Turkey Day is here and with it, the end-of-the-year crunch. The old adage that “nothing happens and no decisions will be made until first quarter” may be true, but that doesn’t mean your business networking should stop or that the referral well should be allowed to run dry; quite the opposite, in fact.
From the standard Holiday card to lavish gift baskets and memorable office parties, charity work and business New Year’s resolutions, there’s never a better opportunity than the holidays to increase your visibility and market your services to your existing business network to generate referrals. Holiday reminders of the above kind are a great way to generate new referrals in an otherwise slow time of year, and the holiday season is the ultimate excuse to send festive, friendly “nudges” to your circle of trust.
But all too often, we send standard holiday cards to thank customers, colleagues and
associates for their business, thinking this will strengthen professional relationships. Many of these greetings get lost in the shuffle and possibly tossed in the waste basket because they are impersonal, predictable and insincere. Admit it; you’ve tossed a few into the circular file yourself. So here’s an idea for the referral network that never sleeps: What better way to demonstrate to your professional network that you really value them than by rewarding them for the good services they provide with a hand picked referral from your client list?
Whether you use Referral Key to do this or not, it’s a smart move and relatively easy to pull off. Start by asking your clients now what their needs are likely to be in 2008. Let them know the extent of your professional business network and how it may benefit their future needs. Include their information in a holiday greeting to a trusted associate and you’ve killed several birds with one stone: Your holiday card will surely be remembered, and your relationship as well as the potential for reciprocity is strengthened with that contact. In addition, your client is well served and likely grateful for the resource.
There’s really no better time than the New Year to get off on the right foot with professionals you know and trust to help each other grow your businesses.
Happy Turkey.
Tags: Business Networking, Referral Network, Referral System
