Author: Steve Zyskowski

What’s the #1 reason you’re  not asking  for referrals?

It’s the same reason for everyone … you don’t want to appear desperate or pushy and risk alienating your customers.

The solution: Instead, use suggestive REFERRAL LANGUAGE with your clients, especially during the three most critical times you’re engaged with them …

Critical Time #1: Before The Transaction
“Do you mind telling me who referred you to me?  All of my customers are referred and I want to be sure I know who to thank.”

Critical Time #2: During The Transaction
*“I know I mentined my practice grows by referral only, and my goal is to do such a great job for you that you will also be motivated to refer me to those you care about.”

 Critical Time #3: After The Transaction
*”Is there anything else I can do to be sure you are extrememly satisfied?  After all, it’s our most satisfied clients who will refer our next customers.”

Also, here are two, powerfull referral tips:

Use Referral Language on business cards:
“By Referral Only!” … does your business card have referral language on it?

Use Referral language in emails:
“Your referrals are most appreciated, celebrated and reciprocated.”

YouTube Link: https://youtu.be/zo90KT17A5M
Video found on TOOLBOX page on Caerusnet.com

by Steven Zyskowski, Founder of Caerusnet

In the words of Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook Chairman and CEO,
“People influence people.  A trusted referral influences people more than the best broadcast message. A trusted referral is the Holy Grail of advertising.”

#1: Commitment to developing a “Referral Mindset”.

If you’re trying to build a business or an organization, the easiest sale you’ll ever make is to a referral.  The most successful professionals have developed systems that allow them to stay on top of what’s important. For most successful professionals, referrals are the lifeblood of their business.  Why not then consider making a commitment to strategically be formulating new ways of channeling referrals to your business?  Rather than hoping people might refer you as you’re working to impress them, why not use the power of suggestion and focus a healthy part of verbal interactions with your clients based on the notion of giving you referrals and staying connected with you?  Being a center of influence to your clients keeps you in front of them, even when they don’t have a personal need for the product or service you represent … as they will also stay in touch with you when they need a good referral to another professional.  What if developing a Referral Mindset meant a 20%-50% increase in the referrals you receive after committing to using the process?  Would that be worth it?  Here’s more food for thought:

2. Commitment To ALWAYS Use The Right Kind of “Referral Language”.

Nobody cares more about your business than you do!  The difference between getting referrals and not getting referrals doesn’t have to do as much with the quality of your product or services as you may think.  It has everything to do with your abilty to use referral language with your clients, without exception, 100% of the time.

Has someone ever asked you for a referral? Did it go something like this: “Hey John, by chance would you know someone who could benefit from my services?” John starts to ponder and think about it and eventually says, “Well, not off the top of my head, but I’ll keep thinking about it.”

• This is how 90% of all referral questions are asked and unfortunately, you might as well not ask the question. Rarely, if ever, will you get a positive response. Why? Because you didn’t ask the question right. “know anyone who…” questions are too broad for people to think about.

Sales School 101:  If you want the business, you must be bold and ASK for it!*
The #1 reason you don’t ask?  You don’t want to appear desperate or pushy … and turn off clients.  So make your asks in the form of suggestive phrases.

Use referral language BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER every client interaction.  Always remind your customers that referrals are the greatest compliment they can pay.  Remind them how important your work is and that you are eager to help anyone they would refer facing the same issue.  Remind clients to use you as a resource … someone who also loves to make good referrals to other area professionals.  You have to see where it is that you can use this language and for the sake of your business and referrals, commit to using well timed “one-liners” until they feel authentic.  Trust me, when the cash register starts to ring referrals, that’s when you know your language is working.

Here’s how to ask for referrals from your clients without seeming desparate or pushy during the three most critical times you are engaged with them …

Critical Time #1:  BEFORE The Transaction
*Prospective client calls you to setup appointment, etc. “Sure, I’d love to see if I can help you.  Do you mind telling me who referred you to me?  All of my customers come to me by way of referral and I want to be sure I know who to thank and let them know how much I appreciate their referral.”
Note: Be sure to thank the people who refer you promptly!  Always say something great about the person who referred the prospective client to you.

Critical Time #2: DURING The Transaction
*“I know I mentined earlier that our practice grows by referral, and my goal is to do such a great job for you, that you can’t help but want to refer me to others, as well.”
*“We are doing important work for you and my hope and goal is that if we take great care of you and deliver on our promises, you will want to share us with the people you care most about who may have similar needs.”  “That’s why I’m most referred.”

Critical Time #3: AFTER The Transaction
*”As a referred client, it was an absolute pleasure to take care of you.  Is there anything else I can do for you to be sure you are extrememly satisfied?  After all, it’s our most satisfied clients who will refer our next customers!  I will be sure to treat all of your referrals with the same kind of care as I did with you.  Thank you for being such an amazing client.”

