8 Tips for More Client Referrals

“The system is the solution,”  says Joe Stumpf,  of “By Referral Only” fame.  

A good system opens doors to client referrals.

Building your business by referrals is both a  philosophy and a mindset.

Gold Star Referral Clubs, can be part of your system to generate referrals, now look at what else you can do to increase referrals with your customers and clients.

What's your referral marketing strategy? Do you have a system in place?

8 Tips For More Client Referrals:

1. Don’t wait to create a plan to increase your business by referrals. Write down your plan and follow it. Share it with your staff on a regular basis and keep everyone engaged with rewards, contests and appreciation.

2. Connect with your clients with permission-based emails with social media.  Share news, photos, value, education and humor. Consider blogging.

3. Invite past clients to at least one event a year, for example, you can invite them to join you at a Chamber event, Festival, or Charity event. You might consider a Client Open House with great food and fun.

4. Deliver what you promise when you promise it, and deliver superior value to your clients. Address complaints immediately and professionally with remarkable customer service.

5. Don't wait until your pipeline dries up to look for referrals. Have a 12 month plan and put it into place for a consistent stream of high quality referrals.

6. Proactively refer clients to other quality business people that you know, like and trust. Let those businesses know that you referred them to a client and you'd appreciate the same. Your clients will appreciate being referred to quality services. It shows that you care.

7. Create a referral reward program for your clients. Think of some type of reward or recognition for anyone they refer to you. 

8. Recognize and thank your referral sources. This could be with a simple phone call, email, or even better, a handwritten note. You'll encourage MORE referrals when you're generous with appreciation.

REMEMBER, referred clients are more likely to refer their family and friends to you because they already understand and trust the process.

Referral Productivity Exercise

It's easy to get lost in activities. I know - I do.

Look at the pyramid above. Do you see where "High Repeat Referral Source" is at the top? That's because the best way to increase your business with referrals is to find referral sources that we refer to as "the Golden Goose." A Golden Goose is a business or person that gladly and continually refers business to you. They are a huge source for referrals. It's evident that devoting time and energy to form a relationship with a good referral source is time well-spent. It's productive time.

Yet, how often do you actually think about what your networking time is supposed to produce? Is it really that simple to categorize business networking actions for more profit? I think so.

Identify and list the activities you do each week that fit in the four categories above. Once you assign your referral activities to one of the four categories, you will be able to clearly see why you have and why you don't have the results you have.

Here are some examples of activities for each category:

High Repeat Referral Source Activities:

• I meet often with business friends that can repeatedly refer clients to me because of what they do.
• I create and give the right tools and appreciation to my referral sources.

High Dollar Referral Value:

• I set up one-to-one meetings with business people who work with high dollar clients that I might be able to serve.
• I invite visitors to my business networking meeting that could be a high dollar client for me in the future.

One-Time Referral Value Activities:

• I deliberately craft a memorable 60 second presentation for Chamber networking meetings that is specific about one amazing product.
• I have created a business card with appointment information on the back that offers a free consultation.

Zero or No Referral Value:

• I have come to realize that I would rather sleep in than get up early to attend a networking event.
• I prefer to eat alone and check my email.

Hopefully, with this simple exercise, you will see how to grow your business with referrals by investing productive time into the right activities. 

Measure For Motivation

Yogi Berra

"If you don’t know where you’re going, you’ll end up someplace else.” 

Well said by Yogi Berra, Hall of Fame American Major League Baseball player and famous coach, who pushed his teams to success. He trained them to set goals and to measure their progress. That kept them on track, focused and motivated to do better.

Why spend time tracking your progress in business? Tracking referrals?

Tracking and measuring your business growth, your referrals and closed sales can seem time-consuming and unnecessary. 

However, the time invested in tracking and measuring your progress is repaid with the driving power to do more. One of the reasons you measure is for motivation. It motivates you... and others.

In Gold Star Referral Clubs, we measure how many referrals have been passed and what referral dollars were earned on closed business. This proves that Gold Star works and it motivates us and our visitors. Our groups do millions of dollars a year in business through referrals that they give to each other.

