I call it the “neighbors referral procedure.” Once you are comfortable with it, go to my “Referrals without Asking” site and review “Referral Conversations.” Practice these conversations as well.
As a side benefit of learning how to promote referrals, you will develop a great prospecting list. Without even knowing it, you are deploying the “look-alike principle,” which states, “Your best prospect is someone who looks just like a good client.”
Next-door neighbors are about as “look-alike” as you can get.
The process is simple:
- Go to whitepages.com.
- Look up a client via the reverse address tab.
- Jot down the addresses and names of two or three neighbors.
- Call your client. Get a good conversation going.
- Follow this script: Note the word not. Punch that word.
Script: Hello, Bob/Sally. A couple of your neighbors came up on one of my market lists. I thought I would check with you and see if either or even both would not make good clients.
I don’t want to call people my current clients would not recommend. Do you have just a second for me to run these names by you?
At (address), my information shows (neighbor name). In your opinion, is s/he someone kind of like you who I might enjoy doing business with? And what about (neighbor name) at (address)?
If neither name is accurate: I’m glad to know my information is not correct. That’s why I wanted to check with you first.
If either of your real neighbors ever do mention they might not be happy with their advisor, would you mention my name?
Response: May I drop a couple of my business cards in the mail to you just in case?
If one or both names are accurate and might be worth contacting: Thanks so much for this info. Of course, I would never mention our relationship without your permission.
By the way, if either of your neighbors ever does say they might not be happy with their advisor, would you mention my name?
Response: May I drop a couple of my business cards in the mail to you just in case?
Next, enter valid names into your CRM. When this COVID mess is over, invite your clients to attend an event.
Call your client and ask, “Do you think this might be something your neighbor Fred might like to attend?”