The Top Ten Reasons People Will Send You Referrals

1. You are good at what you do.
You know that people might have all the contacts in the world, but if they are not skilled at what they do, they will never be able to garner enough business to keep them going.

You've gotten as much basic training as you possibly can for your chosen profession. You take continuing education courses. You read your trade journals. You've gotten some experience under your belt. You have worked with a mentor. You continually seek out and learn from those who have come before you.

2. Your word is your bond.
You think before you speak. When you agree to something, the other person rests easily knowing you will fulfill your promises. You do what you say you're going to do when you say you're going to do it (or sooner). As a result, all your referral partners are confident that they have entrusted their referrals to someone who won't let them down. Ever.

3. You are a firm believer that the customer is always right...particularly when they are wrong.

4. You have a "can do" attitude.
You're cheerful and pleasant to deal with. Working with you is a real joy.

5. You consistently knock people's socks off.
You always over deliver. It is a given that you will go the extra. You amaze people with your knack for making the impossible possible.

6. You stand behind your work.
You guarantee satisfaction. You take full responsibility for everything you do. If something should go awry, you correct mistakes immediately, even if it means taking a loss.

7. You keep people in the loop.
You let all your referral sources know the status of their referrals. Whether the deal has solidified or gone sour the person making the referral will want to know what you did with the contact s/he gave you.

You understand that not keeping them informed is not only discourteous, it will make them wonder if you ever did anything at all with the information or introduction they gave you. You know that excluding your referral partner from the process will likely mean that you never get their help again.

8. You remember to say "thank you."
You do not take your referral partners for granted. You let them know how much you appreciate their referral and you acknowledge them both privately and publicly.

9. You are a good source of referrals yourself.
You understand that in order to get referrals, you need to give them, too. The referrals you give are strong and well qualified. You have a solid reputation as someone in the know and as someone who is generous to others.

10. You practice the Golden Rule of business.
You treat other people the way you would like to be treated.

You also apply the platnium rule; you treat other people the way *they* want to be treated. Always.

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"Never talk defeat. Use words like hope, belief, faith, victory."
*--Norman Vincent Peale