1) A Dating Coach Examples of Referrals Requests Background: Laura is a personal life coach specializing in helping women date and find a spouse. Laura is like an ultimate big sister" - a senior female figure, but accessible, trustworthy and open. Laura has vast experience and is fiercely loyal to her customers. Laura is very interested in the details of her clients lives, and maintain frequent telephone contact with them well beyond the coaching sessions. She is accessible to customers at any time. Laura never gives up on a client. She continues to believe in, and push her clients through the difficulties of searching for a mate Her success rate is almost 100%. Laura characterized her ideal client this way: A woman between the ages of 25-35, a conservative or traditional background, good health, works and lives within 30 miles radius of Laura, lives independently outside her parent s home, spends time at least twice a week in places where people can be found (Cinema, library, gym, etc.). Owns a car. Laura's practice is to ask its customers for referrals mainly during coaching sessions that occur after a successful date. After they finish discussing the details of the date and the next steps of the coaching process. Script (Laura): Remember what I told you when you came to me? I told you that even if you do not believe in yourself, I believe in you that you can find a suitable partner. Even if the way is not clear to you, together we will find it. What do you think now? (Client): I certainly see that I do things differently today. Thanks to what we've done, I think this connection has a chance to succeed. (Laura): Good, I'm glad. Now I want to ask something of you, and it's very important to me. You know how much your success is important to, and the success of other girls I coach. It's really a life-saving work for me, and I think you know how much time and energy I put into it. 1
(Client): Oh, yes, of course. The truth is that if you invest in all the others like the amount of time you did with me, I do not know how you manage it. (Laura): It's really hard, and that's exactly why I'm going to ask you to help me. I love to coach, and I happily invests the time and effort. But unfortunately I cannot always do that, because apart from doing the coaching I also need to spend time marketing and getting clients. If I could, I'd rather spend the time I was spending on getting new customers in helping my clients. In this regard, I think you can help me. (Client): How? (Laura): Very simple. I really enjoy working with you. You are serious in your intent to succeed, and you listen to me and do what is necessary. My ideal client is someone similar to you - a woman like you, someone around the age of 25-35, independent enough to live alone and to support herself, and living within driving distance from me. Because people usually spend time with people who are like them, I'm pretty sure that in your circle of friends there are others like you, who is looking for a relationship and I can help her find her soulmate, as I do with you. Can you think of someone like that? (Client): Of course, even two. One is my cousin she is almost my age and she has not found anybody yet - we always talk about it at family events. And there is a neighbor in the building I live who might be fit. (Laura): Great. Could you please write me their details communications details on this form? (Client): Here are the details of my cousin. I'm not sure what my neighbor's phone. (Laura): It's okay. The truth is that I ask you to write it just in case, because I really want to ask that you call them and you offer them to call me. You see - it will work much better if they would hear it from someone like you - someone they know and believe in. If I call them, I'm just someone trying to sell her services. But if you tell them about me and the process that we did together, It will be much easier for them to see why they should wish to work with me. (Client): Okay. I'll call my cousin tonight. And next time I'll encounter my neighbor talk to her. (Laura): Thank you, but maybe you can knock on her door and talk to her tonight? I'm sure you would not forget but who knows when you meet and it's really very important to me. Your help in this 2
matter can release a lot of hours that otherwise I should spend talking and persuading new clients. In fact, it can save me so much time that if it works, I can give you a free session for each of them that will start working with me, and even give them a free session because of you. (Client): Great. OK. I'll talk with both of them today. (Laura): Lovely. Thank you! If you happen to think of someone else, I'd be happy if you talk with her also. Maybe someone you know from your book club, or even at work - someone who works for one of your customers or suppliers? (Client): There may be someone who works for one of our clients. We talk often and I know that she is looking for a relationship. I ll see if she was interested. (Laura): Great! 2) The Shoe Store Owner Background: Greham has a Men Shoe store on a main street in a large city. The store is well established and offers mainly shoes of prestigious manufacturers and sellers. However, the main reason that customers kept coming back to buy their shoes with him is his insistence on a perfect fit for the customer's foot anatomy. Graham explains to his client s that shoes are actually the item of clothing that they use in the most intense and intimate manner. "Even underwear and socks you switch every day", and therefore it is very important to have a perfect match and that the client will feel comfortable even if he stood or walked for a whole day. Graham s ideal customer is a married man, a family man aged 40 or older, living and working in the city offices or in similar whitecollar occupation. His customers maintain a neat appearance. Most customers of Graham are somewhat conservative in their style. The wear tailored pants, buttoned shirts. Many of them wear suits for work. Graham keeps track of his clients. Each client has a card listing all the purchases he committed. Graham usually ask for references 3
