How To Give Back When You Don't Have A Referral

Networking is all about developing the relationships that are mutually beneficial, where you can help with the success of a referral source as much you can be helped in return. With some relationships, that means the exchange of referrals back and forth. With other relationships, the give and take is more creative.

Sue Haines works as a mortgage originator for a local company. She has developed connections with several Realtors, but in the last year one of these relationships has matured to a stronger extent. Sue now wants to maintain and even increase that relationship, but doesn't know if she has enough business to give more to this Realtor.

Sue's first step was to have lunch with the Realtor. She realized that while she knows this Realtor professionally, she really doesn't know her well as a person. During lunch Sue found out that the Realtor is passionate about a non-profit organization that funds programs for the prevention of child abuse. She also became aware that the Realtor was representing a developer that would be building homes with some very special features, different from the norm. Because of this time spent, Sue now knows there are ways she can help the Realtor in addition to sending customers.

The Realtor was involved in finding sponsors for an upcoming event that would benefit the non-profit organization she supports. Sue went to her boss and suggested that they might want to be seen as a sponsor of this very worthwhile event. Sue's boss agreed, although he provided funding at a lower level than Sue had hoped. Sue then introduced the Realtor to one of Sue's clients who also shares the same interest in child abuse prevention. This person also decided to sponsor, and actually gave more support than Sue had hoped for. You can bet the Realtor now sees Sue as someone with whom she wants to continue to share business.

Was Sue done? No, she went the extra mile by asking her boss if the Realtor and the developer could speak at the next sales meeting about the unique features of the homes they will build and represent. Did both actions take some time on Sue's part? Yes, but the payoff was that Sue received four referrals from the Realtor in the very next month.

Sue found out that there were many more ways to give back to people who give her referrals. While it is assured that everyone likes business to come their way, they are also motivated by many other methods. Sue addressed just two ways, recruiting sponsors and arranging a speaking engagement. She will continue to send people who want to buy or sell a home to this Realtor, and you can bet that she will think of other creative ways to showcase the Realtor - ways that will make the Realtor appear successful to the community. Success builds more success.

Debby Peters is the owner and Director of Training of The Certified Networker Program of Ohio, Ltd., cnpofohio.com a 24 hour referral based training that is evolving a community of profitable referral partners. She is also posts to the blog cnpofohio.blogspot.com

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