“Hey, how was work?”
“Did you get any new business?”
Doesn’t that sound like a caring spouse? A concerned parent? Maybe a good friend? Sure. But be careful how you answer.
If you believe that people who like, care, and respect you will refer business to you, you’re in for a potentially costly surprise. “They know you, but may be hesitant to mix business with personal life,” explains my co-author New York Times best-selling author Dr. Ivan Misner. “Even more likely, they may not understand how to refer you.”
“Familiarity also has its dangers,” observes Misner. “After all, as much as your mom loves you, she’s seen you at your worst – runny-nosed, squalling, tattling, lying, and throwing tantrums. Perhaps she secretly harbors the fear that if she referred her best friend to you for business, you’d end up embarrassing her.”
Fortunately, Misner adds, “Anybody can be trained to refer business to you, including friends and family.” Achieving referral business success with family and friends isn't just a matter of preparing plans and financial reports; you also need to prepare yourself to act and be successful, and visualizing success with referrals from your family will help you do that.
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