6 - It’s Not What You Know - It’s Who You Know.

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Hi folks, as you know, the consulting business is based on trust. We have worked with many of you and helped you to improve your strategy, improve your revenues, improve your operations. Some of you have made dramatic shifts in direction others have seen your businesses expand by a factor of 10. We hope that we have earned your trust.

As we grow our business, we are looking for owners, like you, that want to make a difference in the world, have a sense of mission and ambition. We want to have meaningful discussions with them about their future of their businesses and, possibly, how we might help them achieve those objectives. If you know of companies like these, will you share the names of those business owners with us?

That’s it. Simple.

So, how often do you or your sales folks ask current clients for referrals to their networks of potential clients? Do you measure it? Do you set targets?

Certainly there are effective and less effective ways to ask – but, if you don’t ask, the results are quite predictable. When you have a trusting relationship, the ask is quite easy.

The leads you get from a referral are so much better than any other lead you’ll get – they have been qualified by a current customer who knows what you do and likely knows what the referred company is looking for.

So I recommend........that you set a referral request target for your sales team – and possibly for all customer facing people (customer service, technicians etc.) in fact anyone who has a trusting relationship with clients. One a week, three a month – whatever makes sense - and is sustainable.

Remember, what gets measured gets done.

Will you let me know how you make out?