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Life Health > Running Your Business > Prospecting

How to Ask Clients and Friends for Introductions

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In a perfect word, new business would come to you: Open the doors, and new clients pour in.

There’s only one way to make this happen: You need to be cheaper than everyone else.

Walmart became hugely successful as the lowest-cost provider.

Financial advisors and insurance agents don’t want to take that route. They would like new prospects to come to them, ready to pay the full posted price.

How can you get your clients to help you?

Imagine there are two ways clients can help you: They can facilitate introductions, or they can get involved on a deeper level and arrange referrals.

This article will focus on introductions, an easier ask.

Your Resources

We will assume you’ve studied your target geographic market.

You built a list of all your college alumni living in the area. You have a few clients who work at the major private sector employees in town. You also have a list of others at the firm, people who would make ideal clients.

There are a couple of gated communities nearby. You have clients and friends living inside those walls.

The above examples share a common feature: You have lists.

Those lists might have 50 to 100 names.

The Lists

Do not sit down with your client in the gated community, show them a list of 100 names and ask: “Who do you know?” The client would be overwhelmed.

Try this strategy instead: Break the big list into smaller lists of 10 to 15 names.

Sit down with your client. Let the client know you’re interested in growing your practice.

Show the client a much smaller list and ask: “Who do you know? What can you tell me about them?”

It’s easier for a client to focus on a smaller list.

Looking at the addresses, the client might say: “That’s one street over. I carpool with that guy.”

Alternatively, the client might say; “That’s one street over. I don’t know that guy, but I know the neighbor. She’s a nice woman.”

What to Say

Many times, you need the right words to close the deal or get the desired result.

I like two expressions: “This is the kind of person I would like to meet” and “I think I may be able to help.” You would then add: “Would you introduce me?” or “How can I meet them?”

Geography

In this example, we are talking about residents of the same neighborhood.

They might be regulars at the same restaurant or play golf together on weekends.

It would not be difficult for them to tell you where to be and when, arranging an introduction.

Affinity Groups

Suppose this was a list of people who work at the same company or graduated from the same college.

Your friend might ask: “Why do you want to meet them? How do you think you can help them?”

For people in the same profession, you might mention that is your specialist area, although you might consider it your niche market.

People in that field have very specific issues and needs.

If you mention a couple, they might recall hearing about their friends talking about the same subject.

Suppose it’s the college alumni association.

“Why do you want to meet them?” your friend asks.

You could start by being honest. “They might become clients someday.”

You might also add you are active in the local alumni association chapter. The clients are not. You’d like to talk with them about it, since they are a great bunch of guys and the alumni association chapter meets monthly.

You are making a potential business connection, and there is a benefit for the person in question.

After the First Encounter

What do you do once you’ve talked to the prospects you want to meet?

It might be a quick meeting where you joined your friend for coffee, met your friend’s friends and left the table. You know the friend’s name and have briefly seen each other face to face.

That should be enough to extend a LinkedIn invitation.

“We met at (name) coffee shop last Friday. I enjoyed talking with you. Let’s connect on LinkedIn.”

Your friends or clients will likely say good things about you if the new people circle back.

They don’t need to review your multi-step process, but they might say: “He’s good at his job. I had a problem, and he solved it. We’ve worked together for three years.”

At no point should your client or friend feel they are in an awkward position.

If you thank them profusely, they might be eager to continue helping you with arranging introductions.

Credit: InputUX/Adobe Stock


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