How to overcome your reluctance to ask for referrals

Grant Leboff: So, Tony, one of the things I think everybody knows  ‘word of mouth’ is always great when you get it, referrals… recommendations. I think for a lot of people, they kind of leave it to chance, don’t they?

Tony Morris: Yeah.

Grant Leboff: They get a referral, and it’s really nice.

Tony Morris: Mm-hmm (affirmative)

Grant Leboff: How do you be more proactive, how do you make sure you’re asking for referrals? Is there a good way of doing that?

Tony Morris: Very much so, it seems as though, I read in a magazine about two months ago, they say that ninety per cent of customers would happily refer, and only ten per cent of sales people ask. Which is quite shocking, really. When I ask the sales people I work with the reason they don’t, I think it may be a British cultural thing, it’s just that they’re a bit embarrassed, and they don’t want to hear a ‘no’. But to me, if you do a good job, you’ve earned the right to ask. I actually believe, you don’t sell anyways, no one sells, you help people buy because no one actually likes to be sold to. My view on it is, if I’m helping you, why wouldn’t you want me to help your best friend, or a trusted colleague or client of yours. That’s how my minds set on it, so really, I’m almost doing them a favour, as opposed to looking at it selfishly.

There’s sort of two techniques I use. One’s, a great trainer taught me. What he says, he said, Grant, you know you and I have known each other awhile, do you mind if I ask you a question? Imagine if you and I swap jobs tomorrow, so tomorrow you are MD of the Sales Doctors, you know my sales training company. Who would be the first person you would phone to try and win some new business? Have a think about it for a sec, think about your family, think about your friends, think of maybe previous contacts. Who would be your first call to try and win that easy client? Then, if you get them to enter your world for maybe half a minute, they actually give it some serious thought, and normally they’ll come with someone. Then you cheekily add on and say, I’d love to speak to them. It’d be a great client of mine. They say that everybody knows a thousand people, so it’s, as long as you ask, it’s almost unfathomable that they’re not going to know someone that you could potentially help.

The other way I ask, I get some positive affirmations at the end of my training, or whatever business you’re in, I’d say, are you happy with me? Did I do what you expected, or hoped for? Once I got the yes, I’d say, well, look eighty percent of my business comes from recommendation, who can you think of, maybe friends, family, suppliers, that I might better help, like you.

Grant Leboff: Those are some great tips and ideas on how to ask, what about people that are just a little bit nervous to do it in the first place? They’re not confident, they feel that perhaps, I can’t ask this person they’re not going to want to give me any names. How do you get over that mind set, perhaps that fear of asking? Is there anything that you could…

Tony Morris:  I think the truth is that the thought of it is worse than the actual doing, like most things. When I get up at six a.m. to go to the gym, the thought of that kills me. When I’m actually there, it’s great. I think that’s the same with anything. So, with referrals, I would just say go out and do it. Do it with someone you’ve got a real good rapport with, maybe a client that you’ve been working with for a year or so. You’ve built up that trust and comfort, where you know you’ve done a fantastic job. That’d be your first point of call. I would just say to them, are you happy with me? You know, have I done what I promised to do? The truth is you wouldn’t ask that question unless you know you’re going to get a, yes. Once you get that yes, say, well look, something I never asked you, a lot of my business comes from recommendations, so who could you think of that I might be able to help? I think once you’ve done it and get a good response, it becomes a lot easier.

Grant Leboff: When is the best time to ask? Let’s assume you’ve got the questions, you’re happy to do it.

Tony Morris: Yeah.

Grant Leboff: When do you think is the best time to ask?

Tony Morris:  I think definitely once you’ve done a good job. I ask even prospects that I meet because I’m that way inclined, I’m pretty cheeky. The ideal time is probably when you get a customer turn around thanking you. If you’ve delivered on what you promised, or maybe you’ve exceeded their expectations, and they’ll actually give you some positive recognition for that, to me that’s your ideal time. I would actually say, thank you so much for that feedback, it’s great to hear, by the way… and then you ask.

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