A client asked me this week, “How do I get a reference or a referral from a customer?”

It reminded me of a stat that still shocks me every time:

91% of customers say they would give a referral, yet only 11% of salespeople ever ask for a referral.

So he was already ahead of everyone. Go go go.

But think about it, how many potential customers never get served simply because no one referred them?

If you don’t get a steady stream of referrals today, you’re not alone.

Here’s what I’ve been hearing from reps over the past few months:

“I don’t want to sound pushy. I already ask for so much. No one’s shown me how to ask, and no one here does it and they want me to hit more activity KPIs for outbound.”

“We don't have time to build relationships. We've got a huge new business quota. It's only the enterprise Reps who've been in the game for a decade that get referrals, no one in mid-market does."

“CS owns the customer after the handoff. Our product is good, but I'm not sure that the customer is happy. I haven't spoken to them in weeks. I don't want to make things weird.”

My heart aches for these people because I was one. Prided myself on most self-generated pipeline, outbound activity and thought that it was "weak" to get referrals and it meant that you were scared of hunting.

The Napkin Math...

Before I scribble out the math, just think about these statistics:

-- Referral leads convert at ~30% higher rates than leads from other channels.

-- 73% of B2B buyers trust recommendations from their peers more than any other information.

-- 84% of B2B buying decisions start with a referral.

Imagine if every customer gave you two referrals a year.
And referral deals closed at 50% in half the time.
You’d already hit this year’s number, with far less effort.

Still think referrals are optional? Or that cold calling is a better use of time? Or...

Here’s the simple checklist that separates RainMakers from everyone else:

• Build genuine rapport and maintain real relationships.

• Make introductions that add value for others.

• Take full responsibility for your customer’s success after the sale.

• Lead both your customer and your internal teams to great outcomes.

• Service and ask appropriately for introductions, referrals, and advocacy.

How to Start

1. Read these 100 questions and decide what you think a sales professional is.

2. Reach out to your customers apologising for having forgotten them.

3. Read How to Maximize Client Retention, Evangelism and Sales.

4. Learn. Then apply it Every. Single. Day and change your life.

If you get stuck, then ask a question!