Referral Strategy

First let’s have a look at what a network is.

Dictionary definition: a supportive system of sharing information and services among individuals and groups having a common interest.

For me it is a little bit different.  It’s a system of sharing information and services with people who have a common connection.

When we look at it this way we have a much bigger network than we think.

Assuming that you all went to school, your old school mates are a network,

your college mates, your ex work mates, and even the people you do activities with e.g. sports, hobbies, people you meet at church and on the school run.

Also there are social business networks like ecademy, LinkedIn, FaceBook and Twitter.

Your business network is much bigger than you think. However, will any of these people help you get more business and connections? The answer is no.

However will any of them help you if you don’t ask them?

How many people do you know but don’t know what they do for a living. For instance you’re next door neighbour or a friend at the pub.

To get better results you need to share information with these people.

What do we need to share?

1. What you do

2. Who you do it for

3. Who you want to do it for

You will be amazed at how well this works

I was working with a Construction Client and asked one director “who do you want to do work for?”  He named a company which was good. Then someone else in the room, in a different division said “we have been dealing with them for 3 years”.

I wonder how often opportunities go missing because we don’t know who knows who?

Tagged as: 3 years, business networks, college mates, ecademy, facebook, hobbies, LinkedIn, little bit, old school mates, referral, share information, sports, supportive system, twitter, work mates