Is Your Business a Referral Engine?

Reading a good book involves a certain amount of tension. You want to get to the next page, but not miss anything along the way. Okay, usually this refers to fiction, but it’s also applicable to John Jantsch’s new book, The Referral Engine. Now that I’ve finished reading it, I’m going to buy a copy for each of our team members – then read through it again, workshop fashion. I expect it will transform the way we do business. It’s already transformed the way I think about our business. 

What is a referral engine? At its core is a business doing what it’s good at and doing it well. But just as important, it’s a business that has set up systems to stay top-of-mind and makes it easy for happy customers to do what comes naturally – share their experience with others who may also need your help.

Three ideas stood out for me above the rest:

1. If you are shy about asking for referrals, you need a paradigm shift. We’re hard-wired to make referrals. It shouldn’t be like pulling teeth to ask for them.
2. Without a system (more than just a strategy), you’re bound to miss great opportunities to market your business. The questions asked throughout this book will help you develop both a strategy and a system.
3. The secret sauce – “This is how we do it here.” Your own process for excellence, your proven delivery systems, must be communicated during the selling process and demonstrated throughout the project.

The Referral Engine is an interesting and thought-provoking read. To expand on it further, I’ll need to read it again (as planned). Two words of advice: Order your copy of The Referral Engine: Teaching Your Business to Market Itself (yes, that’s an affiliate link). And don’t try to read it in an afternoon or rush through it in a week. Take time to think about what’s being said and work through the questions. I guarantee you’ll gain perspective on what it will take to transform your business into a referral engine.