When's the right time to ask for a referral?

When should I ask for referrals? A common question from salespeople that reflects the discomfort many of us feel when we ask for referrals. We don’t want to appear pushy or “salesy” or arrogant, so we push asking for referrals further and further out in our sales process.

Many think we should wait until we sign a deal, others when the client implements and yet others when the client sees an ROI on their solution. We wait and we wait, and often the relationship with the initial buyer is so far removed, that we never ask. Referrals do not just happen, you have to ask.

What’s the lesson here? That we should never lose touch with our buyers or the other individuals we work with during the sales-and-implementation process. But you need to earn the right to ask for referrals. You have done that when you receive a referral to a prospective client; during the sales process, when you have added value and your client has thanked you; and during the implementation process.

So, it’s never too soon to ask for referrals, to follow up or to get an introduction. Remember: When your referral source introduces you, he actually helps the individual he is referring to you. They introduce you, a credible resource, saving that person a ton of time and contributing to his success.