In our previous article, we examined the importance of expanding your own network of contacts through the use of referrals. We also went through the first five of ten steps for successful referral prospecting. To recap, the first five steps were:

• Get over your fears
• Bring value
• Invite them for coffee
• Lay the foundation
• Get their permission to mention their name to your prospects

At the end of this process, you should have done all the preparation, and created a favorable environment for the critical part of the conversation: The part where they agree to be a source of referrals for you – and actually provide them! Steps 6 through 11 are where the rubber meets the road. Here’s where you actually get people to call – and lay the groundwork for a favorable introduction to the best of them.

Step 6. Take the initiative

Don’t put your friend in the position of having to raid their mental rolodex for people to call on the spot. Chances are, they’ll draw a blank. Instead, have some homework done ahead of time. For example, look them up on a social networking page. LinkedIn, for example, but Facebook, Google+ and other social media pages work, too. Identify those individuals that they already know, and make a list.

Drawing a blank? Look at their professional organizations. Identify other colleagues that work in their industry in the area. Look up the names of competitors, vendors, suppliers, other business owners in the same street or neighborhood, or the same chapter of the Chamber of Commerce. Make a list of people you’d like to be introduced to, before the interview.

Step 7. Show them the list

Here’s where you say “look, I like to be prepared, so I made a list of people that you may know whom I’d like to target for my job hunt. Would you mind taking a look at it, and telling me who the good guys are?”

Smile and show them the list.

Tip: Try to position yourself on the same side of the table by now. So you are side by side at the table, and not diametrically opposed to one another.

“Which of these people do you know?”

Try to get your guest laughing, if possible. If you’ve done your homework, he’ll give you a lot of information right off the bat. Listen up. He’ll tell you “Yeah, I know that guy. He’s a great guy! He’s looking for someone actually! You should call him!”

Sometimes he’ll say “Yeah, that guy’s no good. I know people who worked for him. Stay away from him.”

All of it is valuable information for you. Mark up the list!

Step 8. Expand

Ask “Who is not on this list, but should be?” Then shut up! Wait for the answer! Notice I don’t phrase it as a “yes or no” question. You don’t want to risk a “no”. You’re asking for names! Give them the opportunity to give them to you. Ask open-ended questions. Then, keep asking “Who else? Who else? Who else?” until you run out of names. Find out a bit about each person and why you should contact them.

Step 9. Narrow The List Down

Now’s where you want to prioritize things. Ask “Of all the people on this list, who are the three or four people I should definitely call right now?”
Get him to answer that question.

Then keep asking “Who else? Who else? Who else?” Until you run out of names. Don’t stop at three! You’re on a roll!

Step 10. Get the top prospect

“Of all the names on the list, who is the one person you respect the most, who I should put at the top of the list?” Circle that number.

Step 11. Ask on the spot

Be bold! Ask flat out: “Can we call the guy?”

There’s no downside to asking directly! You’ve got most of the information you need already. You’ve collected the best names. If your guest isn’t comfortable calling, you haven’t lost anything. But there’s a world to be gained if the answer is “yes”! The best referral to get is the in-person personal introduction. The next best one is the phone hand over. You may be able to get acquainted with a quick cell phone call on the spot.

Then ask “Hey, you guys got breakfast plans tomorrow?”

Bang. You’ve got one more appointment with an industry or community leader, you’re cementing your friend’s relationship with that leader, you’ve got a list of 20 or 30 people to contact. You’ve got inside info on who the best people to call are. Not a bad return for the price of two cups of coffee and 20 minutes of your time!

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