How to Get More Referrals by Earning Trust!

When you establish a high level of trust, people will go out of their way to inform others about you and your business. Your clients display trust through extending repeat business, granting exclusivity on assignments and/or securing your services on a retainer basis. You reciprocate by getting to know them, making them your priority and producing results. All in all, it's an open flow of communication between you and your client that facilitates a foundation of trust. Since your clients pay your bills it's natural for you to make their needs a priority even if it means going above and beyond what's asked of you.

Not surprisingly, good candidate referrals also come from individuals who have loyalty or trust in you. Referrers should be as important to a recruiter's network as their clients as they provide the closing half of the deal. Yet recruiters tend to put much less effort into developing relationships with referrers than they do with clients. How many times have you gone above and beyond the call for a referrer? If you are similar to most recruiters your answer is likely, "Not enough!"

When recruiters refer candidates to each other they split placement fees 50/50. How many times have you heard of a recruiter splitting a fee when one of their contacts provides a referral that turns into a placement? Why do recruiters generally get offended when someone other than a peer asks if they will receive a finder's fee for a referral? Well, if you don't know or trust this person why should you? Come to think of it, why should anyone refer people to you if there is nothing in it for them? Because they trust you, that's why! So what can you do to increase the level of trust that your referrers have in you?

Trust is built from frequent interactions. Every positive interaction builds on your level of trust. Let communication be your measurement of trust. When communication flows easily between you and your contact then trust is likely high. Being a good communicator requires you to be a good listener and will establish an immediate level of respect because you will distinguished yourself from the hundreds of other "dial for dollars" recruiters your contacts also hear from. Begin to differentiate yourself from the pack by scheduling routine calls to your referrers in order to send a message that you are there for them as much as they are there for you.

The following suggestions can provide you with some ideas on how to begin nurturing your referral network.

• Listen to your referrers and take the initiative of offering suggestions to their concerns especially when you are not expected to.
• Return phone calls promptly even if it's just to tell them you've received their message and you can't speak to them right away.
• Send thank you notes, emails, cards, etc. on every referral not just when they become successful placements. You'll be surprised how quickly you distinguish yourself from the rest just by doing this.
• Be organized. Keep a record of your referral calls and summarize your conversations in your contact database. Pick up conversations where you left off when you follow up in the future. Remembering past conversations impresses people as much as remembering a person's name that you've only met once.
• Be creative. Make them laugh by sending a cartoon or telling a joke with follow up or return calls. Lets face it, how many people enjoy talking to dry, depressed or stressed people?
• Be spontaneous. Don't just call your referrers when you need something. · Show appreciation by going out of your way for them especially when they don't expect it.
• Get involved in providing solutions.
• Aim to create a partner-like rapport.
• Don't make promises you can't keep. If you're not sure, tell them you'll get back to them.

Producing successful placements and keeping clients happy is every recruiter's goal. Developing trust and loyalty in your referral network will only make reaching your goal that much easier. Nelson Abreu