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Hi Elisha, An incredibly fun and well written article. Hope to read more of your thoughts... Cheers!
Extraordinarily helpful
out of 10
52 votes
Do You Suck at Referring?
It's like not knowing that you have broccoli stuck in your teeth. Read on for a sassy introduction to creating kick-ass referral networks.
Written Jun 17, 2011, read 7562 times since then.
I’m a big fan of foreplay, so I’d like to start with a juicy little story.
There was this woman. She owned a business. It was her calling, her passion, and she did everything it took to make her business fly and let people around her know about her skills and talent.
On her journey she met lots of people, many of whom were also excellent at their crafts. And when she found folks who had complementary services, she sent those folks referrals.
There were two reasons for this:
- She trusted them.
- She knew they would be able to make her clients happy, and this would in turn make her happy.
But as the years went on, she was noticing that while she was handing out referrals by the wagonfulll, there were none coming in the door for her. She knew folks were getting the referrals she sent, since she sent them with an email, and always received follow-up from her clients. In fact, sometimes the clients would stop seeing her because the complementary business was something they thought they needed more.
This of course made the selfless part of her happy, she wanted her clients to receive the best and most appropriate care, but it made the business woman in her nervous and frankly, upset.
She was so upset that one day she went through her sent emails to find that over the years she had sent 30 referrals to one specific person who had never sent so much as a thank you note, or dark chocolates with sea salt, or more importantly, a single referral. And this person was in a position to potentially send ALL her clients without losing any business herself.
In a recent Biznik survey, 95% of us said we get our business through referrals. We also said that we receive over HALF our REVENUE from referrals!
And the gem is, the MAJORITY of our referrals come from trusted industry peers. That shouldn’t come as a surprise to any of the 95% of us, right?
How does trust get generated?
Have you ever received a referral from someone and not thanked them?
Have you spoken with someone at an event and really connected, and not followed up with an invite to learn more about each other’s businesses?
Have you received a request to connect with someone in a complimentary business and simply ignored it?
I’m going to be honest here. I am guilty of most of these offenses at one time or another.
Here’s my problem, I wasn’t in a sorority or one of the uber popular kids when I was in high school, and I have by most standards kept to myself and shared life with a comfortable group of prized and dedicated friends.
I have never seen the value of friending a thousand strangers on Facebook or randomly adding a stranger to my business network. It’s my business, my baby, and I want to know whom I’m letting into my little circle. Each person I allow in is a reflection of me, personally.
But when someone sends me an email and asks to meet me, well that’s a different story. That is a call for a connection. And those I don’t ignore. Those often lead to learning about a particular person and their business and a relationship that allows me to feel comfortable in my business skin.
Maybe your Mother never taught you to write thank you notes. Maybe you skip foreplay and go right for the main event?
There is another way. And I am here to guide you; think of me as your much needed referral playbook.
Let me teach you how to be a kick ass referrer and to have an amazing referral network that helps build, sustain, and nourish your business - and lets face it - a thriving business means deeper sleep, less stress, and taking vacations with money from the bank instead of putting it all on a credit card and worrying how you’re going to pay it off later.
When you are sent a referral, whether it turns into business or not, send a thank you note. It can be as easy as this: Thank you for referring Jane Doe, it was so nice of you to think of me and my business. Please let me know if there is anything I can help you with in return.
This makes you seem like you are really thankful, and the person will be glad they referred to you, which means they will most probably do it again.
When someone sends you a series of referrals that generate business for you, make sure you not only thank them, but think about how you can help return the favor, even if it means sharing their information with other business owners and telling them what a great referrer they are.
For instance, I love Norrgard Optik. They are an eyeglass store in Woodinville, which is really far from Seattle, but I go all the way out there for my glasses. Every time someone says they like my glasses (I have many pairs - a bit of a glasses whore I am) I thank them and hand them a Norrgard’s card (If I’m carrying my big purse), or get their email and send them a link to the store. It’s no sweat off my back, and they are a great little shop that has amazing glasses. I would like to do my part to keep them in business.
