Sales and Sales Management Blog

For most sellers, a referral is nothing more than a name and a phone number that they have been given by a client or prospect.  Although having nothing more than a name and phone number with which to contact the prospect, most salespeople are excited about their new referral.  The first thing they do when they get back to their office is grab the phone and excitedly call the prospect, just to get the brush off—assuming they even get through to the prospect.

No matter how qualified a prospect the referred person is, no matter how much they trust and respect your client who referred them, if all you get is a name and phone number, you don’t have a referral. 

A name and phone number by itself

is little better than taking out the phonebook

and pointing at a name at random.

To convert a name and phone number into a REFERRAL, it must be accompanied by a direct INTRODUCTION of you to the prospect from your client.  And the weaker the relationship between the client and the prospect, the STRONGER the introduction must be.

You have three basic introduction formats at your disposal:

• Letter to the prospect from your client.  Your most common form of introduction would be a letter from your client to the prospect introducing you.  Don’t ask your client to write the letter.  First, even if they do get around to writing it, they’ll do it on their time schedule, not yours.  Secondly, when a client writes a referral letter, seldom do they give the prospect a REASON to accept your call and to meet with you.

  Instead, write the letter for your client in the client’s voice, and then have your client sign it.  You’ll save your client from having to write the letter, you’ll get it done quickly, and you can write a more convincing letter anyway.  You know better than your client what you accomplished for the client, and if you’ve taken the time to find out what the relationship between your client and the prospect is and to learn as much as possible about the prospect’s potential needs, you’ll be able to relate more directly what you might be able to do for the prospect.  Your letter should give details about what you accomplished for your client and a solid reason why the prospect should consider meeting with you.  Give the letter ample time to reach the prospect, and then follow up with a phone call.

• A phone call from your client to the prospect.  A stronger method of introduction is to have your client call the prospect and introduce you over the phone.  Never ask your client to call a prospect when you’re not there to be introduced.

It is very difficult for a prospect

to say NO to an appointment when

your client is on the phone with you. 

         Never ask a client to place a phone call unless you are SURE of their response to any potential
        questionthe prospect may ask        

• A lunch meeting with the three of you.  Far stronger than either a letter or a phone call, having your client invite the prospect to a lunch meeting with the three of you creates a whole new dynamic.  Not only are you introduced to the prospect by your client, but

in many instances the client

actually ends up acting as your

SALESPERSON—

leaving you in the position of

the expert consultant.

           A lunch meeting puts you in the ultimate position of strength and virtually guarantees a private meeting with the
          prospect, and it demonstrates an extremely high degree of respect and trust of you on the part of your client.

The good news is you control three of the four pillars.  And even the one you don’t control, your client’s relationship to the referred prospect, can be handled by using a strong method of introduction for those particularly weak referrals.

If  you want to create a large number of high quality referrals from your new clients and even prospects you’ll have to learn a comprehensive, disciplined process.  We’ll talk about that process in the next post.