How do you deal with referrals?

A lot of very successful businesses are built upon referrals from existing clients. You do a good job for somebody, or show exceptional customer service, and they remember it. The next time that person is asked for a recommendation for somebody in your industry, they’ll happily pass on your details.

If you’re lucky, they’ll make the introduction for you to the prospective client – saying positive things about you to the prospective client whilst you’re there to hear it.

If you’re *very* lucky, you’ll have built up such a positive reputation with someone that they’ll become a raving fan. These people respect you and your work so much that they’ll actively seek out referrals for you, hoping to introduce others to you so that they can in turn see how great you are and maybe become raving fans too!

Dealing with referrals

Personally, when I receive a referral, whether that person ends up becoming a client or not (and usually with such referrals they *will* become a client) – I make sure to let the person making the referral know how grateful I am.

Firstly this means responding to the referral promptly. If somebody has been good enough to refer business on to me, I’m surely going to repay that faith in me by going straight to work on it.

Secondly, I’m fond of sending hand-written thank-you notes or sometimes a gift. I can still remember all the handwritten “thanks” notes I’ve received and how they brought a smile to my face, so wanted to share that with others. In an age when we’re all ultra-busy, I hope a small gesture such as taking the time to write such a note conveys the fact to people that I really *am* grateful for their help.

Raving Fans

I’m very fortunate in that in my time as an MSP owner I’ve had opportunity to work with partners who have a service or people I really like. Often, they have an amazing service *and* are great people to work with! Result!

So when people ask me for my thoughts on this or that, I’m definitely a raving fan for a number of organisations who I’ll happily introduce them to.

You make it difficult for me…

But on the flip side of the coin, there are a number of organisations or people that I really *really* want to like… but they just do themselves no favours. I’m sure you know the feeling.

I’ve put referrals across to them, and they’ve not responded at all. I know this because when I’ve asked the person I referred how they got on, they sheepishly admit they never had a response. I apologise for the mix-up and feel guilty as I feel like I’ve wasted that persons time in referring them to an organisation or person that doesn’t appreciate it. I know that when you’re referring somebody, they are effectively representing you in how they behave.

Sometimes I’ve put referrals across to them, and they’ve engaged with the prospective client but not said a word of thanks to me for making that referral.

I’m too busy to get referrals. Huh?

Now I’m going to admit that I know some people *mean* to say thank-you, but get so caught up in the rush of a servicing a prospective client that they forget.

Amazingly, sometimes I’ve put referrals across to them and they’ve basically come back to tell me how busy they are, how they already knew about that prospect anyway, and basically making me feel bad for bothering them. Eek!

I’m also going to say that I know e-mail is a very poor medium for conveying intent, and so what they put down in text and what actually meant for me to feel were two different things.

But guess what I do when I next have a referral suited to these types of people? I look for someone else to refer the work to.

Conclusion

The next time you receive a referral – think about how you’re going to express thanks to the person who made that referral to you. You’ve done the hard work by generating such goodwill that they’ve become a fan of yours, so why would you let yourself down by not dealing with the referral in a way that continues to build that goodwill?

After all, you’d soon miss those referrals if they stopped coming in.

 

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