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Referrals Triage Asking for what you want: Any lead or focused lead? Jim Latham Managing Principal, Waddell and Reed

Remember the old adage “Be careful of what you ask for?”

We are better served as business people if we can build our business with the right types of clients: Those who will truly benefit from the goods or services that we offer.

So…you ask yourself, how do I find these people? The answer is, you ask for them.

Most of your current clients, contacts & friends know between 100 and 250 people. However, when you ask them “who do you know that can use my products/services?” their mind tends to go blank and they cannot think of anyone.

Triage is the process of reducing the 250 people to the 4 to 6 that can really benefit from what you have to offer (or, at the least, you can get them to identify 4 to 6 individuals using this skill).

1. Identify the characteristics of your target market (people, not things). What do they do, what events are happening in their lives that apply to you, what do they need, etc?
2. Ask questions that help identify the target (see example).
3. Do not ask for people that could benefit from what you have to offer (this type of question requires that the person being asked know more than they could know).

Example: Real Estate – Instead of asking “Who do you know that is planning on selling their house in the near future?” you could ask, “If I were to invite you and a few friends to attend a luncheon at the Street of Dreams this next week, who would you invite?

Summary – The Process

• Purpose – Ask for what you want. Narrow the field down to “your” prospect.
• Key point – Know what you want. Don’t make your referrer guess.
• Communication Tip – Ask questions that your referrer can answer.
• Outcome – An introduction to someone that can really benefit from what you have to offer