Each week, get 1 actionable tip to help demystify the secrets of building a referral-based business | Join 1K+ readers
How I wasted time and money once (even though I knew better)
|
Ever do something (or not do something) even though you know better, Reader? I did that once. (Well, let's be real...it wasn't the first time, and won't be the last time. 😂) You see, I teach a little something called The Greenlight Question. It's a way to find out how likely someone is to refer people to you. In a no-pressure, non-awkward way. More of a conversation, than a sales pitch. Below, I talk about a time a boofed things up by not asking it when I should have. I was hosting an event for business professionals. A real estate agent, incredibly polished and successful, showed up. We had a conversation at the event... ...which led to a phone call... Maaaybe one of the nicest restaurants in the area. 4 of us. Me and a person from my team, her and a person from hers. And that's when I decided to finally ask The Greenlight Question. Her response? "Well, my daughter's in the business, and we work with her." Oof. Altogether it was about 3+ hours, plus lunch at a really nice restaurant... ...only to find out, AT BEST, we'd be in a backup position for referrals because their daughter's in the business. 🤦 Had I known, we could have loved on her in different ways—inviting her to events, etc. But instead, a lot of time, money, and effort was unnecessarily spent cultivating a referral relationship that just wasn't going to happen. There are 4 lessons in this:
Here's to getting 1% better every time, Brian Whenever you're ready, there are 2 ways I can help you:
|
Get Radically Referable
Each week, get 1 actionable tip to help demystify the secrets of building a referral-based business | Join 1K+ readers
For years, I believed that if I simply did great work, referrals would naturally follow. But here’s what I eventually learned: Referrals aren’t built on competence alone.They’re built on confidence. People refer the professionals they trust will make them look like a hero—not necessarily the ones with the deepest technical skills. If you want consistent referrals, ask yourself these three questions: 1. What story do people tell about working with me? If your value isn’t clear and easy to...
Hello Relational Leaders, Thank you for your trust, your support, and your confidence.I’m deeply grateful for every reply, every word of encouragement, and every one of you who reads this newsletter each week. But let me tell you the real reason I write these… Being a small business owner or commissioned sales professional isn’t easy.In fact, many have told me it’s one of the loneliest jobs in the world. You carry the pressure.You carry the expectations.You carry the responsibility to...
Hello, relational leaders. Hope you’re doing well. First, thank you for showing up here. I always appreciate getting to share what’s working and what I’m seeing in the businesses of other relational leaders like you. If you’re reading this, you’re probably a small business owner or commission-based professional. Which means you live with the ups and downs of variable income. And let’s be honest. It can feel lonely sometimes. You wake up hoping today’s the day a new referral comes through. You...