Stop asking for referrals by stephen wershing is a must read for financial advisors looking to grow their practices through referrals. This article is an excerpt from the book, stop asking for referrals mcgraw hill, 2012, by stephen wershing, founder of the client driven practice, which coaches advisors on. Imagine, getting two or more new clients simply by asking a. As a gp, ive seen how vetting hospital referrals can help. When you feel uncomfortable asking for referrals, you. We are told, therefore, that to build a more successful practice, we have to master the art of asking for referrals. Stop asking in all his years of helping financial professionals build and grow their businesses, stephen wershing has learned that the number one way to make sure you dont get a referral is by asking for it. Youre entitled to ask for a referral for specialist treatment on the nhs. Keep it short and sweet and get to the point as quickly as possible. After 20 years in the industry, i stopped asking for referrals, not because i thought it was the right thing to do, but because it always made both me and my client uncomfortable. People need to know that you want and appreciate their referrals. Because studies prove that clients refer you not to benefit you but to benefit themselves.
A revolutionary new strategy for building a financial service business that sells itself book online at best prices in india on. It certainly positions one as not being part of the circle to which they aspire. May 16, 20 stop asking for referrals by stephen wershing is a must read for financial advisors looking to grow their practices through referrals. Wershing discusses the psychology behind referrals and why clients are motivated to give you more business. We have been doing some great work with our advisory board to find out what is most valuable about what we do. So get this, stop asking for referrals from your affluent clients and your. The best way to ask for referrals in business free. Think about how eagerly you responded the last time someone asked you for directions. Stop asking for referrals is an excellent book that will end up creating more referrals and by that the book means qualified customersclients who are ready to enter into a business relationship with you now. Stan hustad a performance marketing coach to many folks in the financial services and to entrepreneurs in many businesses says that all of that stuff you hear about asking for. Oct 22, 2018 now, i got to give my dad credit for using a lesson in referrals to ask for referrals, but unfortunately his clever exercise didnt succeed as the client made no such attempt to contact the names on his list. If you dont ask the question, then you probably wont get the order or the referral. Dec 05, 2017 you can only get so many referrals out of a book of business. Yes or no 8 are you uncomfortable with the scripts or dialogues you use to ask for referrals or have you not had any training in asking for referrals.
It is widely understood that referrals are the best way to acquire new clients. Now after reading this book, i will be more intensional, seeking unsolicited referrals. Inside, wershing provides the tools you need to get more referrals than ever by designing your practice in a way that gets clients to mention you to friends when the opportunity arises. Stop asking for referrals is on my top ten list of books that i believe offer the most meaningful strategies for advisors.
Stop asking for referrals bone fide blog bone fide wealth, llc. It may work to some small extent, but it is a poor strategy. This is the most comprehensive book on referral marketing that ive personally ever read. What, then, is the key to getting out of a familiar, but limiting, comfort zone and expanding your business. The book stop asking for referrals contains several ways to have the new referral conversation. During this acclaimed program, you will get what you need to know about attracting referrals, learning innovative new strategies using some of the most recent research available. Nearly every advisor i speak to uses this same approach for asking clients for referrals. You likely wont get out on the dance floor if you dont go ask someone to dance and make it happen. Acquiring new business is costly and timeconsuming. Yes or no 5 do you ever feel that asking for a referral is unprofessional. By referral only answers the question, what can i do for you in return for this nice thank you card.
Donovan advisor perspectives welcomes guest contributions. How to create a referral marketing strategy that works. Is that what these professionals who cower away from referrals are thinking it looks like. American apparel, a clothing retailer, sent a very simple email asking for referrals. The master of working by referral will teach you how in this video. When was the last time you asked any a good client for a referral. When you can rely on your existing client base to spread the good word about your company, it saves you time, money, and energy. Proven strategies on how to build your financial services business that sells itself stephen wershing download here. Stephen wershing, cfp create a unique brand that sets you apart from other advisors. The client driven practice the client driven practice.
