By Steven Zyskowski
“How many referrals will I get if I join?” It’s an honest question that I do get asked from time to time by those considering being a Member of Caerusnet. I sometimes even get asked how much money the referrals will be worth. So, how do I answer these questions?
I will usually respond with the statement that every person has a different experience when it comes to business referral groups. Each team has its own synergy. Each professional has their own goals, capacity and limitations.
Let me paint a picture of a successful team and a successful professional on that team looks like …
A successful team has achieved a noteworthy size. Sizes does matter when it comes to business groups and the referral opportunities they can generate. I think a group of 24 or so Members is noteworthy size and should mean more referrals. But team size isn’t the only thing that counts. Team synergy counts, too. How long have the people known each other? Are they referring each other? Are they newbies learning the ropes of networking (often ‘newbies’ haven’t formed bad habits and are eager to help) or seasoned pros that are willing to create opportunities for each other? Sometimes a smaller team that feels more intimate can also pass a good number of referrals, but they will always have the desire to be a larger team because it usually spells more opportunity.
People who are successful in networking groups should join only because they feel they have something to give to the team … NOT because they are desperate to receive.
The right Members join because of how being well connected and bringing people together allows them to deepen their relationships with their clients. Referral groups are extremely local. While some people may start a businesses with the goal of selling to the world via the internet, the professionals I help most are the ones who need to be recognized at the local level. People who do well on referral teams attend most of the meetings so they can get to know the other Members and give them the opportunity to get to know them. They try to get quality referrals to as many of the Members that they can, as often as they can. Some Members regularly bring 2-3 referrals to each meeting.
Remember, people refer to those they know, like and trust. Being a Member of the team opens the doorway for you to become that person … however, you are the one who must walk through the door and take charge of the relationships.
Finally, those Members who do invest the time to having Trust Builder Meetings with other Members always seem to talk about how those have helped them become more referable. They know that the Trust Builders help them become someone others will get a chance to know, like and trust.
