I gave a referral to a person I met recently. I told him what my client needed and what the budget range and outcome should be. He assured me that he could deliver the value required and take good care of my client.
Later I found out that the referred vendor did not act in my client’s best interest at all. He tried to up sell a service my client was not ready for. The price was too high and the service too broad.
This was obviously a case of building a commission that served the referred instead of building a relationship that served my client.
Needless to say, the sale did not happen. It also ensured that I would not give a referral to this vendor again.
Referrals are precious. When you receive one, understand what the referrer hopes to gain and then deliver a value that serves that need.
You’ll be rewarded with more business by referral because you’ll become a trusted partner instead of the vendor who serves their own best interests first.
