| Do you know what the best way is, to
| |
| | information.Following up with a
|
| follow up with a lead or a
| |
| | "referral" is different -- ideally, your
|
| referral?Before answering the question,
| |
| | "referral" will call *you*!Within the
|
| let's start with a distinction, because
| |
| | last month, two different "referrals"
|
| leads and referrals are two different
| |
| | called me, wanting to work with me.The
|
| things.A "referral" is someone who has
| |
| | first person was referred to me by a past
|
| found out about you and your business
| |
| | client. By the time this person called
|
| through a friend or associate (from
| |
| | me, she was ready to work with me. She
|
| someone they trust). The referrer
| |
| | already knew from my past client how I
|
| typically knows you and/or has first-hand
| |
| | worked, the kinds of results she could
|
| knowledge of your products or services,
| |
| | expect to get from working with me, what
|
| and enthusiastically tells others about
| |
| | *she* needed to do to get the most out of
|
| you because they like (or love!) what you
| |
| | our work together, how much I charged,
|
| have to offer.For example, when you
| |
| | etc. So literally, all I had to do was
|
| recommend your favorite restaurant to a
| |
| | ask this person when she wanted to
|
| friend, you're giving the restaurant a
| |
| | start!The second person was referred to
|
| "referral". Or when you urge your sister
| |
| | me by a business owner, with whom I've
|
| to contact your financial advisor for
| |
| | been talking about collaborating on
|
| help and advice on the best way to manage
| |
| | certain types of projects. Although we
|
| her money, and you go on at length about
| |
| | haven't yet established our business
|
| how this financial advisor has helped
| |
| | partnership, we have spent a lot of time
|
| *you*, you're giving your financial
| |
| | understanding each other businesses and
|
| advisor a "referral".A "lead" is a name
| |
| | ideal client profiles. So when the second
|
| and contact information you get from any
| |
| | referral called me, he was almost ready
|
| source; such as, business cards you
| |
| | to work with me. By the end of our
|
| collect at your trade show booth, or
| |
| | conversation, once I had answered all his
|
| names people give of others who may be
| |
| | questions and addressed all his concerns,
|
| interested in what you have to offer. A
| |
| | he too scheduled an appointment to start
|
| "lead" knows little about you (if
| |
| | working with me.So... what do you think
|
| anything), and certainly hasn't had
| |
| | allowed these "referrals" to come to me?
|
| anyone rave to them about you.So, for
| |
| | And how can YOU cultivate relationships
|
| example, if you give your financial
| |
| | with people so they send you good quality
|
| advisor your sister's name and contact
| |
| | "referrals" (not "leads") like these?If
|
| information, and never tell your sister
| |
| | you can't find the answer in these
|
| that you did so, or how good this
| |
| | examples, or want more ideas or
|
| financial advisor is, or that she should
| |
| | information on how to cultivate and
|
| call the financial advisor even if he
| |
| | encourage your referral sources, here's a
|
| doesn't contact her, you're essentially
| |
| | book that can help: "Business By
|
| giving your financial advisor a "lead".As
| |
| | Referral" by Ivan Misner and Robert
|
| a business owner, which one would you
| |
| | Davis.My point is this: if you can
|
| prefer: a lead or a referral? And are you
| |
| | understand and experience for yourself
|
| currently mistaking one for the other?So
| |
| | *exactly* what it takes to give good
|
| back to the original question: given the
| |
| | quality referrals to others, you can use
|
| difference between leads and referrals,
| |
| | this first-hand knowledge and information
|
| the way you follow up with each will
| |
| | to help and make it easy for others to
|
| obviously be different.Following up with
| |
| | give *you* good quality referrals.(c)
|
| a "lead" is like making a cold call,
| |
| | Copyright 2006, Srirupa DasguptaSri
|
| since the "lead" doesn't really know you.
| |
| | Dasgupta helps business professionals get
|
| For more information on cold calls and
| |
| | better results from their business
|
| how to approach "strangers", check out my
| |
| | networking efforts. She is the author of
|
| favorite sales book, "The Accidental
| |
| | the Effortless Networking, and writes
|
| Salesperson" by Chris Lytle. Part 3 of
| |
| | regular articles offering business
|
| this book covers this
| |
| | networking tips and related resources.
|
