At our annual retreat, we did a ½ day session on developing your referral network. Dawn Westerberg, an independent marketing consultant, took us through
the right way to develop referrals. People ask for referrals when they know the stakes are really high. People ask for referrals when they are tasked
with a project that could be career breaking or developing - depending on the outcome.
Ninety-two percent of people trust referrals that come from people they know. They are then 4 times more likely to buy when referred by a trusted source.
The lifetime value of a new referral customer is sixteen percent higher than from other sources. Eighty-three percent of consumers are willing to refer
after a positive experience, yet only twenty-nine percent actually do.
We make referrals to help our friends and associates avoid costly, time-consuming, painful, disruptive, or bad choices. Making a referral to a buyer
is a favor that you do for people you care about. It is also a favor you do for the “seller” of the product or service that you know is bringing value
to the market.
