How to Get More Referrals at Business Networking Events

When times are tough, smart business owners up their networking game. And now, thanks to this easily mastered approach, you can ask for and get as many referrals as you can handle.

Most networking events are designed to help you secure new referrals and refer those in the room to potential new clients in turn.

Every networker knows this, but most still try to sell to the room. In my opinion, that’s the wrong approach to take because...

• At any given time, approximately zero people in the room are in the market for your product or service.
• Most people won’t automatically make a connection between a client of theirs and a service you’re describing in a meeting.
• The people in the room will forget you and your services as quickly as you will forget them and theirs.

Regular networking groups such as Bx, TNG, and BNI overcome this to some extent, but it’s still a hit-and-miss affair. There’s a better way and it’s far more likely to work during any networking event.

Scroll down and discover how to get more referrals from every business networking event you attend.

What You Must Do

Ask to be introduced to someone who works in a particular industry, rather than to someone in the market for your product or service.

Explain that this person tends to...

• Market to the same type of client you do.
• Isn’t a direct competitor.
• Will likely benefit financially from working with you.

In other words, ask to be referred to people highly likely to know people in the market for your product or service.

How to Get More Referrals

Let’s look at an example. Jill is a Mortgage Broker who specialises in arranging mortgages for self-employed people who often struggle to deal directly with lenders. The best source of new referrals for Jill is accountants.

When Jill attends a networking meeting and gives her introductory talk to the group, she says the following...

Good morning, everyone. I’m Jill Smith and I specialise in helping to arrange home mortgages for business owners that banks are reluctant to lend to.

This morning, I would like to be introduced to your accountant because their clients often struggle to get a competitive home loan.

If you’re happy to introduce me to your accountant, please fill out a referral form and I'll get in touch with a one-paragraph profile you can use.

Most business owners have an accountant, and many of the people in the room will be happy to make a simple introduction using the profile Jill provides. In Jill’s case, there will likely also be an accountant at the meeting.

And that’s how to get more referrals at a business networking meeting. But can you apply this to your product, service, or business?

Yes. This Works for every Industry

This approach works with any industry, business type, and networking meeting. But it’s crucial that you follow these rules...

• Be specific. Ask for an introduction to a particular type of person.
• Limit your request to one type of business person. If you want referrals to another type, attend the next meeting and ask again.
• Be warm, friendly, and approachable in the meeting. If the other attendees like you, they’ll feel more comfortable referring you.
• Listen, be attentive to others, and make referrals yourself. Be the “quid pro” that has other attendees provide some “quo” in return.

This last point is especially important. By offering to introduce others to those you know who can be of help, you have a reason to contact them in future. If they weren’t willing to introduce you to their colleagues at the meeting, they will be once you’ve helped them. You can simply ask again if they know someone who does X and are happy to make an introduction.

The Next Step

Of course, once you have found someone who is willing to make an introduction, you need to know how to follow up and ensure the introduction is powerful.

That’s the subject of a future article, but if you would like to know right now, contact me and ask. And be sure to connect with me on LinkedIn.