Business referrals are one of the tried and true (but sometimes frustrating) ways to grow your small business. A few years ago I learned a fact about how the brain works that when I applied it, exploded my referral business. Below, I’m going to quickly outline it for you so you can start using it today.
Most experts state that the best time to get referrals is after you have proven yourself to a customer. While this sort of works, it doesn’t even come close to being an effective way. If you’ve tried it, you know what I’m saying.
The first meeting is the best time in the relationship to let people know how you work. To build your business with referrals, you advise people right away that referrals are how you do business. Here’s why:
Your brain is programmed to pay attention to what’s immediately of consequence. What just happened is already starting to fade. When you are in the middle of doing a task you can hold all the details in mind to a very exacting degree. A couple days after you have finished, many of those details have faded, because you are on to the next important things.
There is an area in your brain labeled the reticular activated system (RAS). It’s been called the attention center of the brain. One of it’s numerous jobs is to selectively direct attention to things that are significant to you right now.
Have you ever noticed how, once you like a certain car, you start to see them everywhere? Did they just suddenly appear or were they there all along? Your RAS responds to your interest by making the cars noticeable. They were there all along, before you liked them but they were not important so the RAS ignored them.
How to Use a Customer’s RAS to Refer Business
Referral System Example
Example of a Referral Request
“Mr. Smith, if we do business, there will be a time when you will be thrilled with what we provide. We won’t take on a new client unless we know we can provide what they need. A single client fee is not worth the potential loss in reputation from taking an assignment where we are not confident of success.
Our business grows by word of mouth. So, we don’t stop until we achieve success together.
So, if we do business together, there will be a time when you are thrilled with who we are and what we do. We actively set it up that way.
When this happens you will probably want to talk about us to your friends, colleagues and associates. This is a good thing. As I mentioned, our business grows by word of mouth, so it is important to us that you are happy enough with our services to pay us for our work. We also want you to be so thrilled that you become one of our biggest allies and fans.
A couple of things about that. First of all, if you refer someone to us, we won’t give you a free toaster or a trip to Mexico. We provide our clients with the best pricing possible, so we haven’t built in awards, prizes or cash back if someone refers us.
I only expect that you will refer a friend if it makes sense that they will benefit as much as you have.
I will commit to acting professionally and with courtesy in all dealings with you… and I will offer that same level of service to your friends.
I only have one request: If we work together, may I periodically check with you to see if you are thrilled yet?”
By planting seeds in this manner (or in your own style), you will increase your effectiveness in gaining referrals. Your customer’s RAS will automatically and most importantly, without their having to remember, respond by bringing to their attention the colleagues that will benefit from working with you.
If you ask in this way, you will notice your referrals increasing. Without their having to work at it, your customer’s RAS will be compelled to find friends that will benefit from working with you.