Cory Best, a Gold Star Regional Director in Ohio, recently sent me an email about his referral club in Powell, OH with 21 members. They keep track of how much business they get from referrals.

He said:

This group exchanged 988 referrals and $487,176.42 in business in 2014.  Here is what some of the members said in 2014:

"This group accounted for $16,364.00 worth of business and could have not had the success without these people in this group"

"Gold Star allowed us to have 6 real estate closings worth $44,000.00, I believe the small investment to be part of this is well worth it"

"Our group accounted for just slightly more then $24,000 in revenue for me.  Gold Star is a major part of my marketing plan and it accounts for 1/5 of my annual production"

"Over 30% of my annual sales are attributable to Gold Star in 2014".

FOLKS---THIS IS HUGE. 

I get motivated when I hear how well businesses do in Gold Star and I'm sure that it motivates them also.

This year, set goals for how you want to grow your business with referrals and track the progress of your referral pipeline. You will be amazed how inspiring it is to actually see the success you can have.

6 Reasons Why You Didn't Reach Your Goals in 2014

STOP -  STOP - STOP THE CLOCK!

I haven't achieved my 2014 goals yet.

Wait a minute.

I'm not ready for 2015.

Oh, no - here we go again!

I hate goals.

I always fail at goals.

Why set them when I never reach them?

I am doomed.

Stop setting goals until you know why
you are failing at goal setting.

If any of those statements sound familiar to you, then you need to figure out why you fail at goal setting before you set another goal for the new year.

I am not trying to be a negative ninny. I'm just trying to help you see why you may have failed at reaching your goals in 2014, so that you can succeed in 2015.

Do you want to increase your business in 2015 with more referrals? You can! Pay attention to what it takes.

Here are 6 Reasons Why You Didn't Reach Your Goals in 2014.

Goals fail because you may be...

1.  Creating Non-specific Goals:  A non-specific goal would be something like: I want to make more sales in 2015 or I want to lose weight.

A specific goal would be measurable, reachable and specific.  It would look like this. I want to weigh 130 lbs by June 30th or I want to increase my closed sales by $12,000 by July 15, 2015.

2.  Blaming Others:  Life gets in the way. We all know that, but has your life become an excuse for not reaching your goals? 

Own up to the responsibility of your goals. Fight for your goals! You, and only you, have control over whether you will reach your goals. When you realize that, you can figure out creative ways to success, even when life sends you a few detours.

3. Procrastinating:  Okay, we know that tomorrow is another day and we can do it later. However, later never comes and tomorrow is an illusion. All you have is today.

"Right now" is better than later. Let that be your mantra in 2015. Right now is better than later. Do a little bit or do a lot, but DO SOMETHING today toward reaching your goals.

4. Spreading Yourself Too Thin:  Are you involved in too many things? Too many projects? Newsletters? Blogs? Social Media? Volunteering? 

Understanding that you have a limited amount of time in a day, will empower you to stay focused on what is most important. You may have to back off from starting another project in order to reach your goals. Your goals should be worth being a priority for today. Your goals are worth it!

5. Surrounding Yourself With Negative Influences:  A negative influence could be a person or a habit or a thing. Look around. What's pulling you down?

Become aware of what people and which habits are an energy drain and avoid them as much as possible. This includes watching too much TV. Spend more time with positive uplifting actions and friends. 

6. Not Fighting For Success: At some point, you have to ask yourself, "How bad do I want it?"  Personally, I believe that if a goal is worth setting, it's worth fighting for.  

When you set terrific, measurable, reachable and specific goals they are worth protecting, they are worth sacrificing for and they are worth fighting for. Don't let other people, excuses, procrastination and lack of focus steal your dreams.

Happy New Year and may God knock your socks off with blessing in 2015.

It's time to succeed!

Net-work... not Net-sit or Net-eat

The simple truth is networking works if you work it.

It’s fun to go to your business networking meeting, visit with good friends and have a nice meal. It’s great to have a support group that cheers you on to success.

However, networking is not just about going to a lunch or breakfast, handing out a few cards and waiting for the phone to ring. As a business person, you understand that it takes work to make the phone ring.

