Getting Personal, the Art of Referrals
You work your tail off for a sweet sale and after months of contact and details, it finally closed.
A celebration moment!
Unfortunately it can be just that, a moment. Once the deal is closed and the immediate joy wears off, you return to tedium of the cold call list; for sales people, the equivalent of a dark airless mine.
The solution? Referrals.
Now there are lots of books and training courses on how to get referrals for the beginning sales person. They range from, handing a client a card asking for three or five or one referral immediately post closing, to automated provision of e-mail lists. One insurance salesman I knew had the ultimate referral method, he had an entire system for stealing address books off of his clients’ desks, he was a top producer, but I am not advocating the practice.
Today, I want to talk about the missing ingredient in all these systems; attitude. It is attitude that almost automatically generates referrals, makes the process sincere, and leads to future returns.
Follow me on this. You have just made the sale, you and the client are in the midst of that fleeting high of a job well done, good feeling all around. For some reason, a lot of sales people don’t want to ruin that moment with a request for referrals. But this is entirely wrong-headed. You believe in what you are selling, it helps people. The client believes in what you are selling. Both of you have an interest in spreading the word.
Your client should be happy to inform friends and business colleagues of this great product. Simple awareness of this reality on your part makes referrals a part of every close.
Let’s say your product is a copy machine; a new great, energy and ink efficient variety. The client loves it. The client knows people who would benefit. He or she is not going to be reluctant to share names and contact information of those who could benefit.
So ask. Have a card, or be ready with a pen and paper, or a cell-phone to enter that data. Have a system that works and lets you quickly get and store the information. Follow up, not only with the prospect, but with a thank you or gift to your original client. Keep it personal, sincere and consistent, and say good-bye to the cold call mines.
Howard Henson & Associates, Inc.
Marketing - Public Relations - Graphic Design - Web Design - Printing - Laminating
Larry Henson, President In Business Since 1974 405-471-4888
