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Issue #30 ~ November 3, 2009 Printer friendly PDF file
Two Great Questions
Both Ends of the Referral Spectrum
Referral generation is a two-way street. With the right questions, it can be a two-way super-highway!
“Good” questions are open ended that require more than a one or two word response. “Better” questions inspire others to respond by painting a picture you can use to further a conversation. When it comes to referral generation, the “best” questions open roads to drive prospects to your door and to the doors of your customers and prospects.
The east-bound lane of your referral super-highway is full of random people that you have not yet met that are your potential customers. They are driving all different types of cars, trucks, vans and SUV’s. There are as many types, sizes and colors of vehicles as there are products and services that you may offer.
You don’t know the drivers of these vehicles yet, but you may bump into someone they know. When you do, you need to be able to get them to introduce you to these drivers. How do you do that? By asking specific questions that will lead to those introductions.
Let’s say that a red Chevy Camaro represents the product that you sell in particular. When you ask someone for a referral, rather than be vague and ask if they know someone that drives a car, be specific and ask the first great question - “Who do you know that drives a red Chevy Camaro?”
Now, instead of shrugging their shoulders and blowing you off, that very specific, turbo-charged question triggers a person to scour their mental rolodex searching for everyone they know that drives a red Chevy Camaro. Now you can get an introduction to them where you may never have had that opportunity.
Next, let’s take a look at the west-bound lane of the referral super-highway. This lane is bumper-to-bumper with people you know or may come in contact with. This is traffic that may be the perfect referrals you can direct to your customers and potential customers.
When you are meeting with your customers helping them buy from you, there is another great question that you can ask. And when you are meeting with a prospect, you can also ask this same great question. Additionally, this same great question is versatile enough that you can ask it when simply networking with others.
The second great question is “How will I know if someone I meet would be a good referral you?” Tell me, wouldn’t you love to be asked that question from everyone you meet!? How would you feel if you were asked that question by someone that was networking or prospecting you? The trust level just shift into overdrive!
If someone was taking an active role in my sales and my success while also trying to provide me with their product or service, that transcends the buyer/seller relationship to that of success partners. If someone was driving sales to me, how much more motivated would I be to return the favor? 10-fold? No. 1000-fold? Absolutely!!
So there you have two great questions that individually drive referrals in both directions. Together, they help elevate you to that of a trusted advisor that people will be confident doing business with.
Now, Go Get ‘Em!!
Both Ends of the Referral Spectrum
Referral generation is a two-way street. With the right questions, it can be a two-way super-highway!
“Good” questions are open ended that require more than a one or two word response. “Better” questions inspire others to respond by painting a picture you can use to further a conversation. When it comes to referral generation, the “best” questions open roads to drive prospects to your door and to the doors of your customers and prospects.
The east-bound lane of your referral super-highway is full of random people that you have not yet met that are your potential customers. They are driving all different types of cars, trucks, vans and SUV’s. There are as many types, sizes and colors of vehicles as there are products and services that you may offer.
You don’t know the drivers of these vehicles yet, but you may bump into someone they know. When you do, you need to be able to get them to introduce you to these drivers. How do you do that? By asking specific questions that will lead to those introductions.
Let’s say that a red Chevy Camaro represents the product that you sell in particular. When you ask someone for a referral, rather than be vague and ask if they know someone that drives a car, be specific and ask the first great question - “Who do you know that drives a red Chevy Camaro?”
Now, instead of shrugging their shoulders and blowing you off, that very specific, turbo-charged question triggers a person to scour their mental rolodex searching for everyone they know that drives a red Chevy Camaro. Now you can get an introduction to them where you may never have had that opportunity.
Next, let’s take a look at the west-bound lane of the referral super-highway. This lane is bumper-to-bumper with people you know or may come in contact with. This is traffic that may be the perfect referrals you can direct to your customers and potential customers.
When you are meeting with your customers helping them buy from you, there is another great question that you can ask. And when you are meeting with a prospect, you can also ask this same great question. Additionally, this same great question is versatile enough that you can ask it when simply networking with others.
The second great question is “How will I know if someone I meet would be a good referral you?” Tell me, wouldn’t you love to be asked that question from everyone you meet!? How would you feel if you were asked that question by someone that was networking or prospecting you? The trust level just shift into overdrive!
If someone was taking an active role in my sales and my success while also trying to provide me with their product or service, that transcends the buyer/seller relationship to that of success partners. If someone was driving sales to me, how much more motivated would I be to return the favor? 10-fold? No. 1000-fold? Absolutely!!
So there you have two great questions that individually drive referrals in both directions. Together, they help elevate you to that of a trusted advisor that people will be confident doing business with.
Now, Go Get ‘Em!!