This does two things: It helps Norrgard Optik and it helps the person looking for great glasses. Now both of these folks see me as someone who gives, and in a world where we don’t suck at referring, that would give me a point on the “she rocks” side. Good Karma points that will translate into business!
When you are interested in being in a referral relationship with someone, don’t just send them a request to be in their network, send an email asking to meet or even have a phone conversation so you can start generating a sense of familiarity. Remember, we are looking for TRUST in our networks.
The #1 question you should ask folks you want to refer with is this: What kind of referrals are you looking for? And you should have an answer ready for this too.
For instance, I am an acupuncturist. We are not all created equal. I have a handful of acupuncturists I refer out to when I know the patient is looking for one of their specialties. But I get clear when I meet with someone what they love to treat, so I know how to refer.
If you didn’t ask, you wouldn’t know that I actually love treating the energetic and spiritual issues that block our health and healing. That is something that makes me different from someone who simply enjoys treating pain.
Now, I may be an odd bird but I actually get joy from my patients getting better, so I will do what they need to heal, and I think inside we all feel that way about our clients. Yes, we want to be fed, and pay the mortgage and bills and afford vacations, but I can assure you, there is more than enough business to go around for all of us.
There is so much abundance and sometimes we just need to link bubbles to share in it all. If more of us started thinking like a diagram of interconnectedness and less like bubbles all alone in the world and fully independent, it's safe to assume that all of our lives would change for the better.
So what have we learned today?
If there is someone who has been sending you referrals and you have not acted like a good referrer, it’s never to late to send a thank you note. It’s also appropriate to apologize for not being a better thank you note writer or for sending referrals in return. Ask them what kind of referrals they are looking for and make a concerted effort to keep that in mind.
And of course, it is always appropriate to send chocolates.
Learn more about the author, Elisha Weinberg.
Comment on this article
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Posted by Laura Dodson, CPA, Seattle, Washington |Jul 21, 2011 Wow. Thank you for the article. :)
Where do you want the chocolates sent to?
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Posted by Sea Gabriel, Seattle, Washington |Jul 21, 2011 Thank you for this beautifully written piece!
I'm wondering if you have any thoughts on what to do if one's client confidentiality forbids one from mentioning that a particular client has come it.
thanks again! Sea
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Posted by Colleen Wainwright, Los Angeles, California |Jul 21, 2011 Very thoughtful and thorough. Thanks for applying your thinking to a maddeningly trenchant issue in business.
I have one slight caveat/tweak on the "returning the favor" language: while I am always (always!) grateful for someone sticking their neck out, if I'm not equally enthusiastic about that person's work or clear that their actions come sans strings, I'm loathe to extend a blanket "anything".
I think expressing gratitude (or at least polite acknowledgment) is common decency, and it's shocking to me when people don't. (Not to mention confusing—I mean, don't you want me to know whether I'm sending you the right kind of business?)
But quid pro quo as a modus operandi makes me very, very nervous. (And don't get me started on referral fees. Ugh.) I want the recommendations that come to me and flow from me to do so freely, without ulterior motives and other questionable drivers.
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Posted by Stacya Silverman, Seattle, Washington |Jul 21, 2011 This is a fantastic reminder. I get so many referrals from others, I know that there are times when I missed the boat with the salted carmels. Recently, I recommended TJ Sherril from Ravenna Interactives to a company who wanted to make an app for iPhone. He sent me a Tiffany pen. I will never forget this guy, he is not only a great business man and a brilliant app designer, he is a class act. Anyway, thanks for taking the time to write this article. I needed the kick in the pants.
