I first started in sales just over 10 years ago now which was my first time ever interacting with prospects while working in the sales business when my boss said to me you are a sales professional so start asking for referrals. He then went on to tell me that many people do not ask their customers for referrals not usually because they have forgotten but more because they are too scared or worried about what the person might think of them if they start to ask questions and it is at this point they forget they are a sales representative therefore it is their job to be asking for referrals. Everytime I used to go into the showroom the following morning my manager would ask me, when you were at your appointment last night did you ask for referrals and if I said no he would ask what is the underlying reason for that?

He then went on to find that it didnt matter how much training he gave me and also the rest of the sales team because many of us while we where attending appointments where still never asking customers for referrals, So what he then did was 1 week later got us all together for a full day training meeting where he took the time to speak to each one of us individually and it was at this point he was able to identify what it was that keeps the sales team from asking their customers at appointments for referrals.

It was just like I said earlier in this article there are two reasons for this type of behaviour stopping sales representatives asking for referrals.

1. Quite simply the sales representative was worrying about what the customer might think if they start asking questions.

2. They where always taking time to prejudge the person that they where going to ask as a sales representative for referrals.

Still to this day many sales representatives do not realise that by not asking for referrals they are potentially missing out on clients that could be providing them with business worth millions of dollars if only they simply took the time to speak to their customers to develop and build a relationship that allows them as a sales representative to ask for referrals.

Make no mistake I have seen instances over the years where quite simple a sales representative with a positive mindset and attitude has had just one referral from a good quality person and it has changed their life and all because they did not prejudge the person by assuming they would refuse.

The only other mistake that sales representatives make on occasion is they fail to recognise signs when they should be asking their customers for information. For example if a customer asks about your product start asking them for more information to get them interested and involved therefore increasing your chances as a sales representative of making a sale and then once the sale is gone and the customer is really excited about their purchase you can now ask for referrals.

You see when people go to a good restaurant for example where they really enjoy the food the first thing they do is start generating referrals purely because they tell everyone about it and when you leave the customers house because their so exciting they will tell people so why not ask them as a sales representative for referrals and then you can tell them yourself.

Regards Always

Mark McCulloch

http://www.OneMillionIncome.com – mark@markmcculloch.com

Internet Marketer and Entrepreneur, Committed to creating success

(UK) 07875 647 867 (Call Me Anytime), Skype – mark.mcculloch1

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