Written by: Vickie Sullivan | May 10, 2016
How to Stay Top of Mind—and Get More Referrals
Everyone loves referrals. So much so that there are experts who focus just on how to get more referrals. It’s good to have a system.
Let’s drill down, though, with a short trip to the dark side. Why don’t folks who love you give you more referrals? They said they would. And they do love your work. What’s missing?
In my experience, the answer is simple: they forgot. In the moment they were talking to their colleague about possible resources, you were not top of mind.
There are two reasons why that happens.
First (and most common) is lack of clarity. If a referral is not clear on what you contribute and provide, they will rely only on their own (and limited) experience with you. That means when a client’s colleague has a different need than theirs, your client won’t think to suggest you. You are not on the radar.
Related: Referrals: What to Do Once Your Foot’s In the Door
The second reason is “stickiness.” If the referral doesn’t have a memory prompt, your client usually refers the last person they worked with.
The Fix
To solve that problem, you need what I call the “if/then” scenarios. When you talk to your clients about referrals, give them some ideas about when people call you in. Use analogies such as this one: “Folks reach out to me when they realize the train is leaving the station and they have to do something. Standing still is no longer an option.” Then say something about your outcomes.
If you plant those seeds, clients will see you as more than their experience with you. They will remember you the next time a colleague describes their situation.
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