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Posted by Elisha Weinberg, Bellingham, Washington |Jul 21, 2011 Thanks for the comments! This was like a little baby that wanted to be born...and yes, I do always accept chocolate :)
Colleen, You are right! It's never appropriate to expect anyone to give you something (other than a heartfelt thank you)...that feels icky, referrals should come from a genuine place of wanting to hook someone up with another person who would be of benefit...forcing referrals was definitely not my thrust. It is however, a great point to put out there. Somehow today though... all roads lead back to chocolate! If someone referred to me a client who came in multiple times and I just knew for whatever reason I wouldn't be referring back to them...that's my way of giving thanks. But that's just me and what feels good in my business, and by no means the only way to say thanks. (For instance, a Tiffany pen) (SWEET!)
And Sea, I do work in a field where there is client confidentiality, so I'm wondering if you could be more specific? All of the referrals I make are to trusted sources and we get agreement from the client to co-share information. Maybe that's the missing piece? If there is more to it than that, I'm happy to give my two cents!
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Posted by Angel True, Portland, Oregon |Jul 21, 2011 I only work with the best. I also strongly prefer to refer to people who I've worked with or know well and trust you will get the same quality of support. If this referral isn't in one of those categories I will tell you.
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Posted by Maryann Reid, Manhattan, New York |Jul 21, 2011 This was very well written and helpful. I'd like to learn more about how to develop a referral network. I'd like to build my business on more referrals.
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Posted by Angel True, Portland, Oregon |
Jul 21, 2011 Whoa....my comment got massively truncated so I'm retyping now as best I can remember!
Elisha, Fabulous article! I always appreciate referrals and give them out frequently. I think they are an important part of building your business.
I also want to echo what Colleen said. When I pass a referral I want to trust that my client will receive the same quality and commitment to service.
When I send a referral I tell people:
I only work with the best. I strongly prefer to refer to someone who I have worked with or know well. If this isn't in one of those categories I will let you know.
I think it's important to remember that sometimes we may have more referrals than our colleagues....or maybe they just don't understand what I do. That can be a fault on my part for not having clear marketing language or a fault on their part for not asking. It might also just be that they don't realize how important that relationship is.
Personally, I'm looking for high caliber business professionals who are ready to take their success to the next level or need some help getting started! If you look in my profile it says:
Helping Business Professionals eliminate fear, get focused and achieve more with highly successful habits.
I'd love to hear about who everyone else is looking for! I think that it is good to practice asking for what you want!
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Posted by Elisha Weinberg, Bellingham, Washington |
Jul 21, 2011 Maryann, I'm not sure how long you have been in business but I can tell you when I first started mine, I used myself to generate business...I searched for folks that would be great in my network and offered them a treatment. I used that time to explain how I like to work and who I love treating...and I followed up after giving them an amazing treatment with a thank you note to THEM. They also left my office with a nice little package of marketing materials that I had explained to them. It really worked! I have MD's who still send me clients from the Eastside (I see you aren't from Seattle...but quite a drive away) because they know me, trust me and have FELT what a treatment is. This clearly doesn't translate for every profession, but it was the best way to start a network for me!
And Angel, that's an excellent point! Not everyone has as many folks at their disposal to refer. But the more we refer to them (assuming we love their work and want to see them succeed) the more clients they will have, and in the near future, they will be turning around and sometimes be our best refer-er! Of course to the little business, as is my theme today...chocolate. (I think I need to get to the co-op and buy some before I post anymore..I'm becoming predicable!)
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Posted by Karolyn McKinley, Seattle, Washington |Jul 21, 2011 Loved the article Elisha! As one who depends entirely on word-of-mouth referral I could not agree with you more about the need to provide your clients with the best service possible, or send them to someone else who will. I figure that builds more trust, and ultimately a greater flow of abundance for all if the focus is on their needs vs. I gotta keep this client so I can continue to make $$. That mucks up the energy real quick, so somehow the not holding on too tightly keeps the cash flow going.....
That said, it does kind of bug me at times with all the referring I do to other colleagues that I hardly ever get a "thank you" let alone chocolates!! And I have certainly been remiss on this account at times myself! Ugh!! A friend of mine has challenged himself to write a thank you note each day for a year as a way to stay in the energy of being grateful for all that he has received. I rather like that idea and your article gave me the added impetus to put something like that in motion!
