How To Easily Get Referrals From Your Customers
It can be hard enough to get a new customer and when we do we need to tactfully leverage that resource to earn as much as possible, but those extra earnings don’t necessarily need to come from that specific customer. Today we will to talk you about how you can get tons of hot sales referrals from your customers, because, when done right, there is no better lead than one that was willingly referred by friend or family member that absolutely raved about your company and the solutions it provided for them.
Image if week after week your inbox or voice mail was full of hot, ready buy prospects that had been recommend to your company by and existing customer that that already sold the product for you. You be spending a lot more time closing and a lot less time selling.
What sales person doesn’t like getting a sales referral? Referrals are recommendations that close fast! Instead of wandering down blind alleys, hanging in the trenches, and climbing high mountains — and still not closing the sale — in your desperate search for a prospect; when you get a referral (a/k/a recommendation), with one phone call you can be jettisoned to the location of the resource you need.
But how do you get customers to actually give you referrals? You’ve tried it before and yet no one seems to be on board. At last, New York Times bestselling author tells you how to do it, and succeed.
The Best Way to Get Hot Sales Referrals
As a business owner, I deal with outside salespeople on a regular basis. Most naturally ask for referrals at some point after the sale, or in many cases, several times after the sale.
Some never stop.
Here’s the problem: The sales reps who get referrals from me don’t need to ask. They’ve earned them in advance, and I offer them up without having to be asked.
Let’s take it a step further: When I’m so happy and pleased with a product, or a service, or the quality of customer support I’ve received, I can’t wait to tell others about it! And that’s where most of my referrals come from.
Requests for referrals run from the timid, “Do you have anyone you think I can call?” to the pushy, “I’ve done a good job for you so you’d better give me some referrals,” to everything in between.
As I’ve already mentioned, the people who get referrals from me never have to ask. They’ve earned them in advance, and I’m happy to provide them.
In my books I talk about the concept of doing such a good job for your customers that they stop thinking of you as a salesperson. They consider you a trusted advisor instead. Once you reach this level of customer satisfaction, you’ll likely never have to do any sales prospecting again, because people will be begging to meet with you.
What most salespeople don’t understand is that people want to buy your products!* Yes, they really do want to buy! In spite of all the confidence-destroying “how to handle objections” lesson that every corporate sales program teaches (a lesson that causes salespeople to expect objections and therefore get objections), lots of people want what you have. Probably more than you think.
And guess who has access to those people? Yes, your existing customer base! It only makes sense that they have access to similar people. Business owners hang out with other business owners. Doctors hang out with other doctors. And so on. Make a customer very happy, and that customer is going to talk about you whether you ask for a referral or not.
I recently relocated and had to find a new dealer to service my car. There are two in town. One is ten minutes from my house, and the other is over thirty minutes away. I chose the latter and drive that far because a trusted friend referred them to me.
More importantly, I was told to stay away from the other dealer because their service is terrible!
Your customers will give you hot referrals too, if you perform for them. If you don’t meet their expectations, they’ll tell people to stay away.
There is one situation that you really can’t do much about: If you work for a company that has lousy service, you’re in a tough spot. I’ve been there too – I worked in the telecommunications industry for several years, which is notorious for horrible customer service. If you’re in that position, find a new job. If you need to find a new industry then do it. It isn’t that difficult – sales skills are the same no matter what you’re selling. Human nature never changes, and it isn’t that difficult to learn a new product line.
Remember, if you deserve referrals, you’ll never need to ask for them. Do right by your customers and they’ll do right by you!
*NOTE: There’s a catch – you do need to be selling a product that people actually need and want. For example, I got out of the telecom industry when it denigrated into, “We can save you $50 on your monthly phone bill.” Few small business owners can be bothered taking time out of their day to save such a small amount of money. And most know that cheap services are bad services. If you’re representing an obsolete product or a dying industry, it’s your responsibility to re-educate yourself and find new employment before you find yourself unemployed.
New York Times bestselling author Frank Rumbauskas has taught tens of thousands of salespeople how to stop cold calling forever! For a free 10-chapter download of Frank’s breakthrough lead generation system, please visit https://www.nevercoldcall.com
Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Frank_Rumbauskas/3674 Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/3990196
6 Tips for gaining sales referrals from your customers.
Technique #1: Give something away. Listen, I’m not talking about some cheesy pen or promotional item. I’m talking about something that says “this a free gift from me that I think you will value, and it’s my way of saying I appreciate your business and will always be here for you”. Right away you’re thinking tangible items, but something as simple as information can be far more valuable. I once showed a guy the basic techniques of how to optimize his website and hit leads flew through the roof, and so did mine after he sent referral after referral to me.
Technique #2: Offer to exchange referrals. Only offer this to suppliers that you’d be comfortable recommending to your best client or family, and be the first one to do it. Most people won’t refer you on your word, but you send them a customer (or 2-3) and they’ll return the favor, guaranteed.
Technique #3: Pay up. If you get a referral from someone reward them with lunch, a gift card, free service, or something that says you scratch my back I’ll scratch yours.
Technique #4: Offer a referral commission if permissible and lawful, depending on your product.
Technique #5: Ask After Delivery, Not After Closing. Timing is everything and often times sales pros make the mistake of asking for a referral the second they’ve closed the deal. Never ask for a referral unless you know your client loves your product.
Technique #6: Ask for the name and number. Sometimes customers say the will give you a referral, and though they have good intentions they never follow through. When push comes to shove and they don’t follow through I will usually see if we’re have connections on LinkedIn that could benefit from my solution, and if so I just ask my client if they’d recommend me and if I have permission to contact to person myself. Then I simply begin by reaching out on LinkedIn (name dropping of course) followed by a phone call 2-3 days later. The conversation would start something like this:
“Hi prospect, I been working with Mr. Jones on a project that reduced his advertising cost by 11% while increasing his responses by 4% and he thinks I might be able to produce similar results for you. My name is John Smith, can we schedule a time to talk and my work with Mr Jones and how it might help you?”