An interesting quote I received via e-mail this past week referred to the best vitamin to grow friends – B1. This is a simple but true statement that applies to friends and also to referral partners.
How many of you would be successful if you walked into a bank at which you didn’t have an account and then asked to withdraw $100? Not very many – if any.Yet, we do the same thing when we make a request for a referral with someone that you have done nothing to build a relationship with.
What if you found people who recognize the value of relationships? Hopefully you are already one of these. Recognizing the value of relationships means you must have genuine interest and curiosity in those around you and your focus needs to be on how you can help others get what they want in order to get what you want. This is the first and foremost criteria that must be present in successful relationships, referral or otherwise.
While you may not be escorted out of a networking event by security, like you would in the bank example, think of the impression you leave with those you are attempting withdrawals out of a referral account with a 0 balance.