MANY THANKS !!
Karolyn
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Posted by Todd Oly Olsen, Seattle, Washington |Jul 22, 2011 Elisha, Great information! I enjoyed reading your article. I feel that I have a great service and I'm really experienced and good at and find myself in a really good position right now to really expand. I enjoy reading really helpful information. Again, thanks. Todd Olsen CPT
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Posted by Sara Eizen, Seattle, Washington |Jul 22, 2011 Great article Elisha, kinda spooky as I feel like you've been eves dropping on me. I completely believe in good karma points and happily make referrals w/o expecting anything in return but always appreciate a nice thank you. I'm happy to say that the majority of the time I do get the thank you and the people that don't eventually stop getting referrals from me. What's been hard for me lately is realizing that I don't get nearly as many referrals from other professionals - but again, it's all about karma.
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Posted by li Hertzi, Canton, Ohio |Jul 22, 2011 Awesome article!
I second Angel True's thoughts about only referring people you have worked with or know beyond a doubt to be what they say they are. I recently received referrals from people who have met someone in a networking group, never experienced their services first (Or even second) hand, and blithely recommended them to me. In one case I ended up having to refund a client a considerable % of their invoice because of the slow and horrible quality of the referred printers work.
The lesson? Always send only the best, as Angel said and Li repeats!
Enjoy the heat! Li
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Posted by Sloan Coleman, St Louis, Missouri |Jul 24, 2011 Thanks for sharing your experiences with our Biznik community. Maybe I'm just lucky, but the people I send referrals too almost always thank me in some way, never a Tiffany pen though!
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Posted by James Rounds, Altadena, California |Jul 27, 2011 Thanks for the timely and insightful reminder on being appreciative to people who DO manage to send you referrals. It is so easy to get complacent and so easy to appear non-appreciative as well. Trust is also a very key component in building relationships with people whom you expect to exchange business with as well. On point.
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Posted by David (Dahveed) Gross PT, Seattle, Washington |Jul 28, 2011 Elisha,
Great article. It is a pleasure to get reminded of basics: send a thank you card, send chocolate. Your article was warm and funny and had some great hooks (" . . . foreplay . . . juicy").
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Posted by Trina Bol, Mount Vernon, Washington |Jul 28, 2011 Hi Elisha: As I started reading your article I thought, wow she's telling my story. My business partner and I work with hundreds of vendors who all specialize in something and we are constantly referring them to our clients, our friends, our family, anyone who asks us about anything they do but I think we can count one one hand the number of referrals we get each year in return. It can be very frustrating but what I love about your article is that it reminds me to get my head in the right place and start thinking about how I can really strengthen our referral business and also give better referrals. Our vendors always tell us how much they love working with us so the idea of sitting down with them and discussing how we can better refer each other is appealing. Thanks!
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Posted by Peter Chee, Redmond, Washington |Jul 28, 2011 Nice article. Good tips and reminders. Thanks for writing this one Elisha.
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Posted by Miriam Dyak, Seattle, Washington |Jul 28, 2011 Great article! I'll chime in with Sea and say that as a counselor I'm not really able to let a referral source know specifically who followed through on their referral. I would have to get it in writing from the client that it's okay to mention their name, which just seems really cumbersome. It's okay, though, to thank the person who referred them to me in general for thinking of me and and sending people my way.
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Posted by Nancy Hellstrom, Bellevue, Washington |Jul 28, 2011 Elisha,
Terrific article! I appreciate the reminder of thank you notes! ... and communicating how we can help one another with quality referrals. Intention, good Karma, being of service and authentic connections is the way I want to direct my business.
By the way, your glasses are great. I'll let Norrgard Optik know you refferred me;-)
Nancy
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Posted by Marjo Parascandalo, Hal Kirkop Malta |Jul 28, 2011 Thanks for a very good article. Very useful and very well written. Enjoyed reading it.
