As student body president my son, Carson, delivers the morning announcements at his middle school. His custom has become to introduce a bit of humor using Jimmy Fallon style “Thank You” notes. If you’re not familiar, they go something like this: “Thank you outstanding debt (dramatic pause) for sounding like such a good thing!” Fallon, and now Carson, effectively uses the thank you note format to deliver humor and commentary everyday life. It got me thinking that thank you notes are a great vehicle for many messages because they carry such goodwill.
If you think you know where this is leading just hear me out. Many of you have been telling me lately that things are really slow right now. Might this be an excellent time to call or write thank you notes to your current clients? Not only to express your gratitude for their business, but to ask them for future customers: referrals. It’s a perfect way to remove the discomfort from the whole referral request process.
A Seattle sales professional we train told us he was stranded at home by a week-long, record snow storm. He used the opportunity to call all of his current clients and ask if they’d made it to or from work safely. He also thanked them for their business which, in turn, led to referrals. Saying thanks just naturally spurs the conversation!
Here are few more things about referrals. Twenty percent of your customers will give you a referral in a moment’s notice. All you have to do is ask and they will deliver. Another twenty percent will not give you a referral. It’s not you….they just will not give anyone a recommendation, not even their mom or dad. So here’s where you can grow your business. Sixty percent of your current clients don’t know how to give a referral. Meaning if you ask them to help you out, they will say sure but they don’t quite know what you mean.
So here’s a tip to help them work through it using the acronym SEAM. S stands for Stroke, as in when a client gives you a compliment or thanks you for a job well done. You can return the favor by telling them how much you admire their business practice, which leads into the E: Experience. Share with them how you go about generating new business or clients. “I generate new customers with referrals and recommendations.” That will lead you into the next step which is A for Ask. “Would you be willing to give me a referral?” In my opinion the most important part of the SEAM system is the M. That is to match or to assist your customer in finding mates for your business. How about your accountant, or maybe your plumber, do you have a contractor that is really good? Using this system will help you teach the 60 percent of those who want to give you a referral but simply don’t know how, the system to find you a great lead or recommendation.
The nationwide closing average on sales cold calls is about 12 percent. However, if you have a referral that number jumps to nearly 64 percent.
So I’ll close with this thank you note: “Thank you, SEAM, for sounding like something that holds my pants together when really, you’re helping me get more customer referrals!”
