Category: Referral Group Benefits

by Steven Zyskowski, Caerusnet Founder

Any local business that wishes to grow by referral needs action strategies that are the seeds that will grow your business.  Once one or more of these actions strategies are in place, it’s important to work them consistently to allow yourself to gain traction.  Pay attention to what works and modify over time.

Start using referral language with all clients and every prospect.  Phrases like “I want to be more to you than you might expect from your <insert profession.>” will solidify you as a professional seeking to add more value to your client interactions.   When someone says “Thank you” to you for providing great service and/or products, don’t simply say “You’re welcome!”  Learn to start responding with statement similar to this  “Please don’t keep me a secret as referrals are the lifeblood of my business.  Not just getting referrals but by recommending other good local professionals that I can refer to you when you need someone good.  I trust that when (now that) I’ve delivered on/above the promises I’ve made to you, that you will consider referring me to those people you care about who might have similar needs.”

Work referrals into your sales routine.  Pre-plan for referrals, so they don’t happen by “luck”.  Think about potential referral needs for your clients and pre-plan business card introductions into every client interaction.  Example:  “Mary, I know we are meeting today to talk about your situation, but very quickly, I wanted you to know about these two businesses (hand over cards).  They do great work and are friends of mine and I wanted to spread the good word.  Not sure if you have a need or not, but if you do … these are the people to call.”

Capture all contact information from clients / prospects.  Use email marketing a minimum of 1x per month.  It’s important to stay connected with your clients and prospect so they are softly reminded about your value and will call on you again in the future for additional business.

Remember, we’re all in this together as entrepreneurs and professionals completely in charge of our own incomes.  Referrals are a great way of giving back to the business community.  Enthusiastically look to grow your own referral team by always being on heightened alert for other professionals you can invite to visit your team.

Since first joining Caerusnet in January, 2011, Chris Sabolik of Morse Moving in Belleville, has been one of the most referred-to Members of his Tuesday 1PM Ann Arbor Caerusnet team.  At the team meetings, Chris shares “moving” success stories and always finishes with a great tag line, “You’re friends don’t want to move you, but I do!”  We recently had a chance to interview Chris about his Caerusnet success.

Chris, how long have you been in your profession?

“I have been in the moving industry for 16 years. I started off working on the trucks while I was attending Eastern Michigan University. I was soon promoted to operations manager and spent about four years overseeing and managing daily operations.  Later, I was asked to step into sales and take over the Ann Arbor market. Ann Arbor is probably one of the top markets in the Midwest to consult and cultivate sales. So it was kind of like a dream come true for me.”

What would you say is the best part about your job?  I’m always on the fly and in a different situations; a different house every day. I likely estimate around 500 moves a year and always get a different scenario at each quote.  I get to meet great home owners on a daily basis which usually opens up a lot of referral opportunities (and this are where I find most of my referral leads).

What is it about the Caerusnet model that you like the most? The one thing that I like most is that every meeting is facilitated. I know that at every meeting, a motivated Facilitator will be there to make sure it is a successful one. I stay away from a lot of other networking groups just because they are Member-Facilitated. With my business being somewhat seasonal, I am often working 60 plus hours a week in the busy season. The last thing I need is to have the pressure of being elected or to be in charge of running a networking group. It is more work than you think having to come up with a curriculum, having to police any conflict or group issues. I cannot imagine having to have to take on that huge responsibility during my busy season. I really appreciate the fact that I always have the same go-to Facilitator to make sure things run smooth and the group is inspired and passing meaningful business.

Do you have a strategy with your Member Minute and your Spotlight? I really try to take that time to show what separates me from my competitors. There are hundreds of moving companies in Michigan and the competition is fierce. So I really try to educate people on why Morse Moving, year after year, moves more people than any other company. I also really try to show people the whole picture. Anyone can stand up for their Member Minute and talk about jobs that went flawless and perfect. I like to talk about the jobs that did not go so perfect and what my company and I did to fix it. I truly feel the goal of the Member Minute is to gain trust in your group. Once you have that trust, the referrals are going to come. If someone does not have that trust in you or your service there is no way they are going to stick their neck out and refer you.

What are some tips on how to be successful in Caerusnet?

It is very easy to be successful in this networking group!  Take the time to gain the trust of your fellow Members- whether it’s sitting down for a Trust Builder Meeting, or just making sure you are delivering on a referral you received. I have been a Caerusnet Member for a long time and have seen a lot of Members come and go. It is amazing some of the relationships I have built and maintained. I get so many referrals from people who are in Caerusnet and ones from people who are no longer even in the group and I haven’t seen in years. They don’t have to stick their name out and refer me but they do. Why? They do it because they trust me and know I am going to take care of friend or client every time. Trust and professionalism is what makes you successful in a Caerusnet networking group.

Want to connect with Chris Sabolik?  Email: csabolik@morsemoving  Tel: 734-740-2072

Interviewed by Ava Zyskowski, The Wellness Ladybug.

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.