Marjo
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Posted by Pat Deacon, Ottawa, Ontario Canada |Jul 28, 2011 Lovely piece, Elisha! Thank you.
If I lived in Seattle, I would look forward to getting together to talk about referring to each other!!
Pat
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Posted by Martin Aberastegue, Córdoba, Córdoba Argentina |Jul 28, 2011 Hi Elisha, great article, it was very helpful for me :). Thank you :D
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Posted by Dennis Dilday, Everett, Washington |Jul 28, 2011 Great article: well written and thoughtful - and yes, maybe it's basic, but today it can be refreshing to encounter people who know and practice the basics.
There are a lot of dynamics in giving and receiving referrals and you did a great job of covering the major ones.
There are lots of reasons why you can not always "refer to the best" so with each referral it is wise to qualify. This "conditions the listening" of the person that you are referring and sets the stage for a good experience on all counts (the referee, the referrer, and the one who receives the referral).
It is also important in referral relationships (especially in our world of clinical practices) to understand that not all referral to "the best" are going to result in total and absolute satisfaction. Again conditioning the listening is helpful: this is what I know about this person and my experience with them and other people that I have referred to them; this is what I know you can expect from them; this is how I recommend you think about it. (For example, I regularly remind patients that we all work for them. If it's not about what is in THEIR best interests, they should respond accordingly. Even if that means that they like the other guy's work better than mine. It usually works the other way around. A patient is referred to me for a limited reason, for what's supposed to be a limited time, to do a limited specialized thing. But by the time we've talked, the patient has received care and experienced the office and the results they get, they want more of us and less of whoever referred them. Again, we work for them.)
As the person making or receiving the referral we can not take it personally. If we do it spoils the referral relationship and we (or they) may be reluctant to refer instead of enthusiastic.
You did a fabulous job of telling the story and guiding the process. Thanks.
DrD
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Posted by Cari Barron, Edmonds, Washington |Jul 28, 2011 Very well written article Elisha. Thank you! I am guilty of not always thanking my colleagues or customers for their referrals. I see the error of my ways now and will put a prompt stop to that. I have a referral incentive program and always reward for closed business, but I think what falls through the cracks sometimes is the referral that didn't result in closed business. I will change my ways, start thanking up front for EVERY referral, and then of course make good with my incentive program for closed business as well. Seems like a no-brainer now that you brought it to my full attention! And I even was one of those kids that was taught to write handwritten thank you notes after every birthday and Christmas. :) Thanks for sharing your fabulous advice!
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Posted by Chris Haviaris, Pearl River, New York |Jul 28, 2011 Brilliant, brilliant brilliant! Totally agree with the benefit of a small well put together referral network. I will not refer another professional unless I 1) respect them and 2) feel strongly in their ability to meet this clients specific needs.
Likewise, I value one well-thoughtout referral over a dozen of the throw-enought-sh*t-against-the-wall-somethings-gonna-stick variety.
And I love your glasses :-)
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Posted by Elisha Weinberg, Bellingham, Washington |
Jul 28, 2011 Wow...I do believe I'm blushing...Thanks for all the feedback everyone! (And Chris H., I do love a well thought out run on sentence :)
Miriam, I totally agree and after some thinking about it came up with the same conclusion you offer. And if someone asks who the person was, you can just offer that there is client confidentiality involved, but you wanted to offer thanks in lieu of being able to tell the actual name.
That was wordy..but you know what I mean :)
And Dennis, I agree...sometimes we don't know why we are called to refer to a specific person, but sometimes it is because they are a better fit for overall care. Luckily, the patients are in charge of that, and as always, we are just conduits!
Trina, I think when you sit down with your vendors you will see an immediate shift in that referral ratio! Good luck!
Sloan....good luck getting that Tiffany pen!
