smarter way though, and it is much more effective.

In this weeks quick tips video we talk through a different phrase which helps zero in on the preferred types of referrals, but without putting people in an uncomfortable position or eliminating the possibility of getting referred to other types of potential clients as well….it is a much better way to discuss the right referred leads!

Watch the video to learn more…

You may also find this useful:

Uncomfortable with asking for Referrals? No Problem…there is another way…