I’m constantly preaching about how critical it is that you have a system in place to create ongoing, predictable referrals. You will always struggle, and most likely fail, if you do not have a way to systematically generate referrals from your clients.
A major question you have to ask yourself first is, “Am I referable?” or “Is my business referable?”
Dan Sullivan of Strategic Coach talks about the “Referability Habits.”
- Show up on time.
- Do what you say you’re going to do.
- Finish what you start.
- Say ‘Please’ and ‘Thank you.’
These are the basics: the fundamentals. They could be excerpts from the book Everything I Ever Needed To Know I Learned In Kindergarten. They are so simple, yet so many businesses absolutely drop the ball on one or all of these. Think back to all the companies with whom you have spent money over the past month. Ask yourself how many of them did those four things? Contractors and other services “professionals” are notoriously lousy at those.
I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve called a contractor, and they never showed up, never called back, didn’t do what they said they’d do, and on and on. I WILL NOT hire a service professional without a referral unless I can’t find someone to refer me to the type of service I’m seeking. The few times when I can’t get a referral is when I run into problems. This is an OUTSTANDING opportunity for you to separate yourself from the crowd.
Anyway, we’re not even talking about doing “Wow” factors like the Shock & Awe campaign, the Design Audit, or the Reticular Activator. We’re talking basics, here, blocking and tackling. Hmmm … now that I think about it, these four basics are so rare that if you do them, they will create a “Wow!” factor.
If you lack in these four “Referability Habits,” then I strongly urge you to begin developing them. Teach them to your sales team, admin team, and installers. I recommend printing out the “Referability Habits” and posting them where your team and your clients can see them daily.
To Tons Of Customers!
Jim Augustus Armstrong is The “Coach”
Jim Augustus Armstrong is the President of Flooring Success Systems, a program that equips dealers to double their profits, cut their work hours in half and beat the boxes! Many dealers have totally transformed their businesses and their lives for the better after joining Flooring Success Systems.
See what real, live dealers are saying!