A power referral team is a group people of complementary professions. They work with the same clients, but do not take business away from each other. If people from varied professions form a power team, when one person in the team gets business, he or she can refer the client to every other member in the team.
Successful business people have the ability to select and cultivate mutually beneficial relationships with high-quality people in strategically important business categories, and this ability is a core competency for maximum success in networking.So how do you cultivate such relationships? It’s vital that you find out as much as possible about your partners so that you can send the right kind of business their way. You need to learn what makes your power team partner special as a person, as well as how to recognize your partner’s best prospects.
Here are some ways to help you form this team.
Recruit and introduce.
The first step is to recruit your team and introduce them to your program and business. One of the best ways to identify good teammates is to ask your current customers to name other businesses they like to buy from. You don’t want just anyone as a partner, this need to be people you can also confidently refer business to. Next, send them a letter outlining your plans and inviting them to tell you the best way to introduce their business to your customers – that usually gets their attention.
Acquire special offers
Get your partners to contribute a product or service that you can use as a way to enhance your offering. Free business cards for every logo purchased or free flowers when you make a reservation for dinner, free tickets to give away in y our marketing, or free HVAC check-up when you get some plumbing work. This is a great way to promote your partners while adding real appeal to your marketing. Make sure you create real perceived value here.
Be an effective “bragging buddy” for your partners.
As a bragging buddy, your job is, yes – to brag on behalf of your teammates. Push their businesses as you would also push yours. Brag about what they can do and how they can help prospects, as you would for your own business. It is your duty as a member of a referral partner team to help prospects like, trust and want to do business with your entire team…while they are doing the same thing for you. The core idea behind this tactic is “do good things for others as you want them to do for you.” Think good karma – you reap what you sow.