Referrals are often the lifeblood of small businesses. In fact, they can be the best marketing tool in your small business marketing toolbox.  When you orchestrate referrals you move from spontaneous to intentional with repeatable predictability.

Are you tired of not receiving enough referrals from your spontaneous referral system?  The spontaneous referral system looks like this:

You sign a client, work your fanny off to deliver amazing service and then you sit back and wait for the referrals to come rolling in.  But, sometimes they don’t happen….  Then it’s back to chasing more clients and repeating the cycle.

What if there was a process to move from spontaneous to predictable? What if you could count on referrals to come rolling in every week or month? Would you want to know the process?

Referrals are often the lifeblood of small business. In fact, they can be the best marketing tool in your toolbox. When you orchestrate referrals you move from spontaneous intention with repeat ability and predictability.

Watch Parts I & II

If you haven’t seen or read parts one and two of the Orchestrating killer referrals process I encourage you to watch them now. Then come back to this one. You can see and read them in the last two  blog posts

Referrals won’t happen unless you follow the absolute prerequisite I outlined in part I.   Part II outlines your killer referral sources.  Killer referrals deliver amazing results.

Orchestrating Killer Referrals Part III

Spontaneous referrals aren’t bad… They are simply spontaneous. The reality is that everyone is thinking about their business first and not yours. It’s human nature. Spontaneous referrals seem to occur occur when the planets align and that’s not often enough.

Mindset is critical

Asking for referrals can feel downright awkward because it seems as if you are asking for a favor.

Your mindset should be that you have an awesome service that people want and need.  That there are people out in the marketplace that need you and will benefit remarkably from your service and that f you don’t do your best to find out who they are you’re just being selfish.   Asking for referrals is one way to find those that truly need you and will benefit from your product or service.  Don’t let awkward holds you back.  Practice your mindset.

Pre-frame the conversation

The pre-frame conversation occurs early in the relationship but before you have the conversation, make a list of what you will do for the client.(usually this is a long list). Then list out what the client will do for you. The client list is almost always short, however to their list you add “provide referrals when asked” .  You want them to begin thinking of 3 or 4 others like them that they could refer and they won’t be surprised when you ask.

Begin the conversation by sharing that you are going to deliver a WOW experience and that occasionally you will ask for referrals. Then turn the tables from a referral being a favor to you to delivering referrals being a favor you are extending to your client. Tell them that in your business you only ask for referrals from a few select clients.

It’s a Privilege

You work extra hard for referrals!  You can only offer this opportunity for your best clients. Your select clients receive serious kudo’s, thank you’s, appreciation and gratitude from those to whom they refer to you.

Your client should feel lucky that they got the chance to make a referral on your behalf because only a select few make the grade. . The client’s not the one doing you a favor.  Instead, you’re doing them a favor by giving them this opportunity.

One of your expectations should be something like this:  “If we ask, you’ll need to make referrals. We don’t ask everybody, but when we do ask, you’ll try to refer us to three people of your own caliber.”

You can do this at the first event or between the sign-up and the game plan. The point is to have it stated up front. If a client ever hesitates over referrals, remind them of the Referral Promise.  You are setting the stage and turning referrals into something your client will be excited about.

As for the free gift, go for something that really feels like a gift. Tickets, a gift card, or exclusive eBooks and videos. The best gift is both informative and attention-grabbing.

No matter what it needs to be really good.

Your awesome gift will be followed by an expression of gratitude phone call to your client saying thank you for thinking of me. Your client is going to feel really good when they receive that call. That is your gift to your client. That’s why it’s special. And that’s why it’s not for every client.

Sample Conversation

Mr client, I’m going to work really hard for you and deliver an amazing service. I make it priority to deliver a WOW experience. Here’s a list of what I’m going to do for you as part of our agreement and here’s a list of your responsibilities. Notice that referrals are on your list.   “If we ask, you’ll need to make referrals. We don’t ask everybody, but when we do ask, you’ll try to refer us to three people of your own caliber.”   The reason is that we have a very special valuable gift and we can only extend it to a few.

As a recap:
• Not everyone is afforded the opportunity to make referrals. Only a few chosen ones get the chance to do it.
• You make it clear from the get-go that referrals will be expected eventually, and it’s up to you to decide when.
• When they make a referral, their friend will receive a gift. You’re not just treating these leads right, you’re giving them free stuff.

You want this to go off like clockwork so you can count on this lead source to grow your business. Referrals shouldn’t be your only lead source but they can be your most powerful lead source.

Next in the series

In my next videos I’ll share:
• How to overcome client referral fears  – (Clients are naturally afraid to refer you and risk their reputation)
• When and how to ask for referrals
• How to close the loop and create a continuous refillable cycle of killer referrals.

Grow your business faster with a killer referral marketing strategy to produce massively effective referrals. Referrals breakthrough the trust barrier for those that don’t already know you. Watch this video to learn seven key attributes and a process for identifying your killer referral opportunities.

Here’s what you should do now.  Scroll down and leave a comment. Let me know you were here and how this content works for you.

Cheers to your success