Always Ask for Referrals

In these challenging economic times, we are always looking for new customers. Lets face it, existing customers are being hit by spending freezes, or are even closing down, so the only way to maintain or grow our sales volume is to find new customers.

One of the best ways to find new customers is, and always has been, to ask existing customers for referrals. A good referral can help us find customers that we might otherwise not have been aware of, but it also can be a door opener. What better way to start a cold call than to say, “So-and-so suggested that I give you a call”.There are several types of useful referrals. One of the best is to ask if there is anyone else at the customer’s company that might be interested in the products that you sell. You might even be able to get an introduction on the spot. Remember, there may well be a number of decision makers at your customer’s business. Their manager, buyer, planner, engineer, all are probably worth a call, and may be aware of other projects that your contact may not know about.

Your customer may be able to refer you to a contact at another company, maybe one of their suppliers or associates.

Another less obvious referral is to ask who your customer’s competition is. They may not have a contact name, but you can be sure that their competition buys similar products.

Make it a habit on every call, to ask for referrals. It really is a numbers game, and the more often you ask, the more quality leads you will get.