Getting Referral Business - A Proven System

by: MichaelWalsh
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You want to use referrals to grow your business... You see the value of turning your customers into your biggest fans and strongest salespeople. Sounds good on paper, but how do you do it in real life? In this article, I'm going to quickly show you the best time to bring up referrals and a proven system to use.

When and how do you bring up the whole conversation of referrals?

The problem with waiting until you have proven yourself with a customer lies in the human brain. Through evolution, the brain adapted to pay attention to what's immediate, and to ignore things that are finished.

You have a center in your brain called the reticular activated system (RAS). This system is the attention center of the brain. It also functions to automatically filter out all of the various noises and distractions in life that are not important right now, so that you can focus on areas that are important.

For example, a mother sleeping in a 14th floor apartment above a noisy street can sleep, oblivious to the noise below. Yet when her baby stirs two rooms over, she's up like a flash and at her child's side. The reticular activated system is the brain's system to selectively and automatically focus what you pay attention to.

Have you ever noticed how, once you like a certain car, you start to see them everywhere? Did they just suddenly appear or were they there all along? Your RAS responds to your interest by making the cars noticeable. They were there all along, before you liked them but they were not important so the RAS ignored them.

Some people advocate that the time to bring up referrals is after a product or service has been delivered and the customer is happy with the outcome. However, if you do it this way, your customers RAS will not automatically work with you. Your customer has gotten their result and their mind is on to the next thing - you are automatically forgotten.

I've already shown that waiting to ask for a referral is less useful... they've gotten their result and you are spontaneously forgotten.

Example of a Referral Request

The first meeting is the prime time to let customers that referrals are how you do business. Here's a way to ask for a referral on the first meeting.

Our business grows by word of mouth. So, we don't stop until we achieve success together.

If I make absolutely sure that I do a great job, you will be more likely to refer your friends to my services.

Of course, if you refer me that's a positive thing and it will only happen if you are thrilled with my services.

So It's really important to my business to do a good job. I'm relying on impressing you enough that you are happy to be an ally and do some promotion of my business. I don't give rewards or trips for business referrals. I make sure that my prices have no hidden charges and that they offer a great value.

Part of the value that I provide is that I offer very good pricing on my services. So I don't offer cash or prizes in return for referrals, just a firm commtment that I'll provide you with the best service at a great price.

Just like you, we won't do business with them unless we see a clear win for them. However, we will promise you: We will treat anyone you send our way with just as much courtesy, professionalism and respect as we treat you with and of course you would never send anyone to us unless you were satisfied with the levels of courtesy, professionalism and respect we provide, would you? Of course not!

I will ask to see how I am doing along the way, to make sure that you are more than happy. Any people you refer will also get the same level of service. OK?

So if this makes sense, I'll be checking to make sure that you are happy with my service."

Give it a try!

About the Author

If you are looking to expand your small business, make sure you check out Michael Walsh's proven effective free report on business expanding secrets and for more business advice go to small business growth.  

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