Nancy, you will LOVE your new glasses...I promise you!
I am encouraged there is an army of awesome referrers emerging!!!!!
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Posted by Steve Fiksdal, Auburn, Washington |Jul 28, 2011 Thank you for reminding us of the importance of showing gratitude...sincere gratitude. Thank you id two very powerful words that carrying considerable weight. Those that support us will cease to do so when they feel that support is not appreciated.
THANK YOU for sharing!
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Posted by Koren Reyes, New York, New York |Jul 28, 2011 Elisha - really enjoyed your writing style. Thanks for a great post!
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Posted by Emile Paradis, Marietta, Georgia |Jul 28, 2011 Enjoyed the wacky, breezy tone of your article. And I mean wacky in the most positive and fun sense. Fun reading on a topic I enjoy. Write some more.
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Posted by Elisha Weinberg, Bellingham, Washington |
Jul 28, 2011 Wacky and Breezy...I love it! Thanks for the votes of confidence and I am definitely working out some more juicy vittles!
And I want to commend the honesty of everyone who is owning their less-than-stellar referral etiquette of the past. I'm sure that type of clarity of purpose and the assertion of a new way to being (or reminder of how you used to be) will serve you greatly in no time! And I'm sure the folks you are reaching out to and thanking are going to turn around and thank you in return! Keep up the great work!
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Posted by Nancy LaJambe, Bothell, Washington |Jul 28, 2011 Elisha -
What a great article. I love your style and the thoughtful message.
The idea of referring to others is so much in tune with a couple of books I've been reading: "The Go-Giver" and "Go-Givers Sell More" by Bob Burg and John David Mann.
Referrals that help others build their businesses come back around in one way or another. You enlarge your circle of positive influence and everyone benefits.
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Posted by Jenna Rizzo, M.A., Seattle, Washington |Jul 28, 2011 Elisha, who wouldn't want to know you? Your style is fun and to the point. I read this whole article and just wrote three thank you cards that were on my list of things to do. Thanks for the gentle push to get 'er done!
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Posted by Geri Groberg, Lynnwood, Washington |Jul 28, 2011 Awesome article, Elisha. In our busy lives, even those of us who were ingrained to be polite (thanks, Mom!) can let things slide. This is a great reminder. I am sharing it with people I know will also appreciate learning from you and who may need your services.
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Posted by Elisha Weinberg, Bellingham, Washington |
Jul 28, 2011 Nancy, I'm glad to see the referring vibe is in the air! Thanks for the titles and you are so right about helping great folks build great businesses!
Jenna, I went to your page and checked out your work, and I believe anyone would be honored to receive one of those cards even if you didn't write squat in it!
Geri, I do believe I will take my own good advice and pre-thank you even for the thought! So thank you for liking the article and thank you for passing it on! Cheers!
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Posted by Anne Mccranie, Portland, Oregon |Jul 29, 2011 Good stuff. Thanks Elisha. I love a handwritten thank you note and i love chocolates!
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Posted by Julian Espinosa, San Francisco, California |
Jul 29, 2011 I love your article Elisha. I have a question if you don't mind. What kind of incentives do you offer to your clients that work for you?
Also, when it comes to referral marketing, everyone will need a way to track down your referrals. Our RipCard referral system can easily track your referrals for you.
Has anyone heard of the 80/20 rule? This states that 20% of your clients is where 80% of your income will be coming from. Our RipCard will help you track down the 20% of your clients who are able to provide 80% of your income so you can focus on those 20%.
So those 20% are the most likely for you to send those dark chocolate with sea salt maybe ;-).
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Posted by Shawn Lutz DC, Seattle, Washington |Jul 29, 2011 Great article Elisha. Well written, funny and a great reminder to actively support and give thanks to our referral networks.