The best way to make networking work for you is to follow these few principles:

Stand-up and move: You’re here to give and receive business. Arrive early, stay standing and greet guests and members. It’s net-work, not net-sit. Move around the room and make connections. Don’t be the person who comes in, sits down and hides behind the menu. The first fifteen minutes of most referral groups is usually a very important time of standing, welcoming guests and networking.

Net-work not Net-eat: This is probably not your last meal. The food is not that important. You’re here for the relationships. The menu may not be your favorite and the food might not be perfect, but that is not why you’re here. You are here for business and to form lasting relationships.  Many times the reason a venue is chosen is because the size, location and/or comfort of the room is ideal for networking.  Pay more attention to the meeting than the potatoes.

Visibility: Consistently attend your meetings, do one-to-ones and stay in contact with the members of your group. Make it easy for them to contact you. Have all their numbers programmed into your phone. Stay in touch through Facebook, LinkedIn and social media. Make yourself easy to find.

Credibility: Do the best job you can and deliver honesty and integrity. Be professional, courteous and always return phone calls promptly. Come to the meeting on time and stay until the end. If you volunteer for a leadership position, take it seriously and help make your group a success.

Give referrals: Sincerely look for opportunities to refer the members of your club, chapter or group to others. Take the time to get to know each member so you can easily refer them. Consider using the members for your own business and personal needs.

The WORK in networking brings great rewards.

The Secret to Filling Your Calendar in December

Some business people don't consider the Holidays a happy time. In fact, for some, it's the slowest time of the year.

This morning, after a referral group meeting, Matt said to me, "My wife brought it to my attention that this is the first December we've had in years where our calendar is full of jobs." 

Matt has been with Gold Star Referral Clubs for about nine months. He went on the explain that in the tree trimming business, December can be a slow month. But since joining the business networking group, his work has been steady.

The meeting this morning was silly. It was a Christmas Breakfast and we even sang a silly song that one of the members wrote. We had visitors, we laughed and exchanged goodies like cookies and candy.

Toward the end of the meeting, when it's time to invite the visitors to come back, Another member, said something that stuck with me. We were talking about the cost of joining a business networking group, it can run anywhere from free up to about $400 a year. 

The comment was that when you put it into perspective, one color ad could cost $400 or even a $1000 or more. And the life of the ad? Thirty days? Maybe. When does the return on your investment die?

What the member said was this. "Relationships are the ads that last."

Wow! Doesn't that say it all?

If you want to fill your calendar in December, find a great referral group and let those referral relationships fill your calendar.

Why It Pays Not to Quit During the Holidays

Do you hear that sound?

No, it's not jingle bells or even the sound of reindeer on the roof. Pop... pop... pop.

It's the sound of the seams of your budget popping open. The Holiday Season is here.

Every month in Gold Star Referral Clubs there are members who quit. They leave because of job changes, family situations, health challenges and all sorts of reasons, most of them understandable. Many of the reasons make sense - but some don't.

This month, we will see what I call the "knee-jerk" cancellation. That's the member who realizes they haven't saved for the fun... and consequences of the Holiday season. Oops. Might I say, "BIG oops!"

So, the "knee-jerk" reaction is to quit anything that's costing money.

"Cut the marketing budget!" he cries.

It's a quick and easy click to start cancelling, quitting and withdrawing from all the relationships that have fed you business all year long. Stop going to chamber events, stop the business lunches. Drop that - stop this. No more business networking group!

However, slashing long-term referral relationships is one of - dare I say it? - STUPIDEST moves you can make. Maybe, I should soften this a little. Nope. I'm good.

Wouldn't it be better to take the investment you've already made of time, energy and money and use it? Call in favors. Do one-to-ones. Give referrals. Let your business networking group know that you need the work. Ask for referrals.

Your network of friends are there for you all year long. You can count on them especially during the Holidays - the season of giving.

Just the other day I heard a business networker ask her referral group to help her close three more transactions before Christmas. She got a GREAT referral that day.

She said, "Help me help you and let's reach our goals together."  Great idea.

Gary Ryan Blair, the Goals Guy, likes to say - Finish your year strong! I agree. Don't panic and make knee-jerk decisions that you'll regret in January. Stay the course, keep networking and let us know how to help you reach your December goals.