How well is your network trained in what you do and what you are looking for in a perfect client? So many businesses assume their clients know what they do and know how to generate referrals for them. This is a common error.
When working with clients I will explain to them that there are three core competencies needed for a strong referral strategy.
- The right education
- Staying immersed in the process
- Getting your network trained
There is no doubt parts one and two are very important. For example most professions require a certain amount of education to become a skilled practitioner. The legal and financial sector for example, require high levels knowledge before you are able to practice legally. There is also a requirement for continuous professional development to stay immersed in the knowledge to be able practice effectively. Most professions know this and this culture of learning is second nature for them.
From a client generation aspect though, many businesses don’t train their network in the type of business they want and how their network can generate it for them. Too often there is an assumption from a business that their network knows what they do and how to find them their ideal client. This assumption is often misplaced as the time and effort put in gaining the right education and then staying immersed in it, is not put into getting their network trained. An untrained network just leaves money on the table.
Training your network in the type of clients you want and the type of product or service you want to promote is vital. When you then educate them how to do this your are on the right track to a full pipeline of you perfect referred clients.
How much time do you spend educating your network?
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If you enjoyed this blog and would like to how to get the most from your networking then you can download my free ebook “47 Networking nuggets” by clicking on the link below. To your continued success.