Referrals are a State of Mind
Referrals, Referrals, Referrals. How many ways have you heard trainers, coaches and managers tell you to get referrals? Yet, why do most salespeople constantly struggle getting them? You ask any salesperson and they will give you their own referral script. Yet when you ask them how successful they are, the plethora of excuses come forward.
Do you know the # 1 reason why most salespeople don’t get referrals? They don’t ask!
This is mind blowing to me. It’s the lifeblood of your business and of your career; yet you don’t ask? Most salespeople are so happy they just got a check or closed a sale they rush out the door before the client changes their mind. That gets my blood boiling. I tell all salespeople and all their sales managers the following, (please, please, please remember this)
Your appointment doesn’t end when you get the check. It’s just beginning! Let me repeat that.
Your appointment doesn’t end when you get the check, it’s just beginning! Let me repeat that
Your appointment doesn’t end when you get the check, it’s just beginning!
Getting referrals is a mindset. I’ll use the comparison of getting rebounds in basketball. It doesn’t take any athletic ability, you just have to have the desire and mindset to box out and hustle. That’s how Dennis Rodman got into the hall of fame. Referrals are the same thing. It’s all about desire.
Here’s something I wish all sales managers, and owners can institute with their salespeople. If you make a sale and don’t get referrals you lose half your commission. Now how would you like that? You make a $5,000 commission yet the company takes $2,500 away from you. I bet if that happens a few times, you’ll never forget to ask for referrals again, right?
I’ve heard all the excuses not asking for and getting referrals, but it really comes down to fear and laziness. The first is like a cancer that spreads and the second I simply abhor. Fear that the client will say no and laziness because your satisfied with just making a sale.
Please don’t get me wrong, I know sometimes its uncomfortable asking for referrals. It just makes both parties uneasy. I get it. But let me ask you this; do you want to be successful or you want to be status quo?
One of my biggest pet peeves is when a salesperson complains that he doesn’t have enough people to see. That really drives me a crazy. (wow, I’m really getting on you salespeople today, huh)
Here’s how the conversation goes:
Me: What is the biggest obstacle preventing you from having a great year? 
Salesperson: I don’t have enough people to see.
Me: Do you have clients?
Salesperson: Yes.
Me: How many clients do you have?
Salesperson: about 50 – 100
Me: Have you gotten referrals from most of them?
Salesperson: No
Me: Half?
Salesperson: Not really
Me: Have you even asked most of your clients for referrals?
Salesperson: Not really
Me: Then don’t ever complain that you don’t have enough people to see.
One of the most successful salesperson I have met is Jay Hochheiser. When he was speaking at a study group I ran, he told everyone in the room “The difference between a President’s Council and a Leader’s Club producer is the Council producer always asks and EXPECTS to get referrals.”
I feel so strongly that referrals are the lifeblood of any salesperson’s business that I have devoted my next three posts on ‘The Best Way EVER to Ask and Get Referrals’.
Tips from this article
- Referrals are simply a state of mind
- Your appointment doesn’t end when you get a check, its just beginning
- The superstar salesperson always asks and EXPECTS to get referrals
- Not asking and getting referrals when you make a sale is like having half your commission taken away