It's no secret that word-of-mouth is the best marketing. When happy customers send you referrals, it just doesn't get any better than that.
However, there is a secret to making those referrals happen. Before I share the secret, tell me if this sounds familiar:
Dozens upon dozens of former clients have told me "I told so-and-so that they had to call you!" But, guess what? So-and-so never calls.
At first I thought something was wrong with me- Is my phone not working? Then I thought something was wrong with my clients- were they delusional and just *thought* they were telling friends to call me?
No, my phone was working, and no, they weren't delusional. Here's the secret. You can ask for referrals, and get them, until you are blue in the face, but the person referred still isn't going to call. Why not?
Because they are scared.
Why are they scared to call? Maybe "scared" is a bit strong, but think about it. Who needs to buy from you? Someone who has a need, that's who. And what does it feel like to have a need? Well, to me, needy doesn't always feel so good. Depending on the need it can bring up all sorts of fear, vulnerability, uncertainty.
When you are scared, or feeling vulnerable, or uncertain, do you want to talk to a stranger out of the blue? If I'm feeling vulnerable, I can sometimes have trouble talking to acquaintances at a party, much less talk to an "expert" on the topic I'm feeling most uncertain about.
Smart retailers know this in spades. Do they ask you to pull out your wallet and buy, or force you to have a really in-depth conversation the minute you walk into the store? No. If they are smart, they'll say, "Hi- welcome, look around." You get to look around, get familiar with the layout, see if it appeals to you. After a while, they might approach you and ask if you have any questions, or need any help.
If I walk into a store, and a salesperson immediately gloms onto me, I get really uncomfortable, and want to leave.
Why then do so many of us who are selling a product or service expect our customers to want to have an in-depth conversation from the very first moment?
The secret to having referrals show up? Create a way for a prospect to get to know you and your business, and to get value out of it, before they ever have a conversation with you.
When someone wants to refer me a colleague or a friend, I tell them specifically, "Don't have them call me- send them to my website and get my free workbook. It's easier on them. If they like it, we'll talk." My successful referrals have jumped tremendously with this simple step.
Keys to Getting Referrals:
Here are some ideas you can begin to implement to help make referrals comfortable:
• An easy Yes: The first commitment a customer makes needs to be very easy to say "yes" to. For a retail customer, the first "yes" is often just entering the store, or looking at the website. If you are a service provider, some sort of free give-away that helps them "enter your store," is what you are looking for. This could be an article, a do-it-yourself "tip sheet" in your area of expertise, or something similar. Check in with your heart to see what you could give away to help them enter your store.
• Make sure it is both valuable for them, and sustainable for you to give away. Meaning, it has to be something they can use immediately to help them, even if they never buy from you, and it can't be too expensive or labor intensive for you to give away lots of them.
• Finally consider getting, or upgrading, a website: A few years ago it wasn't necessary- but it is now. A website is an invaluable tool for any small business person. It's a way for someone to get to know you, without risking any vulnerability. Your website isn't there to sell services, it's there to create relationships.
For a great chapter on what to put in your website that really works, get Robert Middleton's Infoguru Manual. Click here to check it out.
the best to you and your business,
Mark