Referrals can be an essential part of running a business. When asking for a referral or recommendation by email, dont waste time with extra words and irrelevant information. The easiest way to get a customer referral is to ask. Understanding this dynamic is critical because it enables you to see how you need to do things differently to get referrals from clientswithout asking. You probably have some level of resistance when it comes to asking for referrals in a consistent and predictable manner. A revolutionary new strategy for building a financial service business that sells itself stephen wershing isbn. Stop asking no, were not letting you off the hook here. Stop asking about salary history and do this instead whether legal or not, asking about a persons salary is just as dumb as boxchecking his or her skills.
As the title implies, the dominant theme of the book is that asking more often for referrals is a terrible way to actually get. Fixing the weakest links in your referral growth strategy. Stop asking referrals revolutionary financial pdf c5fbd11f7. Financial advisors should stop asking for referrals. Selling book, the 29% solution published in seven languages and an amazon best selling book. Asking for referrals, is the most comprehensive, practical and engaging guide i know to strengthening existing client connections and cultivating new ones in a way that is experiencebased, respectful and longlasting. How referrals actually happen its not what you think why asking for referrals backfires. Heres how to ask for referrals and build the ask into your sales process. How leading financial advisors generate affluent client. Referrals will get you more clients, and the more referrals you ask for, the more referrals youll get. In his book unstoppable referrals, he goes deep into why you dont ask for referrals, why your satisfied clients dont give them to you, and what you can do about this. A revolutionary new strategy for building a financial service. How to ask for referrals the right way without being pushy.
A revolutionary new strategy for building a financial service business that sells itself at. Stop asking for referralsdo this instead gentle rain marketing. If fear is the issue, the problem is that they have the wrong mindset. This article is an excerpt from the book, stop asking for referrals mcgraw hill, 2012, by stephen wershing, founder of the client driven practice, which coaches advisors on how to create. Asking for referrals, is the most comprehensive, practical and engaging guide i know to strengthening existing client connections and cultivating new ones in a way that is experiencebased, respectful and. As a gp, ive seen how vetting hospital referrals can help patients ann robinson the nhs is rolling out a scheme that makes nonurgent hospital referrals subject to approval. Mar 27, 2017 so does that mean you should stop asking for referrals.
When you do get referrals from clients, be sure to thank the customer and show your gratitude with some gesture. Reading this book will revolutionize how you think about growing your business michael e. As john jantsch says in his book, the referral engine. Advisors will embrace his book as the new referral bible. A revolutionary new strategy for building a financial service business that sells itself by wershing, stephen and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. He provides highnetworth client acquisition training for the financial services industry. As the title implies, the dominant theme of the book is that asking more often for referrals is a terrible way to actually get more referrals. How referrals actually happen its not what you think why asking for referrals backfires how to be the person your clients will refer. If you were a part of the circleyou wouldnt need referrals. Welcome to the 26th episode of the financial advisor success podcast.
Brian buffini is a real estate motivational speaker h. Like everyone at the sixth grade dance standing around the outside huddled in groups, let me state the obvious. Stop asking for referrals the floyd wickman team real. Referrals are the secret to ensuring your businesss longterm success. In this book stephen president of the client driven practice shares. One very specialized consultant i know gets about 75% of his revenue from nonclient referrals and roughly half of those come. Asking for referrals directly can sound like asking for favors. A revolutionary new strategy for building a financial service business. Teaching your business to market itself, being recognized as a source of good information, including referrals, is a great way to connect with others. So, by asking for referrals, were trying to go against the current of how referrals happen. Asking for a referral when a new customer has just placed a small order is not as likely to yield the same results as asking someone for whom youve done multiple jobs.
Its not about new and different ways to ask for referrals its about why we should stop asking for referrals and how our business can grow as a result. Instead of asking for a referral, ask for an introduction. How leading financial advisors generate affluent client referrals. Client referrals are oxygen to financial advisors who choose to grow. When was the last time one of your staff asked for a referral. In fact, while most people make only one referral, 34% of people make two to 10 referrals. A revolutionary new strategy for building a financial service business that sells itself book is not really ordinary book, you have it then the world is in your hands. A revolutionary new strategy for building a financial service business that sells itself wershing, stephen on. The views presented here do not necessarily represent those of advisor perspectives.
