Episode 717 – Getting Referrals Can Be Easier- And More Enjoyable- Than you Think
What’s up Cleaning Nation?? Today on the podcast, Mike and Tracey Thompson- our inside mindset black belt- are talking about one of the best ways in business to get new clients. And that is by referrals. Referrals aren’t the only option to get referrals but they are the way to get some of the best, most loyal, clients who are more likely to be repeat customers. Let’s dive in and learn why this is such a great resource for building your business and how to do it in the most effective way.
Get Your Mind Right First
The first thing to note is that when you approach a client, you should go into every encounter with them understanding that you are building a relationship. That will make it so much easier to ask for something in return if you are someone they trust, your business is something reliable and your relationship is a helpful, positive one. The second part to note is that you can’t get what you don’t ask for.
Don’t approach asking for a referral as if they owe you something. There is a different way to approach it. It sounds very different to say something like, ‘I need more work, things are rough, can you think of anyone you know who could help me out?’ vs, ‘Hey, you are such a great customer, I’d love to have 1000 customers like you. If you have found value in what we provide for you, do you have anyone you know who might find the same value?’ See how different the tone is there? It goes from begging and asking for a favor to a very light thing where they can make the decision and happily.
A Better Approach Than Just Giving Money
It can seem like the easiest thing to do when asking for referrals is just to ask for money. But you can do better than that. You can approach someone in a personal way and ask, for example for specifically what you are looking for. ‘I’m looking for someone like you who has the same goals for their house, who loves a well-kept house but just doesn’t have to time to keep up with it the way they wish they could, who could use more time in their day, etc. Then, if they offer you a referral from that context and you give a thoughtful gift in return, what a positive exchange that would be.
Giving Referrals Helps Everyone
We have started to switch up our own systems about how we ask for referrals for our own Grow My Cleaning Company, and something I get asked all the time is, ‘if I give you referrals aren’t I helping my competition get better? And the answer is, there is enough business to go around. And how amazing if we are all building each other and our businesses up to be the best that we can be. If we want success and achievement for everyone, not just ourselves. Rather than being stingy with this knowledge that can positively impact others, we can share it and watch those around us grow and work together with them, not as competition. It’s really not necessary and is a mindset shift to understand that there is enough business to go around.
Final Takeaway:
The way you approach getting referrals will make all the difference. Just because you haven’t had success in the past doesn’t mean you can’t have it now!
Want to know more about these tools and what you can do to get out of your own way and improve your mindset? Go to growmycleaningcompany.com to listen to our FREE webinar or growmycleaningcompany.com/talk and book a call with one of our coaches. They will get you set up with all the tools, systems, and more to build the business you’ve always wanted.