A Better Way to Secure Client Referrals

Last week, we explored the value of client testimonials.  Testimonials are great to leverage with new prospects and sharing your success with similar clients.  However, a much stronger attractor than a client testimonial is a client referral.  Getting client referrals are similar to getting new business from new clients – you simply have to ask.

Secure Client Referrals

[Tweet “Given the power of referrals, many agents forget to ask for them”]

Referrals are when your clients, colleagues or vendors send business to you, and they are probably the most powerful tool that you can use to grow your business. You get all the benefits of getting repeat business, but you’re growing your practice by adding a new client at the same time. Strangely enough, given the power of client referrals, many agents forget to ask for them.

Some of your commercial real estate clients will keep you at the front of their mind and refer you when they have the opportunity. Most won’t. It isn’t that they aren’t willing to send you referrals, though. It’s just that they forget to. The secret to getting those clients to refer you is to maintain a strong relationship with them, stay in touch with them, and remind them that you would greatly appreciate their referrals.

[Tweet “Here are the 3 things you must do to secure more client referrals”]

Once you get a referral, there are three things that you must do to ensure the referrals keep coming:

1. Understand the referred client is completely unique from your original client, the one providing you the referral.  Not every owner, tenant or buyer are the sale.  Each has their specific needs.

2. Provide that referred client with the best service that you can. Their experience with you will have a direct impact on the future referrals you get from your original client.  Do a poor job; guaranteed there will be no more testimonials or referrals from your original client or the referred client.

3. Contact the client that referred you, thank them, and let them know that you’re going to take good care of their referral. Send a thank you gift to the person that referred the business, even if the referral did not leave the business. You want to keep these referrals coming!

Testimonials make it easier for you to convince prospects to become clients. Referrals turn prospects into clients without you having to do a great deal of work to land them. Leveraging these two tools is the best way to grow your business.

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