How to Ask for Referrals: The 4-Step Framework for B2B ...

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1. “One of the biggest mistakes in the world sales reps tend to make is that they abandon a buyer relationship after a purchase.” After all, what do they have to offer after you’ve already earned a commission from them?

   In Referrals

2. But at the initial stages where you’re identifying primo referral sources, you’re going to want to look for buyers who already agree on the value your product offers. “Maybe they’ve sent you enthusiastic messages after purchasing. Or it could be a five-star review. Anyindicator of love for your product or service is a great jumping-off point here.” Now, this referral source quality is a bit flexible. Just because a buyer hasn’t confirmed that they love your product doesn’t mean they won’t give you a referral. They may see the value but just haven’t given you any signs yet. And maybe they don’t see the value yet (more on that later).

   In Identifying customer advocates

3. After that, you can move on to step #3. “Pro Tip: Stay consistent when reaching out to referral sources. I’ve found that having these conversations every quarter is a fantastic way to generate regular, reliable referrals that keep my pipeline topped up.” Plus, the more you build this framework into your scheduled processes, the more likely you’ll be to actually stick with it. So put in the work and stay consistent!

   In Referral request frequency

4. Keeping on top of referrals is tough if you don’t have a system. And the 1-1-1 method is a great start. But you’ll also need to be even more organized if you want the best results. “That’s why I recommend documenting your referral process in a spreadsheet. This will help you keep track of who you need to follow up with and when to do so. You’ve already put in a bunch of hard work at this point. Don’t let it all go to waste by dragging your feet on this portion.” For an even more foolproof system, most CRMs offer automatic lead follow-up reminders. HubSpot, for instance, gives you a task reminder option right at the bottom of your email. Just set the days to wait and forget it!

   In Referred-contact follow-up

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