How to Be Fun to Refer To Part 2

how to be fun to refer to part two how to become a referral passing machine hello and welcome today we're diving into a topic that can be a GameChanger for any professional looking to grow their business I'm Jana Hennemann the founder of weien Co and I'm here to guide you through the nuances of creating a cycle of referrals that not only benefit you but also enriches your professional ecosphere let's get started one understand the reciprocity of referrals the foundation of becoming a referral passing machine lies in two things one understanding reciprocity and two understanding the law of propinquity first reciprocity people are naturally inclined to help those who've helped them start by being generous with your referrals this generosity is likely to come back to you of course it does take time okay so don't pass someone a referral and just expect them to pass you back in the next week or month it's not like that it takes a little bit of time it's kind of like a rocket uh taking off you know launching there's a whole lot of fuel and energy that's needed to get it to the point where it doesn't need as much fuel second the law of propinquity this states that the more interactions I have with you the more that I see you the more likely you are to refer to me and vice versa in a study called the Westgate study they interviewed college students staying in identical dormatory buildings and asked them with whom they formed the closest connection the study proved that proximity makes a difference as students revealed that other students just living one or two rooms away were their closest friends number two listen for pain points in every professional conversation you have or any conversation that you have listen more than you speak ask open-ended questions like what is your biggest success that you've had this year or what is the greatest challenge that you've overcome or even who are you looking to meet that will benefit you people often express challenges and needs that they're experiencing in these discussions these are golden opportunities for you to think about who you might know that can help them solve that problem this makes you a master connector and a problem solver maintain a diverse Network the broader and more diverse your network the easier it is to pass referrals expand your network outside your immediate industry to include a wide range of professionals this diversity will make you a go-to resource for people in your network four know your Network's expertise understanding the strengths and offerings of your contacts allows you to make more targeted referrals take a little bit of time to learn about the people in your network what they excel at and what kind of clients they are looking for end conversations with an offer to help this is key make it a habit to conclude your conversations with by the way thank you for meeting with me today I am a resource if you ever need anything shoot me an email shoot me a text I probably know someone who can help you this reinforces your role in your network as a helpful connector I even go so far as to tell people listen even if we haven't spoken in a couple of months if you're looking for anyone shoot me that text because I still probably know someone and I'm always happy to help number six follow up this is a big key that a lot of people Miss after making a referral follow up with both parties to make sure the interaction happened and then it went smoothly if it didn't happen whoever you passed that referral to re out to them and say Hey you know I trusted you with this person they haven't even heard from you yet um and then that also helps you know better who to refer and not to refer to in the future after all you don't want to keep passing referrals to someone who's always dropping the ball please follow up with the people you referred to number seven be specific when asking for referrals when looking for referrals being specific is very important specific requests are easier to fulfill than General please for business making it easier for your contacts to think of suitable referrals for example I'm looking for a flooring specialist who can make time for me in the next month is a lot more specific than I'm looking for a flooring specialist I've heard people whenever they give their elevator pitch I'm looking for anyone who has hair if you have hair you're my ideal client that doesn't help me find referrals for you not necessarily yeah I know a lot of people with hair but we have this Rolodex up here and we want to make it easy for our Rolodex to sort itself right so instead of saying I'm looking for anyone with hair I specialize in the 55 plus Community I love working with the elderly I can even go to their home and cut their hair well now I'm already thinking and I can think of four or five contacts off the top of my head number eight create a referral Loop encourage those you refer to to provide feedback on their experiences this feedback loop helps you create better referrals in the future and it also strengthens your network and your trust within the community I like asking questions like was there anything missing or incomplete in our meeting or what can I do better moving forward to refer you and even how could I have better supported you during this business transaction these questions are going to help you get the feedback you need to provide better service in the future number nine use social media to recognize referral Partners publicly thank and recognize people who have passed you referrals through social media or many one of your Social channels this not only helps you to show appreciation to them but also demonstrates to your wider Network that you value and acknowledge support tag them on your social channels refer their business through a spotlight or highlight their Premier Service they will thank you for it just make sure that they're comfortable with it before you go ahead and do it some people like their privacy you know number 10 host or participate in networking events these gatherings are perfect for fostering connections understanding your Network's needs and identifying opportunities for referrals and while you're attending a networking group or an event again be sure to ask those open-ended questions you never know what pain points you're going to hear and those pain points that you can actually solve in conclusion becoming a referral passing machine is not about keeping score it's about genuinely wanting your Professional Network to thrive by adopting these strategies you're positioning yourself as a valuable resource to your network while additionally making you an authority in your field your next step start today reach out to a contact and ask if you can help them in anyway what are they looking for what are some of their challenges if possible share a referral without expecting one in return it's these acts of genuine support that will transform your network and lead to a thriving referral based business I'm Jana Hennemann encouraging you to build your network with intention and generosity here's to creating a cycle of referrals that benefit everyone also side note an ideal referral for me would be any professional who is humble hungry and smart and is a super connector in another town if you are looking to build more clout be that resource for the community I would love to have a conversation with you I'm always looking for really good ambassadors in different towns to be the face of weano that means that you get all the recognition not me and the extra business out of it thank you so much for tuning in today and as always be sure to follow us on our social channels [Applause]