Sometimes the most obvious things are right under our noses, aren’t they?
Take leads. In this business, Account Executives and Recruiters alike live and die by the leads they develop. The old ABC’s of generating referral contacts (A = Ask for Referrals, B = Beg for Referrals, C= Call for Referrals) rings true now more than ever as firms work harder to develop new business in this challenging economic landscape.
So why not start with Referencing The Reference?
Simply put, when performing the obligatory (and nowadays more necessary) references for candidates during your firm’s submittal to customer process, why not take a minute to truly introduce yourself, perform some basic intelligence work with the person on the other end of the phone that your services are available personally and professionally, if warranted?
This does not require a hard sell, an elevator pitch about how your firm is better than anyone else’s, or the promise of more money and a better life. It simply is a subtle way to show value and “thank” the person with whom you are speaking in a way that shows you are there to assist them just as they have taken time to assist you. Done well, you can easily and quickly amass hot sheets of leads for you and your colleagues and become a referral standout in your organization.