To Get Referrals, Give Referrals

October 13, 2011 at 12:00 AM
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One of the best ways to get referrals is to give one. The next time you meet clients or prospects, ask them who they would like to make contact with in order to achieve their targets. Say, "Who do you want or need to reach your goals or do your job?" or "What kind of expert would you like to be able to learn from?"

Then look for ways to get them in touch with those people. Once they have seen your example, they will be more inclined to return the favor. And not only will they be more open to helping you, but they will also understand how to go about doing it.

And here's where the magic mail comes in. Why do I call it the magic mail? Because the results can be magical. The magic mail reminds the receiver of the occasion you took the time and the effort you made to get them in touch with a certain person. The know-like-trust factor is transferred, creating the foundation of a potential relationship between your two contacts.

Of course it depends on the relationship between you and the two people you introduce whether there just a few sparkles of magic or huge fireworks.

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Jan Vermeiren is the founder of Networking Coach, author of the best-sellers "Let's Connect!" and "How to REALLY use LinkedIn" and a well-known international networking and referrals speaker. For more information, go to his blog at http://www.janvermeiren.com/.

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