Networking 101 - Never Underestimate the Value of a Referral

Networking  101 - Never Underestimate the Value of a Referral

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd

Getting back to the issues around referrals and testimonials from your clients, both current and previous, I would just like to reiterate about the importance of these on your sales.

If someone has been referred to you, the person who has referred them is saying something very loudly and very clearly about you.  The story that they are telling is that they trust you, that they are so impressed with what you have done that they are willing to stake their reputation and their credibility in attaching their name to whatever it is that you offer/sell/do.

Think about that for a moment.  It is one of the greatest compliments that anyone can give you!

Think about that for another moment.  I say again, it is one of the greatest compliments that someone has paid you and yet nine times out of ten, you let them down!

How disrespectful!  How thoughtless and incredibly short sighted!

Look at the opportunity that has been thrown away – notice I did not say “missed”, but rather thrown away!  How sad!  Talk about killing the goose that laid the golden egg.

The better idea of course, would be to honour that person.  Honour them by delivering on their promises.  Honour them by living up to their expectations, which were based on what and how you conducted your business with them and how you delivered on your promises to them.

Honour them by keeping their reputation intact.

Honour them by being the best that you can be and by honouring your own credibility and your own reputation.

Never, and I repeat never, underestimate the value of a referral!

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za  or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za