Asking for referrals feels riskier than cold calling.
“I’m not sure of the reason, but I have never been comfortable asking for referrals.” That comment was from a 20-year sales veteran, the kind of seasoned pro who should know how to get referrals, and given this person’s track record, should feel confident about asking.
I wasn’t surprised. It’s what I always hear. It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been in sales. Culture, country, religious beliefs, and industry don’t seem to make much difference. One thing most everyone has in common—they’re uncomfortable asking for referrals. And so most salespeople don’t.
That’s a problem, considering every sales leader I’ve ever met acknowledges that business referrals are their highest quality leads, hands down.
Referrals aren’t that hard to come by. In fact, 83 percent of satisfied customers are willing to refer products and services, according to a marketing survey conducted by Texas Tech. But only 29 percent
