As I discussed in an earlier post, one of the most common questions I get from clients is how to get more referrals. One answer: Set up a referral rewards program. But what happens after you’ve done so?
Once again, to gain some insight, I sat down with an expert in IT services sales and marketing: Kendra Lee of KLA Group, a Denver firm that offers consulting and training services.
According to Kendra, once you’ve set up a referral rewards program, the next step is to get proactive. In other words, you have to make asking for referrals a part of your sales and account management process. That way you aren’t waiting for clients to think of you to offer a referral.
Every staff member who works with clients can be a part of the referral request process. But to get staff involved, you’ll need to the two things that might hold them back: awareness of how important referrals are, and fear of rejection. So, Kendra suggests you let your staff know that referrals can make or break your business-then help them overcome rejection with these steps.
- Create a profile of who to ask for referrals. Target clients with whom you’re likely to succeed by creating a profile of the characteristics possessed by the ideal client (such as those who clearly appreciate your recommendations).
- Identify standard contact points. Once you know who to ask, you’ll need to define when to ask. Determine where in your sales and account management processes clients are most happy, and make it part of the process to request referrals then.
- Consider other contact points. In addition to asking for referrals at the standard contact points, you’ll want to be sure you take advantage of other opportunities as they arise-for example, at quarterly business reviews or project closeout meetings.
- Provide the words, then train people to use them. The next step is to get your team asking for referrals. To do so, teach staff members how to frame their referral requests, including how to transition from the topic at hand to the request.
- Measure referrals. Finally, track your success by creating a lead source code in your CRM. Doing so will illustrate you what works and what doesn’t, and show your staff the impact their efforts are having.
These steps are really helpful, and once again I thank Kendra for her input. But there’s plenty more where these steps came from: I encourage you to check out Kendra’s web site.
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