And suddenly, one day, the phone stops ringing. At first you do not realize. He was busy serving customers, leading projects to date and collecting overdue bills, as do all professionals. But then a finished project or a customer left it, and you do not have anyone in line to replace him. Suddenly you realize that long ago that no one recommended to new customers. Caramba! What's going on here?
Whether you take ten months or ten years practicing, you may be surprised by this "drought of recommendations." When business is going well, the "referrals" come in two ways: either contacting the people who say that someone recommended it, or people in your network data passed to some prospects who might need their services. If neither of these things happen, you have a problem. Without referrals you have to work much harder to get new customers.
But to where did these referrals? Here are some reasons why these referrals away, along with some ideas to make them reappear.
1. You no longer visible . When was the last time you attended a professional meeting? What had any involvement in the community? What wrote an article? What spoke in public? Yes, I know, you were terribly busy, but if you cease to be visible in your market or your professional community, people will forget you.
Tracks: the only meetings on his agenda are meetings with clients. When you cross with colleagues they say: "For a long time since I saw you!"
Solution: No matter if you are very busy working for their clients get used to making at least one thing each month to keep it in sight.
2. His network of contacts made to expand. When your contacts are limited to people you already know, your referrals are limited only to people they know. If no one back in the circle, there is no place from which referrals could be coming.
Tracks: months ago that you do not add new names to its database of contacts. You do not make up their contacts to encourage referrals, because it has always been talking to people you already know.
Solution: ask everyone you know to him present that could be useful contacts. Invest some time to meet the people. Thus become the contacts too, and your network will automatically enlarge.
3. You are making contacts with the wrong people. Perhaps customers are consumers and you are making contacts in the corporate market. Or all your contacts are through their trade association, whose members are both direct competitors.
Tracks: you are in contact with many people, but nobody tells you. When you contact a referral, your needs do not fit what you do.
Solution: identify categories of people who have regular contact with your market, and have needs that you can cover. For example, an accountant who is dedicated to small businesses will get referrals through contacts with lawyers who are dedicated to the same market, while not do you much good contacts with doctors, consultants, large companies or other counters.
4. People think you're too busy. When you give the impression of being overworked, your contacts will stop recommending it. But if you expect to have less work to begin to "announce" he's ready to have more clients, often going to be too later.
Tracks: you hear that one of his usual referral sources are sending customers to a competitor. Someone says: "I thought you were not taking on new projects."
Solution: return all calls and messages referring potential new customers as quickly as possible, even if you're too busy. Recommend someone you trust and thank the person who sent them. This will encourage your contacts to follow recommendations in the future, knowing that your referrals are always well attended.
The secret to avoid the cycle of "drought of customers" that attacks many services professionals is to remain visible, rather than hunker down in the studio, and cultivating a network of contacts even when you do not need it. To maintain a constant flow of referrals, you need your referral generating activities receive the same attention that you are providing work for its current customers.
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