Referral Ambassadors
Do you ever wish there was a magic switch that would bring new customers? Throw the switch anytime you wanted and increase your sales. "Poof” the magic switch sends the perfect email nailing your customers pain which has them magically appear at your website where “poof” they find the perfect landing page describing your solutions and BUY.
Unfortunately that golden chalice is difficult to create. Let’s look at an older, simpler, not so magic switch that may at first seem obvious to you.
I believe most business is built on relationships and processes. I also believe that building relationships is a process.
What is your process for building relationships?
As a coach, I often encounter clients looking to increase their business. They are looking for new leads. I begin by asking probing questions like:
Where do your leads come from now?
Which of your marketing strategies is most effective?
How do you know ?
I’m sure you are tracking where your leads come from, but many clients aren’t. When we start tracking their leads they are often surprised to learn that referral is one of the top lead generators.
So why are referrals so high?
As humans, I believe we rely on referrals to give us confidence in our decisions. Look at the abundance of customer review opportunities now available on the web. We gain confidence from others recommendations and approval. We are all looking for greater confidence in our decisions.
“Doubt can have a crippling effect on us.”
But how do you begin to create a magic switch that will increase your referrals?
I contend that you can build a system to create Referral Advocates and Referral Ambassadors. What I mean is you can have a network of trusted business associates who know, like and trust you. You can build those relationships in a way that will naturally or even intentionally develop referrals, but to do this, there is a process. The following is a five step process to build Referral Advocates and Referral Ambassadors, decrease doubt and increase your business.
Before you can begin this process, however, you have to identify business associates in your network who work with the same target audience you do. As an example, if you are in lawn mowing, perhaps a landscaping company or nursery. If you are a roofer, perhaps a painter. From there, you need to commit to investing in deepening your relationship with that person.
Step 1 - Building Trust
The first step toward building a referral relationship is by building trust. Trust is build through confidence. Confidence is built when they believe your are a good person. Confidence is built when you do what you say. And confidence is created when what is said confidentially will remain confidential. Sharing time and practicing confidence will create greater trust. This is a large step and will take time.
Many people have trusting relationships already. In this, we are willing to make referrals. However, this type of referral is not very strong because the relationship lacks depth. When you make a referral for someone you trust, but don’t know their business well or haven’t used their service, you are trusting the person being referred to do the vetting of that product or service. “I know a mechanic, but I have never used their service.” These kind of referrals happen often. “Call my friend Marc, I think he may be able to help you”.
Step 2 - Growing Business Knowledge
The second step in building referrals is to build their knowledge of your business. Who is your ideal customer? What problems do you solve? How do you solve them (your processes)? What is your menu and the cost of each item? What makes you so special? Why should anyone care? In order to really make a solid business referral, one needs to know your business. Ideally they have used and experienced your products or services first hand, or at least have significant knowledge about them.
When someone refers another to your service based on trust AND business knowledge, I like to call them a Referral Advocate. To advocate for something is to publicly recommend or support it. I believe you can create many Referral Advocates by building trusting relationships and expanding their business knowledge. One way to do that systematically is to attend BLConnect quarterly events regularly where you will build relationships with like-minded business owners. Another is to join a Balanced Leadership Mastermind Group (BLGroup) where you will build intimate business knowledge bi-weekly with other business owners.
Having a team of Business Referral Advocates that you have invested in will increase your referrals and your business sales, but if you really want to make your referral system sing, you will want to develop Referral Ambassadors.
Referral Ambassadors
A Referral Ambassador is someone who knows your business so well, they can spot opportunities for you. Additionally, they are so confident in your ability that they will actually “sell” you into an appointment. This type of introduction is superior to a traditional referral because the referred person is unaware that they are being referred. If done properly, it will feel natural and part of the problem solving process.
Imagine you are sitting with a customer helping them solve their problems and reach their goals. While you are working together, you identify an issue or opportunity that they strongly need to solve. But this is not something you solve personally. So you instead offer a solution from one of your Referral Ambassador companies. You share how the offered solution will solve their problem. Then you offer to invite the Referral Ambassador company to come and meet with you and your customer together to explore how their solution might solve the problem.
What is the likelihood that they will take the appointment?
Think of a Doctor visit. You have a pain, but your general family doctor does not do that specific work. What do they offer to do? They setup an appointment on your behalf with a specialist. How likely are you to accept that referral? How likely are you to attend the appointment?
What if you could have a system with your network to do the same?
Step 3 - Identifying a Need
As a Referral Ambassador, they will be on the lookout for opportunities or identify needs with their customers or prospects. Your Ambassador needs to know what problems to look for or opportunities that you solve. They will learn when and how to identify needs that you fulfill. Furthermore, you may want to ask about opportunities, remind or gently hold them accountable to being proactive in identifying needs on your behalf. One sure fire way to help this happen is to hold regular accountability and relationship development meetings, perhaps quarterly. During these meetings you can get to know each other deeper, share business knowledge and discuss opportunities you are working on. You can look for ways so “sell” each other into your network.
Step 4 - Offering a Solution
Over time, your Referral Ambassador will become skilled at offering solutions to their prospects. They will get to know your services so well that when they identify needs in their customers and prospects environments, they will present a case of how you can help them solve their problems. “Would you like to hear what I think you should do?”
Step 5 - Book an Appointment
Finally, a Referral Ambassador will gracefully book an appointment with their customer or prospect on your behalf. When a Referral Ambassador can open the door for you to participate in the conversation the likelihood of closing that business increases exponentially. You may even decide to all meet together so the referrer can setup the introduction and share the situation from their vantage point. “Would you like me to ask my business associate to meet with us?”
Building Referral Advocates and Referral Ambassadors is a process. The process is to develop deeper business relationships. The process of building these relationships begins with building trust and business knowledge. From there, practicing needs assessments, offering solutions and booking appointments will generate greater business and a higher closing rate. Ideally it will also help customers achieve their goals and dreams faster and with greater success.
According to the Referral Institute -
Would you believe that 1 out of 20 prospects will likely buy from you?
In comparison however, 1 out of 6 referred prospects will likely buy from you.
Referred clients stay with you 4 times longer on average.
A referred client is 2.5 times more likely to refer you.
To begin your relationship development process, check out our BLConnect events or Balanced Leadership Mastermind Groups.
Please reach out if you have any questions or would like assistance growing Referral Ambassadors.