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Posted by chris Meredith, Redmond, Washington |Jul 29, 2011 Hi Elisha! Thnx for this article. I've been networking for at least the last 3 years, and while I've learned all the things in your article, it's been a great reminder that I've slacked off on a couple of them.... than you cards for eample have fallen behind. I'm gonna go write some up now. THnx again for your tips! Chris
PS. What is the best way for me to identify your best prospect?
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Posted by Elisha Weinberg, Bellingham, Washington |
Jul 29, 2011 Anne...I'm slightly skeptical of those of us who don't love chocolates...;-)
Julian, when I first started my practice I set up a referral system offering different amounts of money off sessions when referrals turned to business, but I quickly found that was not what motivated folks to refer.
What worked instead was doing great work for them, listening, being an advocate in their well being and earning their trust. It also meant sometimes referring to someone else who was a better fit. It is that which motivates my clients to pass the word on...they are my greatest fans and my greatest teachers.
As far as metrics go, when folks come in they let me know how they found me. And when I've said thank you enough times to someone that is sounds routine I offer them a free session or extend their treatment and give them some additional offering...but I keep my business manageable where I am responsible for all the metrics myself. I do believe in that 80/20 rule...I can see that clearly in my business!
Thanks Shawn...and welcome to Seattle :)
Chris, well how lovely of you to ask... I work well with folks who seem stuck...stuck in a health situation, stuck in life, stuck in relationship--and are ready to make a shift that steps them into their wildest dreams... I love helping folks gain clarity around their purpose and take steps towards getting there! I could go on and on....
Again..I am so humbled with all this discussion and I want to thank everyone who has read and has somehow remembered something they forgot. What an unintended gift! Like finding $20 in your shorts the first time you wear them the next summer. (I just did that!)
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Posted by Heather Carder, Seattle, Washington |
Jul 30, 2011 Great article, Elisha - I always strive for the consultative sell, to position myself as a trusted source for my clients and contacts. I think you really have to have the confidence in your business and your unique value, particularly in the retail world that I am involved in. You want your clients to spend their money with you, but if not you - then someone you like and trust! Thanks for great advice!
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Posted by Monika Kristofferson, Lake Stevens, Washington |Jul 30, 2011 Very well written-thank you's are very powerful! And, cute glasses! :)
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Posted by Paul Travis, CMC, Bainbridge Island, Washington |Aug 01, 2011 Great discussion prompted by a fantabulous piece.
In all candor (and not pride) the thing that comes to my mind is how easy it is to be solely focused on the process of accumulating a book of business.
In other words, when associates do refer prospects, we/I just notice those little duckies floating down the stream and think, "They've finally come -- what took them so long -- ok let's see some more!" Not unlike showing our "best side" to the world "outside" and then taking our mate/family/pet for granted (which I've done too).
The thing I love about your journey into wackyville, Elisha, is that you address process and how to fuse our primate brains with "if this, do that".
Thanks, Paul
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Posted by Elisha Weinberg, Bellingham, Washington |
Aug 01, 2011 Thank you Heather and Monika.
And Paul, first off, Fantabulous is one of my most favorite words of all time. Well chosen.
And you are correct, it does become very very easy to get into the rhythm of accumulating more and more and put all your attention there--forgetting in the process life's most precious gifts...not unlike the sweet little duckies floating by...(I just saw a whole mess of them on greenlake this morning.)
It's a great reminder while we start thanking everyone and creating these huge referral networks of business associates that value us not only for our amazing life changing work, but also for our impeccable ability to lavish them with gratitude...that we need to remember to thank those sweet souls in our lives that have helped us to become who we are....
I do believe I'm going to go take a moment and do just that right now! We are more than simply our business persona's and I for one know my mom loves truffles :)
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Posted by Leslie Johnson, Los Angeles, California |Aug 02, 2011 I totally agree, referral networks are the way to go. I mean, this is exactly what social media is. This is a well thought out article and I'll share with some friends. Thanks!
