Tour 55: The Right Questions to Ask to Pass Referrals
A reader recently emailed a frustration he is experiencing in giving referrals to those in his referral group. He's not finding many opportunities to pass referrals and he's beginning to feel like he isn't "pulling his weight" in the group.
Can you relate?
I have good news for you. The next time you begin to feel this way, go to those people in your group that you would love to pass referrals to and ask this question:
If I were standing in front of your ideal referral, how would I know? What are they doing or saying, specifically?
Ask your referral partners, or fellow networkers to help you out when it comes to passing them referrals.
We don't prospect for others. What we do is work to understand the specific situations in which bringing our referral partners into the conversation would be helpful.
When our referral partner or fellow networker can clearly communicate to us the answer to the question above, then ask a follow up question:
When I'm in front of your ideal referral, what is the question to ask that will allow me to bring you up naturally?
Once we know we are in the midst of an ideal referral for someone else, and we know the question we can ask to bring that person up, we are well on our way to passing a referral.
Write down their answers to both questions so you can review them often, and be ready to ask the right question when the occasion presents itself.
Turn about's fair play....
Would you be able to answer the same question if asked?
What are your ideal referrals (ideal clients) are doing or saying that let's others know that you might be a solution or a logical next step?
Even better, what are your clients doing two or three steps before they call you?
A realtor might tell her referral partners to be listening for those people who are having garage sales. A garage sales is a possible indication of the decluttering that happens before people list their homes to sell.
An electrician might tell his referral partners to be listening for those people who are installing pools in their backyards. As those home owners spend more time outside, they might want outdoor lighting.
Finding opportunities for others allows us standing to ask for opportunities when we need them. Think how much more confidently we might ask for a referral partner to share our social media post, or attend our event, or even introduce us to someone they have influence over, after we have just passed them a referral!
Go network my friend, and remember;
When it comes to passing referrals, gathering the right info first is key.
The easiest referrals to receive are often the easiest referrals to describe.
If your referral partners would struggle to explain who to look for or what questions to ask on your behalf, let's talk. Schedule a discovery call and we'll explore whether a strategy session could help you create clearer referral language and more natural referral opportunities.
Faithann Basore and her husband Dave have owned Window Cleaning Plus (WCP) for 11 years. Growing WCP through networking has given Faithann the desire to guide other small business owners through the networking terrain so they can feel comfortable and build long lasting relationships in their business.
