Over the past several articles, we’ve been reviewing proven steps that, when put into practice consistently, can create ongoing referrals for you and your team.

  1. Learn your stories.
  2. Work a never-ending list.
  3. Ask for referrals.
  4. Today: Follow up!

Sometimes the hardest part of getting a referral is the follow up. And it doesn’t have to be that way! It makes no sense to go to all the trouble of getting a referral and then choosing not to see it through.

I’ve learned from experience: Referrals have a shelf life. Just like fragile produce, they expire after a certain time. Don’t let that happen! Reach out and schedule a time to connect as soon as possible.  Follow-up on all referrals within 24-48 hours.

You can use this opening script:

“Hi Amy, this is <your name> from <company>. Jenn gave me your name and number.  She tells me you’re interested in learning a little more about our <products> or <business.> Is this a good time to talk?” Or if you start with a text: “Can we schedule a time to briefly connect?”

Don’t delay. Timely follow-up shows professionalism, gives you the opportunity to discover more about the person and their interest, and validates your enthusiasm for your business. It’s also the only way to turn a referral into a business partner, a customer, or perhaps another referral.

When scheduling your hours of operation, make sure to include time for follow-up texts, voice messages, calls and emails. The sooner you connect, the sooner you can deliver your message, and the sooner your prospects will make a decision.

There is a well-known phrase that reminds us, “The fortune is in the follow-up.” Although you are not in control of how people respond, you are in control of how quickly you reach out and follow-up.

I always find it fascinating how people do all the work to earn their referrals only to drop the ball in the follow-up process. Why is that?  I think it’s as simple as this:

You’re afraid to hear a NO. And to avoid that pain, you allow the lead to float out there in never-never land. This allows you to pretend that “maybe” they might say “yes.”

Interesting perspective, right? If this just rang a bell, struck a chord, or hit a nerve, grab your referral list, pick up the phone, and make a follow-up call as soon as possible. It’s time to move past your fears and step into a new level of achievement.

Remember, they wouldn’t say “The fortune is in the follow-up!” if that weren’t the case, right?

I want to close this series with an interesting statistic: According to sales legend Dale Carnegie, 91% of customers say they would give referrals, and yet only 11% of salespeople ask for referrals. Take advantage of the opportunity to gather referrals from 9 out of 10 of your customers!

It’s time to put what you’ve learned into practice. Asking for referrals is one of the most effective ways to create a never-ending supply of new prospects, which can result in consistent sales and sponsoring. Take a look back at the articles in this series and Master the Art of Asking for Referrals.