Knockout Networking for Financial Advisors and Other Sales Producers

CHAPTER 14Generating More Referrals: Why Don't You Get More?

“Every time you meet someone, even as remote as a traveling stranger sitting on an airplane, you are buying an ‘in‐the‐moment’ lottery ticket with a high probability to win. You may win knowledge, inspiration, insight, or maybe even a new relationship that will lead to better personal or business development.”

—Tom Delaney, SVP, North American Partners in Anesthesia

A referral is the name and contact information that someone has given you. That person is expecting your call or email to discuss becoming your client or customer. As it relates to job search, a referral is someone who is expecting your call or email with the prospect of speaking about a career opportunity. The point is that a referral is not a cold lead or not actually a lead at all. It's not an out‐of‐the‐blue contact. You are entering a discussion or a meeting through a bona fide endorsement with an expectation already set.

It really doesn't get better than that!

I spoke recently at a meeting for top‐producing financial advisors. I had forty to forty‐five conference qualifiers at all levels in the room, and a lot of those advisors didn't even know the true definition of a referral. They are very successful financial advisors, despite not knowing what a referral is. Imagine if they did!

Then again, a referral is in the eye of the beholder, as I mentioned in an earlier chapter. If you're a real estate agent, and you say at a networking meeting that ...