3. Develop your network and present, present, present.

Join organizations that allow you to consistently present like the Chambers of Commerce or local Referral Teams.    The Chambers of Commerce are great places to:  a) Meet people and  b) Present. Most Chambers will support you offering workshops (lunch and learns, etc.) to be made available to other Members of the Chamber.   “Being A First Time Home Buyer in 2016”,  “Why Downsizing Makes Sense” etc. are all topics where Members can seek out your expert advice.    At the Chamber and other networking events, you will see other professionals who do what you do attending these events as the Chamber of Commerce usually nobly desires to be all things to all business in the community.  Referral Teams are designed specifically to allow Members to become exclusive trusted resource to a team of local professionals who are all in different professions.  This gives you the opportunity to become the voice of your industry and plant seeds for future business.  Members usually present at every meeting to the other Members to help deepen the referral relationships.  If there are no openings for your professional occupation in the referral groups you have visited, consider starting a team of your own (think Caerusnet!).

Develop a referral matrix by finding 3-4 of each local profession to regularly make client referrals to.  Look to develop relationships locally with 3-4 financial advisors, 3-4 CPAS, 3-4 remodelers, 3-4 insurance agents, etc.  How do you find these people?  Ask your clients who they use and ask for permission to introduce yourself!

Caerusnet Business Card Referral Tidbit:
When you’ve made the decision to grow by referral and reputation, why note state it?:
“By Referral Only!” … does your business card have referral language on it?

Careusnet Email Signature Line Suggestion:
“Your referrals are most appreciated, celebrated and reciprocated.”

Thank your referral sources in a tangible way, every time.  Beyond a verbal thank-you, make sure they know you appreciate it by making your thanks tangible.  Return the favor with a reciprocal referral.  Write a hand-written note.  Send a small gift.  Take them to lunch or dinner.  Introduce them to someone you know they would like to meet.  Extend the “give-to-get” full circle to “give back.”  One good referral deserves another and another.  Be both a source and a recipient for a referral strategy that works.

by Steven Zyskowski

This week, none of the referral teams I’m blessed to facilitate in Brighton,  Ann Arbor or Canton will have referral team meetings.  We are on break.

Why do we take as many breaks as we do?  Let me explain …

• I schedule 33 weeks of meetings every year.  Taking breaks gives the Members and the Facilitators of the teams a chance to catch their breath. Taking a break allows us to take a step back from the team for a week and then step back into the team dynamic feeling more focused and relaxed.
• Prevents burnout. I don’t care how great something is … we can get burned out on anything.  Think about your favorite food.  Even that food will start tasting less desirable if you eat too much of it.  Same thing applies with referral teams.
• Absence makes the heart grow fonder. It is music to my ears when a Member tells me they actually missed the team during their week off.  It shows the Members have bonded with each other and that CaerusNet is important when it comes to providing much needed positive motivation in the lives of busy professionals.

With that being said, the teams I run will be returning next week feeling ready to network.  The 2nd quarter of every  year is one of the busiest networking times to take advantage of.  That means it’s also a great time for new Members to join.

The facilitators and I look forward to continuing to be your preferred partners in the local referral team business.  Stay connected!

This post is for Caerusnet Members.  Not for all of them, but for some of them.  It’s for the Members who haven’t yet been able to regularly work referrals into their routine.  Remember, people have choices for who they can make referrals to.  The Members who get referrals are the ones who typically are great a creating referrals, too.  People will mostly only give referrals to those they know, like and trust.  There’s no greater reason to get others to like you than by providing true, meaningful referrals.  So if you’re not getting … it’s likely because you haven’t yet made yourself referral worthy to the team. What’s the last great warm referral you created that resulted in a sale?  Coming up blank?  Hopefully reading this article will help you create new opportunities for growth and profit!

1. Make Trust Builder Meetings (TBM’s) a regular part of your Caerusnet experience.  It’s amazing to me that people expect referrals, but aren’t regularly scheduling Trust Builder meetings with the other Members of their team.  How else will the other Members get truly comfortable with you otherwise?  It is very important to leave your TBM’s with “To-Do’s”!   When you follow up to your TBM’s with actions (referral To-Do’s) you are showing other Members you are a great networker with follow through and they will likely want to do the same for you.

2. Make it a point to consistently start making easy business card introductions.  While it might feel awkward at first, it works!   These randomly selected soft card passing introductions work great when meeting with other professionals, prospects, clients and family. It will show others you like to promote and talk about positive business experiences and like to promote others (not just yourself). Example: “Before we start our meeting today, I wanted to give you the business card of a friend of mine who works at the Ford dealership, helping people buy cars.  I don’t know if you might have recently considered a new car in your future or not, but Tad does such a great job, I feel compelled to tell all of my favorite clients about him!”  (Be genuine!)

3.  Joint calls. Schedule a few hours for these personable and fun “customer service stops” with another Caerusnet Member. They introduce you to a few of their good clients one day and you return the favor the following day or week and introduce them to a few of your best clients.  A good pairing might be a payroll provider  along with the document imaging specialist on the team.  Think of Members with whom you can naturally pair up with and go out there and create new opportunities!

4. Use referral language BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER every client interaction. Always remind your customers that referrals are the greatest compliment they can pay. Remind them how important your work is and that you are eager to help anyone they would refer. Remind clients to use you as a resource … someone who also loves to make good referrals to other area professionals.

