Why aren’t you asking prospects for referrals?

Referrals are awesome. They’re the best kind of lead, the warmest possible sales opportunity. Someone who likes you has told someone else they should like you too.

It’s instant credibility by association. We all covet it (and more of it).

Most companies, however, put together referral programs specifically for their customers. But your customers aren’t the only people who could generate referrals for you.

I know for a fact that you have some raving fans who have never bought anything from you.

They love what you do but haven’t been able to convince their company to purchase the solution. Or they’re totally on board but are working through the bureaucracy and procurement process to get started.

Or they’re not even a relevant, qualified prospect but they know what you do (somehow) and how well you do it (somehow) and they have friends who are qualified prospects.

I’m not sure why we limit our referral offers and campaigns to customers. It assumes that those who haven’t bought have no opinion about you, or are incapable of making a credible recommendation.

Can you think of companies or brands or products or services that you haven’t used, but understand well enough by association or reputation or peers to make a recommendation if it came up in context?

Exactly.