How to ask for referrals from your existing clients. Often they turn to their attorney and ask for referrals. He enjoys meeting new people and reading more books to get inspired for his own book. Sheryl garrett, cfp, aif, awardwinning author, advisor, and founder of the garrett planning networkstop asking for referrals is on my top ten list of books that i believe offer the most meaningful strategies for advisors steves ideas for referral marketing are brilliant and just plain common sense. An elegant 4step process any rep can use to ask for referrals. They can help build customer relationships, and of course, bring in new customers. You will come away with a deep understanding of why and where referrals actually come from, how to tailor your own practice to get people talking about you, and ways to develop a communication plan to project your reputation.
Client referrals are oxygen to financial advisors who choose to grow their practice organically. A revolutionary new strategy for building a financial services business that sells itself by stephen wershing, cfp. Stop asking for referrals helps you do exactlythat. So stop asking for referrals and start attracting more new. Yes or no 6 have you ever felt like you were begging or groveling for business when you were asking for referrals. Stop asking for referrals helps you do exactly that. When people ask for referrals, they do so with good intentions. Yes or no 7 has a bad experience asking for a referral in the past made you decide not to do it anymore in the future. Asking for a referral is not different than asking a prospect when they would like to start your service. Stephen wershing author of stop asking for referrals. How to have the new referral conversation with clients. A revolutionary new strategy for building a financial service business that sells itself will soon be available through national and online booksellers.
How to write an email asking for a referral or recommendation. Asking people for referrals is right up there with asking your friend to come to church with you on sunday. Stephen wershing in all his years of helping financial professionals build and grow their businesses, stephen wershing has learned that the number one way to make sure you dont get a referral is by asking for it. In my workshops i tell attendees to stop asking for referrals and start deserving introductions instead. Stop asking for referrals and improve your referrability index instead with steve wershing.
Stephen wershing is the author of stop asking for referrals 4. If you do good work for your clients, you should not hesitate to ask for new client referrals from your best clients. You can only join so many groups and go to so many parties. Financial advisors need a referral marketing plan that doesnt include asking others for clients, says stephen wershing in a new book, stop. As well as specialist referrals, your gp can help you find the right stop smoking services, weight loss service or other selfmanagement programmes that help prevent or manage a. Asking for referrals how to know if you have referral resistance thats dramatically hurting your business. In his forthcoming book, stop asking for referrals. Steves ideas for referral marketing are brilliant and just plain common sense. Stop asking about salary history and do this instead. Have nonclient referrals become your lifeblood or are they sucking up your time and spinning you in circles.
It makes my skin crawl when i read, the finest compliment you could give me is a referral to your friends and family on a business card or email signature. Free ebook 7 steps to scale your consulting practice without adding overhead. In a lot of ways, asking for referrals just makes one feel like the someone with their nose pressed up against the window asking to be invited in. So get this, stop asking for referrals from your affluent clients and your gonna get more business. Referrals for specialist care nhs choices home page.
Imagine, getting two or more new clients simply by asking a happy client or customer. In the end, this experience and many others like it turned me off from asking for referrals altogether. The sad result is that people dont get even a tiny amount of the referrals they could be getting simply because the whole asking process is flawed. May 03, 2012 during this acclaimed program, you will get what you need to know about attracting referrals, learning innovative new strategies using some of the most recent research available. Offer your help, rather than asking for a referral, and make that offer to people with whom you have a genuine connection. If youre a financial advisor and are interested in growing your business, but are tired of putting your clients on the spot and awkwardly asking them for a referral, read this book. A revolutionary new strategy for building a financial service business that sells itself by by stephen wershing this stop asking for referrals. Oct 03, 20 so get this, stop asking for referrals from your affluent clients and your gonna get more business.