Referrals are the best way to capture new business. Sometimes, clients will think of you and send other friends or coworkers your way. However, this is not typically the case.
To get more referrals, you need to ask. To make the process easier, do a little research before you ask your clients for referrals.
- Find out if your client is involved in an association or organization. This may be a good way to prompt them about others in their group, specifically group leaders.
- Find out if your client's employer has a new employee training program.
- ?Find out if they keep in touch with any of their friends from college or grad school, and if these contacts are in a similar place in life.
- Find out if your client is involved in a hobby or a team – for instance, if they coach their child's baseball team.
Once you have this information, ask your client about specific people they know through any of these associations, and request permission to contact them.
Instead of asking your client, "Who else do you know who needs disability insurance?" ask, "Would you have any objections if I contacted your coworkers in the _________ department?" or, "You mentioned your employer just hired some new people. Would you mind if I contacted them on your behalf?" or, "I noticed you are on the board of your local association. Would you mind if I contacted the other board members on your behalf?"
By providing your client with specific people to contact, you eliminate the objection of "I can't think of anyone who needs the insurance." Typically, your client will say "Sure, no problem." You are doing the work for them by finding out the names of others — then, all you need to do is ask.
Jamie K. Fleischner is president of Set for Life Insurance, a national disability insurance brokerage based in Greenwood Village, CO. For more information, please visit www.setforlifeinsurance.com.
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