only from returning customers, and seek the referral during the payment process. Screenplay (Graham): I am very glad to see we've been able to match you with the perfect shoe last time. I am sure that this time we also achieved such a match and your new shoes will serve you well. (Customer): I hope so. This is exactly why I came to you again. The previous pair of shoes you sold me are the best I've had. I must tell you that when I bought them I thought you were exaggerating a bit with all the measurements and selection, but I soon realized that I was standing on my feet the whole day and lecturing, and yet my feet do not hurt me at the end of the day. (Graham): Wonderful! I'm very glad you told me that. That's exactly what I'm trying to get for my clients. I am very glad I was able to do it for you. I understand you're a university professor? What class? (Client): No, no, not at the university. I guide groups of tourists who come for guided tours from abroad. I stand on my feet a lot when I explain things to on the way while riding the bus, and of course during the tours in the various attractions. (Graham): Interesting. Are you independent or are part of a company? (Client): It's a partnership. You may have heard us. We go under the brand "Caravan". We have several dozen guides, specializing on all kinds of subjects. People turn to us, and the main office match them with the most suitable free guide for what they want to do. (Graham): It sounds like you have quite a lot of friends who can also enjoy the perfect shoe. How about you help me and your friends connect, and take this opportunity to also earn something for yourself? (Client) Sure. The truth is that already I referred some people to your store. (Graham): I'm glad to hear. May I ask who they were? If they actually became clients, I can credit you for it for this purchase. But first I'll tell you what I'm asking. I've got these cards with address and phone number of the store. As you can see, each of them carries a specific date and time. In order to give the best service to every customer, we are trying to coordinate the visits of customers to prevent overload (during his speech, Graham set a numerical stamp and applied it to five cards) If you give someone this card 4
and he will meet the time to write here, or coordinate with us in advance for another date, not only will he receive excellent service, but also a 15% discount on the purchase. As you can see, I assigned the cards to your customer number with us so that we know to write down every new client to your credit, and you will get 10% off your next purchase for every customer that will contact us. (Client): Sounds good, I do not think there will be a problem to find a few friends to recommend them. (Graham ): Great. Can you tell me the names of the people who you referred already? I want to check on the computer if they have been with us since your last purchase, and if so, I will credit you the discount you deserve right now. (Client): Cool! net profit. 5
Create Your Own Script: Answer the following questions: 1. When will you ask for the referral? Now write the exact sentences that you are going to use. Don t be tempted to scribble a few words and be done. Write what you will say, exactly. 2. What will say to remind you client of the special value that you gave him/her? 3. What will you say to explain why you are asking for referrals? Don t forget to include, as relevant, why it is important for you and how it would benefit the client and the people referred by the client? 4. What will you tell the client to explain to him exactly the type of referrals that you wish to have, and what type of people you would rather not have referred to you? 5. How will you explain to the client, very clearly, exactly how you with him to refer (i.e. what is the process, what mechanism is in place for him to use etc.)? 6
Copy all the things you wrote into this one area in the correct sequence Look at what you wrote, read it slowly sentence by sentence. Try to anticipate every possible question that your client may ask at that point. Where such a question implies that the client is missing an important piece of information or explanation, add it to the script. If there are several possible routs the conversation may go, write down as many answers as you need to cover them all. You may use a different text color to help you differentiate between the basic script and the optional parts. Learn the script. Use it. Ask for the referrals! From time to time, come back to this page and consider what changes, improvements additions or deletions may be in order based upon your actual experience in using it. Do this, and soon you will have a winning script that you can use time after time to elicit positive response from your customer, or use it to teach other people to do the same for you. 7