Instead of waiting for an opening to refer a member in your chapter, why not deliberately set out to create those opportunities on their behalf?
Let me explain.
I have a client who has a very strong sales programme, but the company’s marketing is a bit thin on the ground.
I was brought on board when the sales team asked for marketing support. At a recent meeting, now knowing the client well and understanding what they were about, I came prepared to deliberately sell them on the services of a member in my chapter. Those services were a fit with the sales culture of the company.
I wasn’t waiting for any opening. I was going to make my own.
At the end of the meeting, I mentioned the service and explained why I thought it would benefit them. I then recommended the member in my chapter.
By the end of the week, he had carried out the work for them.
What was different about this was that I had identified a need my client had – even though they weren’t aware of it – and I went in there with a deliberate pitch.
I did not wait for any cues in our conversation. If I did, I might still be waiting. Or I might discover some time down the line that they had used somebody else. It was a deliberate sell that I made on my fellow member’s behalf.
Sometimes we can waste so many opportunities waiting for the right moment to recommend a referral, instead of making it happen.
Here’s one way to go about doing this yourself:
1. List ten clients. They should be people you have a good relationship with.
2. In another column, list the members in your BNI.
3. Go through the list of your clients and compare them against each member in your chapter, asking yourself if the customer might genuinely benefit from the services of that member.
4. Write down why the client would benefit from those products or services.
5. The next time you go to see your client, be ready to suggest they utilise the particular service or product you have in mind for them.
Ask them: “Have you ever thought of…? The reason why I am suggesting it is…”
Go on, give it a try.
