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How to Get Others to Refer Business to Youstring(42) "How to Get Others to Refer Business to You"

December 19, 2024
Business Event, Business Networking, Business Relationship 3

Throughout my years of business networking experiences, I have met countless people who believe that joining groups and organizations and becoming active by volunteering, by taking on responsibilities, and working side-by-side with others on a common goal will cause people to get to know them and refer business to them. However, that is not how it works.

I understand that it is easy to think if you rub elbows with someone long enough they will spontaneously start sending you business opportunities. That is nothing more than an entitlement mentality.

Getting business referrals involves three things: visibility, credibility and profitability. I call this the VCP Process®. Ordinary participation in an organization, including a strong-contact referral group like BNI®, will get you visibility and perhaps some credibility; yet it won’t automatically get you to profitability. That takes a much more focused approach, along with many conversations about the specific types of referrals you want.

By nature, referral relationships are rewarding and valuable when they are created purposefully and with the intention of helping others. If you are assuming that the idea of giving you referrals is going to spontaneously pop into someone’s head because you hang around them long enough, you are misunderstanding what a referral relationship is supposed to be.

The movie actor and director Woody Allen once said that “80 percent of success is just showing up,” but he wasn’t talking about referral marketing. “Just showing up” will get you a seat at the table; it doesn’t mean you will receive anything simply because you are sitting there. It is not “net-sit” or “net-eat“ – it’s network!” If you want to build your business through referrals, you have to learn how to deliberately work the networks to which you belong.

Participating in a group is one thing; performing is another. To get referrals, you have to be active, you have to perform networking activities. If you don’t perform by sharing the specifics about your business, your specialties and how you help customers, and who is your ideal referral – how are your networking partners going to know what you do and what you need? You need to take specific actions to let people know how they can refer business to you. And remember, you also need to actively refer business to the members in your group.

I offer these suggestions if you want more results from your network:

  1. Create an introduction that changes each week and is focused on one specific element of your business. Reminder: You are educating your fellow members on how to find referrals for you, not trying to make a sale at each meeting.
  2. Schedule one-to-one meetings with a different member from the group each week to build deeper connections and learn more about your fellow networkers (in turn, they will learn more about you).
  3. Take a leadership role within the group. Whether you are greeting visitors and members as they arrive, or helping with the membership committee, you will be more visible and build your credibility while helping the group.
  4. Bring and give referrals for other members based on what you have learned about their business. If you want to get business, you have to be willing to give business.
  5. Immerse in education about referral marketing and business networking. Read books, blogs, articles, listen to podcasts and watch videos to learn how to engage in the networking process more effectively.

After implementing these five suggestions and getting more results from their networking activities, someone said to me, “Woody Allen only got it partially right . . . 80% of success BEGINS with showing up.”  I agree.

I believe you actually have to do something when you show up in order to really obtain success, no matter what it is you are aiming for in life. The list above is a good start for any networking action plan.

You need to actively feed and water your referral relationships, so to speak, in order to significantly grow your business through referrals.

What specific actions can you take this week to let people know how to refer business to you?  I would love to hear your ideas.

 

 

 

 

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What Is Your Purpose? What Is Your Intent?

What Is Your Purpose? What Is Your Intent?string(42) "What Is Your Purpose? What Is Your Intent?"

December 16, 2024
Brand Building, Building Relationships, Business, Business Event, Business Networking 1
What Is Your Purpose? What Is Your Intent?

All of the great teachers assert the importance of having intent and purpose in our lives. Benjamin Disraeli said, “The secret of success is constancy of purpose.” Before you go into a business networking scenario, be sure that you know your purpose. If your underlying purpose is to exploit the group, you will communicate differently, both verbally and nonverbally, than if you intend to give to the group. Of course, you expect an eventual return, however a good networker goes in with the immediate benefit for others uppermost in their mind.

We are, at most times in our lives, a dynamic mixture of intentions. We seek to do good for others, and at the same time we seek personal benefits in many different forms. When we attend networking events, our attention instinctively and constantly jumps from situation to situation, searching for opportunities that favor us. To fix your intention firmly on benefitting others, it is useful to organize your thoughts before you go to the event by formulating a clear, written statement of your main purpose – a type of mission statement. Focusing on your number-one priority helps you push your many other impulses into the background.

With your attention and intentions focused, you will be able to communicate clearly and unambiguously your willingness to help others solve problems and satisfy needs. You will be more self-confident, and be more open to the messages of others, and they will sense it and be attracted to you. Your message will foster trust and rapport with your networking partners, enabling you to establish and strengthen mutually beneficial relationships.

For the networker, the most authentic message of all is this: “I would like to be your friend, and for you to be my friend. I think we will both benefit from it. And I want to start this friendship by doing something to help you.” If you communicate this orientation toward others in all possible ways, with integrity, you will easily form valuable, rewarding, long-lasting networking relationships.

What have you personally found to be an effective way to relay your genuine networking intent/purpose?  Please share your feedback in the comment forum below.  Thank you!

How You Stand Changes Who You Meetstring(34) "How You Stand Changes Who You Meet"

November 18, 2021
Business Event, Networking

When you are talking to other people at an in-person networking event, how you stand changes who you meet. This is a technique that I have talked about for many years and is a key element of my presentations. It can help with your business networking success.

Sometimes when you walk into a room full of people, you look around and have no idea where to start. You may think, “Who do I walk up to? Who do I talk to?” Some people may even think, “Who do I know? And why did I even come here?”

Open Twos and Open Threes

I wrote about the concepts of Open Twos and Open Threes in my book, Networking Like a Pro, Second Edition. The images shown above are from that book.

The first image is ‘Where do I start?’ It is a view that is looking down at one small corner of the room at a business networking event. There are different groups of people talking to each other, mixing and mingling.

The second image is ‘Closed Twos – Closed Threes’. It represents a view from a balcony, looking down into the room of networkers. A Closed Two is two people facing each other and standing perpendicular while having a conversation. A Closed Three is three people, all facing the center of a triangle shape.

It is difficult to walk up and break into closed conversations, especially if you don’t know any of the people in them.

The third image is ‘Open Twos – Open Threes’. An Open Two looks like the letter “V” with the two people standing askew more than directly facing each other. An Open Three looks more like the letter “U” with an open slot for someone to join in.

Look for the Open Groups

I recommend that when you go to networking meetings where you don’t know a lot of people, look for the Open Twos and Open Threes. There will probably be Open Fours and Open Fives, too. It is easy to walk up and introduce yourself to people who are standing in open positions. This is a subtle and effective way to enhance your networking efforts.

If you are a member of a business networking group, encourage your fellow members to stand in Open Twos and Open Threes to make people feel welcome. And then be friendly and inclusive when someone steps into your open group.

What About Introverts?

Introverts often tell me they have a hard time striking up a conversation at networking events. I recommend that introverted people look for larger open groups, such as an Open Four, Five, or even an Open Six. I know this sounds counterintuitive – why would they want to walk into a larger group?

It’s easy to slide into a larger group without interrupting the conversation and without being noticed right away. Eventually, someone will greet you with, “Hi, nice to meet you. What’s your name?” and then you’ll have a chance to introduce yourself.

It’s a counterintuitive concept that works extremely well. Walking into a larger open group is less abrupt than walking into an Open Two where you will have to speak right away because there are only two others in the conversation.


It is important to understand the concepts of Open Twos and Open Threes to become a better networker. When you have an open stance, you are going to meet a lot of people that you may not have had an opportunity to meet in the past. How you stand WILL change who you meet at business events.