The ABCs of Automatic Referrals: E is for Educate

When you went to buy your last pair of shoes, did you know what you were looking for?

I'll bet you had a decent idea.  Maybe it was a pair of running shoes, or loafers, or a pair of heels to wear to a wedding.  And you probably didn't go into the shoe store and say, "Excuse me, I need shoes. Can you sell me a pair, please?"

You wouldn't do that, because that would make it pretty difficult for the clerk to help you. Sure, he could make an educated guess about what you were looking for based on what you were wearing—but what if you had just come from the office dressed in your Brooks Brothers suit, planning to buy a new pair of running shoes? 

No, a vague approach to shoe-shopping would definitely a recipe for wasted time and general frustration.  Which is why we don't shop for shoes that way.  We at least have an idea what we're looking for, enough so we can get to the right department to browse.  And most of the time, we communicate a pretty specific idea of what we want: "I’d like a pair of Nike running shoes, please," or "I’m looking for brown loafers with no tassels." 

Now we’re talking. The clerk can quickly lead you to the loafers, rather than wasting your time (and his) showing you his entire line of workboots.

The moral of the story: if you want high-quality referrals, you have to educate your clients.  Because they simply don’t know your business like you do.  Don't assume they will extrapolate from their relationship with you, or that they know everything about you and your areas of expertise.  In fact, most clients are as likely to send you a neighbor with a $5,000 IRA as a co-worker with $5,000,000. 

You don't have to settle for referrals that fit you and your practice as badly as cheap shoes.  Help your existing clients understand who your ideal clients are and how you serve those clients. You'll start to get more qualified referrals that fit.

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