Quite often when I am talking to a prospective new client I’m asked to provide references. Which is a good thing. I want to know I’ve been vetted by the client and selected as the best consultant for the project. How I handle reference requests is a bit unique and I’ve found it to be extremely effective.
I reply to the prospect, “I’m going to have three clients call you and give you
a reference on my services. I’ll also provide you with their contact names and phone numbers, but because of your busy schedule I will ask them to reach out to you and hopefully you’ll avoid playing phone tag.”
This always impresses the prospect. Some version of “Gee, she’s got clients willing to call ME and give me a reference. She must be very good,” is what goes through their head.
Then based on the project, I select the most appropriate three clients and ask them to be a reference for me. If I get voice mail, I leave a message and follow up with an email saying something along these lines:
“I was hoping you could be a reference for me. I’m being considered for an opportunity that is similar to what I did for you. In deference to your busy schedule, and so you can avoid playing phone tag, I’m providing the contact info below for my prospect. At your convenience, could you please call this person and provide a reference for me? If you get voice mail, just leave your opinion of my services in the voice mail message. If my prospect wants to follow up, s/he will. ”
Now my clients, who are happy to provide a reference, are able to do so at their convenience. And if they get voice mail (a likely occurence), they are still able to leave a message voicing their opinion of my service.
Here is why this works – everybody feels like I’m being respectful of their busy schedule. My clients are happy to give references, and usually leave glowing voice mail messages. The prospect is impressed because I have obviously built relationships strong enough to ask my clients to pro-actively give references instead of waiting for a call. On more than one occasion, I’ve been awarded a contract when the prospect never actually TALKED to one of my references. But between the voice mails from my clients and the video testimonials on my website, they felt like they HAD spoken to several clients.
Try this for yourself some time, you’ll be amazed at how efficient and effective this can be as a sales tool.
