SuccessNet Online

SuccessNet Online >> From the Founder by Dr. Ivan Misner
2008 Jun "The Age-Old Question: How Do I Get More Referrals?"

Over the years there is one question that crops up time and time again: "How do I get more referrals?"

The answer is simple, but not easy. It includes both a mindset and a skill set. The mindset involves a concept that most members have heard from me—"give referrals."

Let's operate from the assumption that a chapter gets that. No, really. I mean the chapter has to fully get it and engage it before the second part comes into play—the skill set.

The skill set is all about creating a culture of learning at both the macro and micro levels of a chapter.

This is where there's a disconnect for chapters looking for more referrals. The macro-dynamics of a BNI chapter are intentionally set up to create and foster an active learning environment. This has to be overlaid on a micro-dynamic of creating and fostering active learning at an individual level. Let me illustrate what I mean by "micro"—or individual—learning.

We still have members who are doing one of two things during their 60-second introductions

1. Trying to close a deal or make a sale to the members; or

2. Being too general and all-encompassing.

In a micro-dynamic that fosters active learning, you are teaching your fellow members how to bring referrals to you. In other words, you are training a referral source. We have talked for years about the members of your chapter being like a sales force for you. We even use the phrase "Sales Manager's Minute" to drive this point home.

But how do you do this? How do you turn this minute into an educational moment that teaches members how to refer you?

Develop a curriculum for each week's meeting—weeks or months in advance

Seriously, you need to take a week-by-week approach to what you are going to teach in your 60 seconds so that your members can refer you effectively. Winging it during the introductions will not create that active learning environment predicated on training your referral sources. It will not teach others who to refer to you or how to refer you to others.

The more specific the presentation you do, the better. I understand that sounds counter-intuitive—it's like telling someone driving a car to "turn into a skid," but the truth is that being specific and compiling it into a weekly curriculum will get you more referrals.

Practice the Reciprocity Ring

Awhile ago, I conducted a BNI exercise for a chapter called the Reciprocity Ring. (If you don't know what that is, you should ask your director to do it for your chapter; if your director doesn't know what it is, ask him or her to contact BNI HQ.) During this exercise, members are taught to ask for a referral by a specific individual's name and title.

On this day, I asked people to share the name of someone with whom they've been trying to make a connection. A member of the chapter named Sally stood and asked for a referral to Marty R., the top salesperson for the last ten years in a row for Century 21 Real Estate. Another member by the name of Janet stood up and said, "Sally, Marty is my sister-in-law!" Sally exclaimed, "Oh my gosh, why didn't you ever tell me?" and Janet replied, "Why didn't you ever ask?" Why, indeed!

Teach your members "Who" and "How"

When you teach your members who to refer to you and how to refer you to others, you are creating within them an instinctual, automatic response to specific phrases, actions, or observations. You are teaching them your language of referrals. Your language of referrals is going to be different than each other member.

Can you see why having 52 weeks a year is necessary to train your sales force well?