One of the best ways to grow your business is by getting referrals from your clients. Jeff Tockman is a consultant who helps his clients grow their business through referrals. Jeff is a power networker and very good at building relationships with others. In April of 2009, Jeff started Professional Social Networking Group (PSNG.org). He has used and improved his networking skills to grow the group to thousands of members and an average of over 100 people at each event.

After founding Tockman Consulting (TockmanConsulting.com), he started consulting with clients about business development in 2010. He has been running two private networking groups since 2014. He is building on his love of teaching and passion for developing people and relationships to create a unique career. He now spends his time organizing and facilitating events and working to help his business consulting clients on how to build their businesses through referrals.

Here are some of the major takeaways from our conversation:

The first thing you need to do in seeking more referrals is to offer great service to your clients.

Step One: “Ask”

Here is a question to connect with your clients to help offer you more referrals.

“What are the top 3 things you love about the widget we sold you last month”. This will give you “their” words you can use in follow-up questions. People will always teach you how to sell them if you ask the appropriate questions.

Ask open ended questions and learn what the features and benefits are that they love the most about the product you sold them.

Step Two: Grab their attention

Ask them who wants “x”. Learn more about the person you are asking for referrals from. This way you can get specific individuals who they can refer you to.

Discover which organizations they are a part of and the things they like to do.

Step Three: Ask permission to have this discussion 

“Dave, could we brainstorm a little about people you think could benefit from having this widget?”

Step Four: Who do you know?

Find out who they could refer

Step Five: Tell me more about John Smith?

Learn from them about the potential individual they are referring to you.

Step Six: “What will you tell John Smith about me?

This is where you get the client to rehearse what they are going to “say” to the referral they are about to give you.

Step Seven: Best way to connect. 

This is where you find out from them what the best way is to help you get connected with this referral.

Step Eight: Tell them what you will say when you connect with their friend.

Step Nine: Offer a reward

Is there something you can offer them at them if they give you a referral? Lunch, Dinner, etc with the referral who became a new client.

Connect with Jeff:

1. LinkedIn
2. Facebook 
3. Email Jeff

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