The more people you
know, the more possibilities you create. Don't think of your sales
career just in terms of your own limited energy, intellect and resources.
Think of it as something that can be multiplied by all the possibilities
in every person you meet, and all the people to whom they are connected.
See yourself as the center of
a continuum that reaches beyond just the people you see. After all, your
sales success depends on your customers. And prospecting for customers
is very much like prospecting for gold. Just like an old-time prospector
might pan a mountain's worth of rock, mud, and gravel to find a few valuable
gold nuggets, a salesperson must mine a potential area, group of people,
in terms of finding individuals or companies that are truly worth digging
for. These nuggets can really be worth a lot over time through repeat and
referral business. So use your database, keep records, and stay aware of
who is there for you to access.
These were first developed by
my friend, Dr. Tony Alessandra, author of The Platinum Rule.
1. Ask for specific referrals.
Narrow down the customer's
focus. Ask him, "Who do you
know?" Then give them a specific type of person, "Who do you know who is
going to be retiring soon?" "Who do you know who has just added on to their
business?" Who do you know, who is seeking new employees?"
"Who do you know who just laid
off a big portion of their
business?" "Who do you
know who was recently laid off from their business?" "Who do you
know who has just lost a lot of weight and gotten in shape and they're
looking for a new wardrobe?" "Who do you know who has been fascinated
by laser eye surgery and they're ready to get rid of their glasses and
have their eyes surgically improved?" "Who do you know?" Ask for
specific referrals.
2. Gather as much information
about the referral as you can in advance.
3. Ask your customer for permission
to use his or her name in introducing yourself to the referral.
4. Ask your customer for help
in getting an appointment with that person. Have them do the introduction.
5. Contact your referral as soon
as you possibly can after getting the name.
6. Inform your customer, who
referred the person, about the outcome of your contact with this new person.
Tell them how it went, report back to them, don't keep them in the dark.
7. Build referral alliances.
This can be through sources such as tip clubs or building centers of influence
who can refer you to other people. Or meeting and getting to know key people
within the industry or marketplace.
8. Prospect for referrals just
like you prospect for sales leads - actively, intentionally, constantly.
9. Rank your referrals just like
you would your customers. A, a hot one, you know a lot about them and the
referrer introduces you to them. B, a warm one, you know a little bit about
the referral person and you can use the referring person's name. C, cold,
you know nothing about the referral and you can't use the referring person's
name in getting to them. That one's hardly worth going to.
10. Seek internal referrals within
the companies and
organizations you deal with.
Have them introduce you to people in other departments or at other locations
or divisions, branches and subsidiaries. Mine the ground that you're standing
on, your acres of gold are probably right beneath your feet.
Jim Cathcart
Member: Speakers Roundtable
Web site: http://www.speakersroundtable.com
Email: office@SpeakersRoundtable.com
Speakers Roundtable is a consortium
of 22 of America's
foremost professional speakers,
sales trainers and seminar leaders. All members are dedicated to serving
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