OK, So Who in The Room Here Wants to Know How To Generate Great Referrals?
A big part of why we’re all here is referrals. Yes,
We all want good relationships with the people around the table, but earning quality referrals is the reason we hold a seat in this chapter.
So let’s talk about what a great referral actually looks like — and how you get more of them.
A great referral is someone who comes to you
- already understanding what you do,Â
- who has a genuine problem you can solve,
- and who is ready to make a decision — or already in the middle of making one.
Here’s what isn’t a great referral.
Jimmy posts on Facebook, “Hey, does anyone know a pet person?” He tags Rebecca with no context, then jumps into our visitor system and logs it as a referral. That’s not a referral. There’s no qualification, no understanding, no readiness. I mention it only so the comparison is clear.
So how do we actually generate the good ones?
There’s a common misconception that we sit in this room, deliver our 60 seconds, and the referrals roll in off the back of it. It can happen — but it’s not the main driver. Your 60 seconds and your feature presentation are valuable: they let visitors experience who you are, and they keep the rest of us topped up on what you do.
But remember, there are 20 other people standing up and doing the same thing each week. That’s a lot of competing messages.
The best referrals come from one-to-ones. And in a one-to-one, there are four things I need to know before I can confidently refer someone to you:
- Who is the person? (Your ideal client.)
- What are you helping them with? (Their problem.)
- How do you help them? (Your solution.)
- What outcome do they get?
A worked example
Let me pick on Dalj — and if I get it wrong, he can kick me up the backside.
A great referral for Dalj is a business owner who needs a piece of equipment to grow — a new truck, machinery, a vehicle, fit-out gear — but doesn’t want to drain the cash reserves to pay for it outright. Maybe it’s a tradie ready to add a second ute, or a growing business that needs another piece of plant to take on bigger jobs.
The problem is that the equipment is sitting right in front of the opportunity, but the cash isn’t there to grab it. So they either let the job go, or they tie up money they can’t afford to lose, and then the next unexpected bill leaves them exposed.
How Dalj helps is by sorting the finance — finding the right lender, structuring the loan, and doing the legwork so they’re not stuck negotiating with the bank on their own. He matches them to the deal that actually suits their cash flow.
The outcome is they get the asset they need now, without gutting the bank account. They keep their cash working in the business, the repayments are predictable, and they can say yes to the bigger opportunity instead of watching it pass by.
See how easy that makes it? With those four pieces of information, I can spot a good prospect for Dalj a mile off.
Two things to take away
If you want great referrals, it comes down to two things:
First, we need to know your who, what, how, and outcome — so make sure you’re telling us, clearly and often.
Second, you need to be listening just as hard for everyone else’s. People want to help someone who’s helping them, so go in ready to refer, not just to be referred to.
Want to start today?
Go book one-to-ones — especially with people who work with clients similar to yours. Walk them through your who, what, how, and outcome, and get theirs in return.
And if you’re stuck putting yours together, Sean, our Membership Coordinator, is the man to see. He’ll happily help you sharpen it up.