There is an extremely powerful method for increasing the number of sales you make, as well and upgrading the quality of sales, generated. It is also, one of the most overlooked, which is unfortunate, because it also is the easiest for generating new business.

Every sales and marketing person knows that in order to survive and build your business, you must constantly be adding new prospects/leads to call upon. Most sales people rely on purchasing leads, advertising, or cold calling, to generate new leads. These are all valid methods, but they also require a great deal of effort, and also yield a very low ratio of calls to productive leads. A far more effective method is referrals. In other words, having your customers give you the names of other people who you can talk to, and present your product.

Referral leads are golden. They produce the highest percentage of successful closings. They also yield, on the average, a higher ticket sale. Plus, referred leads are a LOT easier to close than those which were obtained through all the other methods of lead generation. The reason for this is very simple. When your customer refers you to someone else, you can use that person’s name, when you contact them. This will automatically give you credibility. When your referred lead, checks back with his friend, to research you, you can count on a positive picture of you. As you can see, all this leads up to an easier presentation, and a better quality sale.

Referral leads are easy to get, but you MUST ASK FOR THEM. After you’ve successfully closed a sale with a prospect, and you are warming them down by reviewing the sale, you should always ask them how they feel about their decision. Don’t be afraid to ask them WHY they decided to buy from you. Once they give these reasons, you have the right to ask them for names of their friends who they feel could also benefit from what they just purchased. This does two things. It further cements and reinforces their decision to do business with you, and it also allows them the chance to help their friends solve the same problem they had.

If you think this is not so, then let me ask you this. When you discover a really great restaurant, a rather unique retail store or have seen a very good play, movie or read a great book, aren’t you eager to pass the word on to as many people as you know? Restaurants, movies, and stores rely on word of mouth referral business to grow their business. It always works.

A referred customer is the easiest one to close because they are already halfway sold, by the person who referred them. Get those referrals and rocket your business to the next level.

See you at the top!