Whatchamacallit

AE

When and how do you ask for referrals?

Hey, all of you wonderful savages!

I have been having some extremely good luck with referrals and opening up multiple opportunity deals by just asking for referrals. Now I get that most of us get the old stat that "91 percent of customers say they'd give referrals if asked, but a paltry 11 percent of salespeople ask for them." during training or as a friendly reminder from our sales managers/directors.

I either ask during one of two points in the deal.

The first is if they just aren't a fit, so I ask them if they could write down at least 3 people/owners that could be a fit.

The second moment is when I close the deal. They are definitely at a place where they have beliefs and are willing to share. I also have my client success ask during onboarding and if they get a lead/referral, then I throw them something for the follow-up.

What are you doing that you have seen work?

Be Honest... Do you even ask for referrals?

Attached poll

Yes, I like money! Share your example. Yes, however I haven't had a ton of luck. No. No, but I want to learn from you savages how to do it.

*Voting in this poll no longer yields commission.

🔎 Prospecting

👑 Sales Strategy

13

12 comments

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antiASKHOLE

Tycoon

5

Bravado's Resident Asshole

My tactics are very similar. I have only been in a selling role since January of this year. About 20% of my deals so far have been through referrals. I have another part of my pipeline that could match my total amount sold this year all from referrals and just waiting from them to come through or to be scheduled after their budgeting happens.

Referrals do in fact work.

1nbatopshotfan

Politicker

4

Sales

I try to do it during our first post onboarding call. Prep by looking at the users/buyers/stakeholders see if they worked with any targets and ask specifically to be introduced to company xyz and person xyz. Don’t make it work for them. Make it easy.

CuriousFox

WR Officer

1

🦊

Exactly. I find it's easier once I've proven to do everything I said I would up front to ask for referrals.

jefe

Arsonist

4

🍁

Nicely done. So many forget to do this.

MoonDog349

Valued Contributor

4

Sales Manager

I still do the Sandler method… After you do a good job and get signatures, next time you speak with them over the phone OR when you send them a thank you gift and card, ask. I typically will send a bottle of wine and a hand written note and say “do you know of anyone else in a similar position you think I could help?”

SaaSsy

Politicker

4

AE

I almost always ask because I usually have a decent established relationship. Anytime I discount, I always ask for a referral introduction since I'm "doing them a favor".

Sunbunny31

Politicker

3

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

Great technique, and good reminder to do it.

Why did I say no? Mainly because we do it within a large enterprise org (if the deal wasn't global) and use that to grow the account.

TennisandSales

Politicker

3

Head Of Sales

when i was in financial services asking for referrals was SOOOO critical. but i sucked at it soooo.

in the vertical that I am in now, referrals RARELY happen. but the funny thing is, ppl always want to get references.

so its weird thing

Kosta_Konfucius

Politicker

1

Sales Rep

I ask for intros for people at the same company but my territory is based an companies it will be such a small world if they can do an inteo

ADK

Opinionated

1

VC Associate

May I ask which industry and types of businesses (if it is B2B) are you selling to?

SoccerandSales

Big Shot

0

Account Executive

I usually will ask roughly a month after go-live, takes some time, but is usually effective

MrAnderson

Executive

0

AE

Another one I'll add is check who can your customers introduce you on LinkedIn.

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