5. Utilize your Facilitator. Everyone wins when a team is growing and/or is full.  Facilitators are motivated to grow the group and help the group learn how to become referable to each other.  Enlist your Facilitator to help get in touch with those other professionals you’ve targeted to visit.  Some Facilitators will even cold call on business cards you give them (cards you found on display at local businesses).  Do you have someone in mind who’s promised to visit your team once or twice, but has never shown up to the meeting?  Sometimes a friendly phone introduction from your Facilitator is all it takes to help motivate this person to finally make it to a future meeting.  Remember, public speaking is a common fear many professionals have, so just getting them to calm down to the idea of talking in front of a group can help.  Share your prospective visitor contact information with the Facilitator and form a strategy for how they’ll be contacted.

Remember, the partnership between Members and Facilitators should be strong.  Need additional referral generating ideas?  Just ask your facilitator!  They’re there to help and be leveraged.  Together, we can Master The Art of Referring!

Several years ago, while filling his car up with gasoline at the local Speedway in Howell, MI, Caerusnet founder and facilitator, Steven Zyskowski took notice when a van pulled up right next to his gas pump advertising the services of a photographer.

Not one to shy away from turning strangers into friends, Zyskowski approached the person pumping gas into the van and said, “So, you’re a photographer?”  The highly awarded photographer, Christina Kafkakis, shyly confirmed and Zyskowski continued, “Here’s my business card.  I’m involved in a great business referral group in Brighton and we were just discussing our need to find a good photographer to pass all our referrals to. “

The funny thing about timing and karma, is that Christina actually was recently thinking to herself that she needed to get out there and network to grow her local business before this even happened.  A couple weeks later, Christina visited a Caerusnet team in Brighton and instantly joined.  Since then and years later, she’s been voted Team MVP twice!

How long have you been in your profession?
I started my photography business in 2009; in 2011, my focus became newborns and baby’s first year.

How did you get into this field?
Like many other small business owners, my lifetime hobby forayed into a business.  I have always loved photography; when I was young, I used to pretend to ‘develop’ photos in my own ‘darkroom’.  I never realized that the purchase of my first DSLR camera in 2006 would change my life.
What is the best thing about your business/career? 
The reason I started my business was to be able to create my own schedule.  Then, I was a mother to two boys; now, I have four children under the age of 9.  Owning my own business allows me to have schedule flexibility; and being a photographer is really the best job I have ever had.  There is no other job in this world that has this superpower; to freeze time.

What is it about the Caerusnet model that you like most?
As I mentioned, I’m a busy working mom, so I like that I don’t have to worry about facilitating the meetings!

Any tips on learning how to find situations where you can create a referral or invite a visitor?
In my line of work, I am always speaking with people, and I like to help solve their problems. That’s one of the reasons why I like being a part of Caerusnet.  My team is made up of professional business owners that I can speak with my clients about, without hesitation. 

Tips on how to be successful in Caerusnet?
There are several things that work for me, but I’ll share my top three.  My number one recommendation is to attend the meetings, because your team can’t refer to you if they don’t get to know you.  Number two is to keep your eyes and ears open when you’re going about your normal daily activities; I often find referrals for my team through simple conversations.  Number three is to give it time; this goes hand-in-hand with number one.  When you’ve built a relationship with your team members, referring is easy to do.

Christina Kafkakis is a Member of the Brighton Tuesday 8AM Caerusnet team.
Email: [email protected], (810) 522-8244.

Story by Ava Zyskowski, Facilitator Plymouth/Canton Thursday 1PM referral team.

by Steven Zyskowski

Last Thursday, the Plymouth/Canton 1PM team, which meets at the TCF Bank in Canton, had its first official meeting as new Caerusnet Members.  It was a huge success and they deserve it!

This lively group of professionals had met for months as a core group, starting out with just two or three core team Members.  Slowly and surely, over time, they added more like-minded professionals until they had 10+ Members.  Once they achieved this core goal of growing to 10 Members, the team had an orientation meeting where they learned how the regular meetings were going to run and then last week, they passed 30 referrals at their first, official team meeting!  Way to go, Plymouth/Canton!

The great thing about this team is that they’ve grown organically from within.  Virtually every Member was referred to the group by one of its core Members.  Rather than waiting for the world to find them, this team has been excellent at telling other professionals about the group and then urging them to visit.  The Members who’ve joined and are now getting referrals are very grateful someone was looking out for them and told them about Caerusnet.

Do you remember who told YOU about Caerusnet?  Are you taking the baton and paying it forward by sharing Caerusnet with others?  Referring other professionals to Caerusnet is an act of kindness that is deeply appreciated and remembered by the person you refer Caerusnet to.

In a closing note, the early results from the recent 2016 Caerusnet Member Survey have uncovered a very positive statistic.  Virtually 100% of all Caerusnet Members (past and present) surveyed so far have said “YES” they would recommend Caerusnet to others!

Please consider sharing this post on your social media accounts to help spread the word.  Caerusnet will always count on its Members to learn how develop a referral mindset and be advocates for the team they’re a part of.  It’s the only way we will continue to grow around here!