Are You “Referral Worthy”?

Articles, Selling

Who loves a good referral? I do. I Do! WE ALL DO! The question is, are you worthy of receiving them? Have you earned the right to ask for one let alone be given any?

Referrals are a tricky business. While the benefits to he or she who receives them are obvious, the benefits to the referrer are maybe less so. Still … a good referral is a service to your customer. You are providing added value. A bad referral can be poison to our relationship with our friend or client.

Yes, I will only refer folks to others with the confidence that it won’t bite me in the ass. Here is how I evaluate referral worthiness. It’s pretty simple. I base it on my observations of your exhibited behaviors as well as your reputation, and your company’s reputation. I do the research.

Regarding behaviors. I assume that, whatever behaviors I see you exhibit with myself or with others … you will act in the same manner with anyone who I refer you to. Why would I expect otherwise?

Professional Behaviors

  • Well groomed
  • On time
  • Responsive
  • Good listening skills
  • Keep your word
  • Exceeds expectations
  • Feel free to add to this list

Non-professional Behaviors

  • Add “Is not” or “Does not” to each of the above.

How to get referrals

Now let’s talk about how to get referrals. Aside from earning them and by becoming referral worthy, a great first step is learning how to give referrals. There is a right way and there is a wrong way. Additionally, when you give a great referral, you will be teaching the other person how best to return that favor and you will be leveraging the law of reciprocity. Givers get.

“I gave your name to somebody and they should be calling you” is not a good referral.

“I just gave your name to Bob Smith at ABC Company. Bob was asking me about who I might recommend for (your service) and I immediately thought of you! Bob’s phone # is 867-5309 and his email is bobsmit@abc.com and he is expecting your call!”.  This, my friends, is a good referral. 

If you give a great referral you are also teaching that person how to return the favor and don’t hesitate to make your needs known. As in … “if you are kind enough to refer me, could you please include …”. Me, I like to do introductions via email and copy both parties.

What to do when you are referred

  1. Keep the referrer informed of your progress and outcomes
  2. Thank the referrer in public and private!
  3. Return the favor!

You are on your way! A good referral is worth its weight in gold. The close ratios are outstanding!

Are you thinking about a CRM? If you would like to explore whether or not Nimble CRM might be right for you, please book a free 30-minute Zoom consultation with me by going to my calendar.  

To learn more about our Nimble training and implementation services, please visit our Nimble CRM training services page. Thank you!

Craig M. Jamieson

Craig M. Jamieson

Managing Member at Adaptive Business Services
Craig M. Jamieson is a lifelong B2B salesperson, manager, owner, and a networking enthusiast. Adaptive Business Services provides solutions related to the sales professional. We are a Nimble CRM Solution Partner. Craig also conducts training and workshops primarily in social selling and communication skills. Craig is also the author of "The Small Business' Guide to Social CRM", now available on Amazon!
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