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Posted by Carolyn Higgins, Fairfield, California |Aug 04, 2011 LOVE your writing! Great article with some really great points. I could relate; I was also the not-so-popular, non-sorority type and networking was definitley a learned behavior for me. What I've realized lately is that all my years in sales I looked at is as, "how do I meet people to sell to?" And now I look at it as, 'how do I build relationships and help and connect people?". As a business owner I've been fortunate in that I now have a lot to offer the people I meet (I'm the Queen of free advice) - and that helps me feel that I am adding value to the relationships and the people I meet.
Anyway, great points here. I will certainly refer to this and continue to work on being a better referrer! Best, Carolyn
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Posted by Elisha Weinberg, Bellingham, Washington |
Aug 04, 2011 Leslie-thanks for sharing...I keep seeing images of a new frontier of amazing referrers!
Carolyn, I know what you mean, when we are in a place of fear and lack our focus narrows to that beam of "how can i generate income from this person." Which is fair, it's what you need. But when we come from a place of knowing we are successful and doing what we love and an asset to those around us, the conversation in our minds changes to "how can I truly be of service to this person?"
And that thought is like a breath of fresh air...can you feel it????? Cheers!
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Posted by Katiana Juste, Montreal, Quebec Canada |Aug 05, 2011 What a great article! I just signed up I was unsure of joining and I get to read your article...just refreshing...although I am in the process of getting clients, I will make sure to extend my gratitude when I do get a referral.
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Posted by Elisha Weinberg, Bellingham, Washington |
Aug 06, 2011 Welcome to the wonderful world of Biznik Katriana! What am amazing way to start a business ...already embodying gratitude!
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Posted by Jim Guy, Atlanta, Georgia |Aug 12, 2011 This is a great article on referring, especially as it applies to professional practices.
I just discovered the Refer University Web site blog (referuniversity.wordpress.com) and I made a comment on it by giving your article a plug on it.
Jim
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Posted by Jim Guy, Atlanta, Georgia |
Aug 12, 2011 This is a great article on referring, especially as it applies to professional practices.
I just discovered the Refer University Web site blog (referuniversity.wordpress.com) and I made a comment on it by giving your article a noteworthy reference.
Jim
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Posted by rickey gold, chicago, Illinois |Aug 15, 2011 Love your writing. It's snappy and fun. But it's the info you're sharing that's so important. People refer people they know, trust and like. Period!
So what happened to the woman who kept giving referrals and not getting any in return ;-)
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Posted by Elisha Weinberg, Bellingham, Washington |
Aug 17, 2011 Jim, thanks...how fun. I'll check it out.
Rickey--the woman got a lot smarter about who she was referring to! Just because you are good at what you do does not mean "she" will continue to send her clients to you....
The woman now has a beautiful, healthy, thriving referral network that generates as much business as it gives....three cheers all around!
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Posted by Melinda Yeoh, Kuala Lumpur Malaysia |Sep 05, 2011 Hi Elisha, Love your article. Reading the comments- is certainly encouraging to know that we are a bunch of good business people that values relationship.
I can't help but notice there's a number of comments saying they were reminded from your article and is going to write thank you notes to their referrer. Awesome!
As business owner myself, I understand how easy it is to let vital things like dropping a thank you note slip. So, we've actually develop a new feature in our site that allows business owners, etc to quickly send a 'Thank you for referral' message as soon as they receive the referral.
This service is free to use. It is with that we hope more people will not procrastinate to say Thank you for referral. And by making it very easy to use, we hope to encourage more business people to have this habit too.
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Posted by Lynda Silsbee, Kirkland, Washington |Oct 18, 2011 Great article and great reminders to us all. I have sent personal thank you notes for years and I'm amazed how FEW people do. Send notes to clients as well as those who refer you and see what happens! We even use an appreciation program called "The Trusted Adviser Program" to send regular items of value (small gifts, articles of interest, etc.) to our best clients and referral community. It's a super fun way to stay in touch AND give something back for the trust and referrals they give to us.
Article tags
- bussiness
- networks
- referrals
- stress
- survey
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