Actually they don’t have anything in common but there’s a direct link.

In order to get a referral there has to be someone who will refer you.  For someone to refer you they typically have to know, like and trust you or they wouldn’t put their reputation on the line by giving you the referral in the first place. What happens when credibility is in question?

Picture This:  You are in a meeting you may have referred business to some of the people in the room and you are looking to connect with a few new reliable sources to give business to.

There seems to be some real talent in the room and just when you think you might have found a good person to refer, let’s say financial planning needs to, it happens.  They pull out their smart phone and text the person across the room from them; much to your surprise the recipient responds and they start giggling like school kids.

There is someone at the table who is standing and trying to make a very important point with respect to the meeting topic and yet it seems these three characters continue to text and have a laugh at what appears to be the speakers expense; it doesn’t stop there, the next person gets up to speak and there’s as much respect for that person as there was for the first person.

Screeeech.  Can you here the brakes come on!  What were you thinking!  What were they thinking?  Would you actually consider referring business to someone who has little if no regard or respect for the attendees of the meeting?

No matter how boring or dry that meeting might be texting during a meeting and not respecting the attendees will damage your credibility and put your chances of referrals at an all time low.  So to those who don’t want to risk leaving money on the table (referrals) keep the phone in the pocket and pay attention to whomever is speaking or your credibility’s at risk.

Question:  Has this ever happened to you or to someone else at a meeting/event you were attending?  Did you say anything, speak out or how did you react?  What is the likelihood that you would refer business their way?

In celebration of our anniversary we are remodelling.  We’ll be coming back with a new look, new articles, new ideas on who, where and how to connect with more people, in a more meaningful way.

If you’d like us to keep you posted on our progress, please send an e-mail to info@marketingbyreferral.com and we’ll let you know how we are making out, along with occasional networking or referral update.

Until we come back – happy networking – remember that the sky’s the limit when you build your business relationships the right way.