Follow-up with people? Stay in touch with others more regularly?

Send referrals to others so (you hope) they will (eventually) reciprocate with you?

Nope. None of these are the answers I am driving at with this lesson today.

The reality is that today–in 2008–people are overworked, busy, stressed and have a cram-packed agenda full of problems… whether its in their work or personal life. The key is they rarely ever tell you about it.

So the question concerning building relationships with them, and generating referrals together, really centers around doing what?

The answer?

When you… provide added value to a person’s life.

What do I mean? And how can you do this?

By sharing information, and doing so in a consistent, non-threatening manner (ie: Don’t be a pest).

I’m sure you can think of many ways of doing this in your own business, but allow me to suggest just a few quickly:

1. Provide helpful articles of interest to them about their competitors.
2. Suggest an area of marked improvement for them with their web site (or e-mails they send).
3. Fax a weekly roundup of advice or trends (mortgage companies do this with loan rates, etc.)
4. Invite a person to participate with you (as an observer) when you attend a sales call, appointment or out of office meeting.

Remember: Referrals come faster when you provide added value to others lives.